In 2016, charity Help Musicians commissioned a study alongside the University of Westminster and MusicTank to undertake the largest known study into mental health and the music industry. Of 2,221 respondents who took part, 71.1% said they had experienced high levels of anxiety, while 68.5% said that they’d experienced depression.
However, while we turn to music to express our own feelings, we often fail to consider the emotions of those creating the music we’re listening to.
Many in the music industry have battled mental health issues and struggled with the fame that follows their high-profile career. From Kurt Cobain and Avicii, to Chester Bennington and Keith Flint, mental health issues can affect anyone. So, with today, October 10, marking World Mental Health Day, we’re looking at how being an artist and dealing with mental health struggles can often be a difficult task, but one that needs to be addressed.