In order to succeed in the music business, it will almost certainly be necessary to have somebody performing the role of your Manager. 

Finding and choosing the right manager is no easy thing and it's important to get it right. This section takes you through the processes including:

  • What a manager does
  • Things you can expect from a manager
  • The MMF
  • When is right time to approach a manager
  • Approaching a manager
  • Choosing a manager




What a Manager Does
For most people, their reason for appointing a manager is to help them secure a record deal or publishing contract, or both.

It can often carry an awful lot more weight with a record company if you have someone representing you and the person they're dealing with isn't an artist.

This counts double if your manager is someone who's already established in the business. Then you get a "Me, too" effect whereby people think that if this person is involved, they should be getting on board, too. That can apply to all sorts of things from securing support slots with major artists to record and publishing deals.

A manager should do much more than just post your demo off to people.

A good manager will help you define your sound and find a direction.

This may mean putting you in touch with producers or writers who can shape your demos and performances before you approach record and publishing companies.

Or they might just give you an objective opinion on how your new songs are sounding or what you can do to come across better live.

They'll also take care of the business side of things such as getting gigs or meeting A&R people, leaving you free to concentrate on your music.



Things You Can Expect From a Manager

  • Give advice on career decisions.
    Which record and publishing companies should you approach? Which should you choose if you have more than one company that wants to sign you?

  • Put you in contact with other writers, producers and musicians to help you develop your recordings or song writing if you need it.

  • Help you find your professional team. Once your career starts to develop you will need a lawyer and an accountant, and it is important you choose someone who has experience in the music industry. Your manager may be able to suggest lawyers and accountants for you to approach. If they can, ask for more than one name so you can make an objective decision

  • Help you find good gigs. If you are actively looking to get signed, it is important that you play in good venues and where A&R people might see you. Your manager will hopefully have some contacts with A&R people within record and publishing companies and use them to get you seen once you're ready. Once you have a record deal, a manager will also help you find a booking agent to help you organise bigger gigs and tours.

  • Organise tours. It's you managers job to make sure that your booking agent and record company are working together well, so that tours promote record releases and vice-versa. A manager will probably also help you hire a tour manager, sound engineer and the other personnel you'll need to make a tour work.

  • Get press and promotion. As you get bigger, press and publicity agents will try to make sure the music industry press is aware of you and helping DJ's and radio stations hear your music. Before you can afford to hire them your manager will have to do it all. Or try and persuade a PR agent to do it for free on the grounds that you're going to be huge later.

  • Talk to the record company. Your manager is important in making sure that your label understand what your needs are and that they realise your creative direction. If you have a problem with the record company then it will be your manager who will try to solve that problem in the first instance.

It is important to remember that artists have the best chance of success in the long term when everybody works well together - record company, manager, artist, publisher, booking agent and press and promotion. It's your manager's job to make sure that this is the case.