ADVICE: The basics of artist management

Words by Nika Ulrich

Are you a big music lover but don’t want to be an artist? Long for the stage but definitely not a musician? A career as a band manager can be ideal for you if you have a strong interpersonal skill set and a passion for music. Artist management is well suited to socially adept and well organised people who can handle all the paperwork and negotiating needed to assist a band or artist in connecting with and finding its audience. A manager's job might encompass a wide range of responsibilities, from contract negotiations to marketing, so every day can be rewarding and challenging in different ways.

An artist manager at the start of a bands career could be building their online and social media presence, putting them in touch with venues, radio stations and festivals. They assist in building the band's brand. The manager of the band searches for chances to record music by communicating with record labels or the studios themselves if the band are wanting to stay independent (like my band are).

Having skills in a music background, web design, marketing or graphic design can be a helpful thing to have when you’re managing a band in the early stages of their career to develop their brand. You don’t have to do a degree in music management, I spent most of my career working in live events before deciding to take bands on. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn about helping an artists career thrive working elsewhere in the industry. Working at a venue can teach you what touring bands require and what represents a positive working relationship between a band and their manager. You can learn how music distribution operates and what drives people to purchase songs by working at a record store. Along with introducing you to musicians and other professionals, gaining experience in places like those can help you master fundamental marketing skills like website design, digital marketing, social media, and promotion.

You can start interacting with artists if you are active in your local live music scene. Attending local shows regularly will introduce you to up and coming musicians without a manager and if you think you're the appropriate fit, you might be able to land your first act as manager. It is tiring work being on call 24/7, sometimes you’ll feel like what you’re doing is amounting to nothing. But, when you start to see the success form for your artist it will all be worth it.

About Nika

Nika currently works as a band manager in the North West. When she isn't assisting headline bands on stage at Download festival, she helps run gigs at The Live Rooms in Cheshire.