Music Manager | ArtistPR

The New Tax Guide For Writers, Artists, Performers & Other Creative People

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Musicians and taxes don’t seem to mix very well. Taxes and administrating the business of music are often last on the list of concerns for the working musician. The artist temperament simply does not interface well with the exacting rule-filled world of federal and state taxation. Musicians avoid the whole matter and consequently leave themselves vulnerable to bad advice. The secret to overcoming this phobia is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms of the tax code and some simple, effective ways of complying with this onerous task. I often use the analogy that you may not need to know how to fix your car, but it is helpful to know how it basically works. In so doing you will pay less in taxes and you will be less likely to fall prey to erroneous tax information and disreputable advisors.

Most working musicians are considered “self-employed” regarding filing their taxes. In a legal and taxpaying sense this means that your “business” as a musician and you as an individual taxpayer are one and the same. There is no legal separation such as one would have in a corporation or other legal entity. The musician/performer usually files a “Schedule C” as part of their regular 1040 income tax form (this is where you report all those nasty 1099’s you received last year!). The performer may also file form 8829 for the home office deduction and will be required to pay self-employment tax (Schedule SE) on their net income (profit) as well as federal income tax. All these forms are part of the year-end 1040 income tax filing. The self-employed musician will also usually be required to pay estimated quarterly taxes on Form 1040-ES (if the tax liability is to exceed $1,000).

The goal is first and foremost to lower your taxes! The musician/performer has a number of tax deductions that are unique. In the balance of this article we will try to break them down to their component parts to make the issues understandable. For the IRS, all deductible business expenses are those that are:

Incurred in connection with your trade, business, or profession
Must be “ordinary” and “necessary”
Must “ NOT be lavish or extravagant under the circumstances”

It does not take much analysis to see that these guidelines are not an exacting science. Bruce Springsteen’s recent stay at the Four Season’s Hotel in Boston would for many other working musicians be considered “lavish and extravagant” by the IRS. Mr. Springsteen can no doubt justify the expense due to his need for security and privacy that most musicians would not need. Is a vintage 1955 Fender Stratocaster purchased for $30K “lavish and extravagant” when you can easily buy a new one for less than $1,000? Good question; it may even be considered an “antique” and as such the depreciation write-off may not even be allowed. (By the way, in two recent appeals, courts determined that antique instruments are allowed depreciation so long as they are being played in performance or studio–see the section on equipment.) As you can see, there is plenty of space for interpretation between the cracks here. These are the types of questions that can arise on audits so be prepared.

The performer has a bag of basic expenses that easily fit the above criteria: travel (hotel, meals, etc.), vehicle and transportation, equipment, supplies, stage clothes, streaming music services, home office expenses, legal and professional fees, recording costs, etc. (see our attached list). Let’s review some of the more complex and contentious deduction areas, but first let’s discuss income.

Income for the Musician

Income for the musician is: all payments for gigs, income from teaching, sideman work, crowdfunding, session work, etc. regardless of whether you receive a 1099 at year-end. It is a common misconception that if you do not get a 1099 then it is not reportable income. This is untrue. If you have income in any form, it is required to be reported on your 1040. The form 1099-MISC tax form is supposed to be filed on any payments made to an individual for services amounting to more than $600 in any calendar year. In the case of bands, club owners typically don’t want to issue multiple 1099’s to each member and will want to pay the bandleader and issue the 1099 to him or her. In this case the bandleader will report the entire 1099 income on his/her schedule C form. The bandleader will then issue 1099’s to individual band members to account for amounts paid to them and then take the expense deduction. If you will be required to issue 1099’s at year-end ($600+ payments in a year) for fellow musicians, roadies, lighting or sound people, etc. be sure to get their tax ID information when paying them. You can do this by having them fill out IRS form W-9.

Travel & Meals

The professional musician can deduct all expenses associated with overnight travel. These include meals (only 50% deductible), hotel & lodging, reasonable tips, dry-cleaning, phone calls home, etc. Overnight travel is roughly defined by the IRS as travel that is far enough away from home so as to make it inconvenient to return home at night. Travel could include expenses related to performances, recording sessions, auditions, etc. and will include many of the expenditures made on such trips. The other question often asked is whether the travel deduction applies for mixed vacation/business travel. If the trip is primarily business, then deductibility will be maintained. For example: a trip to NYC for a weeklong gig that includes a two-day stopover in Philadelphia on the way home to visit a friend. In this case the entire NYC trip would be deductible, but the expenses related to the Philadelphia stopover would not be. Since maintaining receipts on the road is difficult, consider using the IRS “meal allowance” for deducting meals when traveling. This “meal allowance” (adjusted annually by the IRS) ranges from $55 to $76 per day depending on the location (see www.gsa.gov for current rates). In practice this means that receipts for meals are not required as long as the travel itself can be substantiated. This “allowance” includes all three meals and incidental expenses for the day. Travel expenses for spouses or dependents are not allowed unless they are employees or part of the band.

Meals are now 100% deductible as part of the overnight travel. They are also allowed as a separate (non-travel) deduction when they meet the criteria of “ordinary, necessary and business related.” This means that the meal must include direct business discussions. This can mean lunch or dinner meetings with agents, fellow musicians, club owners, promoters, record producers, etc. If a direct business purpose were documented, then the deduction would be allowed. These meals could include discussions on band schedules, music arrangements, possible future gigs, recording dates, meetings with lawyers or accountants, and record companies. The best place to keep records for these expenses is in your calendar. Log into your records who was present, and briefly the nature and substance of the discussion. I often suggest that you keep a copy of the person’s business card or other digital messaging as further substantiation. Remember as our lives continually become more virtual you MUST be able to access old calendar information (for up to 3 years) AND be able to print it in the case of an Internal Revenue Service audit.

Automobile & Vehicle Expenses

The use of your automobile is probably one of the most common and largest deductions for musicians. The automobile use expense can be taken in either of two ways. The first method is by using the IRS “standard mileage allowance.” This rate is set (and sometimes reset mid-year) by the IRS annually — for 2026 it’s 72.5 cents a mile for travel from January through June, rising to 76 cents a mile from July through December, a mid-year adjustment tied to rising vehicle operating costs. Because it can change more than once a year, always confirm the current rate at irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates before filing rather than relying on a number from an old article (including this one, a year from now). To take this deduction you do not need receipts, only records that show the distances driven and the business purpose of the trips. These would include travel to gigs, trips to the music store picking up equipment and supplies, rehearsals, etc. The best tool for tracking and calculating this expense is your appointment book or calendar. If your calendar has a record of rehearsals and gigs it can be used as a tool to estimate your mileage deduction (odometer readings are appreciated by IRS but NOT required). The second method is to write off direct expenses. In this method you depreciate the purchase price of the vehicle (over 5 years) and then tally up gas slips, repairs, insurance, etc. and use that amount as a basis for your expense. This method requires more work and organization. If you were writing off a tour bus, cube van or other larger vehicle, the second method would be preferred. In my practice I often find the mileage allowance method generally yields the highest deduction for straight automobile use. In any case the IRS allows the taxpayer to calculate the best method year by year and take the one that yields the highest deduction (within limits).

Equipment

Equipment purchased is generally “depreciated” and written off over 5 or 7 years on Form 4562. Depreciation is a technique for expensing or writing off purchases that have a useful life of greater than one year. In other words, a set of drums is intrinsically different in nature than a set of drumsticks because the drum set will (hopefully) last longer than 1 year (Keith Moon types excepted!). Supplies such as drumsticks, guitar strings, cords, music books, media, reeds, etc. will be written off (or deducted) in the year of purchase. Most musical equipment is written off in five to seven years. These “depreciable lives” are defined in the IRS code. The “section 179 election,” which allows for the immediate expensing of assets instead of depreciating them over several years, first jumped to $1 million in 2018 under the 2017 TCJA tax bill and has grown substantially since. **For 2026, the Section 179 limit is $2,560,000**, with the deduction beginning to phase out once total qualifying purchases for the year exceed $4,090,000 (fully phased out at $6,650,000) — these limits are now a permanent, inflation-adjusted part of the tax code following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so check irs.gov for the current-year figure rather than assuming last year’s number still applies. In practical terms for a working musician, this cap is essentially a non-issue: the performer can write off a MacBook computer, musical instruments, audio gear, recording equipment, and software in full the year they’re purchased rather than waiting five years to do it. Remember, this “section 179 expensing election” only accelerates the deduction into one year; in either method the artist can write-off (depreciate) the full cost of the purchase. Bonus depreciation (a separate provision that can also apply to certain business assets) has its own rules and percentage, which likewise change by tax year — verify the current rate rather than assuming.

The Home Office or Studio

If you use a room (or rooms) in your home exclusively for your music business, you will probably qualify for the home office. The use of the room can be as a rehearsal space, storage area for equipment, teaching space, home recording studio, record keeping for the business, marketing, etc. The home office is a straightforward deduction to be calculated on form 8829. It simply utilizes a formula based on the square footage of the business portion (the home office) of your home vs. the total square footage of the house or apartment and applies that percentage to all associated costs. The costs could include rent, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, condo fees, utilities, insurance, repairs, etc. Other rules that come into play here include the “exclusive use” requirement. This rule states that the home office must be used only for the business no “mixed use” allowed. In other words, the home office cannot be part of a larger room such as the living room unless the business part is partitioned off in some way. The home office can be a powerful write-off as it allows the musician to deduct a part of what were non-deductible personal expenses. Look into the alternative “Simplified Method” it is easier but offers a much smaller tax deduction.

Other Unique Deductions

Performers and musicians have other unique deductions that are considered personal for most other taxpayers. These include concert tickets, CD’s, streaming music and video subscriptions, stage makeup and clothing, music lessons, etc. Remember not to get greedy on items like concert tickets, shows, digital services and CD’s. The IRS loves to attack deductions such as these. But they are allowed since performers must keep up with trends in their profession. Most tax preparers call it “research,” but be prepared to justify it. In any case do not deduct EVERY concert or show you attend in the year; they can’t all be “research.” This also holds true for music, some purchased must be for personal pleasure alone.

Finally…

Remember that this outline is not intended to be the whole story. The Federal Tax Code is very complicated, and your specific applications should be reviewed with a tax professional before filing your taxes. The musician and performer are unique in the world of taxes. When you are shopping for a tax preparer please make sure they have some experience in taxation for performers. Also, organize your numbers using our attached worksheets (and bring along this article), it will make the process easier, cheaper and will help you maximize your deductions. Ask your preparer about other tax saving strategies for self-employed individuals such as retirement plans, health insurance and deduction timing.

