books on music business management

Teacher Info

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If you are a music business management teacher like me and are interested in The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers book, here’s some valuable background information. Every teacher naturally values their own methods and practices, which served as a foundation when I began writing this book. I’d like to believe I have successfully crafted a book that speaks ”from one teacher to another”. That’s one objectives behind this book. Another goal was to create content that is equally beneficial for artists and meets their management needs.

The book primarily emphasizes a deep understanding of the core principles and concepts, rather than delving into numerous details. While there are examples provided, they are presented judiciously, only when necessary. This approach is deliberate in shifting focus from the conventional domains of the music business to real-world scenarios and treating them as practical case studies. You will soon grasp the significance of this approach, as it allows us to gain a genuine perspective on the role of a manager.

This innovation facilitates presentations through three pertinent dimensions: management, copyright and contracts, and intermediation. It simplifies the explanation of the shift in contemporary management priorities from the traditional mediator model to this updated and current model, founded on strategic control.

This is advantageous for the students as it provides them with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary job description. In accordance with modern management practices, artists are no longer viewed as passive objects rather as dynamic assets. Consequently, students gain deeper insights into the strategies and current regulations that impact this field. Not all of this may be immediately apparent, but you will soon discover it!

From the artist’s perspective, we replace the term ”promotion” with the concept of ”story”. However, it is essential to clarify that the term story doesn’t refer to a traditional narrative in this context. Instead, it serves as a framework to elucidate the functional elements of the narrative – what purpose the story truly serves. This approach allows us to shift from an external perspective focused on appearances to an internal perspective, delving into the story’s content and its underlying objects.

Contracts and copyright, on the other hand, have been addressed only to the extent that is pertinent to music business management, specifically focused on the business aspects. This approach prevents the complication of the overall comprehension with excessive technical details. The book includes references to supplementary material for those who wish delve deeper into these topics.

However, there is one exception and it pertains to passive promotion. The book explains the significance of copyrights from a modern promotional standpoint, and copyrights play a pivotal role in this context.

All of the above allows ample flexibility for individuals to utilize this information as they see fit, supplementing it with additional pertinent sources, personal experiences, or examples. The provided framework for the teacher doesn’t impose on or exclude any existing frameworks. It also doesn’t preclude other methods of acquiring the same information, even if they run in parallel or overlap.

I have implemented this structure in my lectures for three years now. Our guest lecturers have greatly appreciated this setup. They have mentioned that it allows them to seamlessly integrate their experiences without any rigid structural constraints. It empowers them to discuss what they are most comfortable with while maintaining a contextual framework.

One of the most intriguing modern management tools and my favorite, passive promotion, is well explained in the book. I am one of the founders of this school of thought.

The final two chapter of the book may appear somewhat repetitive. When I teach manager students, I typically omit these sections. However, when working with artists, I’ve founded that repetition can be an effective approach. In their case, there are valid reasons to reiterate certain concepts, as they require this information for various purposes.

Another rationale behind including these two last chapters is to prepare for a potential Second Edition. These chapters contain memory traces that need to be considered when planning the update. This approach ensures that I do not overlook them.

I had mixed feelings about venturing into predicting the future developments, so I ultimately chose not to do so. Consequently, I refrained from making extensive predictions about where web3, the metaverse, or other businesses might lead us – my aim was simply to present their current existence and significance. I believe it’s wiser to allow practice to demonstrate their trajectory first. This turned out to be a right solution. The book’s conceptual framework naturally takes the future into account. This is evident now, especially with artificial intelligence – there is no immediate need for updates. In fact, in the context of passive promotion, the book is ahead of its time.

This is also a reason why the book has fewer (134) pages than average. When the necessary additional information becomes available, this book serves as a platform for its incorporation.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. As a teacher, I wish you a great lectures!

This chart will make it easier to teach - teacher's info

Co-Management and Modern Music Business

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Co-management has become an essential part of my daily routines. It’s a great thing that you can deal with it almost everywhere. In addition, modern artists welcome the co-management into their activities more often. I understand this well – they want to stick to their artistic and economic freedom. Also, the modern artist is aware of their rights and needs. They can also explain their true goals in an understandable way. It is their self-reflection.

