Academy of Contemporary Music Review

Absolute waste of money. Would not recommend to anyone.

I cannot recommend ACM to anyone.

I absolutely hated my time at ACM. I completed my BA within 2 years at ACM with a 1st. That it's a degree that is offered as 3 years in 2 years is one of the few good things, because I don't think I could have spent any more time in this joke of a university. At times it felt more like preschool than a university! So much of it was so basic that there is no way you could enter the music industry in any sector with what is provided by ACM. Even if you'd like to learn something and are really motivated your enthusiasm gets destroyed by the extremely bad organisation, communication, pointless modules, and the way they are being taught. Lectures were so extremely boring that most students turned up 1 hour late on a regular basis (or not at all) and then just spent time on their phone or on facebook. There was no seriousness whatsoever. It all comes down to the way ACM is run, the problems already start at the top. Complaints are generally ignored, even if made by multiple students. A lot of essential facilities have not been working for most of the time and false promises were made that something would be done, but nothing really happened. It's really quite ridiculous. It's really that bad that during my time at ACM my love for music actually declined, rather than increased. A lot of that is due to the teachers. Most of them were just really messed up and so bad that I really hated them by the end of my time at ACM. Some of them seem to be failed musicians who are frustrated and need the teaching job but don't enjoy it and so they don't really care. Some were good as well, but the majority wasn't.
It's a lot of money and you don't get what you've paid for. I do think that getting education in music can be really valuable to ones career, but I would strongly suggest to go somewhere else!

I studied at ACM between 2010 and 2013 on both the Music Production Higher Diploma and Degree. My time at ACM was amazing, the facilities were incredible and I got some fantastic work experience at Xenomania and with Fraser T Smith as a result of the Academy. The fact that ACM has musicians and producers under one roof is of great benefit to the production students as you are never short of people to record.

Private academy teaching music performance, production, business and more. Great atmosphere and excellent facilities!

My son is studying performance drumming and has a drum exam next week which he is practising for, having walked for 30 mins to the practise rooms today, he finds a note on the door to say it s closed!! Really ACM you couldn t send an email?? Also a good few times when he gets into a practise room it doesn t have all the equipment, cymbals missing etc. I read your review responses about being a state of the art music academy - think you need to back that statement up and buy some more kit for your students!!

Little more than a money making scheme that only helps the most promising students while disregarding the needs of those who need a little more attention. The odd decent instructor but you get the vibe that more than half of them don't want to be there. A friend of my brother went there long way back in early 2000s and said that you get out what you put in but beware that your face has to fit. I went and put my best in but my face couldn't have fit because the younger and more 'saleable' students that got the attention even though I'm paying the same amount for the privilege.

Waste of money, get a real degree.
If you want to get into music, go out and work for it in the real world, don t go here.

DON'T GIVE THEM YOUR CONTACT DETAILS!!!!! They will bombard you with messages no matter how many times you contact them to take you off their list! I have received constant emails and text messages for two years now despite contacting them countless times to leave me alone.

I joined this college thinking it was going to take me somewhere. To give me experience in the music industry and teaching me about what it takes to make it in the music world. However this college does none of this. I did next to nothing at acm, I couldn't tell you one thing I have learnt at that college. Half of the students quit by Christmas and the turn up to lessons and the overall attitude of students and tutors was just appalling. My love for music and wanting to make a career of it, faded. I will not be returning for my second year, and now have to think of an alternative career. A waste of my time.