Music Manager Course

Lesson 1 • The Music Industry Ecosystem

Covers the major sectors of the music business and how they interconnect. Establishes the landscape managers must navigate daily.

Lesson 2 • The Manager's Role and Responsibilities

Defines what a music manager does, who they serve, and how they differ from other industry representatives. Anchors the entire course in professional identity.

Lesson 3 • Key Industry Stakeholders

Identifies the professionals and organizations a manager interacts with regularly. Students map relationships to understand leverage and dependency.

Lesson 1 • Building a Cohesive Artist Brand

Covers visual identity, tone of voice, and consistent messaging across all touchpoints. Students apply branding principles to a real or hypothetical artist.

Lesson 2 • Identifying Artist Identity and Vision

Guides managers in uncovering an artist's authentic voice, values, and creative direction. This clarity drives every subsequent branding decision.

Lesson 3 • Artist Development Milestones

Establishes a structured timeline of goals from emerging to established artist. Connects development planning to measurable career benchmarks.

Lesson 1 • Contract Fundamentals for Managers

Introduces core contract concepts without requiring a legal background. Establishes the vocabulary managers need to work effectively with attorneys.

Lesson 2 • Publishing and Sync Agreements

Explains publishing deals, co-publishing, and sync licensing contracts. Connects publishing income to the broader revenue strategy managers must oversee.

Lesson 3 • Live Performance and Touring Contracts

Reviews booking agreements, venue contracts, and festival deals. Students identify key clauses that protect artists during live engagements.

Lesson 4 • Recording and Distribution Agreements

Covers label deals, licensing agreements, and distribution contracts. Managers learn to evaluate deal structures that affect artist royalties and ownership.

Lesson 1 • Brand, Licensing, and Ancillary Income

Explores non-traditional revenue including endorsements, merchandise, and licensing. Diversifying income protects artists from market volatility.

Lesson 2 • Live Performance and Touring Revenue

Breaks down income from concerts, tours, and festival appearances. Students analyze tour profitability and identify cost-control strategies.

Lesson 3 • Recorded Music Revenue

Details how income is generated from recordings across physical, digital, and streaming formats. Establishes the foundation for royalty tracking and collection.

Lesson 1 • Tour and Live Event Marketing

Covers promotional strategies specific to live performances and touring. Students integrate live marketing with broader release and brand campaigns.

Lesson 2 • Publicity and Media Relations

Teaches managers to work with publicists and pitch media independently. Effective press coverage amplifies every other marketing effort.

Lesson 3 • Release Campaign Planning

Structures a full release campaign from pre-save to post-release. Connects marketing tactics to release windows and streaming platform algorithms.

Lesson 4 • Digital and Social Media Marketing

Covers platform-specific strategies for growing an artist's online presence. Students learn to create content calendars and measure engagement metrics.

Lesson 1 • Manager Commission and Fee Structures

Clarifies how managers earn income and structure their own business finances. Students calculate commission scenarios across different deal types.

Lesson 2 • Artist Financial Planning Basics

Introduces income forecasting, expense tracking, and cash flow management for artists. Financial literacy is the foundation of sustainable career management.

Lesson 3 • Reading Financial Statements

Teaches managers to interpret profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow reports. Financial statement literacy enables informed decision-making.

Lesson 4 • Tax Obligations and Business Structure

Covers the tax responsibilities of artists and managers without jurisdiction-specific detail. Proper structure minimizes liability and maximizes after-tax income.

Lesson 1 • Production and Technical Requirements

Introduces stage production elements managers must coordinate with technical teams. Understanding production needs prevents costly on-site errors.

Lesson 2 • On-the-Road Operations

Covers day-of-show logistics, artist welfare, and crisis management on tour. Operational excellence on the road protects artist performance and reputation.

Lesson 3 • Tour Budgeting and Financial Management

Builds a comprehensive tour budget covering all income and expense categories. Students learn to monitor actuals against projections throughout a tour.

Lesson 4 • Tour Planning and Routing

Covers the strategic process of designing a tour route that maximizes revenue and minimizes cost. Routing decisions directly affect tour profitability.

Lesson 1 • International Market Expansion

Guides managers in developing strategies for breaking artists into international markets. Global expansion requires cultural intelligence and local partnerships.

Lesson 2 • Building and Managing the Artist Team

Covers assembling, leading, and coordinating the full professional team around an artist. A well-managed team multiplies the manager's effectiveness.

Lesson 3 • Career Strategy and Long-Term Planning

Frames artist management as a multi-year strategic endeavor requiring vision and adaptability. Students apply strategic planning frameworks to real artist scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Negotiation Strategy and Deal-Making

Advances negotiation skills from contract basics to strategic deal-making. Students practice negotiation scenarios drawn from real industry situations.