A note on the figures above: the mileage rate and Section 179 cap were last checked and updated September 2026. Both change on their own schedule (mileage sometimes mid-year, Section 179 annually) — treat any dollar figure in an article like this as a starting point, and confirm the current number at irs.gov before filing.

This was originally posted on https://www.artstaxinfo.com/musicians.shtml

Acting as Your Own Manager? Know Your Booking Agreement Basics

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: A solid booking agreement covers the date/time/location, what’s expected of your set, your pay and how you’ll receive it, who owns rights to any recording or footage, whether you can sell merch, and who’s covering expenses like travel or lodging. None of it needs complicated legal language - the best agreements are the ones both sides can actually read and understand.

Acting as your own manager means signing agreements is now on you too - specifically booking agreements, sometimes called performance or engagement contracts. These are legally binding for every live show, whether it’s a Tuesday-night dive bar set or a real festival slot, so it’s worth knowing what’s actually supposed to be in one.

The General Terms

Every booking agreement should nail down a few basics:

Date, time, and location - the heart of the agreement, and non-negotiable to have in writing.
Definition of the performance - set length, number of breaks, and anything else expected of you on stage.
Compensation and fees - a flat amount or a percentage of the door, plus how and when you’ll actually get paid (check on the spot, or a set date if it’s sent later).

Recording, Broadcasting, and Photography Rights

This section covers who can record or license footage of your performance - you, or the venue. Don’t assume; get it explicit. The same goes for publicity rights (use of your name or likeness in the venue’s own advertising), which you’ll typically want to grant, and who’s responsible for sound - some venues expect you to bring your own person, others don’t give you the choice either way.

Merchandise Rights

Whether you can sell CDs, shirts, or other merch at the show depends heavily on the venue. Clubs, bars, and festivals are usually flexible about this; corporate events and larger venues are much more likely to restrict or ban it outright. Confirm this ahead of time rather than assuming.

Expenses and Other Arrangements

Check whether the venue covers meals, transportation, or lodging - this varies wildly by venue type, from a corporate event covering everything to a local bar covering nothing beyond a cut of the door. If you have any special requirements (guest list spots, wardrobe restrictions at a corporate gig, language restrictions at a public event), this is the section to get them written down. A verbal agreement over the phone means nothing if it never makes it into the actual contract.

Keep It Simple

Booking agreements don’t need to read like dense legal filings - the best ones use plain language both sides can understand without a lawyer. Be skeptical of a basic contract that’s needlessly complicated, and if anything’s unclear, ask before you sign rather than after.

For more on the business side of managing yourself, see 5 DIY steps to manage your own career and how to negotiate a contract with a music manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should always be in a booking agreement? The date, time, and location of the performance; a clear definition of what’s expected (set length, breaks); and your compensation and payment method. These are the baseline terms in any legitimate performance contract.

Who owns the rights to recordings of my live performance? It depends entirely on what the agreement says - don’t assume. Clarify upfront whether you or the venue can record, sell, or license footage of the show, and settle publicity/likeness usage rights the same way.

Can I sell merch at any venue I play? Not automatically - it varies by venue and event type. Smaller venues like clubs and bars are usually flexible; larger venues or corporate events often restrict or prohibit it. Confirm this before the show, not while you’re setting up a merch table.

Whatever stage of your career you’re at, getting more shows starts with getting heard. Submit Your Music and let’s help you book the next one.

7 Stages to Getting a Record Deal Without a Manager

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: To get a record deal without a manager, work through 7 stages: develop your craft, record and release real music, play live consistently, build a website and online presence, promote that music actively, put together a real electronic press kit, and then reach out directly to indie labels with a short, specific pitch. None of it requires a manager - it just requires doing, in sequence, the things a manager would otherwise coordinate for you.

Getting signed to a manager was never really the goal for most artists - making music and earning a living from it is. The good news: as an independent artist, you can build, tour, and land real deals entirely on your own. Here’s a realistic overview of what that path actually looks like.

#1 - Practice, Practice, Practice

Everything downstream depends on this: make music people actually want to hear. Whether you’re solo or in a band, put in the reps - expand what you can do, and keep sharpening what you already do well.

#2 - Record Your Own Music

Home recording is more accessible now than it’s ever been - a laptop, a decent DAW, and an audio interface will get you a genuinely usable recording without a professional studio bill. Get comfortable producing at home; it’s often the fastest way to actually finish songs instead of endlessly planning to record them.

#3 - Play Live Gigs

Live shows remain the most effective way to build a real fan base. Map out every venue in your area that books your kind of music, note who handles booking and what they typically pay, and start reaching out methodically rather than randomly.

#4 - Build a Website and Online Presence

Your website is the one place online you fully control - it should carry your discography, links to your music, your EPK, your social links, and upcoming shows. If you’ve never built one, tools like Squarespace, Wix, or Bandzoogle get you a clean, professional site without needing to touch code.

#5 - Promote Your Music Online

With your website in place, put real effort into visibility: get your music on the major streaming platforms through a distributor, keep your site current, post consistently on social media, build an email list, and send out press releases for real milestones like a new release or tour.

#6 - Put Together a Real Electronic Press Kit

Your EPK should bundle your artist biography, discography, professional photos, any press coverage, and your best current music. With the other stages in place, this becomes a relatively quick compile - see our guides on writing an artist biography and building a full EPK for the details.

#7 - Reach Out to Indie Labels Directly

Once everything above is in place, start emailing indie labels with a link to your EPK. Keep the subject line short and specific - something like “New EP looking for a home” beats anything vague. In the email, thank them for their time, offer one genuine (not generic) compliment about an artist on their roster, briefly explain what you’re looking for, and link directly to your EPK with your contact info below. Send to a handful of labels at a time and wait for responses before reaching out to more.

The Bottom Line

A manager can open certain doors, but plenty of smaller labels are genuinely open to working directly with independent artists who’ve done the groundwork. Follow these stages, and you’re building the exact case a manager would otherwise be pitching on your behalf - weigh the real pros and cons of bringing one on before you decide whether to go it alone here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can indie artists really get a record deal without a manager? Yes - smaller and independent labels regularly work directly with artists who don’t have management, especially once there’s evidence of a real fan base and consistent output. A manager can help, but isn’t a hard requirement at every level of the industry.

What should I include when reaching out to an indie label? A short, specific email with a genuine compliment about their roster, a brief note on your traction so far, and a direct link to your EPK - not an attachment. Keep it tight enough that a busy A&R person can act on it in under a minute.

Do I need a fancy home studio to record music that labels will take seriously? No - modern home recording setups are inexpensive relative to a decade ago, and a clean recording from a modest setup will always beat a technically nicer one that never gets finished. Labels care about the song and the mix quality, not the gear list.

Once your EPK and music are ready, it’s time to get in front of people who can move things forward. Submit Your Music and let’s help you make the case.

What to Know Before Hiring a Friend to Manage Your Band

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: Before you hire a friend to manage your band, put a real contract in writing (percentage, expenses, duration - no exceptions just because you’re close), agree explicitly on what the role actually involves, and be honest about whether they have the social and organizational skills the job actually needs. Skipping any of this is how a friendship survives a breakup better than it survives a missed payment.

Some venues and labels want to deal with a representative, not the band directly - which is exactly the gap a trusted friend can step into before you’re ready for (or able to attract) a professional manager. It can work well. It can also go sideways fast if you skip the parts that feel awkward to bring up with someone you actually like.

Get Explicit About the Role

Decide specifically what you need: booking, meetings, negotiations, all of it? Talk through the actual day-to-day, and agree on what they’ll be paid for handling it - typically 10-20% of earnings from arrangements they directly handle, similar to an early-stage professional rate.

Sign a Real Contract - No Exceptions

This is the step people skip because “it’s just [friend’s name],” and it’s exactly the step that prevents a friendship from becoming collateral damage. A contract spells out the percentage, expense reimbursement, and duration in a way that survives an argument neither of you saw coming. Contract templates exist online for a starting point, but for anything real, it’s worth having a lawyer glance over it - the cost is small next to what an undefined dispute could do to both the band and the friendship.

Talk About the Timeline

Is this a stopgap until you land an experienced manager, or does your friend see this as a real launchpad for their own career in music management? Get aligned now - discovering you had different assumptions six months in is a worse conversation than having it upfront.

Make Sure They’re Actually Suited for the Job

Being a great friend and being a great manager are different skill sets. Look honestly at whether they have:

Real social skills - comfortable representing your band to strangers, not just to you
Organizational follow-through - the kind of person who actually confirms the venue booking
Professionalism under pressure, without being so reserved they can’t hold a room either

None of these are dealbreakers if they’re missing, but they’re worth an honest conversation before the contract, not after the first missed booking.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a friend can absolutely work, and plenty of real careers have started exactly this way. It just requires treating the arrangement with the same seriousness you’d bring to a stranger - a real contract, real clarity, real honesty about fit. Skip any of that, and you’re not protecting the friendship by keeping things casual; you’re setting it up to take the hit later.

If you’re weighing this against holding off entirely, see the case for managing your own career a while longer first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a good idea to have a friend manage your band? It can work well, especially before you can attract or afford a professional manager - as long as you treat it as seriously as you would a stranger, with a real contract and clear expectations.

Do I need a contract if my manager is a friend? Yes, always. Money and undefined expectations are exactly what turn friendships into disputes - a contract protects both of you, not just you.

How much should I pay a friend to manage the band? Typically 10-20% of the earnings from arrangements they directly handle, similar to what a professional manager might charge at an early stage - agree on the number explicitly rather than leaving it as an unspoken favor.

What skills does a friend need to actually do this job well? Real social and organizational skills, professionalism when representing you to venues and industry contacts, and genuine enthusiasm for the work - being a good friend isn’t the same skill set as being a good manager.

Whoever’s handling the logistics, the music still has to reach people. Submit Your Music and let’s get it there.

How to Get Verified on Spotify (2026 Update)

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: As of 2026, Spotify splits verification into two separate things: a Registered Artist badge, which you get for free by claiming your profile at artists.spotify.com once you have at least one track live (no follower minimum), and a Verified by Spotify green checkmark, which Spotify grants automatically through ongoing review - there’s no application, no follower count, and nothing to submit. If you’re still chasing an old “250 followers” target, that requirement no longer exists.

Uploading your music to Spotify should be part of any working artist’s release plan - even if streaming royalty rates are a legitimate source of frustration, Spotify remains one of the biggest ways for new listeners to find you. Getting verified unlocks the real toolkit: analytics, full profile control, playlist pitching, and your Artist Pick. Here’s how the process actually works now.

