A music manager, in simple terms, is the person responsible for managing all aspects of the musician/artist’s work, other than writing, producing, recording or performing. Music managers manage every aspect of the music industry like the management of live venue performances and festivals or concerts.
If you are wondering if you should take a music management course, read this article.
What are the skills you need to become a music manager?
To become a successful music manager you will need a lot of skills, namely:
- Vast knowledge of media production
- Great communication skills
- Initiative-oriented and being intuitive at problem-solving
- Has great management skills in business and all its aspects
- The ability to sell ideas or products
- Good understanding of finance, budgets and their management
- Ability to perfectly organize and manage your time
- Analytical mind and pays good attention to detail
Who should study a music management course?
A Music Management Course is ideal for someone who wants to develop their understanding of the music industry— the basics, followed by insights. A music management course is an intensive one that prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need to land jobs in this creative but very challenging industry.
The music industry is also at an excellent position, with its magnitude only increasing with time in popularity. A business management course will teach you the business and technical part of the music industry: how music is produced, its recording, production, distribution, rights etc.
Career of a Music Manager
Music management is exciting and happening, and one demands consistent hard work. Most music managers begin their careers as an artist or audio engineer, or even as an assistant.
Often, music managers work with fresh talent who are unsigned. In such cases, the priority is to get the work of the artist signed to some record label. Establishing and channelling work opportunities towards that artist is the main job of the music manager. Going on, they also manage every aspect of the music this artist produces, except for writing and performance.
Music Managers can be of different types.
- Personal- Sometimes a professional music manager could work only personally for an individual artist. They are the most involved person in the everyday technical work and also the future of the artist. Music managers strategize their goals for the artist and then go on to execute it.
- Business- One could be a business music manager largely responsible for managing the books of the artist. In other words, this individual professionally handles and manages the income, expenses, profits, calculates taxes, makes investments etc. This manager is mostly concerned with increasing the artist’s income sources.
- Road manager- A road music manager is responsible for handling the logistics of an entire tour organised for a musician. Often there are more than one music manager for large tours, in which a tour manager coordinates them. In the smaller tours, the road manager becomes the tour manager too.
Needless to say, music managers play a crucial role in shaping an artist’s future in the industry. They are the ones who are often responsible for getting major signings, deal breaks etc.
Music managers have a silent but big role in the entire music industry and especially for popular and independent artists. They are highly resourceful professionals who are also often the most knowledgeable. They are the ones who strike a fine balance between creating art and also doing business.
It takes considerable experience and excellence to succeed in a creative career like this. Join a program today and go for a thriving future in the music industry.