Artist Management Course

Lesson 1 • The Music Industry Ecosystem

Maps the interconnected roles of labels, publishers, promoters, and agents. Establishes the structural context managers must navigate daily.

Lesson 2 • Types of Artist Management Structures

Surveys solo managers, boutique firms, and major management companies. Learners evaluate which structure suits different career stages.

Lesson 3 • Industry Terminology and Concepts

Introduces essential vocabulary used across contracts, negotiations, and meetings. Fluency in terminology enables confident participation in professional settings.

Lesson 1 • Identifying and Signing Artists

Covers scouting criteria, initial outreach, and evaluating artistic potential. Connects talent identification to the broader career-building mission of management.

Lesson 2 • Communication and Conflict Resolution

Teaches active listening, expectation management, and structured conflict resolution. Sustains the trust established during onboarding through ongoing dialogue.

Lesson 3 • Management Agreements and Terms

Breaks down commission structures, term lengths, exclusivity, and sunset clauses. Grounds contractual literacy in the practical realities of signing an artist.

Lesson 1 • Visual Identity and Aesthetic

Covers logo, colour palette, photography style, and stage aesthetic as brand signals. Connects visual choices to the brand values defined in the prior section.

Lesson 2 • Brand Evolution and Reinvention

Addresses when and how to refresh an artist's brand without alienating existing fans. Prepares managers to guide identity transitions at key career inflection points.

Lesson 3 • Artist Biography and Narrative

Teaches managers to craft compelling short and long-form artist bios for different contexts. Narrative consistency reinforces the visual identity established earlier.

Lesson 1 • Goal Setting and Vision Mapping

Applies structured goal-setting frameworks to artist career planning. Translates abstract artistic ambitions into measurable, time-bound objectives.

Lesson 2 • Touring and Live Performance Strategy

Outlines how live performance fits into career development at each stage. Integrates touring decisions with release cycles and brand-building objectives.

Lesson 3 • Release Strategy and Project Planning

Covers album, EP, and single release cycles, including timing, sequencing, and rollout tactics. Connects release planning to the broader career roadmap.

Lesson 1 • Live Performance and Touring Revenue

Details guarantees, ticket splits, merchandise income, and touring cost structures. Connects live revenue to the touring strategy outlined in the prior chapter.

Lesson 2 • Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships

Explains how to identify, pitch, and structure brand deals that align with artist identity. Adds a high-value revenue stream that complements recorded and live income.

Lesson 3 • Recorded Music Revenue

Explains mechanical royalties, master royalties, and streaming income structures. Grounds revenue literacy in the most common income source for modern artists.

Lesson 4 • Emerging and Ancillary Revenue

Surveys fan subscriptions, NFTs, licensing, and other non-traditional income sources. Prepares managers to diversify artist income beyond conventional streams.

Lesson 1 • Booking and Live Deal Negotiation

Covers negotiating performance fees, rider terms, and venue contracts. Connects live revenue strategy to practical deal-making at the booking stage.

Lesson 2 • Record Deal Structures and Negotiation

Decodes traditional, distribution, and licensing deal structures and their key negotiating points. Applies negotiation fundamentals to the most consequential artist agreement.

Lesson 3 • Endorsement and Brand Deal Negotiation

Teaches how to negotiate usage rights, fees, and deliverables in brand partnerships. Builds on the brand partnership revenue section with actionable deal tactics.

Lesson 1 • Grassroots and Community Marketing

Covers street teams, fan clubs, local market activation, and word-of-mouth strategies. Balances digital tactics with authentic community-building approaches.

Lesson 2 • Press, Radio, and Playlist Promotion

Explains how to pitch media, secure playlist placements, and build press relationships. Extends the digital strategy into traditional and streaming discovery channels.

Lesson 3 • Social Media Strategy and Content

Covers platform selection, content calendars, and engagement tactics for artist accounts. Translates brand identity into a consistent, platform-native social presence.

Lesson 4 • Paid Advertising and Data Analytics

Introduces paid social, streaming ads, and data-driven campaign optimization. Adds a performance marketing layer to the organic and earned media strategies.

Lesson 1 • Building and Leading a Management Team

Covers hiring, delegating, and developing staff within a management operation. Transitions the manager from solo practitioner to organizational leader.

Lesson 2 • Business Development and Industry Positioning

Teaches how to grow a management company's reputation, partnerships, and deal flow. Elevates the manager's role from artist advocate to industry power player.

Lesson 3 • Long-Term Legacy and Exit Planning

Addresses artist legacy building, catalogue management, and manager succession planning. Closes the course with a strategic view of careers measured in decades.

Lesson 4 • Managing Multiple Artists and Rosters

Addresses prioritization, conflict of interest, and resource allocation across a roster. Applies leadership skills to the complexity of multi-artist management.