Claim Your Registered Artist Profile

Before anything else, you need at least one track officially distributed and live on Spotify - through a distributor like DistroKid, TuneCore, or similar. Once that’s true, go to artists.spotify.com and claim your profile. Spotify confirms the claim through your distributor, usually within a day, and social/identity verification typically takes one to three days on top of that. There is no follower minimum for this step - the old requirement is gone.

Claiming your profile is what unlocks the full Spotify for Artists dashboard: analytics, profile editing, the playlist pitch tool, and your Artist Pick.

Earn the Verified by Spotify Badge

The green checkmark badge is a separate thing from the Registered Artist checkmark, and there’s genuinely no application for it. Spotify reviews profiles on an ongoing basis and looks for a few signals: an identifiable artist presence both on and off the platform, sustained listener engagement over time, and good standing with Spotify’s own policies. You can’t apply for this directly - you earn it by being an active, legitimate, consistently-engaged artist on the platform.

What Actually Moves the Needle

Since the badge itself isn’t something you can request, focus your energy on the things Spotify is actually evaluating:

Make Your Profile Easy to Find and Follow

Add a Spotify Follow or Play button to your website, or embed a Spotify player directly - the easier you make it for a website visitor to land on your Spotify profile, the more consistently your listener numbers grow.

Tell Your Existing Fans

Your email list and social following are the fastest way to move people onto Spotify specifically - mention your Spotify profile in release announcements and the occasional social post, without turning every message into a Spotify plug.

Use Paid Ads Selectively

A modest budget on Meta or Instagram ads pointed at a landing page with your Spotify player and follow button can meaningfully move the needle, especially around a release. You don’t need much - a few dollars a day reaches real numbers of people.

Build Playlists

Curate your own playlists - a mix of your own music and tracks you genuinely enjoy - and mention new ones in your regular updates. It’s a low-effort, ongoing way to stay visible in someone’s Spotify activity between your own releases.

Keep Releasing

The single biggest lever for sustained engagement (which is exactly what Spotify’s automatic review is looking for) is simply staying active. Consistent releases keep existing followers engaged and keep bringing in new ones - momentum, not one big push, is what earns the badge over time. If keeping this consistent on top of everything else is starting to feel unmanageable, that workload crunch is also one of the real signs you’re ready for a music manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many followers do I need to get verified on Spotify? None. Spotify removed the follower requirement - claiming your Registered Artist profile only requires that you have at least one track live and officially distributed on Spotify.

What is the difference between a Registered Artist and Verified by Spotify? Registered Artist is the checkmark you get by claiming your profile through your distributor - no follower minimum, usually approved within a day. Verified by Spotify is a separate green badge Spotify grants through its own ongoing automatic review, based on identifiable presence, sustained engagement, and good standing - there is no application for it.

Does it cost anything to get verified on Spotify? No, the entire process is free. You will need to already be working with a distributor to get your music onto Spotify in the first place, but claiming and verifying your profile costs nothing on top of that.

Getting your next release out is the fastest way to keep that engagement building. Submit Your Music and let’s help it find new listeners.

How to Get a Music Manager: 5 Things to Fix Before You Go Looking

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: You get a music manager by becoming an artist worth managing first - grow a real fan base (starting in your own hometown), keep releasing music with a defined sound, tighten your live show, and get a friend or collaborator to help you handle the logistics you can’t yet outsource to a pro. Managers look for artists who already have traction, not artists hoping a manager will manufacture it. Once offers actually start coming in, vet them the way you’d vet any business partner - and know exactly what you want out of your career before you’re in a room negotiating a contract.

Chasing a manager before you have anything for them to manage is like cold-emailing a booking agent with a demo you recorded on your phone in a van - technically possible, extremely unlikely to work. Nobody is going to sign on to manage a vibe. The good news: everything that makes you attractive to a manager is also just… good for your career, manager or no manager. Here’s where to focus first.

#1 - Grow Your Fan Base

This is still the single biggest lever. A manager isn’t betting on your potential in the abstract - they’re betting on evidence that people already want what you’re making, not just that your mom and four coworkers think you’re “so talented.” Play shows, and play them consistently, not as one-off events - build a real following in your own hometown first (out-of-town gigs help, but the artists who eventually break out of a city are almost always the ones who were already known in it). Release music on a schedule fans can count on. Use streaming platforms, social video (Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts), and your email list to keep momentum visible between releases, not just on release day.

The specific platforms will keep changing. The underlying signal a manager is actually reading - real people showing up, repeatedly, without being paid to - won’t.

#2 - Focus on Your Music

None of the above matters if the music itself isn’t there yet. A manager isn’t going to invest their time in an act that isn’t ready, no matter how good your socials look - a great Instagram grid with mediocre songs behind it is just a well-lit way to disappoint people faster. Put real, scheduled time into writing, recording, and rehearsing. If you’re in a band, protect a standing block of time everyone actually shows up for, not the one that quietly turns into “we’ll jam whenever.” If you’re solo, treat practice like a job you can’t skip, not something you get to when you feel like it.

This is also where knowing your sound matters more than it might seem. Genre-hopping is a legitimate artistic choice, but managers are far more likely to take on artists with a clear, easy-to-market identity - it’s simply an easier “yes” when they’re deciding where to invest limited time. If you can’t describe your sound and where you’re headed in a couple of sentences, that clarity is worth developing before anything else on this list.

#3 - Get Help With the Logistics You’re Drowning In

A manager becomes worth having once you can no longer keep up with booking shows, promoting releases, writing new music, and handling the business side all at once. You’re probably not there yet - and until you are, that 2 a.m. “did anyone confirm the venue for Friday” text is just part of the job. That’s exactly the gap a trusted friend or collaborator can fill in the meantime.

Hand off one specific piece, not everything at once. Let someone you trust act as a temporary booking contact, or run your release-day promo checklist, while you protect your time for the music itself. If they’re bringing in paid work - booking shows, for instance - agree on a fair cut up front so nobody’s guessing later. “We’ll figure it out” is not a percentage.

#4 - Make Your Traction Impossible to Miss

Managers don’t just want to hear that you’re building something - they want to see the receipts: streaming numbers trending up, a playlist placement, a release cadence you’ve actually stuck to, an email list that grows every time you post. This is the modern version of “share your music with the public,” and it matters more now than it did a decade ago, because it’s the fastest way for a manager to judge you before ever meeting you.

Get your music onto the major streaming platforms through a distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, and similar services are the standard route now), keep your artist profiles current, and make it easy for anyone checking you out to find evidence you’re already moving. Stay focused rather than spread thin online - pick two or three platforms you’ll actually keep up consistently (a following that’s clearly active reads far better to a manager researching you than a bigger one that’s gone quiet), and don’t skip video: YouTube and short-form video are where a growing share of discovery actually happens now, whether that’s a music video, a behind-the-scenes clip, or footage from a recent show.

#5 - Set Your Goals

The last step is knowing what you actually want. Decide it before you’re in a room negotiating a contract, not during - “I’ll figure out what I want once someone offers me something” is how artists end up signed to deals that don’t fit them. Do you want music to be your full living, do you want to collaborate more with other artists, do you want session or production work alongside your own releases, or do you want to go all-in on your own career? Write it down.

Getting a manager was never the finish line - it’s one tool among several for getting where you’re going. By the time the right manager finds you, you should already understand the business side of your own career well enough to know a good fit from a bad one.

Once Offers Start Coming In

Do everything above and offers may actually start showing up - don’t sign the first one out of excitement. Research any candidate’s track record: who they’ve worked with, what they actually did for those artists, and whether you can find (or reach) any of them directly for an honest read. If a manager who reached out goes quiet when you follow up, that’s worth noting too - it may mean they’re overextended, or that the initial interest wasn’t as real as it seemed. If more than one manager is interested, take the time to compare them - their experience, their approach, and how well their outlook actually matches yours matter more than credentials alone, since this is a long working relationship, not a one-time transaction. Once you’ve settled on someone, run the contract itself through a real checklist before you sign anything.

Tips for Attracting the Right Manager

Don’t rush it. A manager you chased down out of impatience is a worse deal than no manager at all - and “no manager” doesn’t show up on your credit report.
Let your traction do the talking. Numbers and consistency are more persuasive than a pitch, and a lot less exhausting to produce than a good pitch.
Get real-world visibility. Managers still find a lot of artists by watching them play live or hearing about them from someone they trust - not just online.
Know your non-negotiables before you negotiate. Revisit what percentage a music manager typically takes and the signs you’re actually ready for one before any real conversation starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a music manager if I’m just starting out? You mostly don’t, yet - and that’s fine. Early on, focus on the things a manager would actually want to see: a growing fan base, a consistent release schedule, and a live show that holds up. Managers look for artists who already have momentum, not artists hoping a manager will create it for them.

What should I have ready before reaching out to a music manager? Documented traction - streaming numbers, playlist placements, show attendance, email list size - plus a clear sense of your own goals. A manager wants to see you’ve already been doing the work; they’re looking to accelerate something real, not start from zero.

Do I need a music manager to get a record deal or grow my fan base? No. Plenty of independent artists build a real career without one. A manager becomes useful once your career has more moving parts (bookings, press, releases, negotiations) than you can handle yourself - not before.

Where do music managers actually find new artists? Mostly through real-world signals, not cold pitches: a manager sees you play live, a mutual contact vouches for you, or your streaming and playlist numbers cross their radar through someone they already trust. Consistent, visible work is what puts you in that path.

Does having a clear musical brand really matter to managers? Yes - managers are far more likely to sign an artist with an easy-to-define sound and identity, because it’s also easier to market. Genre-hopping is a legitimate artistic choice, but it can make you a harder sell to a manager weighing where to invest their time.

Ready to put your traction in front of the people who matter? Submit Your Music and let’s get you in front of the right eyes.

Signing an Indie Label Contract Without a Music Manager

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: You don’t need a manager to sign with an indie label - you need to actually understand the contract. Check the term length, the licensing and distribution rights, whether there’s a financial advance, the spending cap, and exactly how earnings get split after the label recoups its costs. A contract that takes a law degree to parse is itself a red flag; get a lawyer involved if anything doesn’t make sense.

A manager can help you get your foot in the door with a bigger label, and that’s genuinely useful - but it’s not the only path. Plenty of independent artists sign directly with indie labels, get their music out professionally, and reach real audiences without a manager anywhere near the negotiating table. What actually matters is reading the contract like you mean it.

The Primary Details of an Indie Label Contract

Every contract varies, but most cover the same core ground:

The length (term) of the contract
Licensing and distribution rights
Financial advances, if any
Spending caps
How earnings are split after costs

The Length of the Contract

The term usually runs 5-10 years, and it defines how long the label owns rights to the recorded work - occasionally “forever,” which means exactly what it sounds like. Know what you’re agreeing to before you sign, not after.

