Music Management
Take your eye for talent into band management
Perhaps you’ve always loved music but were just never able to master an instrument or hit the high notes. Perhaps you have a knack for the business side of the entertainment industry. Perhaps the challenge of taking raw talent and transforming it into a commercially successful venture appeals to you. If so, a career in music management might be your calling.
A music manager performs many vital functions that the creative people in most bands are unable to look after on their own. A band manager markets the artist, books shows, promotes the group’s work, negotiates deals and contracts, and offers career direction and guidance. Music business management is essential to the lasting success of any band.
How to Get Started in Band Management
Like other careers in the entertainment industry, there’s no single, proven path you can follow to become a successful music manager. Once upon a time, your best bet was to land an internship or entry-level position with a record company and work your way into its talent management division, but with the rapid changes taking place in the music industry, even this tried-and-true strategy has its limitations.
Your best bet is to get active in your local music scene, familiarizing yourself with the up-and-coming talent and the various venues about town. Take every opportunity you can to meet people earning a living in the music industry, and do your due diligence by scoping out new bands. Look for bands that have stage presence and engage the audience; these musicians have the potential to translate those qualities to a bigger stage.
When you find a group that you believe has potential, it’s your job to convince them that you have the answers they’re looking for to get them to the next level. Your ability to deliver on the promises you make will determine the degree of career success you achieve; be prepared to pound pavement, work the phones and be persistent as you try to open doors for your clients.
Other Music and Management Careers
The urban club scene has an ongoing need for talented DJs to play dance venues, and this is a newer branch of music management that stems beyond traditional stage-based bands and singers. Highly successful DJs earn quite a lot of money for a night’s work, and demands for their talents continue to grow. If you’re drawn to the electronic music scene and you’re interested in music management, connecting with popular local DJs might be an excellent career move.
If you want to be a music manager, legitimacy is your biggest asset; work hard to build the kind of network and connections you need to prove you’re serious and have benefits to offer the musicians you want to represent, and mutual success may well soon follow.
