the art of music business management

The Art of Music Business Management – The Course

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Here we are once more, preparing for the commencement of the ”Managerial and Intercession Skills in the Music Business – The Modern Fundamentals of the Industry” course at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The course is based on The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers book.

The course’s title itself encapsulates its core starting point. There exist specific competencies that a manager is expected to excel in, and how they navigate these competencies significantly impacts their success in the role. Importantly, this success resonates profoundly with the artist they represent, underlining the inherent interdependence between the two parties. As the saying goes, it takes two to tango, emphasizing the collaborative nature of this relationship.

Success in this domain necessitates multidimensional skills and a shared understanding between the involved parties. We operate within multiple levels of frameworks concurrently. These frameworks encompass the foundational narrative and the artist’s perspective, which this course thoroughly explores from various angles. Here’s an outline of the lecture themes and their respective contents:

  1. Digital Identity And Passive Promotion
  2. Copyright, Passive Income, And Strategies for Activation
  3. The Role of Management And Manager Contract
  4. Nurturing The Manager-Artist Relationship
  5. Active Promotion And Its Impact – The Story on Story Effect
  6. Advancement And Business Development
  7. Synchronization As A Pathway To Progress

Our course features several esteemed guests, each a professional in their respective fields. This time, our lineup includes Jennifer Pyken, Anna Turunen, Jenny Andreasson,

Typically, I lead the first two lectures, establishing a foundational framework for the course. Our primary objective during this phase is to cultivate a collective understanding of the critical elements at play within this industry. When this is set up, we will invite our guests in the order that aligns with the course’s systematic arrangement. The guests have also appreciated this arrangement, as it allows them to delve directly into their specialties without any constraints or structural barriers. Consequently, the course progresses continually, preparing and ensuring the readiness for its next step – one step at a time.

Consequently, the course doesn’t merely comprise lectures or guest presentations; rather, it’s a curated journey aimed at incrementally elevating the level of engagement and expertise. Many of the case studies and examples we delve into are current and real-time. In fact, numerous productions or operations discussed in the course are either ongoing or set for release shortly, providing us with insider knowledge about the influencing factors and potential hidden motivations behind these endeavors.

The course book, ’The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers,’ is receiving a second edition this year, where these conceptual frameworks have been structured into an even clearer format.

And here we are;

The class of 2024 at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences - MANAGERIAL AND INTERMEDIATION SKILLS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS 2B00DB69 - Teams view

Here We Are Again – Another Course To Start

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Here we are again. Another ”Managerial and Intercession Skills in the Music Business – The Modern Fundamentals of the Industry” is about to start at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. This course has one clear starting point, which is also present in the name of the course. There are a few things that a manager is expected to master. How they handle those things will determine their success in the role. And here – it also has a significant impact on the artist. There is a profound interdependence between these two parties, and the manager couldn’t be here without an artist. So,  it is ok to say it takes two to tango.

To succeed, multidimensional skills and collective understanding between parties are required. We have multiple levels of frameworks simultaneously at play here. One of them is the story’s root and the artist’s opinion on it. This course covers these tactics from multiple perspectives. Here are the lecture themes and their contents.

  1. Digital Identity And Passive Promotion
  2. Copyright, Passive Income, And How to Turn Them On
  3. The Role of Management And The Manager Contract
  4. The Relationship Between The Manager And The Artist
  5. Active Promotion And Reactions – Story on Story Effect
  6. Advance And Business
  7. Synchronization As A Pass-Through Route

We have several guests here – each a professional in their own field. This time they are – in the order they appear –  Sam Tall (Studio71), Marilyn Reles-Lozano (PresentPR), IRENE, Timothy Williams (BeachHouseMusic) and Jennifer Pyken.

I usually give the first two lectures myself. During this time, we create a framework for the teaching to take place. The aim is to achieve a collective understanding of what is at stake at any given moment. So the course is not just lectures or guest visits. In fact, we manage this course, gradually raising the level of demand. Most of the examples we use are happening in real time. Many of the productions, or operations presented in the course are actually being released during the course, or at least in the near future. This way, we get private information about the factors that affect the event and become aware of possible hidden motives.

Here we all are.

Here we are in the class room with Campus online students. Talking about managerial and intercession skills - in the modern music industry.

