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!