This makes them capable of evaluating how much external help it is required – and who will be the one to perform it. We are not locking that state of affairs at too early stage. It is about taking the next sensible step. It is about that particular moment – to map out short-term activities suitable for the long-term agenda. A great thing about the co-management is that it can be canceled at any time. No strings attached. This itself emphasizes the manager’s responsibility for his / her know-how and its added value. Consequently, this leaves the artist a choice. To move on with the current setting as long as it is useful and feels right.

Nevertheless, the liaison is regular. It’s really not different from traditional artist management, except for one thing. The artist already knows their stage. They have their own audience and daily routines. Some of those activities are progressing with their own weight, while others need support and perspective. This is the place where the co-management comes up. Hence, the co-management is a great option for such artists whose career is already established. The artist whose career is just at the beginning, the traditional management may be better suited. They are probably in need for the manager’s resources, such as know-how and other experience. So many things affect this.

If the artist has information on how to proceed and the necessary resources, of course the co-management can be a functional solution for a career at the beginning. The artist then reserves a right to evaluate the meaningfulness of the collaboration. If it turns out that the cooperation isn’t working, the artist may end it without any limitations. If everything begins to work naturally, the artist may then choose a traditional management instead. It is up to the goals you have. If the artist is willing to ’have it all’, they probably need more additional help – on a day-to-day basis. In this scenario, it would be advantageous to have a dedicated manager solely for them. If the artist likes to proceed organically, as a natural continuum, perhaps the co-management is better suited for them.

For me co-management is a bespoke task – especially nowadays. The support that I offer is customized to meet each artist’s genuine requirements. Multiple tasks can be handled simultaneously without any detriment to one another. I can easily continue writing and lecturing and still capable of doing what I love, the artist management. The artists I work with, doesn’t need more – that’s also one thing to check. If they would need more extensive support, I wouldn’t necessarily be the right person for the post.

Here we are with Jennifer Porter and her label’s executive Dana Packard. This is an example of how some things just happen. Originally, we didn’t even intend to go any further. Just to meet. However, the story of Jennifer was so immersive – we continued our sessions. As a result – we found a better ways to make her career present. It is this passive promotion that is so important to each and every artist. When the things begin to proceed naturally, with their own weight – it is always the best.

Co-management can be practiced in many ways - here we are with Dana Packard and Jennifer Porter

 

 

Homepage and Communication

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When the first steps of the promotion are to be presented, the website cannot be ignored. In fact, the website provides a fertile ground when we talk about the road map, plan realization or just reacting accordingly. As it is with income types, also promotion can be divided in active and passive sections. Modern promotion has many different tasks, but also meanings. You should read The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers to get an updated info.

With a new artist, the audience rarely has enough knowledge of them. Therefore all the plug-ins that increase that awareness is extremely important. When people begin to know their name, the two-way role of the website will be established. For the followers who already know the artist and their story, the main focus is on the artist’s up-to-date affiliations and future plans. This part of promotion is the active part. For others, the people who are not yet aware of the artist, or who visit the site for the first time – the attention is paid to other things. They are generally interested in what it’s all about. This side of the story could be considered the passive part of promotion. Unlike with the already existing fans, a new encounter need a background information. They are usually in a need to know more about the artist, and what a better way to do it than search engines. If everything is in order, search engine provides the artist’s own homepage first. The homepage is also a source of information where an artist can best influence the content of stories.

When considering the promotional content, one must take into account the different levels of needs. TV series must have parts that attract new viewers even if they haven’t followed the show from the beginning. In addition, it must also be able to retain older fans interest with new episodes. The artist’s future and the ability to follow their progress is for the existing followers. Giving the opportunity to find out the artist’s history and origin is for the new followers. Thus, it is a good idea to have metadata information such as biographies and discography, as well as photos and videos along the way.  All the new material instead, plays an important role for the fans as it shows the artist being active.

