This is the first time this course will be available for everyone – online and through Teams. You do not have to be a university student to attend the course. Just sign in and get ready for our online content!
I have kept this course for three years in a row. The course has been able to find its shape in peace. This time, it is pretty easy to go towards it. The beginning date is September 14th and the host university will be Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. I know the registration time for the course is already expired. The good news is that there’s more to come! For those not able to attend the next course – there’s a book available.
The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers is a book that’s build as a basis for this course. You can buy it easily on Amazon, for example. For academic use, the book is available on EBSCO. Remember, the purchasing librarian will have an access for a review.
This year’s guest lecturer list is impressive to read. We have Mandy Aubry from Songtrust, Sam Tall from Studio71, or Marilyn Reles-Lozano from PresentPR. The course will end with a lecture featuring Timothy Williams. Tim will tell us more about scores and how the modern artist can make use of them. This information is naturally relevant to the modern artist management.
Although the course’s language is for now both Finnish and English – in the future, the course will be arranged solely in English. This is one of the reasons you should follow this page regularly. It is possible that the course will be arranged soon again. This is the site you will get the information first.
For those attending the next course, you are more than welcome. See you soon!
I get this book availability question often – especially in the summer times. Where can the libraries acquire the book? And is it available with what formats. That’s a good question and topical prior to the upcoming semester. Many universities have wanted the books in their libraries. I heard that also the students have wanted to get their hands on the book.
There are a variety of ways how to get The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers to the library collection. If it is wanted for the academic purposes, perhaps EBSCO is the most convenient way. You’ll get the access immediately – as an e-book. Purchasing librarian have a review option. In case your are the teacher and willing to check the content, ask your librarian to give you an access.
If e-book isn’t what’s wanted, there’s one great option too – and fast. You can acquire the book as a hardcover on Amazon. Here’s the link.
Here’s also the book presentation and related jpg image:
The next generation of music business books is here!
‘Karhumaa’s seventh book presents an unprecedented concept – how to understand modern artist management. Traditional and prevailing laws are transmitted, but the development of technology is presented in a way that often goes unnoticed.
In a time when technology development is increasingly guiding the formation of new business models, it is important to adapt to the situation. NFTs, web3 or the metaverse is already commonplace. Development plays a huge role in the job description of artists and managers.
Nowadays artists more frequently take a more active role in their own management. It’s not just the manager that runs intermediation or facilitation, and this includes modern preconditions and their arrangements. The artist needs to be prepared in any case, with consideration as to how resources are allocated to enable goal achievement.
To be able to succeed now and in the future, the basics of this book will be needed. This book is a step by step of what you really need to know. It is particularly well suited for educational use.
A manager needed to write this book. The author has almost three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.’
As so many times before – the book will have a life of its own. When I started to talk about this book earlier this year, also the inquiries started to come. Throughout the year I have received these calls. I take it as a responsibility to follow these leads. When the book then came from the layout, I no longer saw the reason to stay in the original plan. For me the publication date is always an estimate. This time also the process went faster than before.
One thing you should know. My books are always the thing that just happen. I do not plan them in advance. And there’s always a true need to start the writing process. Something that makes the book meaningful. This time it was the development that takes place in the modern music business – with regard to its artist management.
I got the idea of this book when I had a lecturing tour last Fall. One conversation led to another and on my way back home, I realized I have to write this book. I also realized I had to move up some other related tasks. I needed to test the content in advance, the structure I had in mind even required that. Fortunately, there was a course on the horizon waiting, where I could test the theses of the book. When everything ran so smoothly, it’s only logical that the publication follows the same theme. I guess I owe it to this process. That’s another reason for this move up.
The book is available on Amazon as a paperback, hardcover and an e-book. You can also get the e-book on Google Play Books. Many other retailers have made the book available. Just Google the title and find out!
I am happy to announce that it is soon here! The worldwide publication takes place in August 18th.
There are at least four things that makes me happy with this.
Firstly, I finally managed to create a concept that takes into account the current global needs within this scene. Trust me, it wasn’t easy. Every time I got created a concept, some emerging innovation made it weak. Every non-fiction writer knows what I mean. This change is nonstop, or at least it feels so. The modern non-fiction book requires reservations for this possibility.
Consequently, I am happy the book succeeded with its reservations. There isn’t an instant need to change the structure anymore – when some additional trend arrives the market. Just give it a welcome and decide what to do with it.
I am particularly happy that this book can be used for multiple educational purposes. If you are a teacher of the subject, just use the structure/concept of it and feel free to replace its examples with your own ones. Or, use it as it is.
Finally, it makes me personally happy to decide this chapter. From now on, I can freely take against all the related assignments. When the writing session is underway, or when you create preconditions for something great to happen, this destination begins to loom on your head. You probably know what I mean!
Have the best of Summer!
-Mika
A few changes always happen when finalizing the book. Here’s an updated backcover.
The next generation of music business books is here!
Karhumaa’s seventh book presents an unprecedented concept – how to understand modern artist management. Traditional and prevailing laws are transmitted, but the development of technology is presented in a way that often goes unnoticed.
In a time when technology development is increasingly guiding the formation of new business models, it is important to adapt to the situation. NFTs, web3 or the metaverse is already commonplace. Development plays a huge role in the job description of artists and managers.
Nowadays artists more frequently take a more active role in their own management. It’s not just the manager that runs intermediation or facilitation, and this includes modern preconditions and their arrangements. The artist needs to be prepared in any case, with consideration as to how resources are allocated to enable goal achievement.
To be able to succeed now and in the future, the basics of this book will be needed. This book is a step by step of what you really need to know. It is particularly well suited for educational use.
A manager needed to write this book. The author has almost three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.
Learn by doing or from others – that’s the question of what we all should think about. With many regards. What are the things we need to learn and what are the things we can ignore. That’s another question – especially nowadays when everything seems to evolve so fast. Usually many things transpire along the way – as our experience accumulates. Just moving on with your agenda, you begin to find your own way of work, but also to better understand the things you face. Or maybe even more importantly, what they mean to you.
Eventually, you will learn how to best make use the information you receive. For me learning is everyday matter – it happens without noticing it. In terms of music business management, the crucial question is what you do with that knowledge. What is the ultimate purpose you serve?
Personally, I believe in learning by doing. It enables serendipity. That however, doesn’t exclude learning from others. During this, soon 30-year time-span, I have worked as an artist manager and music business management professional, I have received a lot of advises. Some of them have been immediately usable while with another, I have realized the hint later. That’s exciting about this guidance, you will never know where following them may lead you. Of course, not all the advises are good.
In my case – I have noticed that I have built a logical whole of all these advises. These advises, combined with the gained experience have developed a concept for itself. How this is related to professional literature? You must, avoid of getting blind to your own chances, also look at the outside. Books and literature give you a chance. You can mirror what you read and draw your own conclusions. To this end, professional literature exists, not just to learn new things – also when evaluating your own doing.
This is what I want you to do. When you read these books, go into them. Think about what you would do within the examples presented in the books. In this way, you will get the best of it. At the same time, you will evaluate your own style to handle your own music business management.
Before this novelty will come out, you still have time to examine the previously published chapters. They have been a precondition for the birth of this book.
I don’t know what it is about August. It’s not the first time I have published a new book in August. So it will be this time. It is probably due to summer holidays. To get book ready for the publication before it, take a rest and get the jump start when back to work. A few words I want to say before it’s time to reveal the back cover’s content.
This upcoming book is something that’s been in my mind a while. I know that many writers tell exactly the same. Still, the challenging part wasn’t the content – that I already had in mind. It was the structure and concept. Music business has evolved a lot lately and it still does. That’s the reason non-fiction around it should act accordingly. We need to make reservations and anticipate what’s coming. But we also has to be able to extract the essential. All of a sudden, while lecturing a lot, I mean a lot – I discovered the way how this can be explained in a way that already takes note on all kinds of development. The concept was born.
The book is in its layout now, waiting for the time get published. I cannot reveal the exact publication date, but it will take place at some point in August. If you are hungry for more information, feel free to visit The Essence of the Music Business books. The sharpest eye can see how much they have affected to this upcoming book. A certain level of consistency is in the air.
Here’s what I can reveal – the text of the back cover of The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers.
‘Music business evolves faster than ever before. New methods appear before you have even learned previous ones and this challenges management to think accordingly. The best way to prepare is to accept chances. Many things progress and renew, but the important laws remain the same. Within such a frame, you can safely evaluate your chances of success, but also the meaningfulness of action, even in an unknown environment.
Nowadays artists more frequently take a more active role in their own management. It’s not just the manager that runs intermediation or facilitation, and this includes modern preconditions and their arrangements. The artist needs to be prepared in any case, with consideration as to how resources are allocated to enable goal achievement.
This book is a comprehensive overview about the things you need to pay attention to. It also provides a new, adjusted structure for understanding this business. This structure allows the adoption of new things more tangible and as a result you will not get lost within all the new daily-emerging details you need to cope with.
A manager needed to write this book. The author has almost three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.
This book is dedicated to everybody having a vocation and willingness for a career in the music business.’
The art of being a music business manager is something that’s always fascinated me. So much that I have wanted to write books on the subject. Next fall, I will publish The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers, which is seventh in order. Here, as waiting for this book from proofreading, I decided to write a few words about it.
First of all, we all have our own style, and/or idea to deal with the management. It is characteristic for this art to develop – the more you do, the better you probably become. So, gaining experience is probably something that’s of the greatest importance. Nevertheless, books can be very useful source of information when making your own assessments. This is something I have cherished now. Kind of a starting point.
From the very beginning, I had three metrics through which to evaluate the content. It should be effortless, inherent and meaningful. If the content I wrote did not fit into that frame, I left it out of the book.
Another starting point was gained experience. If there was no personal experience behind the chosen example, I left it out. In this way, I could not only respect the name of the book, The Art of Music Business Management, but also to make it one of a kind. Otherwise, I should have labeled it differently.
The key metrics of successful management is its built-in consistency – it also includes the title. Consistency is also what the artists expect from their managers. One of the most important things in this book is the concept of passive promotion. It is the thing that makes this consistency possible – as a compass. Also, how it effects in the 2020’s. Trust me, you will be surprised when reading more. The more surprised you will be to know how effective tool it is.
I have developed this art through lectures and one-on-one sessions in various universities over the past four years. It’s been pleasure that many artists have also asked for this. They want their online presence to be in order. This upcoming book explains in more detail all you need to know about it. And how it is the cornerstone of everything.
I am so lucky to have Aleksi Manninen from Ceased Sunfire to make the cover – again. During this summer everything should be completed. I will let you know the exact date of publication when I have that information.
Although reading a book is always profitable, there are a few good reason why you should read this book. First – when making this book, it has been taken into account that you might read this book, for example, five years from now. The assumption is that although the world develops and technology even faster, some of the basics remain the same. Remember this starting point when you read this book – all the time.
Technology allows you to create new opportunities, to establish a career, to promote your own production, make it a business and to deal with the audience – all the time. You don’t even need to leave home. When there is a lot of choice, it will cause difficulties to decide, but also entices to be involved in everything. These opportunities may blindfold you seeing closely. It’s so easy to follow a trendy wave and forget what I was doing in the first place. Technology always brings with it this hazard of intention. The content is done because of external expectations and gradually it begins to influence to the core plot of the story. You will find yourself doing things just because others do so.
Such a threat also challenges a non-fiction writer. The problem is in the structure. When a new material is to be included in an existing book, in the form of a new edition, there is a risk that the new ingredient will mess the previous logic and claims. Such a possibility makes it difficult to read if you have to evaluate the links between the things all the time, not to mention evaluate their accuracy. As a main rule, the more the book contains details, the faster its contents expire.
The Essence of the Music Business: Philosophy is a great book to read. You don’t have to worry about such issues – they have been taken into account for you. The book’s core in on the pages 99-145 in the printed edition. In the e-book, these chapters locate from Media Feed to Story of the Artist – Recording Contract. These pages provide you a framework for the better understanding of the matter. You can now navigate all the new information quite carelessly. In addition, it allows for natural updates and even if you read an older edition, it is easy to find out its relevance at the moment.
In the modern days, it is often about how to make your passive promotion active and breathable and thus to get algorithms find you and your affairs better. Remember also to read this novelty. It will further complement your knowledge on the matter. Available also on EBSCO and Ellibs.
My office is at where you can see a brick wall in the background. When you look at this space more closely, you will find that this is not an office in its true sense of the word. This is a place where I feel good. During the time when a large part of the work can be done only remotely and your participation takes place virtually, the comfort is of primary importance. Although there is +25 degrees Celsius outdoors, this ‘office’ is pleasantly cool. It is easier to think, plan and implement.
However, music business management is not a physical location. It is more a place where your brains, engagement and heart is located. The idea of this story come from the brick wall that has received a lot of attention. Some of the contacts are based solely on it:).
One advice is in place. If you are looking for a strategic guidance, read these books first.
UPDATE – The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers (2022) is also available now.
I will usually accept all the contacts I have. Reading those books greatly facilitates the progress and accelerates all the possible processes. There is a reason why I have written them. We get easier to the point. After reading those books you are forced to evaluate your business. This again facilitates the formation of your own opinion and the most important thing – the story you want to tell.
Modern music business management differs to some extent from what we have accustomed to. It isn’t mere external issues such as playlist pitching or constant social media promotion, although you could easily so think in the first place. These functions are, of course, important, but not all. Today, it is important to invest in unique things, to the story and how it is most sensible to bring out. It’s the bespoke career counselling which is still good be included in the management. Against that background, it is also easier to understand the business itself. It is also important that the artist understands the things about themselves correctly. Transparency is the virtue of today. The better we prepare the artists to their ‘game-plans’, the better the whole industry functions!
Here I am with a distinguished Ghanaian producer/artist, sLimBO – talking about new outputs and the story angles they should contain. These meetings are guided by necessity. Whenever there is a reason for it, the line opens. It’s a normal day at the office – as with all other affiliated artists.
I have ‘hardcover’ news! Hardcover books for The Essence of the Music Business have arrived on Amazon’s selection. Hardcover is a big deal for the author – it is somehow more impressive. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with paperbacks, or e- and audio books. They have their own abilities. But still, the hardcover is the thing!
This novelty is a book worth reading. I like the definition it has received – Modern Basics for Artists and Other Music Business Professionals. It’s this long-term knocking on almost every writing in the field today. This book focuses on how this is worth taking into account in everyday activities.
This book is also available on Google Play Books and EBSCO for academic purposes.
‘ The fully revised 2nd Edition is here. New examples have been added to better reflect the present time. Also, as a main focus, strategic thinking, the ability to create long-term plans and how to prepare for this in everyday activities are present in this book.
Understanding the importance of strategy is the basis for rational advancement. In the music business – strategies are not always perceptible. They are multi-layered, long-lasting, but also instantaneously effective. The ultimate goal often transpires along the way.
In order to understand tactics, one has to read between the lines. The reason why different pre-conditions and industrial expectations must always be taken into account is due to conflicts between artistic and economic goals. An artist’s progress often depends on their interest groups’ comfort to these aspects and is about maintaining the balance between music business objectives and the artist’s story.
This book deals with factors affecting the strategy and how it relates to the artist and their management. Although viable passive income generation in the streaming era is what is sought most after, no other aspect, including social media capital, should be ignored, as it is often even more important. All this has an impact on how an artist succeeds in other music business areas. This book illustrates the current state of things in light of new opportunities.
‘Strategy’ is the final chapter of The Essence of the Music Business trilogy from Mika Karhumaa.’
Meaningful it has to be. Strategy has always been my favorite subject. Although all my books deal with strategic perspectives to some extent, this up-coming Second Edition at hand treats it a bit differently. It is these essential sections that have been better raised. And beneath that, it’s attached with the meaningful experience.
This book has already faced the readers with its First Edition. Since its publication I have used this book as a study book in my courses. It has been a subject for the intensive debate, questioning and analyzing. Nothing establishes a better starting point for Second Edition as such a discourse.
Different methods and different measures may result in exactly the same end result. Strategy is not always a question of choice – sometimes it’s dictated by necessity. Although the strategy is often dependent on its user, it also affects how others adopt it or from other side – react to it. A journey includes variables that force you to monitor your advance. The strategy also involves a morality, sustainable solutions and accountability in general. The strategy will not only affect in its immediate sphere of influence, but also has a further impacts.
Another meaningful factor is goals. Each release is always about facing the ideals of industry. The issues that are generally perceived as worthwhile. Each release also creates an opportunity to enrich the backstory of everyone involved. The release also adds another metadata in the form of copyright. If your own goals differ from how the same thing used to take place in the field, it may require clarification. By taking note of this you will be understood properly.
This up-coming book deals with these topics. All this and much more will be available in this soon to be published The Essence of the Music Business: Strategy 2nd Edition. The new edition has a polished presentation and it includes topics that were left out of the First Edition. It’s much more consistent entity now.
I am privileged to get to work with the professionals I have mentioned in my books. Every thanks is well deserved. Here we are on April 22th at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, with Leonidas Chantzaras, talking about the significance of record companies in the 2020’s.
If something has changed over the past few years, it’s how we understand of being independent, or more of the value of being independent. Being an independent artist is no longer combined to the second-class amateur business. No, today independence seems to be the main objective of artists. A state of being in which the artistic freedom and economic independence do well.
A few years ago, most of the contacts I had focused on how to get a recording agreement and hence, get to the groove. It’s a huge difference if we compare it what happens today. An independent artist can gather seven or even eight digit numbers of streams – by do it yourself and that’s not even rare. They may not even need others to make it happen. Also, managers are no longer sought for the needs the intercession know-how mainly. No, it’s about strategic guidance how to tell your own story and plant it for the OPO (online presence optimization). Or how to monetize things. It is also to establish the best possible organization for your business prospects.