Licensing and Distribution

Where can the label actually sell your album - worldwide, or one country? This detail gets glossed over constantly and matters enormously once you’re trying to release music elsewhere.

Financial Advances

Advances are rare with indie labels, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing - an advance is money taken out of your future earnings before the label recoups its costs, which can sound appealing upfront and leave you with nothing once the math is done.

Spending Caps

A cap on what the label can spend promoting and distributing your album protects you from a scenario where “we spent everything on marketing” is the explanation for why you never see a dollar.

Earnings After Costs

This is the section that actually determines your paycheck. It’ll be a percentage or a straight split - 50/50 is common with a small indie label, applied to profit after the label recoups its costs, not to gross revenue. Say the label spends $25,000 promoting your album and it brings in $30,000 in sales: that’s $5,000 in profit, split $2,500 to you and $2,500 to the label. Read this section slowly. It’s the one that pays your rent.

Read Every Line

Read the contract front to back, every time, even the parts that look like boilerplate. If a clause doesn’t make sense, ask the label to explain it in plain language or take it to a lawyer - a contract that can’t survive that question is telling you something.

Where a Manager Still Helps

None of this means a manager is worthless here. They’re unlikely to have a law degree, but a good one has read enough of these contracts to spot the clauses that should worry you, and can push back on terms you might not think to question on your own - the same instincts covered in the full music manager contract checklist. If you’re weighing whether you’re at that point yet, see the signs you’re ready for a manager - and if you decide you’re not, you’re not saying no to the deal, just to having someone else negotiate it for you.

This is your career and your signature. Sign a contract you actually understand, whether or not anyone’s standing next to you when you do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sign with an indie label without a music manager? Yes. A manager can help you avoid a bad deal or negotiate a better one, but plenty of artists sign directly with indie labels on their own - as long as they take the time to actually understand the contract first.

What should I check first in an indie label contract? The term length (how long the label owns your work), the licensing and distribution rights (where they can sell it), and how earnings are split after the label recoups its costs.

Is a 50/50 split with an indie label normal? It’s common with smaller indie labels, applied to profit after the label recoups what it spent on recording, promotion, and distribution - not to your gross earnings.

Should I get a lawyer to review an indie label contract? If there’s anything you don’t fully understand, yes. A good contract should be readable without a law degree, but the amount of money involved usually justifies an hour of a lawyer’s time before you sign.

Ready to get your music in front of labels and fans alike? Submit Your Music and let’s get the conversation started.

Before You Sign: The Music Manager Contract Checklist (And What to Ask First)

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: Before signing with a music manager, first interview them - ask who else they’ve managed, what they’ll actually do for you, and whether they have a sample contract ready. Then run the contract itself through a checklist: length (one to two years is standard), the cancellation and auto-renewal terms, their exact duties, the fee (typically 15-20%, never paid upfront), expense reimbursement, and the fine print most artists skip - the sunset clause and key-person clause. Get all of it in writing, and get anything you don’t fully understand in front of a lawyer before you sign.

A manager works for you, not the other way around. Landing one who’s genuinely excited about your music is the easy part - the meeting and the contract that follows are your one real chance to find out if they’re actually equipped for the job, before you’re stuck with the answer.

Contract Item	What’s Standard	Red Flag
Length	1-2 year initial term	Longer than 3 years for a developing artist
Fee	15-20% of earnings	Anything paid upfront, or meaningfully higher than 20%
Cancellation	A defined exit window (30 days to a few months)	No clear way for either side to exit
Duties	Explicitly written out	Vague duties with nothing specific in writing
Sunset clause	Commission on their deals ends some time after the contract does	Commission “in perpetuity,” with no end date
Key-person clause	Names the actual person managing you, if signing with a company	No named individual - you could end up managed by anyone

Ask These Questions Before You Even See a Contract

Treat the first meeting like a job interview you’re conducting, not one you’re taking.

Who else have you managed? Get real names, past and present, then actually look them up. A quick search tells you more about a manager’s genuine track record than anything they say in the room.
What can you actually do for us? Get specific - what will they do this month to promote your music. A manager genuinely excited about the plan sounds different from one giving a canned pitch they’ve used on everyone before you.
How would you describe our music? This tells you fast whether they actually understand your sound and audience, or plan to figure that out on your dime.
Do you have a sample contract? Never sign something on the spot. Ask to take it home and have a lawyer look it over.
What would you change about our approach right now? Their answer shows how much attention they’ve actually paid to your music versus how much they’re pattern-matching from a pitch deck they use on everyone.

The Core Terms to Negotiate

Once you’re past the interview and looking at an actual contract, a reasonable one states its terms in plain language - the length, the fee, the basics - without burying them in jargon. If it reads like it needs a law degree to parse, that complexity is itself a signal.

Length of the Contract

A one- or two-year initial term is standard for a first agreement - long enough to genuinely evaluate the fit, short enough that a bad match doesn’t cost you years. Some contracts define the term by album cycles instead of a fixed date; worth discussing directly so expectations match. Check the cancellation policy specifically - most include a window (often 30 days to a few months) letting either side exit without penalty - and watch for an automatic-renewal clause that extends the term unless you actively opt out. Red flag: an initial term stretching past three years for a developing artist.

The Management Fee

Expect 10-20% of your earnings (15-20% is most common), covering album sales, label advances, and deals they helped negotiate. Merchandise and songwriting royalties are often excluded, but “often” isn’t automatic - get it in writing exactly which income sources are included. One rule that should be non-negotiable: never pay a manager anything upfront. Their compensation comes from a share of what they help you earn, not a fee from your own pocket before any work has happened.

Job Duties and Scope

Whatever your manager will actually be responsible for - promotion, booking, contract negotiation, intermediary work with a label - needs to be written down explicitly. Vague duties are exactly what makes it impossible to tell later whether they’re holding up their end. If you branch out beyond music - acting, a side project, anything else - check whether your manager still takes a cut; look for language that scopes their commission to “the music industry” specifically, not the broader (and much more expensive) “entertainment industry.”

Expenses and Reimbursement

You’ll typically cover reasonable travel and promotional costs your manager incurs on your behalf. Set a clear process: a threshold requiring your approval for larger expenses, and a requirement for receipts, protects you both from a vague dispute later.

The Fine Print Most Artists Skip

Sunset clause. Most contracts let a manager keep collecting commission on deals made during the term, sometimes at a reduced rate, for some period after it ends. Watch for anything granting this in perpetuity with no sunset clause - that’s outdated language a manager shouldn’t still be asking for.
Key-person clause. If you’re signing with a management company rather than an individual, make sure the contract names the specific person you’re actually trusting with your career. Without this, that person can leave the company and you’re stuck working with whoever replaces them.
Personnel changes. If someone leaves the band during the contract term, does the manager retain any claim over that person’s career? Get this spelled out explicitly rather than discovering the answer mid-breakup.

Get It Reviewed

An hour or two of an entertainment lawyer’s time is inexpensive against what a bad clause could cost you years later. If anything in the contract doesn’t make sense on a first read, that’s exactly what the lawyer is for - don’t rely on a verbal understanding of anything that matters.

If This Makes You Uneasy

If running through all of this makes you hesitant to sign anything right now, that’s useful information too - you may not be quite ready for a manager yet, and that’s a fine place to be. See if you’re not sure where you stand, or weigh of bringing someone on before you get this far.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most important question to ask a potential music manager? Who else have you managed, and can I talk to them? A manager’s actual track record - not their pitch - is the fastest way to tell whether they can deliver on what they’re promising you.

What’s the most overlooked part of a music manager contract? The cancellation policy. Musicians focus on the fee and forget to check how - and how easily - either side can exit the agreement if it’s not working out.

Should I ever pay a manager money upfront? No. A manager’s compensation should come from a share of what they help you earn, not an upfront fee from you. Any reasonable expenses they incur should be reimbursed with receipts, not paid in advance.

What is a sunset clause in a music manager contract? A sunset clause determines whether your manager keeps earning commission on deals they made after your contract ends - and for how long. A clause granting commission in perpetuity, with no end date, is outdated and worth pushing back on.

What’s a typical music manager’s fee? 15-20% of your earnings is standard, covering album sales, label advances, and deals your manager helped negotiate - though not always merchandise or songwriting royalties. Anything meaningfully higher deserves real scrutiny.

Ready or not on the manager front, your music still needs an audience. and let’s find yours.

Music Agent vs. Music Manager: What's the Real Difference?

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: A music agent (or booking agent) is state-licensed and focuses narrowly on landing and negotiating live shows, typically for 10-15% of your performance fees. A music manager isn’t licensed, oversees your whole career - promotion, direction, industry relationships - typically for 15-20% of your overall income, and usually works alongside an agent rather than instead of one. Almost every independent artist needs a manager (or self-management) before they need an agent; most genuinely need neither at first.

You probably have some sense of what a music manager does, but before you sign anything, it’s worth understanding whether you actually need one - or whether a talent agent is the better fit. The two get used almost interchangeably in casual conversation, but the jobs, and the legal rules governing them, are genuinely different.

	Music Agent (Booking/Talent Agent)	Music Manager
Focus	Booking and negotiating live shows	Your whole career - promotion, direction, industry relationships
Licensing	State-licensed, required by law	Not licensed - anyone can call themselves one
Typical cut	10-15% of performance fees only	15-20% of overall music income
Who you need first	Usually comes second, once booking demand outgrows a manager	Usually comes first (or self-management)
Can legally negotiate contracts	Yes	Often not directly - many regions require a licensed agent

What Does a Music Agent Do?

A music agent - also called a booking or talent agent - is focused specifically on booking shows. They talk directly to promoters, negotiate your performance contracts, and coordinate with venues to make sure the event runs smoothly (sound check, payment, logistics on the day). Their core responsibilities typically include contacting promoters, negotiating performance contracts, and arranging tour dates. An agency gives an agent a standing list of contacts and regularly-booked venues and festivals to draw from - which is part of why agents tend to become useful once your booking demand outgrows what one person (you, or a manager) can keep up with.

Agents generally earn 10-15% of your performance fees specifically - not your merch or music sales, just the show itself. Newer artists tend to land toward the higher end of that range; more established acts can often negotiate lower.

What Does a Music Manager Do?

A manager’s scope is broader and can overlap with an agent’s, depending on your needs. If your recording and distribution are already handled, an agent alone might cover what you need for live shows. A manager, by contrast, typically covers promoting your music overall, setting meetings with labels, coordinating with agents and promoters, and shaping your broader career direction. Early on, your manager is more likely a single person building those relationships from scratch alongside you, not plugging you into an existing agency’s machine.

