career planning music industry

Black Friday Special: Essential Reading for Artist Managers

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As Black Friday approaches, it’s the perfect time to invest in insights that will reshape your approach to artist management in the era of AI. In my book, The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers, I dive into essential principles that every manager and artist needs to thrive in today’s AI-driven music industry.

In this book, I speak directly as a manager to managers, or manager to artist, offering a perspective that gets straight to the heart of what matters most. By sharing insights from this viewpoint, I ensure that the key principles of artist management come through with the clarity and relevance needed in our modern, tech-driven world.

This book isn’t just about traditional artist management methods; it’s about a completely new approach that aligns with the way technology is reshaping our industry. I emphasize the strategies you’ll need to harness AI for more effective artist promotion, career planning, and building a lasting digital presence. The principles outlined in the book guide you on the next right moves to make, giving you a strong foundation to stay agile and adaptable.

I’ve designed this book as an accessible guide, providing clear, actionable steps that apply directly to your daily work as a manager. Whether you’re developing new skills or building upon existing ones, this book ensures that you have a solid framework for success in a field that’s changing faster than ever. From career-building tactics to measuring progress, I lay out the insights needed to make informed, creative decisions that secure long-term growth.

This Black Friday month, take advantage of the chance to get a resource that’s built for the realities of the music business today. I cover the nuances of managing artists in an era where AI impacts nearly every part of our profession, from developing strategies to implementing them with precision and relevance. Don’t miss out on the insights that can transform your management approach and lead to new opportunities.

Also, inquire about my upcoming Music Business Management Master Classes! Next year, I’ll be offering at least three courses that dive even deeper into these essential topics. Whether you’re new to the field or an experienced professional, there’s always more to learn.

Black Friday Special: Essential Reading for Artist Managers – The Art of Music Business Management

Mentor and What Does It Mean To Me

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To have a mentor is definitely an asset. One good attention to remember is that the mentor relationship does not born with a decision, but just takes place. It may arise whenever and in any way.

In my case, a meaningful event took place in 2003. I was spending the evening with my friends at Ravintola Ilves. Juhani Merimaa, the owner of the place, came to the place and sat on our table. When he heard I had written a book of music business contracts, he started a debate. I lived at the time in a different city and I had a ticket to the next outgoing train. I quickly realized that it is worth to stay and go with the next train.

Experience is a thing that has always fascinated me. When I write in my books that it is good to have at least one experienced player onboard, I will return to this moment. When he started talking about his experiences, the events he has faced in the international music business, the whole table got silent. We just listened. It was completely inconceivable that the music business professional that level gave three hours to us without being asked. Many things he mentioned, opened to me when practicing music law later on.

Now, 18 years later, I still continue to meet with him. To have a mentor – it also have an impact to the contents of my books. And lectures. Such moments offer insights that you would not otherwise be even aware of. It is the experience against which the options are easier to weigh.

Here’s a picture from the last week meeting, Annika Nord also included.

 

It can be important to have mentor. Juhani Merimaa has been one of a kind to me.

 

To have, or to become a mentor doesn’t happen by force, it just happen. That itself is a good reason to keep your eyes and ears open – the same may happen to you too.

Intelligence and Artist’s Independence in Modern Days

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Intelligence draws attention. Intelligence is noticeable whenever present, it attracts us. Intelligence has the ability to find out about things. Intelligence can be associated with a vision and how it can be converted into some tangible form. For example, when writing a song. When a performance and an artist is added to it, we are dealing with the visible side of the matter.

All this isn’t about intelligence, but talent, experience or learning. Can these items really be distinguished? Intelligence increases with experience etc.. In any case, intelligence steps into the picture when we start thinking what should be done with it. How to get it out from the existing, lacking, necessary or hidden resources. Much is the question of what you should do for yourself and what is needed from the outside.

Being intelligent always relates of being independent – at least up to some extent. And precisely to this evolution that modern music business gives the opportunity. Hardly ever has an independent artist had so much alternatives. However, independence is a relative concept. It also gives you an option of disposition. That is, to sign away the rights to carry out a larger objective. The traditional means still have their foothold. In addition, a variety of hybrid solutions have been formed between these extremes.

It is great to see that the awareness of artists in their business has improved. It isn’t always the artist who is in need of external management in all matters. They can handle management-related tasks by themselves more often. It is about together deliberate the self-developed plans, their implementations and strategies.

Such contacts have come a lot recently. I usually step into the picture with my toolkit when the artist’s means are not enough. Despite this, the plan is coming from the artist – respecting the artist’s story and backed business motives. I only bring a piece for it to take the next step required. The artist often likes to discuss and evaluate their own decisions with someone well-established in the field.

Here we are with Joachim Willems from Novotones. An hour’s meeting was ultimately a three-hour encounter that gets a continuation next week. The manager is no longer a patriarch, but a sidekick. The artist is not worth waiving their equities too early – as often mentioned at Shark Tank. If the collaboration then bears a fruit, it can be developed together also with other responsibilities to meet the current state of affairs.

Intelligence is a virtue that attracts. In the picture with Jon Willems from Novotones.