Managers are likely to approached because of their field knowledge – to get an access to the knowledge that is otherwise out of reach. In addition, especially at the beginning of the career, in its construction phase, the modern artist avoids long-term attachments. Manager is acquired to handle some particular task – that next sensible step. This happens to me more than frequently – a new assignment takes place on an on demand basis.
The modern artist knows their value and knows more often what needs to do next. The purpose is to go as far as you can with your own resources and only when your own resources are not enough, in accordance with the goal – approaching the future industrial partners. I like the current trend – the artist retain the copyrights themselves and organize their releases through distributors and administrations in a way it won’t involve any transfer of rights. Of course, this is not so black and white. The record companies are still an important institution in the music business. As are the music publishers. But it is the artist that has a choice.
In the past, the record companies were the gateway to the market. Today it’s more about at which stage the record companies become topical – if they ever will. In addition, the artist’s own management is often able to organize the releases so that around them is possible to build a meaningful business. All this is dependent on the objectives of the artist. The larger the international distribution is to be achieved, the greater the probability that the record companies will be needed. Instead, if the artist wants to advance organically, depending on how popularity so permits, it should probably be done on an independent basis.
Anyway, this picture tells you a lot about where the things are going. Here’s Chronoform. We go through their copyright issues and how to arrange their OPO so that it best supports their story. The management’s task will take as long as the job is completed – on an on demand basis and for the independent artist.
For more information – get your own copy of this book
Timelessness and memorable laws – the topics that have always fascinated me. I have always tried to find regularities and don’t even realize why. However, I pay attention to them in every transaction. It’s probably an occupational habit of an artist manager and a non-fiction writer.
This theme of timelessness is present everywhere in my production. Timelessness is the frame against which all the development is reflected. Timelessness is also a fixture on which I build the structure in my books. Timelessness also determines the order of presentation I use when lecturing. Or the content for the artist mentoring and guidance I provide. There’s quite a simple reason for this.
Books are easier to update, renew, and edit to match the prevailing circumstances. Taking timelessness into account also makes it possible to eliminate momentary trends when they cease to exist – there is no need to re-edit the entire book. It also makes it easier for the reader to perceive the purpose of updates. Under the theme of timelessness one is also able to reach to the present moment as well as find the things that need to be corrected, improved, changed or removed in the very moment.
To stay up to date, I visit several industry forums like MusicAlly, Music Business Worldwide, Music Industry City or webinars arranged by Songtrust to name a few. All this, in addition to the daily practice. Every time something new emerges, I wonder if it should be included in my books, lectures, or giving mentoring to the artists. One part of this information acquisition relates to one-one-one conversations that I have on a weekly basis around the world. Here’s one of such with MusicAlly’s Commercial Director, Anthony Churchman.
All this has become a cycle that affects everything in my daily life. It also brings rhythm and routines to the day.
I saw an interesting chain of conversation on Michelle Galas’s MUSIC BUSINESS GROOVS. There was talk of electronic press kits and what they should involve. The electronic press kit is often abbreviated to as EPK. This article however, isn’t how an electronic press kit should be built, of how does a good EPK look. No, we are now talking about operative environments and what needs to be considered when approaching the media and other audiences in the industry. Basically, these are two things.
First, the media is busy – they get a lot of inquiries everyday. If the artist you represent or artist him- or herself is new to the market, this thing is important to note. Many things go unpublished because the electronic press kit is delivered in a format where its text cannot be edited. Not all the media wants to publish EPK as it is, but make their own comments on it. It requires an extra effort from the journalist to rewrite the whole text sent by the artist or artist’s management. In the midst of all that workload, it is easier to publish announcements from the artists they see fit. If a certain text version is submitted alongside with EPK, the probability that you will see it published will increase.
Secondly, when approaching radios or other forums where the recording can be aired, copyright implications must be taken into account. Regional differences must now be taken into account. In all countries, music cannot be played on the radio without an appropriate label copy. The label copy is an instrument that the record company makes for each release. It shows all the rights-holders of the recording. This way the radio is able to report every play correctly to the relevant copyright organisation. If you do not have a record company for this need, such a label copy can be built by your distributor. Once again, it requires an extra effort from the radios to go looking for the necessary permissions. Almost without exception, this goes unnoticed, no matter how good the song.
These are the things an artist management works every day. Here’s an image from an online session with our promotion executive, Michela Prescott. The content and the form of the electronic press kit is usually the foundation where to start. It is then created an occasional division of labor, what the artist do, what management and what the label.
UPDATE: Here are some useful information in case you are interested in knowing more.
Proofreading is an integral part of making a book. I am in a fortunate position because my proofreading is done by a distinguished scientist, Eloise Mikkonen. I remember well the time I was writing my first book. When I got to the point where proofreading became topical, it wasn’t easy to arrange at all. Every author and every book has its own style – and the ultimate message to convey. It’s not just the text only, but also the style, rhythm and the order of presentation. If that connection ceases to exist, there is a danger that the same words produce a completely a different meaning. It is important that the proofreader is able to evaluate the raw text correctly and is able to read the exact meaning behind it.
Eloise was the sixth proofreader to whom I presented my text. She said she would correct a few pages as an experiment and we could see what the finished text would look like. When I saw those pages, I knew immediately she was the right person for the job. She was able to follow the themes of the book, creating a style for that fits the message. It is a great freedom for an author to feel safe already at the writing stage. There is no need to write connotations and explanations – the other already understand it.
The Essence of the Music Business: Strategy 2nd Edition is already our fourth joint operation. These books have became more intact with each new round. Our collaboration has evolved and found new features. We have a many methods in our ‘toolkit’ to make the text even more understandable.
I find it nice when these behind the scenes stories are constantly asked about. This short story of mine is an ode to the proofreading and its meaning. If you are in a similar situation yourself, you should invest in this task – even if it can be difficult to find the right one. Successful proofreading makes the book an experience for the reader as well.
Telecommuting has become familiar to many of us during the past year. Telecommuting is its own kind of art – each of us create our own style to do it. You can also develop your telecommuting skills and what a better way as do it together.
In my case however, telecommuting is not a new phenomenon. This is partly due to my location – I live in Finland and most of my associates live abroad.
Why I now brought up this telecommuting is due to the recent meeting I attended. I had an interesting talk with Nando Machado from ForMusic. We didn’t know each other before. Nevertheless, immediacy was present all the time. If something from 2020 will remain, we got accustomed to use these communication tools. We used Zoom.
When there are no possibilities for meeting each other in person, it must be done some other way. For me, this means a significant improvement. Suddenly it is perfectly normal to have a conversation all over the world. Even for small things and as if it would have always been the case. I admit I like this development.
Today I got an excellent overview of how things are handled in South America. With a person who has decades of experience on the market. It made me wonder whether these discussions should take place more often. Music business is clearly a universal phenomenon.
What makes telecommuting fruitful is its practicality. All the necessary material is in front of you and yet you have an eye contact with those who present. Okay, I admit I miss live contact where everyone else is. But still, I have noticed that some things are easier to manage through some remote channel, while others happen live more fluently.
I am pretty sure we could take advantage of this opportunity in the future – and meet more people globally. Who knows what can evolve with it.
Happy New Year to Everyone! I hope you are all doing fine. This is my tradition and fashion to welcome the new year.
The publication year 2021 looks interesting. Last autumn’s lecture series at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences sparked a variety of ideas. From the very first lectures I noticed that we were dealing with a new way of understanding the music business management. On a structural level I mean. Due to the activity of our students, I feel obliged to make a book about it.
There will be several releases from the artists I represent this year. At least Delta Enigma, Melba Culp, Annika Nord and IRENE are releasing new music. Nevertheless, there’s a place for writing too. We have been doing the groundwork throughout last year to make this easier. We have got to know each other better, and there’s no need to take a meeting for every question :).
In addition, more lectures are coming. Hopefully at some point the world will be open up again and we can do them live as well.
I am pleased to announce that this family of my books will receive an increase when The Essence of the Music Business 4 – Artist Management goes into production. I haven’t started writing it yet as The Essence of the Music Business:Strategy needs a little update. Once it is completed, it is time for this new publication.
UPDATE: That new book is published at July 21th. You can acquire it right here!
I want to tell you about the gift I received. I got a box of chocolate like this from Songtrust. Such a lovely gesture from them. I will use this as a prize. Whenever I successfully add a section to a book, I’ll take one piece. There are 14 pieces in the box. I’ll let you know whether this accelerated the writing or not.
This has been a great course – not only because of the subject, but the people. Given that we haven’t been able to meet each other, but from the distant, we learned how to work as a team. A lot has happened during these eight weeks. One might think that the charge will weaken in the wake of a four-hour remote lessons. Or that everything is a mere theory. No, it didn’t happen this time. We let the story and necessities be our course. We grew along the way according to where the material at hand led us. We let our guests bring the extra boost at the moments our imagination met their limits. This course could have continued no matter how long. It is about the management and intercession know-how after all.
In reality – all this gave rise to a completely revamped The Essence of the Music Business:Strategy. The first three times we went on our own, got to know each other and our ways of working. We worked between lectures in our social media group and analyzed the delivery of the lectures. After this introduction ran its course, it was time to welcome our awesome guests Annika Nord, Delta Enigma, and Melba Culp. They brought practicality to the course – presenting their current situation.
As we set out to consider their next moves – we found ourselves thinking about co-management. The artists taught the students their own tricks and the students, enlightened by it, presented their own development strategies. Quite many of these proposals were doable. Some of them decided to be implemented immediately. Even in the management – it is important to be able to think outside the box – to get an external view. Now it was the students who provided it.
Today we had the last session – to evaluate the course. It was great that everyone wanted to be involved. That’s not all. It’s best to save the best for the last. The day began with the lecture by Mandy Aubry from Songtrust – about music publishing. This, in some places difficult subject, became an easy-to-understand whole when presented by a professional this level.
Every now and then you get to participate in something great. The picture below is taken from our recent lecture – the third of seven we do. The subject is, of course, music business management – this time the story of the artist and the online presence associated with it. Given that the case in hand is a multi-faceted entity and at times a difficult subject to grasp, we received a well-analyzed set of related information.
However, this is not the reason why I’m writing this story. No – this is about the atmosphere the students at their most receptive can create. Despite these unprecedented times and the limitations it has created, released energy was present every moment. And yes – it is all reciprocal. Every lecturer knows how it feels to have it.
One picture is worth a thousand words. I hope the picture conveys the feeling from the ‘classroom’. I thought that a 4-hour lecture with 40 students might be hard to keep interesting. How wrong I was. Of course it would be great to have a live audience, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with these remote connections. The same way, these are encounters too.
We still have four sets left. We are excited as we get the whole Delta Enigma in the next lecture. With them, we go through the things how the artist and the manager are running their every day business. Against this background we get closer to the point. We are not doing anything artificial, but this meeting in the form of a ‘lecture’ will deal with the release of the band’s upcoming single, Venom, and related preparations. At the same time, we will establish an inherent continuum. This lecture will be followed by Jack McConnell. Melba Culp’s leader, who will talk about the division of labor between the artist and the manager in the modern days. To get a better picture, the management should be positioned and standby for several alternative settings. The artist’s presence sheds a different kind of light how to handle these situations.
Libraries have played a huge part in the promotion of my books. A relationship with libraries is something I want to cherish through life. I thought I could dedicate this Sunday to this appreciation. At the same time, I get to prepare for the upcoming Music Business Management course. Why do I bring up in this context? First of all, without libraries my production would never had such a wide circulation and reach. Consequently, the amount of lectures I give have increased considerably.
A series of lectures starting next week will make the issue topical in another way. The students have had time and opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course material in advance. Such an opportunity gives the lecturer more room. The body and content of the lectures can be colored with variety of examples otherwise undoable.
My main distributor for the university libraries is EBSCO. Their e-book collection is impressive. The best thing about this is that all the students can now borrow a book – immediately. My upcoming course has 47 students. I use all three books as a course material. If only physical books were available, there should be 47 copies of it. Think about the space they take.
