Allan Dumbreck

At the core of the music industries is the artist. There are thousands of aspiring performers yet only a handful can be truly successful. What propels one artist where others fail? Talent? Originality? Ambition? Or pro-active, well-informed career management? Professional management of the artist's career is critical to their eventual and sustained success, and managers are a pivotal and understudied part of the music industries, central to all the activities within them. In recent years, the role has changed dramatically. AI, online resources and platforms, streaming and social media have opened doors for the self-managing artist as well as the astute professional music manager. In many instances, managers have assumed roles vacated by record companies meaning that their responsibilities have multiplied as potential sources of income have shrunk. This book addresses these issues and others as it supports and guides those wishing to work in artist development or the management of their own career.

At the core of the music industries is the artist. There are thousands of aspiring performers yet only a handful can be truly successful. What propels one artist where others fail? Talent? Originality? Ambition? Or pro-active, well-informed career management? Professional management of the artist's career is critical to their eventual and sustained success, and managers are a pivotal and understudied part of the music industries, central to all the activities within them. In recent years, the role has changed dramatically. AI, online resources and platforms, streaming and social media have opened doors for the self-managing artist as well as the astute professional music manager. In many instances, managers have assumed roles vacated by record companies meaning that their responsibilities have multiplied as potential sources of income have shrunk. This book addresses these issues and others as it supports and guides those wishing to work in artist development or the management of their own career.

The music industries hinge on entrepreneurship. The recent, rapid convergence of media and the parallel ongoing evolution of music businesses have again seen the focus shift to independent companies and individual entrepreneurs. Opportunities tend not to be advertised in professional music and practically everyone begins on their own: forming a band, starting a record label, running events, or building a website. But it’s not an easy territory to navigate or get a handle on. Music Entrepreneurship features an analysis of the changing landscape of the music industries and the value of the entrepreneur within them through a series of focused chapters and case studies. Alongside contributions from key academics across the globe, expert contributors from across the industry highlight successful entrepreneurs and offers practical help to the reader trying to navigate the business. Sectors examined include: The value of the music industries Recorded music Live events Branding in music Artist management Digital distribution