PS: One day these courses will be available to everyone. If you can’t join yet, here’s a book for you. It includes a lot of the things we cover in this course. This way you can learn to think like a manager.

 

Audiobook is available now!

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Audiobook is here! Both The Essence of the Music Business series and the latest – The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers are now available as an audiobook too.

The book is now available on audiobook too, on Google Play Books

I have wanted to tell this news for some time. I finally got the opportunity which I immediately grabbed. When I heard Mike testing his voice with my book text, almost immediately I decided to say yes to this. Now they are read as they should be.

First these audiobooks will be present on Google Play Books. I haven’t yet decided whether to invite other retailers for it. Let’s just see how the things turn out.

Another thing good to know. This latest – The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers has become a little phenomenon. Its concept, structure and insights have been noted widely. The place, where I regularly teach this topic, is Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. I have kept these courses since Fall 2019. These courses have become highly popular and I receive a lot of interest around the globe for them.

I get a lot of questions whether it is possible to join these lectures and activities. Well, soon they will be. I got the assignment from Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences to start planning how these courses could be available to a nonstop offering – and that anyone could participate in them. I will let you know when my job is done and courses will become available. In the meanwhile, you could get accustomed to the production itself.

Amazon Author Page

All the upcoming courses are based on these books. You know, some things are better to explain in a book – while the other things will open up better within a lectures. You’ll see when you attend one! When you have a book behind everything, it is also easier to follow lectures.

I hope you all have a great Christmas time and even better New Year.

The Art of Music Business Management Book

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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. This summer, 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.

This piece of art has done Aleksi Manninen - the cover of my book

 

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

 

 

Why You Should Read This Book?

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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.

Why you should read this book - just find out yourself

 

The Value of Being An Independent Artist

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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.

Being independent can be a great decision.

 

 

 

Electronic Press Kit and Artist Management

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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.

This book also has an electronic form

 

 

How to Live with Uncertainty

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Uncertainty! This article has been requested for two years. Such a difficult topic! I have started this article at least twenty times. Every time I have emphasized some other thing over the other. Now I am about to finish this. I decided to be merciful to myself and just write the things down.

Uncertainty is something we all know. It can be present in many areas of life. You often hear people say that you just have to live with it. Well, that’s how it is. Basically, it is how we deal with it, but also how we prepare for it.

For clarification, this article is about economic uncertainty that many music business aspirant are struggling with. Instead of speaking it from the general point of view, I chose to share my own experience. It seems to interest you the most. Secondly, a personal story is best known to you. It gives you freedom to the tell things without any restrictions.

The beginning of a career

It was 1995 when everything started. I was a first-year law student. At the time, resources were insufficient and life looked just like that. Moreover,  the time I spent with different tasks wasn’t a sacrifice at all, but curious mind and the attitude, I am learning something new today. If I would give advice to 23-old myself, it would be that always leave something in your pocket when receiving rewards. We’ll return to this below.

People told me to focus law instead of music. As a lawyer, livelihood would be secured. Fortunately not everyone agreed with this. At a young age, you are more impressionable. As a result, you could have made the different choices. I am lucky. I have been able to attend to the lectures of great teachers. One professor reminded us about copyright and how it could become more important in the future. Oh boy, he was right.

In my case, law school was the plan b – if everything had gone wrong. That knowledge in itself gives a sense of security. On the other hand, as you get older, you become more prone to worry – or not. Every now and then I find myself wondering what if I had chosen otherwise. This is what I mean when I recommend starting everything at a young age. Later on, you will find it easier to place restrictions and excuses for yourself. And you still got time to change the course.

Knowledge Acquisition

Uncertainty is often due to lack of knowledge, how this business works. This easily manifest itself as a hesitation. The hesitant mind, in turn, sees no opportunities. It become blind to them. Let’s move on.

You can fill this gap by reading music business books and related articles, but also being in touch with music business professionals if that’s possible. Nothing however, beats the experience. It is always the best teacher. So let it be our guide. Entering the industry requires preparation. Without it, your journey becomes difficult.

For the sake of clarity – this article does not per se apply to those music professionals who are employed by the companies in the industry. For them, it’s a bit different thing. This article is more to those who operate independently.

