From Pop Idol to Glastonbury, MTV to the NME, the music industry is a huge and very appealing industry. Many students have vague ideas of working with the rich and famous, imagining sharing limos with Britney and chatting with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers backstage – and getting paid for it.
 But, predictably, the music industry is far less glamorous than it appears. There are hundreds of people involved in creating a successful artist and the majority are behind the scenes jobs that are largely untouched by stardom. Someone needs to make sure that CDs are in the shops, the concerts are a success and everyone gets paid.
The first step to working in music management is to have a clear idea of the kinds of jobs available, and how they are all connected.
What jobs could I do?
The general purpose of the music industry is to take an unknown but talented artist or group and make them into a commercial success.
If a record label is interested in a singer or band, they will offer them a contract. Once signed, the record label will decide a strategy for selling the music. The artists record the music in a recording studio, the label arranges the marketing and artwork for the music, and then the master CD is sent to a distribution company which organises the manufacture of the CD or records and delivers the stock to shops to sell.
There are four main areas of the music industry: the artist’s team, the record label, the recording studio and the distribution company. This feature concentrates on the jobs available in the artist’s team and record label.
Artist’s team
Band manager - The band manager is responsible for looking after the bands’ interests. For a smaller band this might involve booking gigs, setting up equipment, taking payment, getting local press interest – everything except being in the band itself. For larger bands it could involve negotiating deals with record labels and publishers on behalf of the band, and managing all the paperwork.
Tour manager - Gigs and tours are organised by the tour manager. The tour manager is responsible for getting the band to shows, arranging the equipment, organising food and accommodation, and taking money.
Booking agent - Larger acts will have a booking agent, whose job is to arrange live performances, whether this is as part of a tour or TV and press appearances.
Record label
A&R - The artists and repertoire department (A&R) is responsible for finding new artists and signing them to the label. A&R also deals with the day-to-day business of the band, such as choosing which songs to market and organising recording and production.
Sales and distribution - The sales department liaises with the publisher and distributor to maximise artists’ sales. The bulk of the distribution of the CDs or records is often organised externally through a distribution company.
Plugger - The plugger promotes artists to TV and radio stations. They may also act as a press officer and manage press exposure.
Marketing - The marketing department liaises with A&R, sales and the art department to create a strategy to market the artist’s music. This will involve deciding a release date, allocating an advertising budget and possibly organising a music video.
Art department - Some labels have in-house artists who create the sleeve artwork for CDs and records as well as promotional posters and flyers. Smaller labels are likely to use external companies for artwork.
Depending on the size of the label there may also be departments for marketing, artwork design, website build, finance, legal and administration, although some of these can also be done by external companies. Smaller labels are likely to have far less staff, and so one person may take on various roles.
Employment opportunities
70% of the global music market is controlled by the ‘big four’ music groups: Warner Music Group, EMI, Sony BMG, and Universal Music Group. These music groups typically control several record labels, publishing companies, distribution companies, recording studios and other non-music related businesses, which can include anything from clothing lines to soft drinks.
Any record label which is not part of one of these ‘big four’ music groups is an ‘independent’ or ‘indie’. There are an estimated 1,000 indie labels in the UK alone.
Ways in
There are no standard routes into working in music management. However, as with any competitive industry, work experience is key. Ask local record labels if you can do some work experience with them, or talk to local bands about helping them promote their music. Once you’ve developed a taste for what it’s like to work in music management you might even decide to go it alone and set up on your own! |