Managers typically take a larger overall cut - 15-20% of your income - reflecting the broader scope of what they’re handling versus an agent’s narrower, performance-only focus.

The Legal Difference That Actually Matters

This is the part most artists never learn until it’s relevant: a talent agent has to go through a state licensing process to legally negotiate contracts on your behalf. Anyone can call themselves a music manager - no license required - which is exactly why vetting a manager yourself matters so much more than it does with an agent. That licensing is also why agents are typically capped around 10% by state regulation, while managers aren’t bound by the same cap and typically run 10-20%.

One important consequence: in many places, a manager isn’t legally licensed to negotiate performance contracts the way an agent is - they can set up the meeting and advocate for you, but the actual negotiation often still needs you or a licensed agent involved. If that legal nuance makes you uneasy, a dedicated agent may be the more comfortable fit once you’re at that stage. Either way: never work with an agent or manager who wants money upfront instead of a commission structure - that’s not how either job is supposed to work.

Do You Need Either Right Now?

Probably not yet. You can take on the role of an agent yourself (booking your own gigs) or a manager (promoting your own music) for quite a while before either becomes a real bottleneck. Most independent artists are better served learning these roles firsthand first - it means that when you do eventually bring someone on, you already know exactly what a good job looks like, and exactly what a 15-20% cut should actually be buying you.

Figure out which one you actually need starting with - an agent conversation almost always comes later, once the manager side is already settled.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the main difference between a music agent and a music manager? A music agent (also called a booking or talent agent) focuses specifically on securing and negotiating live shows, and is state-licensed to do it. A music manager oversees your broader career - promotion, career direction, connecting you with the right people - isn’t licensed, and often coordinates with agents rather than replacing them.

How much does each typically charge? Booking agents generally take 10-15% of your performance fees specifically, sometimes capped near 10% by state licensing rules. Managers typically take 15-20% of your overall music income, unregulated, reflecting the broader scope of what they’re handling.

Do I need a talent agent or a music manager first? A music manager, almost always - or you, managing yourself. Agents are typically brought in once you have enough demand for bookings that a manager alone can’t keep up.

Why do talent agents charge less than music managers? Because agents are licensed and regulated by the state, which caps what they can legally charge. Managers aren’t licensed the same way, so their commission reflects a broader, less regulated set of responsibilities.

Can a music manager negotiate my contracts for me? Not usually in a formal legal sense - many regions require agents to be licensed to negotiate performance contracts. A manager can set up meetings and advocate for you, but the actual legal negotiation is often still on you or a licensed agent.

Whichever role you’re filling yourself right now, getting your music heard is the first job either way. and let’s help you build the case for bringing someone on.

Manager, Booking Agent, or Road Manager: Who Do You Actually Need?

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: As your career grows, you’ll likely hear about music managers, booking agents, event promoters, music publishers, record labels, and PR - but you don’t need all of them at once, and most independent artists don’t need most of them for a long time. A music manager is almost always the first and broadest hire; everyone else fills in as specific gaps appear.

Making a name for yourself locally eventually raises the question of who else you actually need on your team - and the list of job titles floating around the industry doesn’t make the answer obvious.

You Probably Don’t Need Any of Them Yet

Independent artists today have real tools to promote and book themselves without anyone else’s help. Put in that work first - it’s what eventually attracts the team worth building.

The Manager Is Usually First

Early on, your music manager is the broadest role by far - gigs, some promotion, early record-exec conversations, and increasingly the person who introduces you to everyone else on this list as your team starts to take shape.

Booking Agents

A booking agent specializes specifically in securing gigs and appearances - a role your manager may handle alone early on, and hand off to a dedicated agent once booking demand genuinely outgrows what one person can manage. At scale, you might even have separate agents for different regions - see the full breakdown of what actually separates a manager from an agent, including the licensing rules and pay structure most artists never learn until it’s relevant.

Event Promoters

Promoters run the actual events - clubs, venues - and work to get people through the door once a show is booked. You don’t hire them directly; your manager or agent builds these relationships on your behalf.

Music Publishers

A publisher holds the rights to your written music and works to place it elsewhere - covers, sync licensing, other artists recording your songs. This is genuinely distinct from a record label, which handles your recorded music specifically.

Record Labels

A label handles recording, distribution, and promotion of the finished recordings themselves - the flip side of what a publisher does with the writing.

Public Relations

A PR person shapes how you’re perceived publicly - press, media appearances, brand positioning - sometimes through your label, sometimes independently. Before any of that exists, you’re your own PR department, which is exactly why knowing how to write your own press release is worth learning regardless of what your future team looks like.

The Real Takeaway

None of these roles need to exist in your life at once, and most won’t for a while. Focus on what’s actually in front of you - promoting your own music, growing your fan base, playing locally - and let your team build out as real gaps appear, starting with the signs you’re ready for a manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a music manager and a booking agent? A manager oversees your overall career strategy and often handles early bookings themselves. A booking agent specializes specifically in securing gigs and appearances, and typically enters the picture once booking demand outgrows what a manager can handle alone.

Do independent artists need all of these people? No, not early on. Most independent artists have the tools to promote and book themselves today - a full team (manager, agent, publisher, PR) tends to build out gradually as your career actually scales, not all at once.

What does a music publisher actually do? A publisher holds the rights to your written music and works to get it placed - covers, sync licensing, other artists recording it. This is distinct from a record label, which handles your recorded music specifically.

Who should I hire first as an independent artist? A music manager, almost always - it’s the broadest, most foundational role. Everyone else (agents, publishers, dedicated PR) tends to come later, once your manager identifies where the gap actually is.

Wherever you are on that path, it starts with people hearing your music. Submit Your Music and let’s get it moving.

What Percentage Should Your Music Manager Actually Get?

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: The standard range is 15-20% of your gross income, sometimes 10-15% for a newer manager or a developing artist. It’s calculated on gross earnings - before expenses - and your manager will typically also be reimbursed for costs directly tied to promoting you. The right number for your situation depends on how much of the business side they’re actually handling and how established your career already is.

The percentage line in a management contract is the one that determines your actual paycheck, so it’s worth understanding exactly what you’re agreeing to before you sign - including what it applies to, not just the headline number.

There’s No Single “Standard” Manager

The word “manager” covers a wide range of actual responsibility - one artist’s manager handles literally everything, another’s is one piece of a larger team. That range is exactly why the percentage varies as much as it does.

For a New or Developing Act

Expect a manager to ask for 15-20%, sometimes higher if they’re handling every business decision themselves - travel and reasonable expenses typically get reimbursed on top of that. The more responsibility they’re actually carrying, the more that percentage tends to climb.

As Your Team Grows

Once you need more than one person - a road manager, someone handling promotion specifically - those additional roles often come out of your manager’s own cut, not as a separate expense on top of it. Your manager’s percentage might stay around 25% even as they’re now splitting some of that with the team they’ve built around you.

For an Established Act

At this stage, you may have a separate booking agent (typically capped closer to 10% by regulation) alongside your manager, with each earning independently rather than out of the same pool.

Working With a Management Company

Companies sometimes start a new relationship at a lower rate - 10-15% - with a clause that increases it as your success grows. Read that clause closely; “as your success grows” should be defined with real numbers, not left vague enough to argue about later.

What to Actually Watch For

Gross, not net. Your manager’s cut comes off the top, before any of your own expenses are deducted.
What it applies to. Some managers exclude merchandise or songwriting royalties, especially anything they didn’t help negotiate - get this explicit.
What happens after the contract ends. Many managers continue earning on deals made during the term - fair, in moderation. A clause with no end date on that continuation is outdated; push for a real sunset clause.

For the full list of what else belongs in the contract beyond the percentage, see the talking points every music manager contract needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage does a music manager typically take? 15-20% of your gross income is the standard range, sometimes 10-15% for a newer manager or developing artist with substantial existing income negotiating down.

Is a music manager’s cut based on gross or net income? Gross - meaning before any deductions or expenses come out. This is standard across the industry, but it’s worth understanding clearly before you sign, since it changes what the percentage actually costs you.

Does a manager keep earning after the contract ends? Often, yes, on deals made during the term of the contract - though a fair modern contract includes a sunset clause limiting how long and how much that continues, rather than granting it forever.

Should every income stream be subject to my manager’s commission? Not necessarily. Some managers exclude merchandise sales or songwriting royalties, especially deals they weren’t directly involved in negotiating - this should be spelled out explicitly, not assumed.

Building the income worth negotiating over starts here. Submit Your Music and let’s get it moving.

5 Types of Music Managers You Should Walk Away From

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: Walk away from a manager who’s more interested in partying than working, who name-drops instead of delivering results, who’s chronically unreachable, who thrives on drama, or who treats you like a kid instead of an employer. None of these are rare - they’re common enough that you’ll likely meet at least one before you find someone worth signing with.

You don’t usually find a manager - a decent one finds you, once you’ve built enough momentum to be worth their time. That also means you’ll meet your fair share of managers who aren’t actually worth yours. Here’s who to avoid.

#1 - The One Who’s There for the Party

A drink with a contact backstage is normal. A manager who can’t separate business from a good time - the one still recovering from last night’s afterparty when you need a real answer about your release schedule - is not someone you want handling your money and your calendar.

#2 - The Name-Dropper

Some managers lean hard on who they’ve “worked with” instead of what they’ve actually done for anyone. Name-dropping isn’t inherently a problem, but when it’s the entire pitch, it’s often covering for the fact that there isn’t much substance underneath it.

#3 - The One Who Never Calls You Back

Your manager will have other clients, and being busy is genuinely a good sign - it usually means they’re getting things done. Being consistently unreachable is a different problem entirely: time management is part of the job, and a manager who can’t find five minutes for you is telling you exactly how they’ll handle the bigger stuff too.

#4 - The Drama Magnet

A manager who’s constantly stirring the pot - with venues, with labels, with your own bandmates - is actively working against you, not for you. Their job is being the calm, diplomatic go-between, not another source of chaos you now have to manage on top of your own.

#5 - The One Who Acts Like Your Parent

Your manager works for you. They can offer advice, push back, disagree - that’s part of the job - but the moment they start dictating your creative direction like they’re the one in charge, the relationship has flipped in a way it shouldn’t.

What to Actually Look For Instead

Genuine excitement about your specific music (not a copy-paste pitch), verifiable experience, financial responsibility, and clarity about what they’ll actually do for you. When you sit down to talk percentage, treat an unusually aggressive ask as information, not just a negotiating position - see what percentage is actually reasonable before that conversation happens, and bring a real list of questions with you.