In order to find your path, you need to know what you are after. Until it becomes clear, you need to keep moving. Spend time well with those uncertain years. At that very time, all the experiments and changes in plans are easier to settle. If you’ve already become known with some particular role, it can be harder to change. It is not worth limiting yourself when you start this journey. I personally attended every meeting that came on my way when I was younger. It didn’t matter if the meeting made sense or not. Each meeting developed my communication skills – for future purposes. For the manager, those skills are worth gold. The time you start to think about economic value of your actions – it comes later. Trust me, you want to fill your data bank first. With that information you can find your path – if it has remained unclear.

The better this footwork is done, the easier it is to deal with this uncertainty. You are bound to learn how this business works and what it means to you. Since the music business is poorly suitable for the part-time commitments, you need to find out your true engagement first. Before you can move on, you need to create working facilities. It requires resources. Happy are those who have savings or other releasable  assets when they start out.

Earned Money

For my part, I proceeded as my knowledge grew. I started as an agent – a task where success is realized immediately or at least with a short delay. At this stage, I was not dealing with copyright – nor generating revenue from any sources of passive income. The reward of an agent is commission against the each booked venue.

However, it was a valuable time for information acquisition. You got a reason to connect with the promoters and other operatives in the field. The commissions I received also funded my studies. While I still worked as a substitute teacher, I got the necessary funds to gain early career knowledge and experience.

Easy come and easy go. At that time, money came in surprisingly easy. I always had the job that were paid. One thing I ignored.  A jump from the agent shoes doesn’t happen overnight – at least if your destination is to be an artist manager. If I would be in the same situation now, I’d save most of my rewards for the future purposes.

As a manager, money enters the scene when the artist’s actions make it possible. I started my career with new artists. It means that it took time before they became economically relevant. In addition, making it happen required time-consuming resources which is difficult on a sideline basis. It is also the time when you make a name as a manager. Trust me – you want to do it well!

Derivative

Uncertainty is also created by derivative. As a manager, you are dependent on your artists and how their interest groups are doing their job. It is not uncommon for the artist, after all the preparation made for them, not wanting to continue in the same way. Before any plan is realized, everything is more and less uncertain. This fact is good to consider when choosing your seats. It is rarely worth putting all the eggs in the same basket – especially if your future income is dependent on the others.

I was already so advanced in my studies that I could offer legal services to others too. I was pleased to get that most of those assignments from the industry. Consequently, I wasn’t that dependent a manager can be. It also made my relationship with my artists easier – the work was done on a voluntary basis.

Reward

Reward is something you want to tackle as early as possible. The more obscure your financial figures are, the more uncertain will be your position. You need contracts for this. Basically, the artists are in a better position. They have the rights over their production. It is up to them to decide how they are going to use that output. When, in pursuit of their financial endeavors, they then sign away some these rights, the recipients obtain financial rights over the artist, in a way the agreement determines. WARNING! This paragraph is just an example and does not mean that you automatically have to forfeit your rights or some of them to succeed!

I had my reservation about derivatives. At first I didn’t take anything from the artist, not because I didn’t deserve, but because my own motives weren’t settled yet. By taking care of my artists, I got to learn the industry. I was also able to do it ’at large’ because I wasn’t asking for much. It seemed unfair to make the artist pay for having that opportunity. If I hadn’t been in that role, I wouldn’t have the information I now have. In a way, I was in the same boat with the artists that time.

Secondly, I wanted to write the books! Hardly any of my books would have been born without this. Personally I started to include commission to my contracts when my contribution became economically meaningful – I mean the rewards we gathered wouldn’t be possible without the efforts I had made.

Investments

I’ve noticed that routines are here for this task. I start every Monday in the same way – answering to every contact I have received over the weekend. You would be surprised to know how many contacts an author can have and how it is that most of the new contacts actually take place when it’s weekend. These contacts form my weekly agenda with new assignments. When we add ongoing operations and agreed individual tasks, we are dealing with the agenda I am running through every day.

Now, let us return to the original plot. I always save some of the money I receive. Part of the money goes to chosen funds with variable returns. This way I can estimate the resources I can use for the operations more easily.

The golden advice for entrepreneurs is to have their cash flow steady and sufficient. Without it, all the spontaneous will be missed. It is typical that you cannot really anticipate they are coming. They may emerge like a bolt from the blue – for this, it is good to have releasable funds.

Here we come to the end game, the moment when the breakthrough is supposed to happen. We are also dealing with sacrifices that must be made before anything can be realized. We don’t want to spoil tomorrow’s success today.

