An Analysis of the Occupation of Artist Management
Zach Helms
Radford University
An Analysis of the Occupation of Artist Management
Successful artists within the music industry tend to have a whole team of people behind them to handle anything from booking gigs and handling public relations to arguing contracts and keeping them on their daily schedule. Sometimes this team is hand chosen by the artist, while other times the artist may sign to a record label and be asked to sign a “360" Deal, basically giving the record label control of those connections. From agents, to publicists, to assistants and lawyers, the team is made up of diverse individuals each assigned a specific task to accomplish for the artist. There is
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For example, a manager could spend one day negotiating a contract between the artist and a brand they endorse, and could be advising on the wardrobe the artist is wearing the next. All of this is due to the fact that the manager is essentially in charge of the artist’s career. It is their duty to view the artist as a brand for which they must market and sell to the primary target market that is the world of music. However, although many times the duties of a manager can stretch far and wide across the artist’s career they are sometimes limited to specific tasks. In many instances, a manager may be given specific duties pertaining solely to the role of a business manager. It all varies with the needs of the artist and what they are hoping to achieve in hiring their manager. Some artists even decide to manage themselves and forgo even hiring a manager. Ultimately, however, it is truly an easier method for an artist to hire a manager as the business side can often be taxing and confusing with endless business details and minor nuances that take away effort the artist can be using to better themselves as a performer. Also, a manager already has a grasp on the business world and likely already has a series of connections that would be beneficial to the artist’s business and performing career. To be successful, the two parties must form a relationship with mutual understanding. The relationship is somewhat symbiotic in the fact that
Managers perform many functions and play many roles. They are responsible for handling many situations and these situations are usually different from one another.
But what really matters is that the manager knows what he/she is pitching. An unprepared manager will quickly kill any chance an artist would have with a label. As in the video, Tina Davis basically states that if you don’t work harder than the record label you will not make it. The A&R position is more important than any of job in the music industry according to Tina Davis. She goes on to talk about how the music business is harsh but for the ones that put in that extra effort the rewards can be great. It was interesting to see different types of managers in the video, one trying to over sell every artist he is pitching and not really sure which songs are best. And another manager simply letting the songs and artist speak for them, but at the same time didn’t
Everyone in a managerial role is responsible for establishing the communication needs of the service users, providing appropriate support and ensuring any equipment needed to communicate is available. The Managerial role is to empower and promote the rights of every person taking into account individual needs, wants and rights.
With a reputation that precedes them, A-Team Studios has a waiting list of young hopefuls that seek their guidance. They assist with all aspects of artist development and management including vocal lessons, choreography, record label showcasing, music video production, image consulting, social media management, concert production and so on. As industry veterans, they understand how difficult it can be for young talented artists to catch their big break into the entertainment business.
To put it differently, Malcolm Gladwell mentions in his book The Tipping Point, the theory of The Law of the Few, which consist of connectors, mavens, and salesmen. In this particular topic an artist manager would be considered a Maven, Connectors would be the label head or person signing your contract, and salesmen would be promoters and marketing directors.
For new bands, one of their first major steps into getting into the business is usually finding a record label. A record label is commonly known by most people as someone who simply signs a band and sells their music. What most people do not know is that they do much more than that. A label does do all the things that people believe they do, however, they also do much more to help an artist. A label is one band’s contact to other artists or promotors that will help further their popularity and reach out to more businesses who could potentially seek endorsement deals to support an artist while also advertising their own product (Lindvall). However, some bands have had negative experiences with labels. There are many negative outlooks on record labels recently and their work with certain artists.
Questioning the correlation of commercial success and true artistry began in the light of mainstream music. Mainstream music has been given a negative connotation due to the supposed lack of originality of the artists. Repetitive chord progressions and meaningless lyrics compose the majority of “mainstream music,” making each song sound like the next . Despite these patterns in music, artists still ventured outside of what was societally normal and created music that was unheard of. Despite the potential risks in being an individual in the music industry, several groups achieved high success and maintain the popularity in the present. Creativity and commercial success can definitely exist alongside one another, and this paper will prove that through the music of the Beatles, the performance styles of David Bowie, and the grunge movement in Seattle which was fueled by Nirvana.
At my previous job working for Switch Salon, I was entrusted with managerial duties, such as closing the salon and closing out the cash register. Also, scheduling visits with Comcast to fix the internet connection and then being present to oversee the repair, writing up orders for product shipments, Fixing the credit card machine when it wasn't working properly, Coming into the salon, solo, on Mondays when the salon is closed to compose the schedule for the week and put out phone calls to clients to remind them of their upcoming appointments, deciding what music to play in the salon, setting up displays for new Kevin Murphy products, and putting floral arrangements together; all of which are very important for the representation of the business.
My commitment to arts management and policy developed through my extracurricular involvement in the performing arts and work as a Development Assistant at Primary Stages, an off-Broadway theatre company in New York City. I am applying for the MA in Arts Management, Policy, and Practice in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at the University of Manchester due to its emphasis on practical skills and work experience. Moreover, as I pursue a career as a performing arts manager, the university’s proximity to arts and cultural organizations will provide opportunities to engage with the competitive field of arts administration.
Artist managers are important for bands. They do many things for the band to help them; they take care of the business side of things like contacting record companies. The manager makes sure that everyone involved in the band is doing their job. The manager might be on the phone with a record label asking about advertising campaigns or on the phone with an agent discussing upcoming gigs.
They must promote the artist’s career and run all the business behind the music. The manager must find ways to help enhance an artist or band’s career. Their job ranges from career planning to suggesting the lyrics to change in a song. The manager plays a huge role in how well the product does once it is out. A manager spends long, stressful hours trying to find and book events. They advise their employees on career decision. A manager is an advisor, an overseer, a planner, a strategist, coordinator, detailed person, traveling companion and a friend. Without the manager, the artist would not be able to share their music with the world.
As more artists decide to represent themselves or to take more proactive role in the marketing of their work, this is where the role of an artist manager comes in especially when the artist could not carry out the management-related responsibilities. An artist manager is able to help enhance an artist’s career by planning out their career or even helps negotiate a contract to protect the rights of the artist.
The world of business has undergone radical and dramatic changes in the last decade changes that present extraordinary challenges for the contemporary manager. A manager is an organizational member who is responsible for planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the activities of the organization so that the goals can be achieved. According to a widely referenced study by Henry Mintzberg, managers serve three primary roles: interpersonal, informational, and decision-making. Management is process of administrating and coordinating resources effectively and efficiently in an effort to achieve the goals of the organization.
Managers are expected to do a multitude of things. A manager has to be a visionary and adaptive to meet the current demands of what is required of them at all level
Finances for an artist can be one of the toughest topics to be brought into discussion when thinking about starting their own business. This shouldn’t be a shock to any artist since there are major finance issues behind every field of being a successful artist. To put it into simple context, being an artist of any kind is costly. First, there is a variety of how expensive a career can be to an artist all while depending on the type of work you put in. While considering art, you have many issues to take into account such as finding and paying for a workspace, supplies, and the time to be productive.