Side Note

Making playlists for Chipotle is one of the music industry’s most coveted jobs

Yesterday, recording industry bible Billboard released a feature on the music industry jobs of tomorrow. While the list is filled with 48 positions, from the glamorous and intriguing to the fairly standard, the one job included that really caught my eye belongs to Chris Golub, a DJ and bar owner who curates in-store playlists for Mexican-inspired, fast casual restaurant chain Chipotle.

America's hottest club is Chipotle. This place has everything...

America's hottest club is Chipotle. This place has everything...

No, the songs you hear when you walk into the restaurant aren’t from a random playlist streaming out of a hung over employee’s iPhone. Rather, they are specifically-chosen by Golub and his team at Studio Orca, the company he founded that creates “music identities” for restaurants and other businesses. According to him, Chipotle is the spot where you can listen to artists who will be the music industry’s next big stars. “We try to showcase the emerging talent around the world, as well as some throwback jams,” he told Billboard. So, the next time you’re looking for the cutting edge of music, ditch the club and head straight for the burrito counter. There, at least, you won’t be at the mercy of an algorithm.

It’s time for a career change.