Chapter 01

Music managers are most commonly known as the liaison between the artists themselves and the major record labels, and while it is true that they are your direct link of communication to the people who sign you to a label, their role digs a lot deeper than that. A good music manager can not only shop around your name to labels and procure the best possible contract, they also work on and maintain your public image as an artist, they are your voice to the media and to your fans, and they will take steps that advance your career in positive ways you often are not able to take yourself. You already know that as a musician your job is to make and record the music, play shows, and interest fans. What you may not know is that the decision of where, when, how, and with whom these steps in your music career take place are through your collaborative efforts with a very skilled business person known as your manager. To give a more in depth look at the role of music management, we will break it down into steps that specify in what ways managers can help guide music careers:

– Once the manager is contractually signed to an artist, the manager will shop around the music and image of the individual to record labels and try to create buzz.

– Once buzz is created and a label or labels are interested in a potential contract, managers will navigate their artist through the legal language of contracts and make it clear what control he or she will have on their music once moving ahead with an agreement.

– The manager will advise the artist on what areas he or she should be willing to give or take within an agreement. This will range from what level of control over the songs the artist will perform to the amount of live shows an artist will perform; it will also range from the percentage of money the artist will make on an album or tour. Remember, the music manager will make money when you as the artist make money, so they should be working with your best interests at the forefront.

– If an artist is interested in his or her own merchandizing, music producing, and record label that is independent of a major music label organization, the manager will help in taking the right steps to find success in these endeavors.

– The manager will assist the artist in selecting other important members of their team, be it a lawyer, a publicist, or a personal stylist; the managers will have a hand in guiding you through every aspect of this career.

– The manager also consults with the artist about small every day details such as what he or she wears on stage, to what song will be sung at an event, to what interviews to do with the press.

The relationship between a musical artist and their music manager or management team should truly be one of collaboration so that the artist is projecting the image he or she wants to present to the public, and the manager supports this with consistent ideas put into play. In reviewing what music managers are responsible for, if you are an artist looking to establish a career in the industry and make a name for yourself, you may find yourself at a crossroads that asks, “Should I get a manager, and where do I begin?”

Are You Ready for a Music Manager?

If you are reading this guide then the short answer might be that yes, you are ready to begin the search for a music manager. However, just because you are ready to become a full-time, working and paid musician does not mean that music managers are going to be knocking down your door the moment you put it out into the world that you are ready. In order to be really ready for a music manager you need to be a musician who has something to offer. You should be making music for public consumption and performing music and getting paid to do so. A manager will immediately make a commission off of your earnings, so in order to benefit both parties, there need be some earning potential already established. Simply put, a serious and skilled manager is not likely to commit to someone for whom they make a measly $10 off of a $100 gig; nor are you going to want to pay 10% to your manager on measly earnings.

In today’s modern age of music the Internet is king, so you need to have both an online and offline presence that shines. A website that has attracted followers and commitments to shows you will perform well into the future are things that will attract managers to you. Remember, there are hundreds of artists for every one artist that a manager believes is worth investing their time. You need to already have the talent, persona, and drive that allow a manager to know that you are in the game already and ready to fly to the next stage of exposure on a grander scale. If after reading this you are beginning to realize this does not pertain to you but that you want it to, our advice is to play your music as often as you can and get your foot into the doors of local hangout areas and radio stationdis, create killer Facebook page and YouTube channels that are consistently updated with new music, and decide what type of artist you want to be and who your target audience is. These steps can begin leading you down the path of becoming the charismatic, successful, and profitable artist that managers will want to invest in.