None of these five types are hard to spot once you know to look - the trick is not signing anything before you’ve had enough time to actually notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest red flags in a potential music manager? Someone more interested in partying than working, chronic name-dropping instead of results, being consistently unreachable, thriving on drama, or trying to control your creative direction like a parent instead of an employee.

Is it normal for a manager to be hard to reach sometimes? Being busy is normal - most managers have other clients. Being consistently unreachable and slow to respond isn’t busy, it’s a sign they’re in over their head or not prioritizing you.

How much of my earnings is too much for a manager to ask for? Above roughly 20% for a standard artist management relationship should raise questions. Someone pushing hard for an unusually large cut, or wanting money upfront instead of commission, is a red flag on its own.

What should I actually look for in a good music manager instead? Genuine excitement about your specific music, verifiable experience and contacts, transparency about their process, financial responsibility, and clear communication - the direct opposite of all five red-flag types.

While you’re vetting managers, keep building the case that makes the good ones want in. Submit Your Music and let’s get you there.

Should You Wait for a Music Manager? How to Tell, and What to Do Until Then

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: You’re ready for a music manager when you have real traction (engaged fans, streaming momentum, a consistent release schedule), income that makes a standard commission genuinely worth someone’s time, and enough hands-on experience running your own bookings and promotion to judge whether a manager is actually earning their cut. Until then, you’re not stalled - you’re building the exact track record that gets a good manager to notice you first, and the DIY skills (distribution, booking, your own books) that let you evaluate one once they show up.

A lot of musicians treat landing a manager as proof their career is finally real. It’s usually the opposite: you won’t attract a decent manager until you’ve already made some noise on your own. Here’s how to tell where you actually stand, and exactly what to do with the time in between.

You’re Ready When…	You’re Not There Yet If…
You have real, engaged traction - not just a follower count	Your following exists but rarely actually engages
You’ve handled your own bookings and promotion and know what the job involves	You’ve never booked a show or negotiated a fee
The admin work is genuinely eating into your music-making time	You have time to spare, just not the motivation
Your income makes a 15-20% cut genuinely worth someone’s time	Your music income is closer to gas money than rent money
Managers are starting to approach you unprompted	You’re the one cold-emailing management companies

The Real Signs You’re Ready

You have real, engaged traction. A manager checking you out looks past your follower count to what it converts to - streams, playlist placements, ticket sales, an email list that actually opens what you send. A few hundred followers who never engage tells a manager nothing useful; a smaller, genuinely engaged audience tells them a lot.

You’re already handling the business side yourself. Booking, promotion, scheduling, the 11 p.m. email to a venue that never wrote back - all of it is exactly the experience that lets you evaluate a manager once you have one. Skip this step and you have no way to know if your manager is doing their job or just collecting the cut.

You genuinely don’t have time to manage yourself anymore. Not boredom with admin work - the real trigger is booking, promoting, recording, and networking eating so much of your week that the music itself is suffering. That’s when a manager stops being a luxury and starts being a real unlock.

You’re earning real, consistent income. At a standard 10-20% commission, a manager needs your income to be worth their time, and you need it to be worth the cut you’re giving up. If your music income is closer to gas money than rent money, the math isn’t there yet for either of you.

Managers are starting to approach you. Cold-emailing management companies rarely works - a manager worth having is scouting for artists who already show momentum, not artists who need to be built from scratch. Get the fundamentals above genuinely right, and this stops being something you have to chase.

Why Waiting Is Often the Smarter Move

Landing a manager can feel like the milestone that makes your career official. Treating it as the goal instead of a tool is exactly how artists end up rushing into a contract they’re not equipped to evaluate. What you actually gain by waiting:

You learn what the job involves. If you’ve never booked a show, negotiated a fee, or chased down a late payment, you have no real way to judge whether a manager is doing right by you - it’s hiring a mechanic with zero idea what’s under the hood.
You attract better managers, not just any manager. Real interest, a growing fan base, a visible track record - this is what makes experienced, genuinely good managers willing to work with you. Chase one before any of that exists, and you’re more likely to land someone desperate for a client than someone equipped to help you.
You get to lock in your sound first. A manager worth having wants an artist who already knows where they’re headed, not one they have to steer from scratch. Waiting gives you room to figure that out before someone else’s opinion is in the room.
You build contacts that are actually yours. Every relationship you build while managing yourself - a venue owner, a local blog, another artist - stays yours regardless of who manages you later.
You might discover you don’t need one at all. Some artists get skilled enough at booking, promoting, and managing their own time that a manager doesn’t add enough value to be worth the cut. That’s a genuinely good outcome, not a consolation prize.

Run Your Own Career in the Meantime

None of this requires special training - it’s the same groundwork a hired manager would eventually take over, which is exactly why doing it yourself first makes you sharper later, whether or not you ever bring someone else on.

Get Distributed and Release on a Schedule

A distributor - DistroKid, TuneCore, and similar services are the standard route - pushes your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else at once, for a flat annual fee or a small cut per release, no label and no gatekeeper required. Since streaming pays per play rather than per “album,” there’s little reason to sit on a 10-12 song record before releasing anything - a 5-6 song EP gets you into fans’ rotations faster and more often, which matters more for algorithmic and playlist discovery than a rare big drop.

Book Your Own Gigs and Build a Real EPK

Before reaching out to venues, get three things in order: music that’s genuinely findable (uploaded through a distributor, not a phone-in-your-pocket rehearsal recording), a basic electronic press kit (bio, a few photos, your current music), and a real, concrete window of available dates - “whenever works” reads as unprofessional and gets deprioritized. Expect early gigs to pay very little; treat them as building your track record, not your income, for now.

Market Consistently

Split your effort between direct marketing (playing live, building relationships venue by venue - no algorithm involved) and digital marketing (an email list, since it’s the one channel a platform can’t quietly stop showing your posts in, plus consistent social and video posting). Keep the “new song out now” posts the exception, not the rule - constant selling is the fastest way to get muted.

Set Up Like a Business

A dedicated account for music income is the simplest first move; from there, an LLC (common for bands, since it splits liability across members) or a DBA (simpler for solo acts) makes things official. Write a rough business plan - not a 40-page document, just real short- and long-term goals - and list every revenue stream you have (gigs, merch, music sales, licensing) so you can track each one and see where to actually focus, instead of guessing.

Handle the Money Right

Fund music expenses from music income, not debt - if the money isn’t there yet, the purchase can wait. Pay yourself a reasonable cut (up to around 50% of profits after expenses is a fair ceiling early on, split with bandmates if you’re not solo), and put the rest back into marketing and savings. The single fastest way to lose track of whether your music is actually making money is treating every payment like a personal check instead of business income.

When to Actually Stop Waiting

When your own workload - booking, promotion, releases, the correspondence that eats an entire evening - has genuinely outgrown what you can keep up with without the music itself suffering, or you need access to markets you can’t reach on your own. That’s the real signal, not a calendar date or a feeling that you should probably have one of these by now. Hiring a manager isn’t an admission you don’t know what you’re doing; it’s the opposite - it’s what you do once you know exactly what needs doing and simply run out of hours to do it yourself.

Once you’re there, see and before you sign anything, and weigh of bringing someone on at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I’m ready for a music manager? You have real, engaged traction (not just followers), a consistent release schedule, real-world experience handling your own bookings and promotion, and you’re earning enough that a manager’s cut is actually worth their time. If none of that’s true yet, you’re not behind - you’re not there yet, and that’s fine.

Do I need a music manager to release music? No. Any artist can distribute music to every major streaming platform through a distributor like DistroKid or TuneCore without a manager, label, or any gatekeeper at all - a manager becomes useful later, once the basics are already running themselves.

Should I set up an LLC or DBA for my music career? It’s worth considering once money starts moving - an LLC works well for bands (shared liability protection), a DBA is simpler for solo acts. Neither is required to start, but both make separating personal and music finances much cleaner once you’re earning consistently.

When should I actually hire a music manager? When your own management workload - booking, promotion, releases, correspondence - has genuinely outgrown what you can keep up with while still making music. That’s the real signal, not impatience, burnout on a slow week, or a sense you should probably have one by now.

Is it a bad sign if a manager approaches me first? It depends on your traction. A manager reaching out after you’ve built real momentum is a good sign. A manager reaching out before you have anything to show is worth extra scrutiny - they may be angling for a quick cut off a hopeful artist, not betting on a real opportunity.

Building the traction that gets managers to notice you starts with getting your music in front of real ears. and let’s get you there.

Pros and Cons of Working With a Music Manager

Mon, 12 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: The biggest advantages of a music manager are access - contacts, credibility, a buffer from the industry’s harder conversations, and real time back in your week. The biggest downsides are the cost (typically 15-20% of your gross earnings plus expenses), the risk of a manager whose reputation or lack of skill actively works against you, and the real possibility you’re not at the point where a manager adds more than they take. Weigh both honestly before you sign anything - “I don’t have a manager yet” is not, on its own, a career problem.

For every musician who makes it, there are plenty who don’t - and a lot of artists assume a manager is the missing ingredient. It might be. It might also be a 15-20% tax on a career that was doing fine on its own. Here’s the complete, honest case for both sides.

Pros	Cons
Comes with real industry contacts	Costs 15-20% of gross earnings, before expenses
Acts as a buffer for hard industry conversations	A bad reputation can follow you into the room
Brings outside experience and a second set of eyes	Can limit your creative independence if they overstep
Can referee real band disputes	Not everyone calling themselves a manager has the skill set
Gives you honest, blunt feedback	You may not actually be at the point where you need one yet
Frees up your time for the actual music

The Real Advantages

They come with contacts. A manager worth their cut arrives with a real list of venues, press, and industry people who take their calls. That said, a manager’s contacts don’t replace your own hustle - you still need a baseline understanding of the industry to actually use the doors they open.

They act as a buffer. Journalists, radio programmers, and venue bookers are often more comfortable being candid with a manager than directly with an artist - it’s simply easier for most people to deliver hard feedback, or silence instead of a no, through an intermediary. A manager absorbs those awkward calls so you’re not left refreshing your inbox wondering if a booker ghosted you or genuinely passed.

They bring outside experience. An experienced manager has seen situations you haven’t - what worked for other artists, what didn’t, how a negotiation usually plays out. You don’t have to take every note, but a second set of eyes with real context is worth more than most blog posts (including, arguably, this one).

They can referee real disputes. A manager represents the whole band’s interests, not any one member’s, which makes them a natural neutral party when tension rises. They can defuse day-to-day friction and keep everyone pointed at the same goal - though they can only mediate a disagreement, not fix a genuine lineup incompatibility. That’s a band conversation, not a management one.

They give you honest feedback. Your manager doesn’t need to love your music, but a good one understands your direction well enough to tell you what’s working and what isn’t - the kind of blunt read that’s hard to get from your bandmates or your mom.

They free up your time. The biggest, least glamorous advantage: a manager takes over the calls, the emails, the scheduling, and the travel logistics you’d otherwise be handling between rehearsals, which means more of your actual time goes back into the music. That’s the whole point most artists eventually want a manager for in the first place.

They can hype you better than you can hype yourself. People are naturally skeptical of an artist talking themselves up - it’s the music-industry version of nobody trusting a résumé you wrote about yourself. A manager saying it about you lands differently, and that’s a genuine asset when you’re trying to get someone’s attention.

The Real Drawbacks

They cost real money. A standard cut runs 15-20% of your gross earnings, before expenses, not after - and you’re often on the hook for reimbursing travel and other costs tied to promoting you. Handing that over feels like a real pay cut once you’ve been keeping all of it yourself, because it is one. Budget for it as a genuine cost, not a rounding error.

A bad reputation can follow you. Research any manager before you sign. If they’ve burned bridges with a specific label, that history doesn’t stay in the past - it can quietly close doors before you’ve had a chance to make your own impression. Ask around, check who they’ve worked with, and talk to those artists directly if you can.

They can limit your independence. A manager who oversteps starts weighing in on your creative choices, not just your business ones. That’s a boundary worth setting early: a manager’s job is the business side, freeing you up for the creative side - not the other way around.

Not everyone is cut out to manage. Some people take the title without the skill set that should come with it - relationship-building, communication, financial responsibility. Since a manager typically has real visibility into your finances, vet them the way you’d vet any business partner: track record, reputation, and ideally a lawyer’s eyes on the contract before you sign.

You may not need one yet. The most common drawback isn’t a bad manager - it’s hiring one before you actually need one. If you can still handle bookings, promotion, and logistics without it cutting into your creative time, you’re not there yet, and paying someone 15-20% for work you’re already doing fine on your own is money left on the table. A manager approaching you before you have any real traction may be angling for a quick cut off a hopeful artist, not betting on a real opportunity - a manager worth having is looking for acts already generating income.

So, Do You Need One?

Weigh the list above honestly. If you’re already earning real, consistent income and drowning in logistics you can’t keep up with, the pros likely win. If you’re still building your fan base and sound, the cons - mainly the cost and the risk of signing with someone opportunistic - usually outweigh the benefits, and it’s fine to keep building on your own for another year or two. See if you’re not sure where you stand.

Once you decide the pros win, don’t rush the next step - run through before you sign anything. Typically, once you’re earning regular income, building a real fan base, and playing live consistently, you’ll start attracting attention on your own - managers are always scouting for artists who are already moving. They come to you, not the other way around.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main advantages of having a music manager? Contacts you don’t have yet, a buffer between you and the harder conversations in the industry, outside career experience, someone to referee real band disputes, and time back in your week that you’d otherwise spend on logistics instead of music.

What are the downsides of hiring a music manager? The cost - typically 15-20% of your gross earnings plus expenses - a bad reputation that can follow you into a room, the risk of a manager who limits your creative independence, and the very real possibility you don’t need one yet.

How much does a music manager typically charge? Usually 15-20% of your earnings, sometimes higher for a newer artist and lower once you’re established. Treat it as a real line item in your budget, not an afterthought you’ll deal with once the money starts coming in.

Can a bad manager hurt my chances with record labels? Yes - if a manager has burned bridges with a label in the past, that history can follow you into the room before you’ve said a word. Research a potential manager’s reputation and past relationships before signing anything.

How do I know if the pros outweigh the cons for me right now? If you’re already earning real, consistent income and drowning in logistics you can’t keep up with, the pros likely win. If you’re still building your fan base and sound, the cons - mainly the cost and the risk of signing with someone opportunistic - usually outweigh the benefits.

Building your case either way starts with getting your music in front of real ears. and let’s get you there.

Everything a Music Manager Actually Does (And Doesn't)

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: A music manager’s core job is booking gigs, promoting your music, and helping negotiate recording contracts - plus, depending on the relationship, handling finances, offering creative input, and settling band disputes. What they can’t do: guarantee a record deal, build your fan base from nothing, or make your decisions for you. A manager works for you, not the other way around - and everything above should be spelled out in your contract, not assumed from a job title that means something different to every manager who holds it.

“Music manager” covers a wider range of actual duties than the title suggests - part booker, part publicist, part therapist for a band that’s been in a van together too long. Here’s the real breakdown of what falls under the job, what a good one realistically delivers, and what stays on you no matter who you sign with.

A Manager Does	A Manager Doesn’t
Books gigs and handles the logistics	Guarantee you a record deal
Promotes your music to press, blogs, and playlists	Build your fan base from nothing
Gets involved in recording-contract negotiations	Make your final creative or career decisions
Sometimes handles band finances	Cover your promotion or production costs
Sometimes offers creative input	Replace the groundwork you have to do yourself first
Sometimes referees band disputes

The Core Job

Booking gigs. A manager with real contacts can get you into festivals, events, and venues you wouldn’t reach cold - handling the back-and-forth on timing, pay, and logistics so you’re not doing it between soundchecks.

Promoting your music. This covers a lot of ground: outreach to press, blogs, and playlist curators, coordinating a press kit, and often managing your public-facing social presence. Anything under the “get more people to hear this” umbrella tends to land here.

Recording-contract involvement. Getting signed, or negotiating terms if you already are, is a major piece of the job - though formally negotiating contracts is a gray area that varies by manager and jurisdiction; many are heavily involved and advocate for you, but the legal negotiating role traditionally sits closer to an agent’s or lawyer’s.

What Else They Might Handle

Finances, sometimes. Depending on your level of success, a manager might handle band finances directly, or you might need a dedicated accountant once things scale. Get clarity on this specifically - “handling the business side” means different things to different managers.

Creative input, sometimes. A manager may offer input on your direction, sound, or image - a side role, not the main event. Their opinion carries weight because they know the industry, not because they’ve taken over the wheel.

Referee, sometimes. Managing internal band drama isn’t in most job descriptions, but it happens constantly in practice - their livelihood is tied to yours, so keeping everyone functional is often in their direct interest.

What You Can Realistically Expect

A manager worth their cut brings real contacts built over years, honest professional feedback even when it’s not what you want to hear, merchandising guidance (pricing, presentation, where you’re leaving money on the table), and more consistent bookings with the logistics actually handled. Most of all: real focus toward your stated goals, and the follow-through to execute a strategy - not a guarantee, because there isn’t one in this business.

What They Can’t Do

No guaranteed deal. They can put you in front of the right people and advocate for you, but the deal ultimately rests on your music and your act, not their connections alone.

Not your boss. A manager offers advice, handles logistics, and can negotiate on your behalf, but the final call on your music and your career is always yours. One who’s making your decisions for you, refusing to explain their reasoning, or pressuring you into gigs and directions you haven’t agreed to has the relationship backwards - that’s a real problem, not a personality quirk to tolerate.

Can’t build your fan base from nothing. A manager amplifies momentum that already exists - they’re far more effective, and far more interested, once you’ve shown you can build an audience yourself. The groundwork of self-promotion, booking your own early shows, a demo or catalog you’re proud of, a real bio, and any press or recognition you’ve earned is still yours to build first; see .

Doesn’t cover your costs. Promotion and production expenses still generally come out of the band’s funds, not the manager’s pocket - their contribution is time and connections, not a blank check.

They Work for You, Not the Reverse

If you’re not sure whether a manager you’re considering actually understands this, get it clear before you’re deeper into the relationship than you meant to be. Watch for anyone overly eager to please, or who spends the meeting talking about what they can offer instead of asking real questions about your music - that’s usually more about hyping themselves than genuinely evaluating fit. Do a basic background check: search their name for financial or legal red flags, and look up their past and current clients to see if those relationships are actually active and healthy, not just a name they used to drop.

Get It All in Writing

Every role above should be written into your contract, not assumed from the job title. A manager who verbally promises to “handle everything” and writes down almost nothing is setting you both up for a dispute later. See before you sign anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a music manager actually do day to day? Booking gigs, promoting your music across press and social channels, helping negotiate recording contracts, and often acting as a go-between with labels, publishers, and booking agents - plus occasionally settling disputes within the band.

Can a music manager guarantee me a record deal? No. They can put you in front of the right people and advocate for you, but the deal ultimately rests on your music and your act - not their connections alone.

Is my music manager my boss? No. A manager offers advice, handles logistics, and can negotiate on your behalf - but the final call on your music and your career is always yours.

Can a manager build my fan base for me from scratch? Not realistically. A manager amplifies momentum that already exists - they’re far more effective, and far more interested, once you’ve shown you can build an audience yourself, even a small one.

How can I vet a potential manager’s background before signing? Look up their past and current clients, check whether those artists are actually active and doing well, and do a basic search for any red flags in their financial or legal history before you sign anything.

Whatever stage you’re at, it starts with getting your music heard. and let’s get moving.

6 Signs Your Music Manager Isn't Looking Out for You

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: Your music manager may not be looking out for you if: you can’t reach them, they’re taking an unusually large cut, gigs have quietly dried up, you’re suddenly fielding industry calls yourself, you’re having real disagreements about your music’s direction, or they’re not being straight with you about money. One or two isolated incidents happen to everyone - a consistent pattern across several of these is the actual signal.

Music managers rarely get the credit they deserve when they’re doing the job well - most of the real work happens quietly, in the background. But the flip side is just as true: there are plenty of bad ones out there, and a bad manager can stall a promising career just as effectively as a good one can launch it. Here’s what to watch for.

#1 - You Have Trouble Reaching Them

A manager who stops returning calls or answering questions is telling you something, whether they say it out loud or not. Everyone gets busy occasionally - but a pattern of silence usually means your career has slipped down their priority list.

#2 - They’re Taking a Steep Cut

The standard management fee runs 15-20% of your earnings, sometimes adjusted for experience and where you’re at in your career. You should always be earning meaningfully more from your music than your manager is. Anyone asking for half or more isn’t managing your career - they’re renting it.

#3 - Gigs and Bookings Have Dried Up

If your calendar is empty but you’re ready to play, and there’s no real explanation, that’s a problem. A manager who’s actually working should be regularly chasing leads. Long stretches with nothing to show for it are a fair reason to ask hard questions.

#4 - You’re Fielding Industry Calls Yourself

Part of a manager’s job is being the buffer between you and the business - labels, venues, press. If you notice you’re increasingly the one people in the industry are calling directly instead of your manager, that buffer has quietly disappeared, and so, functionally, has the manager.

#5 - You’re Having Real Disagreements About Direction

A manager can offer opinions and pushback - that’s normal and often useful. But you shouldn’t be compromising your actual artistic integrity to satisfy theirs. Your manager works for you, not the other way around; a fundamental, recurring disagreement about your music’s direction is a real crack in the relationship, not a minor friction point.

#6 - They’re Not Financially Straight With You

Whether it’s carelessness or something worse, a manager who’s evasive about late royalties or vague about where money went is a serious problem. You need to be able to fully trust the person handling your income - if that trust is already shaky, it rarely gets better on its own.

Finding the Right Fit

None of this means every manager is bad - it means take the search seriously, and don’t rush into (or stay in) a relationship that isn’t working. Interview thoroughly, and make sure whoever you work with genuinely understands where you’re trying to take your music. For what to look for the next time around, see what to look for when hiring a music manager and questions to ask a potential manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a reasonable music manager commission? Typically 15-20% of your earnings. A manager asking for 50% or more is a serious red flag - you should always be earning meaningfully more from your own career than your manager is.

Is it normal for a manager to be hard to reach sometimes? Occasionally, sure - everyone’s busy. But a consistent pattern of unanswered calls and unaddressed concerns isn’t a scheduling issue, it’s a sign your career has stopped being a priority for them.

What should I do if I notice several of these signs? Start researching a replacement before you cut ties, if possible - don’t wait until you’re managerless and behind. And review your contract’s cancellation terms before you make any move, so you know exactly what leaving actually costs.

Whether or not your current setup is working, getting your music heard shouldn’t wait. Submit Your Music and let’s help it travel.

4 Music Manager Myths That Are Costing You Opportunities

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: The biggest music-manager myths - they’ll become your boss, you need someone with a huge network, the industry won’t take you seriously without one, and managers only care about money - are mostly outdated or exaggerated. A manager works for you, enthusiasm can outweigh experience, plenty of artists succeed without one, and most managers earn based on your success, which puts them genuinely on your side.

Every industry has its stereotypes, and music management has more than its share - the greedy manager, the manager-as-dictator, the idea that nobody in the business will talk to you without one. Like most stereotypes, there’s a kernel of truth buried in a lot of exaggeration. Here’s what’s actually real.

Myth: Your Manager Becomes Your Boss

A manager offers advice, feedback, and direction - but the final call is always yours. A good manager with real experience will have opinions worth listening to, but “listening to” and “obeying” are different things, and a manager who can’t tell the difference isn’t managing, they’re taking over.

Myth: You Need a Manager With Tons of Connections

Connections help, no question - but they’re not the whole job. A less experienced manager who’s genuinely excited about your music and willing to put in real legwork can outperform a well-connected one who’s stretched across a dozen other artists and barely has time for yours. Enthusiasm and follow-through matter more than a Rolodex most of the time.

Myth: The Industry Won’t Take You Seriously Without One

There’s a real kernel of truth here - some people in the business genuinely prefer dealing with a manager once the stakes get bigger. But early on, plenty of artists build real relationships, get real opportunities, and earn real respect entirely on their own. A manager becomes more useful as things scale, not as a prerequisite for being taken seriously at all.

Myth: Managers Only Care About the Money

Some do, sure - but most managers earn a percentage of what you earn, which means your success is directly tied to theirs. That alignment is exactly why a good manager works hard for you: your win is genuinely their win too. That said, “most managers are trustworthy” is not a reason to skip reading the contract - see the basics of a manager contract either way.

The Real Takeaway

None of this means you need to rush out and find a manager, or that you shouldn’t. It means the decision should be based on what you actually need at your current stage, not on stereotypes you picked up secondhand. If you’re not sure where you stand, check the real signs you’re ready before you decide either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it true that a music manager becomes your boss? No. A manager works for you, offering advice and handling logistics - not the other way around. You’re free to disagree with their input, though a good manager’s advice is usually worth taking seriously.

Do I need an experienced manager with lots of connections to succeed? It helps, but it’s not required. A less experienced, genuinely enthusiastic manager willing to put in real work can be just as valuable - and often more attentive - than an established one juggling a large roster.

Will the industry not take me seriously without a manager? That’s mostly outdated thinking. Plenty of artists build real careers and relationships in the industry without a manager, especially early on - though some people in the industry do still prefer dealing with a manager once you’re negotiating bigger deals.

Do all music managers just care about money? No - most managers earn based on your success, so it’s directly in their interest to actually help you grow, not just collect a check. That said, read every contract carefully regardless of how trustworthy a manager seems.

Whether or not a manager’s in the picture yet, it starts with the music. Submit Your Music and let’s get it out there.

5 Skills Every Good Music Manager Should Have

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: A good music manager needs to be responsible enough to keep things running under pressure, genuinely understand music promotion and the current industry, stay neutral in disagreements rather than taking sides, have real people skills for negotiating with labels and venues, and be able to multitask across a constantly shifting to-do list. If your current or prospective manager is missing more than one of these, that’s worth a real conversation.

A dependable manager is supposed to be looking out for your interests while they promote your music - not just holding the title. If you’re not sure your manager is up to the job, or you’re vetting a new one, these are the 5 skills worth actually checking for.

#1 - Responsibility

Your manager needs to be the adult in the room, especially when things get chaotic on tour or in the studio. They’re juggling a long list of moving pieces, and that only works if they can be counted on to follow through without needing to be chased.

#2 - A Real Understanding of Music Promotion

This should go without saying, but it’s worth testing directly: does your manager actually understand how music gets discovered today - streaming, playlists, social, press - or are they running on instincts from a decade ago? Ask specific questions during any interview. A manager who can’t speak knowledgeably about current promotion isn’t going to promote you well either.

#3 - The Ability to Stay Neutral

When disagreements come up - and in any collaborative project, they will - a manager’s job is to defuse them, not take sides. A manager who plays favorites in an internal dispute doesn’t resolve tension, they just relocate it. This matters even for solo artists working with producers or a marketing team, not just full bands.

#4 - People Skills

Your manager represents you in every room you’re not in - label meetings, venue negotiations, press calls. A manager who burns bridges or struggles to build rapport is quietly limiting your opportunities, even when it’s not obvious from the outside.

#5 - The Ability to Multitask

Except at the very top tier (where duties get delegated to a team), a working manager for a developing artist is handling promotion, logistics, and keeping the band focused all at once. That takes real organizational range, not just enthusiasm.

How to Find a Manager With These Skills

If your current manager is missing several of these, it may be time to look elsewhere - hopefully before a bad contract locks you in. If you’re searching for a manager for the first time, use these five as your actual interview checklist rather than going on vibes: ask pointed questions, and don’t be shy about contacting other artists on their roster for an honest read. A manager confident in their work will make that easy, not awkward.

For more on vetting a manager before you sign anything, see questions to ask a potential music manager and signs your manager isn’t looking out for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most important skill a music manager should have? Responsibility - the ability to keep everything running smoothly whether you’re on tour, in the studio, or just rehearsing. Everything else (industry knowledge, people skills, neutrality) matters less if a manager can’t reliably follow through.

How do I test a potential manager’s skills before hiring them? Ask direct questions about the industry and their past work, and get in touch with artists they’ve previously managed. A manager confident in their track record will happily connect you with references; one who deflects is telling you something.

Should a solo artist care if their manager can stay neutral in disputes? Yes - even solo artists work with producers, session musicians, and marketing teams. A manager who can mediate disagreements without playing favorites is useful in any collaborative setup, not just full bands.

Whether you’re managing yourself for now or vetting your next manager, getting heard is step one. Submit Your Music and let’s help you build the case.

What Should You Look for When Hiring a Music Manager?

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: Before signing with a music manager, look for genuine rapport, real industry experience with contacts they can actually use, real enthusiasm for your music, financial responsibility, and someone you can trust with your income. Take your time, talk to more than one candidate, and check references from artists they’ve worked with before - this is closer to choosing a business partner than filling a job opening.

Hiring a music manager is a major decision, and the right one can genuinely help you gain recognition while freeing you up to focus on your music. Here’s what to actually look for, whether you’re a solo artist or part of a band.

You Should Have Real Rapport

You don’t need to be best friends, but you do need to get along - your manager directly shapes how you’re presented to the industry and the public, so a baseline of trust and comfort matters more than it might seem at first.

Look for Real Industry Experience

Experience isn’t strictly required, but it usually comes with contacts that genuinely help book gigs and generate attention. A friend who’s enthusiastic but inexperienced can still be a real hindrance if they don’t yet have the relationships to back up the effort. When you meet a candidate, ask for names on their roster, look into what they’ve actually done for those artists, and see if you can verify any of it independently - a manager confident in their work will be glad to connect you with references.

They Should Be Genuinely Enthusiastic About Your Music

A manager doesn’t have to love every song, but they do need real enthusiasm for helping get your music out there. That energy is part of what makes their advice worth taking and their pitch to others convincing.

They Should Be Good With Money

Managing your career almost always means managing at least some of your finances too, so financial responsibility isn’t optional. Pay close attention to their cut when you’re reviewing a contract - they should never be taking a larger share than you or your bandmates.

Find Someone You Can Trust

Since a manager is directly involved in your income, trust isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s foundational. If you’re not confident judging that on your own, get help - an outside opinion you trust, or if you’re in a band, a real group consensus rather than one person’s gut feeling.

Take Your Time

Don’t rush this. Talk to more than one candidate, dig into their history, and reach out to artists they’ve worked with directly if you can. Treat every meeting like a real interview - if someone shies away from direct questions, that’s information too.

The Bottom Line

Finding the right manager can genuinely change your trajectory - but only with the right fit. For what to watch out for once you’re working together, see signs your manager isn’t looking out for you and questions to ask a potential manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a manager is trustworthy before signing with them? Ask directly about their finance track record, get references from artists they’ve previously worked with, and if you’re in a band, get a group consensus rather than relying on one person’s read. If you can’t tell on your own, get an outside opinion you trust.

Does a music manager need direct experience in my genre? Not necessarily, but they should genuinely understand and get what you’re putting out, even if it’s not personally their favorite style. A manager who doesn’t connect with your sound at all will struggle to pitch it convincingly to anyone else.

What questions should I ask a potential manager? Ask about their past artists and what they actually did to promote them, their experience in the industry, and their approach to finances. Treat the meeting like a real interview - a manager who dodges direct questions is telling you something important.

Whether or not the right manager has found you yet, getting your music heard doesn’t have to wait. Submit Your Music and let’s help you build the case.