Today’s music industry is a complex entity to navigate with many of our biggest success stories working with savvy music management to help them handle the business side of their journey.
If an artist can be viewed as a brand or business, then the music manager is the director, playing a crucial role as a conduit between potential revenue streams, record labels, streaming services and the creative process. The manager’s role can differ depending on the act or band but they will often work closely with talent, helping them make informed decisions and set realistic goals both for day-to-day and long-term ambitions.
Studying a music management course such as SAE’s Music Business degree will give aspiring music industry professionals a thorough grounding in what it takes to be an industry professional. From understanding new sources of income to knowing when to drop press releases for independent artists or matching them with the right music producers, a strategic plan surrounding an artist’s interests can help managers work effectively.
In our blog, we explore the role of the manager, how it has evolved and some of the responsibilities it could include.
If you’re looking to join a course with SAE to understand the business side of the industry, then message our team now.
What is an artist manager
From the days of Elvis and the Beatles to today’s contemporary stars such as Lily Allen or Ed Sheeran, the artist manager has helped steer creative musicians, songwriters and performers on their road to success.
The responsibilities of an artist manager depend on who they are working with, the stage of their artist’s career and what success looks like for them.
Music manager jobs are therefore varied depending on their relationship with the artist and can be structured differently in terms of money, responsibility and contracts. Some work either for larger management companies or independently. The ultimate role of most managers is to act as a business partner so the artist can focus on creating music rather than being involved in music industry mechanics such as negotiating contracts, liaising with distributors or pitching music to streaming platforms.
The core principles of music management
The job of successful managers is to understand the music industry landscape, how to spot opportunities and how they can be used to progress the careers of their clients. There are some key components that underpin this role:
Understanding the music business
From music production to streaming, digital downloads and now Artificial Intelligence (AI), the industry has gone through countless changes during the last 20 years. Supporting an artist takes more than planning or working tirelessly – you will also need an understanding of the latest trends and technologies to source opportunities alongside a thorough understanding of what you want to achieve.
Always champion an artist
When looking after an artist, the manager’s role is to always look out for the best interests of their client. If the artist is a songwriter or producer, then their role is to make amazing music – the manager’s responsibility is to look after any business interests and help the creative grow their music career, however they see fit.
Understanding where an artist sits in the industry landscape
This is related to what an artist’s success might look like – and any strategies employed by an artist manager must be tied to their music career. Is your band an independent artist? Or are they signed to a major? What are they hoping to achieve within the next 12 months? Do they have any specific goals such as hitting a certain number of streams or playing live shows in specific towns or cities? By understanding where an artist is currently at and where they want to go, then a good artist manager can help them make the right decisions to progress their career.
What do great artist managers do?
The manager’s job can take in a huge variety of areas, skills and abilities. Of course, business acumen is an essential part of their make-up but a good manager must also know when it is the right moment to seize an opportunity. Here are some essential aspects of their work.
Artist development
The majority of artists choose to work with a manager as they want a partner to help them grow their audience, improve as a music-maker and establish a sustainable creative career. There are different factors that feed into this, from creating and growing a brand to planning releases and transforming a musical passion into a sustainable career.
Contract negotiations
As an emerging band or artist, there are various pieces of business that need to be addressed if you want to make money from your music. If bands write their own songs, then they will need to register their works with a Performing Rights Organisation such as PRS for Music. Songwriting splits should be defined early on in the creative process to ensure that writers are paid for their contribution to a piece of music, whether that revenue from a stream, download or play in a bar or live music venue. If an artist wants to sign a record deal, then a manager must be able to understand legal contract terms and negotiate on behalf of their client’s music too.
Look after merchandise sales
According to this MIDiA report, the global merchandise market will rise to become a $16.3bn (£14.2bn) industry by 2030. This relates to physical merch such as t-shirts, digital merch and physical music and clearly can be a significant revenue stream for artists. Such is its importance, The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess has launched a Merch Market in the UK where bands are invited to take up a stall for free and sell their products.
Working with booking agents
Playing live could be part of the business plan for an artist and can offer different revenue opportunities depending on each gig. A booking agent is part of the live music industry infrastructure and often operate independent of a manager or an artist’s team. However, a manager could partner with them and a live promoter to help plot a tour or live show to ensure it fits into a wider marketing strategy.
Financial planning
For a business like a music artist to survive and subsequently thrive, it has to make money and to do so there needs to be an infrastructure surrounding it. This can take the form of financial planning where budgets are monitored and assessed alongside processes for acquiring revenue. Other tasks could include handling contracts, negotiating deals and managing income streams through royalties or licensing.
Social media
Of course, a digital presence is essential for today’s artists – and social media can be a great tool in helping engage with, then building an audience. This means a knowledge of how social media platforms work, what constitutes the most suitable content for these channels and the best ways to share news can help an artist go far. From TikTok to Instagram and subscription services such as Spotify, there is a vast amount of data and analytics available to help enhance strategies and ensure managers are making informed decisions that have a positive impact on a career.
Grow an artist’s career
There are clearly different attributes for good managers to possess, from effective communication skills and adaptability alongside a passion for building relationships and getting things done. Studying a music management course can be a great way entry point for this side of the music industry while being well organised and skilled at networking should be a given – and all of these abilities are aimed at one goal – to build an artist’s career.
Study Music Business at SAE
Studying our leading Music Business course will give you a comprehensive education in labels, publishing, management, touring, distribution, and live events.
You will have the opportunity to collaborate with an exciting student body to record your artists, film music videos and begin to plan your own career in one of the world’s most exciting industries.