This writing is not intended to discriminate physical books. No, they are equally important – no matter the format. I am grateful of every addition the libraries make when taking my books in their selections – whether it is physical, e-book or an audio book.
This is to every library. Thank you for creating pre-conditions for the successful courses when taking these books. It is a great help and 32 hours of teaching through Teams become doable. All this takes place within two months, and consistency as a key. Easy access to books is something that facilitates not only navigation, but also the internalization of the matter. All the essential is immediately available and not behind many gates. When the subject is artist management and related mediator skills, it involves a lot of information.
UPDATE: Here’s the latest book. Available on EBSCO as the previous ones!
There are many things happening this fall. The Essence of the Music Business books have spread across the globe. It is four years since the first one was published. A Second Edition of the first two parts has already been made and an update to the third is coming next fall. As a result, various follow-ups have seen the light of day. The most popular by far are the lectures and mentoring I provide to the artists, managers and the other music business operatives.
One of the biggest challenges for the year was getting the remote workspace ready by Fall. In my case, 100 percent of the work happens remotely. That’s what it seems to be now – a new normal. Fortunately this summer offered a short break from the all-encompassing scourge and I got the workers safely onsite. In July-August we got the facility completed. It makes this fall possible.
This is the scene it then takes place this fall. Here’s the before and after pictures. You can see what kind of place this was a few months ago. Such a make over!
ReadyBefore
I am particularly excited about the up-coming artist-management course in October-November – for which I have had great guests. When the size of the lectures alone is 28 hours, it can be included many relevant topics. Plus the assignments and mentoring.
To that every fall question. Whether there’s still room for the mentoring. The answer is yes. I make no distinction between different genres i.e no matter what genre you represent.
And indeed, each mentoring is unique. A more advanced version of mentoring is strategic consulting – even though I don’t much like the word consulting:). I have recently had a very interesting collaborations in Los Angeles, together with Prince Ayo Ajisebutu. We have mapped out a modern ways to bring out independent and up-and-coming artists even better – on the terms of their story. I has been rewarding to work with a man who has worked e.g with Youssou N’dour.
As many of you have already noticed, you can found me also on Linkedin. Feel free to connect.
I am very pleased at reception that 2nd Edition of ‘Philosophy‘ has received – even though the publication is only fair for two weeks. I have got a lot of comments from the readers. I am particularly delighted by the fact that the book’s message has been heard. I was happy with the first edition of the book, but the artist, who later became a friend of mine mentioned one thing after reading the book. ‘ I liked the style in which the book discusses with the reader, but is not edited. Not edited, I couldn’t accept that :).
My own philosophy is, if something keeps bothering you, something needs to be done for it. I came to conclusion that the book needed to be updated. I had to think of the readers. At the same time, I came up with a decision that still feels good today. This 2nd Edition is even more hybrid than the previous one. By hybrid I mean that it takes into account the laws before and after the invasion of streaming, but also prepares for the wider entrance of blockchain.
Now that the world has settled under the revolution the streaming arranged, eternal legalities of the music business are making their comeback – with their 2020’s application. The effects, artificial boost, or technical insights no longer play the center role, as it seemed at the time of this transition. Authenticity and the story are engaged and related promotion tactics and techniques have their supporting role, not the other way around.
From this premise, I made an edit in which the middle part of the book, pages 99-122, acts as a watershed. Note, if you are reading an e-book, it has a different pagination. By that I mean the chapters from Media Feed to Functional Side of Biography. What makes this book hybrid is that it travels fluently between old-school features , contemporary development and modern technology. The book moves back and forth through that watershed I mentioned. Such a structural solution within the book also makes the other literature in the field more palpable.
This book is available on Amazon, Google and EBSCO for academic use.
This idea has been present a lot throughout the year. Finally I can tell you more about my upcoming publications. I’ve been thinking how to complete the trilogy. One option would be write a brand new The Essence of the Music Business book. The other is to include that updated material within the previous three. Since the first part, Contracts, was already updated in March 2019, the other two parts, Philosophy and Strategy, remain as options.
I read both books twice – thinking about how they could be improved. I was particularly interested about the structure and order of presentation. Could I get new information there without compromising anything. Whether the existing structure allow room for the new ideas and/or whether there is enough space so that the book does not become too long. I realized that the update could take place in two steps. It allows me to complete the material if needed. If I make Philosophy first with the things I could add there, I can further refine them in terms of strategy. This realization was followed by a sense of freedom. It would avoid the possibility that an entirely new book would actually be a repetition of three previous ones – with only a few new ideas. The possibility of such always exist, as the trilogy contains more than five hundred pages.
This kind of solution also allows for depreciation. I can take unnecessary songs out of the books – these always remain, at least with the first editions. When the time passes from the publication, the text can be evaluated more objectively, and from the better distance.
I have recently focused on the streaming management, in more detail than in the past. Also to gain experience how to perform this task in the 2020’s. Or rather, I started this operation a few years ago – at the national level. Now it has been transferred to the international scenes – with the same team as before. The experiences I got can be read in the new editions of The Essence of the Music Business.
UPDATE: It still so happened that I decided to write another book – not within that trilogy as I just told. Many things led to this decision. You can get this book from here.
There’s more to this than just writing and publishing. It’s been a pleasure to partner with Grey Beton Records. Our second joint operation, Delta Enigma’s Waterfall, will be released along through that avenue. More likely all my other artists will end up with the same solution. The vision that CEO Richard Hiles has to offer provides the experience required for the modern streaming release requirements.
In the middle of these unprecedented times I’ve been twiddling my working prospects in a new light. I have rarely been as silent on social media as in the recent times. It has been scary to think about the world, all these fundamental questions. In January however, the publication horizon loomed The Essence of the Music Business:Philosophy and its Second Edition. It seemed to be the next sensible step, but also a calling.
Some of you already know my calling – being an artist manager. You probably recall that I took a break from those duties – to be able to write The Essence of the Music Business trilogy. I returned as manager with Melba Culp last February. I am still busy with them. Last summer, Gentle Savage joined the roster. These gentlemen brought with them the original cause, the calling. When I had that break from management, I had time to re-evaluate things. I made a promise to myself, I will continue to take artists who have a similar calling and fire that I feel I having. Never two without three.
Now to that call I mentioned. My phone rang in February and the other end was Vin Valentino from Delta Enigma. I already knew him, as he directed three videos to Annika Nord, an artist with whom I had collaborated. To be honest, I didn’t even know he had a band. Didn’t take three minutes longer and I was sold! I had once talked to him about music videos before. I remember being fascinated about his energy and passion of his work. When we started to talk, after seeing their unreleased Waterfall music video – I almost begged to get involved. This was exactly I was longing for – a reflection to this calling. Now, a couple of months later that Waterfall will be released.
What I am trying to say. These unprecedented times can also be used for one that would otherwise left undone.
It’s time for the Second Edition. Two years of intensive teaching and mentoring is behind now. From now on, it should be a few months of your own. If the artist management isn’t counted. Artist management is more of a lifestyle to me than a job. It goes along with everyday life – I think quite a many manager can relate to this.
Anyway, the second edition is my favorite phase of production. The process of writing a book involves blind spots that the writer is particularly exposed to. It is difficult to take the distance during the process. The improvements that always come between writing and editing a book may not be taken into account – at least completely. That’s the weird thing. Even though the book at that moment feel like the best possible outcome, a few months later there will be things that could have been said better.
Philosophy was published less than two years ago. Already half a year after the publication I noticed that my professional development did not match with my writing. Ideally, it is transmitted to the text in real time, not with delay. I bet it was due to a pause in my practice. I wasn’t dealing with the artist management in a way I normally would. This time I didn’t make the same mistake. Actually I was even prepared for this.
Today’s music management is characterized by the fact that it creates new developments with a faster pace than ever before. This places new demands for the author. It should be able extract the truths that hold their ground in that development but also prepare for the future opportunities and difficulties. Fortunately today, the book can be published quite soon after its completion. My books will be published within two weeks when it has came out from the edit.
As I already mentioned, I allowed this second edition to be influenced by the day-to-day management I practice. At the time of writing this book, I was at least dealing with Melba Culp, Gentle Savage and Delta Enigma. It’s refreshing to get a counterweight and something else to think about. That interaction also makes it possible to locate those blind spots.
This time our lecturing series takes us into the world of music publishing. In some places, an obscure subject is best opened up by the professionals in the field, such as those who are daily dealing with it. Because our course is focused on music managers, that is also our perspective. In order to best serve their clients, artists, managers need to know the basics of music publishing.
It is essential for the manager to know, for example, how Youtube monetization works or what is the difference between writer’s share and publisher’s share. The manager also needs to know how that revenue is generated and what it takes to become involved in it. Once these mechanisms are known, all the participants will be able to evaluate their own position and value to the extent required by the purpose. If the artist does not have this information, the manager can help explain it to them.
We were lucky to get Mandy Aubry, Director of Business Development EPEC & APAC at Songtrust, to talk about it. The lecture contained a concentrated dose of information, which can be challenging to gather from many different sources. It is always best to get the information directly from the source, from those who are actually working on the subject. It brings with it the practice and experience. Even now it turned out that what is theoretically presented can be a bit different when approached in practice. This information is worth gold to the manager. It also helps to find relevant and indirect effects elsewhere in the artist’s business.
Music publishing essentials at Arcada UAS 5th February, 2020. Mandy Aubry
I have a great news. Songtrust have produced bespoke material, if you cannot attend any of these lectures. Note, they also arrange webinars on the music publishing essentials regularly. For more information, for example The Modern Guide to Music Publishing.
Behind the scenes takes us today into the world of streaming promotion. Streaming promotion and its design is an important step before the music is released. We had an interesting two and a half hour where we went through the early year’s releases.
Many jobs are ran through using electronic devices – without meeting in Person. I like this old-fashioned way – to travel for a joint meeting. There will be reserved time for the meeting and the content of the conversation will be addressed. That’s the spirit.
Oliver Obolgogiani is the manager for Axel Thesleff. We have already worked together in the past. He brought with him Ricky Ghansah, head of PR for Axel Thesleff, a highly skilled operator in streaming promotion. Such meetings are valuable. We mapped out our own strengths and how we could work more effectively in the future.
Because these behind the scenes stories are being asked so much, I will bring them up again this year. Yesterday we talked about different options how to bring new artists to the public knowledge at their early stages and prior to releases. And how to produce content in which artificiality is minimal.
I talk a lot about that content and what influences the artist’s story in The Essence of the Music Business books. Similarly, the intermediation know-how presented in these books is well reflected in these in Person encounters. It is important that everyone devotes not only their time but also their focus to the meeting. That’s what happened to us yesterday.
The next behind the scenes story is coming from Arcada University of Applied Sciences. First I have a lecture with Jack McConnell, the vocalist of Melba Culp. Right after that, we’ll be giving a joint lecture with Mandy Aubry, Director of Business Development, EMEA and APAC at Songtrust.
I rarely make any New Year’s resolutions. Nor do I base the idea of to-do-lists – a line across when some task is completed. To-do-list is well-suited to certain-types of activities. In a multi-purpose task like an artist management, following premeditated steps can miss an important variable.
However, I do have a schedule of work and it is reactive. I follow a lot of necessities, the things without which the next step is impossible. Schedule of work can infer the goals that are characterized by their redefinition as a result of reactions. The key is to be in a better position than a year ago. One year is a fertile period of time to measure progress. It contains many industrial seasons. For example, when is the right time to release a new single in the hope of the summer festival slots. Therefore, if any such pre-condition is not achieved, the next time to try is year after.
Since I am often asked about my work and what it entails, I decided this year to write my schedule of work for everyone to see. It is not a rocket science, but contains many independent and interacting elements.
Of course, the most prominent part of my schedule of work is The Essence of the Music Business- books and the lectures I give around them. It is natural to make news on these topics as they happen to be so dominant area right now. I have already started writing an add-on to the trilogy – The Essence of the Music Business: Conclusion is under construction. It will be twenty years since I published my first book. It would be great to have a new release also for this year. So, the new book is the first part of my schedule of work. At least, I am trying to get it written this year, even if it comes out later.
My current contract with Arcada University of Applied Sciences is still in effect for a few months. I have now taught two years in Finland. At the same time, I have got interesting requests abroad. I think I am going to say yes to some of them this year. My affiliations with their restrictions have prevented such visits quite often. They no longer exist. So the track is open in this regard.
However, much more of my time is spent on another task – artist management. I have three artists to work with. In chronological order of appearance they are Melba Culp, IRENE and Gentle Savage. This is the job I do on a daily-basis, each and every hour of the day.
Jack McConnell from Melba Culp contacted a year ago. Their debut single ‘Never Surrender’ was just released. Right from the first conversation with him I noticed that there is something extraordinary here. Discussions with Jack can be long but interesting. I am very pleased with the new generation of artists who naturally take part on their own management – in a different way that I have in the past used to. Jack, for example, can be with me in lectures. He is very useful help when presenting the dynamics, division of labor and tasks between the artist and management. Jack also provides an extra boost of energy and it really doesn’t bother him to wake up at 5PM in Texas time. The lectures where I use him take mostly place in Europe. As for the band itself, Melba Culp’s second single, ‘Sheepdog Heroes’, will be released later this year.
And with IRENE, my first impression returns to one summer day and her first call. The sun was shining and the only thing I came up with was to walk back and forth in our garden and listen to what she has to say. They say that Sharon den Adel from Within Temptation is one of the nicest person in this industry. Something similar was present in that call. As time has gone by and numerous discussions have taken place, we noticed that we had begun cooperation. I am looking forward to the release of her next single, captivating ‘Skybound’. Her previous single, ‘Nightless’, has gathered respectable streams on Spotify. Skybound will get a video that introduces well the various aspects of this multi-talent artist.
As for Gentle Savage, this is something that just happened. Never two without a third. I had already decided that two new artists would be enough for the year. When this contact with the band’s leader, Tornado Bearstone, came in, I had to make an exception. He said he would come with the whole band here, even though we were 600 miles apart. One cannot but lift a hat!
We both share our attraction to the literature, though Tornado has read far more books than I ever have. This is noticeable when listening Gentle Savage’s songs. A long sentence inside a song may be followed by a short, but revealing and insightful expression. That’s what great lyrics are about. When the skill is there, it also enables a repertoire. Gentle Savage is best known for their song ‘Karelian Magic’. But there is more to this. Honey Bunny, due to be released on 16th February, illustrates well the multi-faceted talent in their doing. Not everything has to be so serious.
Like I said in the beginning, I like the idea behind the schedule of work. The goal is to be in better position as a year ago. We’ll see what happens with all this. Have a great New Year and talk to you soon!
The year is coming to an end – so is the related movement. I think I am about to start my Christmas Holidays now – when I got this opportunity. Christmas and this time of the year is a great spot for the review. When I think what has happened this year – I cannot be anything but grateful. I’ve got to meet great people – from the different parts of the world and in many different situations. Because the picture is worth a thousand words, I decided to make a small-scale photo collage.
The Essence of the Music Business
These book-in-hand photos became a cute little phenomenon. They are still fun to get. If you happen to hit your hands on the book, I am more than happy to get a picture of it.
Planning moment before the semester start
There have been several moments in the past year and a half – planning moments with Liisa Tolonen at Arcada University of Applied Sciences.
Round table meeting for Annika’s Debut Album release
I have known Annika for three years – right from the beginning of her solo career. Now it’s finally happening – the debut album will be released in 2020.
Meet Dynamo from Eastern Finland
Auditions are great to keep. The band traveled 600 kilometers for one audition. Their second album is coming out next year.
Music&Media 2019, Tampere, Finland
These guys made my Music&Media attendance very pleasant – w/Leonidas Chantzaras and Samuli Väänänen.
Mika Karhumaa, Jack McConnell and SeAmk’s cultural management students.
This class was and is a pleasure. Even if I had to travel a few thousand kilometers in just over six weeks, it didn’t feel like it. The class atmosphere was so positive and inspiring.
A business meeting w/ Mika Karhumaa, Axel Thesleff and Oliver Obolgogiani
One of the last meetings of the year – but not the least. I heard Axel‘s thoughts on his music and would have listened to it for several hours. Rarely four and a half hours go by that fast.
Finally, a much asked question. Is there a new book coming? The answer is yes and no. I have been writing new material aside. The difficult decision is whether to include it as an addition to the earlier trilogy, or to make a whole new book.
I wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Behind the scenes continues. This story came to my mind as I began preparing for the next week’s lectures. There will be two of them in two different locations. Professionally, I like the changing audience around the same topic. Such a shift between consecutive days challenges the teacher.
I generally don’t like to give same lectures all the time. This is why I use my books as a basic course material. Some things are easier to go through by reading, while others belong primary to lectures. The students, and no wonder, they like examples and the most concrete ones. When you can drop them in a consistent way, a four-hour lecture will not feel so heavy. When the homework is done well, it is easier to make targeted refinements and focused questions with lectures. The dynamics of a successful lecture is due to the fact that both the teacher and students are prepared well. One of the qualities of a good teacher is to facilitate this preparation.
I am constantly developing my set and lectures are the best place to test how my methods work. Everything starts with the interaction. It is surprising how the learning is only rarely completes within a lecture. The lectures give seed to the matter with lecture intervals being an interesting spot. During those hours, my role is being a coach more than a teacher. How I communicate with the students – so that the lectures get a better understanding.
The next ratio is telling its own truth. If the total hours of lectures per semester is somewhere between 60-70, this mentoring rate is almost 400. The good thing about it is that it can be practiced almost anywhere. Already in my early days as a manager, I traveled with my artists whenever I could. During those journeys the greatest development took place, for all of us. We had to face ever-changing situations together and we also learned from each other. It is quite natural that I do the same with my students.
My previous post had pictures from Seinäjoki. Now it is time to meet the students of Arcada University of Applied Sciences. As important the lectures, so are professional meetings. Here’s a little throw back before the next one is up.
