Seeking a successful career in artist management takes dedication. Expect long hours creating open communication lines. You need to build trust with musicians, and develop deep mutual respect. These are crucial factors in the success of the relationship. With shared values you can create the ultimate artist-to-manager relationship. Like any other close life relationship, it will never be without challenges.
Managers often have backgrounds in other industries, bringing new skills that can be applied within the role, and that’s welcomed. Many managers continually seek out professional development in areas such as mental health, psychology, the law, business principles, logistics, promotional and marketing know-how, negotiation skills and conflict management.
In fact, artist managers are generally very well-rounded individuals who have a broad skill base, are great problem solvers, thrive in pressured situations and have the ability to tap into and understand their artists’ from the inside out. In doing so, the most experienced people in our community use these enviable skills to support their musicians in every facet of their creative and personal lives.
With all this in mind, here are ten tips to consider before jumping headfirst into the world of artist management.
1. It’s about the journey, not the destination
It’s important to embark on a career in artist management knowing that a key part of the role will involve planning an artists’ journey and living in/being immersed by their past, present and future. The joy is just as much in this planning as it is in the outcomes and achievements.
2. Get a good lawyer and a good accountant
One of the most important pieces of advice I ever received. It can also help if you already have one of these two professions under your belt. As an artist’s career has the ability to grow quite quickly, so does the management business associated with it. It’s important you have advice on hand and can learn/understand basic financial literacy; how to create a budget for many different needs from touring to recording, how to cash-flow forecast and even how to make the jump from a sole trader to an incorporated entity. Contracts and agreements can also form the basis of many different parts of a manager and artists’ relationship, so having access to a trained, music-specific lawyer is crucial. These are areas of expertise that may need to be drawn upon at a moments’ notice.
3. Love the music you’re working with
Being inspired by, connected with and understanding an artist and their music can be crucial to finding the right pathways for it to succeed. If you don’t identify with the music or the artist you’re working with, it’s difficult to realise and contribute to their vision.
4. Start small and keep your day job!
An artist manager can be facilitating many relationships at any one time on behalf of just one artist. This can be time consuming and involves a lot of phone, email and zoom/in-person conversations. It’s important to be aware of that outlay of time and energy. Starting with one or two artists on a roster initially can generate enough of a time-commitment to keep extremely busy, particularly while continuing to generate a living in a day job.
5. Reconnaissance
Understanding the mechanics of the music industry takes time. It’s a complex beast. So, doing research, reading, and even doing a short business management course can help with the basics. Every little bit helps.
6. Networks are key
Mingling in the music community and finding your people is important. Artist management can be a solitary role as we often work in isolation much of the time. Finding industry mentors and helpful music networks, like the Association of Artist Managers, can really build that crucial support and guidance needed to navigate tricky circumstances and difficult, unexpected situations.
7. What does success in artist management mean for you?
From the outset, it’s great to understand what you personally want to achieve from managing musicians. Often, success is hard to achieve and the disappointments frequent, so coming to terms with the fact that “it” may never happen is key and what yours and your artists’ “wins” look like.
8. Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll
Despite the many clichés, as an artist manager, being in the background and keeping everything moving in the right direction involves keeping your wits about you and a level head. If you want to rock and roll all night and party every day, things will fall apart physically, mentally and emotionally.
9. Working with teams
Building teams, listening to everyone in the team, prioritising thoughts, ideas, creative endeavours and finding a happy place where all participants (and most importantly the artist) feels heard and is happy is key.
10. Got big ideas? Bring them on!
This is the space for innovation; to play with technology and bend the rules; trying out unusual or unexpected strategies, tools or collaborations. If this is your “jam” then this is the space for you.
The Australian artist management community itself is more unified than it’s ever been post-COVID. It’s a family, which forms a crucial part of our wonderful contemporary music community. The role is all about collaborating with, guiding and facilitating a musicians’ vision, which has always been challenging, complex work. It can also be extremely rewarding financially and spiritually.