The Endgame

This is about mindset. Pretty much all of us have some idea or plan – in what kind of economic circumstances you’d like to do your life work. For my part, I was hoping to get one clear source of passive income – as an economic goal I mean. The distance to reach that point has been long. It will take time before you can write books that really matter. Oftentimes, readers also require some level of experience from the author – especially when it comes to non-fiction books.

I have lived all my adult life in terms of this calling, if I can put it this way. It is surprising what a stretching ability you have when you want something hard enough. It is also about wanting and hunting the desired state of affairs – not at any cost though. When I was younger, I didn’t buy a house or car, like most of my friends did. I thought all that would have restricted me from doing what I do. It would have driven the resources elsewhere. I needed them to accomplish the this mission. It is always about choices and they are unique to everyone. This article is not designed to prompt you to do the same. This is just what I did.

When your work reaches a public awareness, it will make life easier. If the operation ends or seems no longer meaningful, a new one comes into play. After all, the breakthrough isn’t always the economic one. Of course such is desirable, but it is also something else. It is the moment when your achievements begin to have a life of their own. Sometimes it is involved with related passive income and sometimes it is something else.

Of course, no such thing as black or white. Like I said, it’s a mindset. The younger you start, the sooner you find. Youth is the best time for experimentation. It is worth taking advantage and enjoying it.

I promised myself not to exceed 2000 words. Couldn’t follow the plan, it went 300 over.

If you are interested in the subject, The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers provides a great deal of information. The book is conveniently available on Amazon as a paperback, hardcover or e-book. They’ll deliver them to your home within a few days!

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

How to deal with uncertainty, read this The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers book

’In Hand’ Pictures

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These ’in hands’ pictures have become popular. A man behind this idea is Victor A Baker from Chicago. He recently sent me a picture with one of my books in his hand. I then asked can I share it. He liked the idea and you probably guess what happened. I started getting similar images – from people who had read my books. I like these gestures a lot – that’s why I decided to publish this collage. I will also update this collage whenever so requested. That is, no picture will be published without permission.

In-hand image from Chicago

Such interaction is also a motivator. Whenever such a picture appears in my mail, it reminds me why am I doing this. I know this sound like a much used expression – it is just hard to come up with other way to show my gratitude.

In hand image from Austin, Texas

Feedback is also an accelerator. It trigger processes that you might not have mastered yourself. This again makes you writing better books and updates when needed.

In hand image from Pesaro, Italy

The whole trilogy is fresh at the moment. Therefore it is relatively resistant to development. However, block chain entry may change the setting quickly. Not yet in practice, but with reservation. It depends on how the market responds to its potential and threats. Also the music and tech is evolving. It is constantly creating new ways to enjoy music. It may be that we have think copyright all over again, with some of its contexts. These, on the other hand, require an updated agreements and arrangements. The writer must be prepared for this. I try to keep release interval in line with the actual market situation.

In hand image from Oulu, Finland

I’ll come back to these pictures yet. They tell their own truths between lines. Book alignments have clearly found their target. The first part – Contracts – is read by lawyers, law students and managers – that is, the professional groups most concerned with the subject. The book has also been useful for the record companies, music publishers and agency’s staff. It is common that some of them at some stage in their career will continue to run it as an artist manager.

In hand image from Austin, Texas

The second book – Philosophy – was intended primarily for managers. However, it did not quite happen. It was embraced by the artists – by far its largest readers group. In retrospect, I’m really happy with the result. I got a lot of information included in it what artists need to know about the professional groups that support them. Some of the pictures where this ‘in hand’ is taken directly from the tour bus make me particularly happy!

In hand image from Kaarina, Finland

Maybe the trilogy makes sense. On the other hand, it is about how you sing your song. You have to think about the content and how it is presented. Such a process also evolves. One cannot ignore the fact that next part can supplement and remedy the shortcomings of the previous ones. The last part of the trilogy – Strategy – benefited from this. It has become a popular book outside the music business as well. I bet the strategy in general is so fascinating globally that it attracts.

In hand image from Kaarina, Finland

When you look at these pictures here – pretty many of them have all three involved. And no, this is not a cheap marketing trick. I think it tells us about consistency in one’s mindset- written by a same author. It is then easier to follow, even if the subject changes. So it is for those who started long before me – they have their own readership. I find it great to have a choice.

In hand image from Helsinki, Finland

If you ever hit your hands on some of my books and you want to take ‘in hand’ picture of them and feel free to send it to me. It is very possible that it will be published in a constantly updated collage. This new book may delight you a lot – it’s thoroughly prepared for the wider entrance of artificial intelligence.

Waiting to have in hand pictures too.

A Few Insights Into Modern Music Business

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Modern Music Business vs. Traditional Dimension

Today we talk about the modern music business and how it is different from the past. This is most often to do with streaming. Streaming has become the word of today, not only economically, but also a target for promotion. The higher the streaming numbers, the better it naturally is. One of the desired conditions is to improve the ratings on the various playlists. Also, to be quoted, numbers must support the promotion arguments. It is strategically interesting whether the artist or artist management takes a stand on the artist’s success or does the artist gives others to make a number on it. The question is what kind of statements you make regarding your career.

The current state gives the artist the opportunity to test and learn – better than ever before. They can structure their story and interact it with  the public in a way previously impossible.

Everything has become more transparent. The artists have better access to the information. It is not necessary to have the recording agreement or other industrial arrangements to be seen. This, of course, does not mean they are unnecessary. No, it is not the purpose. The purpose is to update the situation with its new opportunities.

Earlier, the record company was an enabler, the gateway through which the music was made available to the public. This affected the management – their biggest challenge was to succeed in the contract negotiations. This also impacted the artist’s career plans. The first-phase goal was to have a recording contract. The same is still true – albeit somewhat differently and with reservations. The starting point seems to be how far the artists can reach on their own. The recording company becomes topical only after the growth is no longer possible without them.

As a result – the record company is expecting the artist to be ready. It is often required to have a level of fan base and active social media following. Only after meeting these demands, the company sees the artist worth investing. They don’t have to spend their money and time for the tasks the artist can handle better. Ok, it isn’t this black and white, but as the management earlier prepared mainly for the contract negotiations, today it is about making the artist attractive through social media visibility and popularity metrics. Negotiations cannot begin before they are backed up by those numbers.  Another consideration is the weight those readings should be given. For some artists it is good to get a recording agreement right from the start, while for others, independence is the thing.

About Search Engines

Streaming success usually requires well-designed playlist positions – we all know that. Let’s take another perspective here and revisit SEO as it may well have indirect effects to support the success.

The role of the artist is to provide the story root. The root of the story is the thing that is required if you want to be an artist. It is good to note that search engines start working on the day one. The process begins when you make your first release. After that, search engines begin to form an impression about you as an artist.

When remarkable streaming numbers are the goal of today, one dimension is easily overlooked. It is consistency. Search engines rank hits based on their weight, public reliability, and popularity. If the early career promotion is aggressive, it will probably scale the search engine hits. It is not irrelevant what the search engine first offers. Even though the artist’s website should be the first hit, where it lead us, should be another. What is the first thing your website tells from you. If your music and being an artist is not yet public knowledge, the first definitions will be attached based on these general weightings. To learn more about the topic, read this article.

Content of the Story

Strategically interesting is how you communicate with all the audiences. Read more here.

If the artist’s story mainly reflects the streaming numbers to get a recording agreement, the artist will certainly be assessed this way. It is a meaningful thing what kind of claims the artist make at various stages of their career. One good advice is to include at least some kind of reservations for the potential failures. These reservations are also a safeguard for the situation when something starts repeating the same old pattern and it has a negative impact. These reservations can be brought along with keywords and back links, for example. The more consistent they are, the easier it is to use them. In addition, search engine artificial intelligence may realize the same.

It doesn’t need much to change the perspective of the story. It is about finding a meaning and context for the content. If the artist, music and the story is of interest, active and successful promotions result in a passive income stream. This is the point where the artist’s activity is of industrial importance. The better the artist perform here or the higher the expectation value, the more likely they succeed in the contract negotiations.

Hence, the artist’s story contains two main story lines. One that is independent from the financial result. The artist’s real story, and how it is actually understood. The other half of the story focuses on the economic essentials, the priorities that have an economic significance. Both of these stories should be in line with each other. When the artist makes a claim on something, it should in itself take note of its economic impact and vice versa.

To be continued..

This book provides with a new insights into modern music business management