All the artist’s products should be easy to find – also the related information. Information acts like a product description. Unlike the products that can be bought with one click, information works differently. It always requires an effort from the recipient. This in turn requires clarity on the artist’s side, with the content and layout. The artist cannot confide that a new visitor will be patient or want to find information behind a thousand links. This may cause a counter reaction – it can be a good idea to keep your homepage simple, but also thoughtful and spectacular – pleasing to the eye. The career information should be initially guided by the artist’s action plan, not so much a massive awareness of the artist’s existence. On the tactical side, it is important that the artist reacts to the call, if the reception requires. If the artist is unable to answer this call, it is not worth acting the opposite.

What most artists want is to the contacts – for this reason contact info must be very easy to find. The same applies to other things that the artist wants to emphasize. The products should also be accessible and the links should be avoided if the products are difficult to obtain. This of course requires on-call time. If this situation changes in the future, availability placement can be made to match the prevailing situation. This is one example of why homepage matching reality is more important than impressive appearance. If a potential buyer cannot get the product they want, or worse, not even find a link, the visit will surely leave a sour taste.

This will be the next thing – the links and their use. It is perfectly normal and even advisable to use links to the services and improve availability. However, they should not hinder the acquisition of information or mislead people which may happen by accident. Ensure that links actually lead where you want to steer people. It is not uncommon for something to go wrong when setting up links. The artist is therefore not linking their homepages to mere sales aspirations. Links also have other uses. They can lead people to interviews or other relevant forums. It is good to note links may change its content. They may, and often change – as well as their locations. Someone else’s interview may be found behind some particular link. It is good to be aware that not all the content behind these links is not solid.

If you’ve shared that one of your songs or albums is #6 on some chart and half a week later someone clicks that link and you’re in position 28, the positive message you’re trying to convey may have the opposite effect. A 22 position drop does not necessarily support the other positive messages on your homepage. Fast-changing information is better placed elsewhere on the social media environment – not on the homepage unless placed on its News Section.

Restrictions can also be present with copyrights. Some distribution networks have divided their offering so that there are regional distribution points around the world. Many times this is due to local legislation. Even if some umbrella organization has obtained the right to sell your copyrighted products throughout the world, the content of the license does not necessarily apply to all of its distribution outlets. Therefore, it is not necessarily wise to advertise products through German link despite the product would be topical in Germany. This choice may exclude all the other countries if you are not careful. It can be that the umbrella organization’s French unit is responsible for France’s distribution and Italian unit for Italian needs. If there is a globally eligible link available somehow, you should use it. Alternatively, if the artist has a fan site in Germany, then it is completely natural to use German links there.

In many cases – the less information, the better. Browsing pages may become a challenge if the artist’s homepage is a salad, filled with all kinds of information from here and there. Different sections of that site hold a different weight and it is always better if the most delicious points of one’s career are presented first. In doing this, the visitor gets a better idea of what the artist really entails.

Particular attention should be paid to the site’s sections that do not change very often, but are of great focus. It is a good idea to strongly invest in the content, structure and layout – to meet the artist’s image. It is also good to post artist-related communications elsewhere in social media, rather than just on the artist’s home page. Some news are just better to place on artist’s Facebook page, where it disappears with the news stream. Visitors usually tend to pay attention to the issues that the artist raises. If the artist’s current plan calls for more sales, it isn’t wise to talk about the new album and associated pre-production – as this topic is premature. It only takes the focus away from the current agenda.

It is time to remind the concept of footwork. The active stage favors regularity. It is highly recommended to build a communication plan, the protocol. To map out all the things the artist wants to share and/or how to react to the echoes. Fans who regularly visit the artist’s ‘premises’ are surprisingly aware of the truths behind the scenes. All the lightweight news is better placed in faster forums such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, if the artist feels it necessary. This allows the artist to react quickly in a situations where the artist is expected to respond. The bigger news and more time-tolerant stories are worth to put on the homepage.

All in all, communication on the homepage and its relation to the artist’s other information channels is a matter of choice. No single truth exists. It is about the artist’s career stage that usually determines the contents of the artist’s homepage. In any case, it is always wise to plan in advance how to meet the different situations – and through which media different things will happen. At the beginning of one’s career when knowledge of an artist is limited, it is important to be clear and honest. Everything leaves a mark on the search engines.

Why homepage and its communication should be aligned can be read from this The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers book