Let’s take a look at what that means in 2025 and beyond, and how you need to incorporate this information into your search for the right manager and what kind of manager you should be looking for if you are an artist, a writer or a producer or all of the above.
First of all let’s start with the money issues of management. Managers work on a commission basis between 15-20% of your total earnings. If your manager is someone new- without a track record of success- you should negotiate a 15% deal and always demand a sunset clause (ask your lawyer!) But if your manager has experience working with known acts/producers/writers you should expect to pay 20%- at least in your first contract. And you should still ask for a sunset clause!
Management consultants like me charge an hourly or per project fee- as do consultants in all avenues of the business world. I can not say strongly enough to avoid at all costs working with managers that charge a monthly fee. Why?
Who do you think is going to work harder for your career? The person who isn’t making money unless you do- or the person who is taking a large amount per month of money that you really should be spending on recording, promotion, and paying your bills and has no real incentive to hustle? Sadly a lot of people fall for that one- but that is not how I work.
Managing artists is a lot different than managing songwriters. Artist managers need to see an image that looks in line with your sound, someone who is already working on growing an engaged social media following and streaming base, and in some genres of music they are also going to need to consider your live show/touring history.
It’s true. The record business really is all about the songs. But if you want to be an artist and have not been willing to do a lot of that work on your own why should any manager invest their time in you instead of one of the many other equally talented harder working artists that come across their desk?
An early boss of mine- the guy who would not let me sign Stone Temple Pilots when I was a 21 year old A&R rep for Chameleon/Elektra Records- was a bit ahead of his time when it came to the “Physics of A&R.” That means that it is easier for a manager- and a label- to take a project that is already moving and come along and push, helping it move further and faster than they could move a project that has nothing going on.
As lame as it was to hear in 1991, that is EXACTLY how managers and A&R people have to think in 2025 and for the long term future. But why?
If an A&R person signs an act that doesn’t pan out, it can have a negative effect on their job status and the future of their career. And if a band manager signs an artist like that hoping to catch lightning in a bottle- it can burn up a lot of their time, money and energy and cause their connections to think twice about picking up the phone next time they call.
If you are an artist, I will focus our meetings and feedback on teaching you how to do everything that you can to make sure you get the attention you need to be noticed. When it comes to social media promo companies, playlist pitching companies etc I will give referrals. But I give referrals to companies that I know from experience actually work effectively for you- not companies that kick me back every time I refer a client.
There are a lot of songwriters who have managers until and often after they sign a publishing deal. And managers looking to sign writers are looking for people who can prolifically crank out songs that sound like they would be a perfect fit for the artists you hear on the radio who do not write their own songs.
The biggest mistake I see songwriters who want to write for others make is that they spend countless hours perfecting a song they wrote hoping that U2… or Bruce Springsteen…. or Billie Eilish… will cut it. All of those artists are amazing writers and each one of their songs makes a ton of money. The record business is different than the publishing business and oftentimes a single song on an album can make the artist and their manager more than the album. Songs are the biggest earners in the business and that does not look to change.
If you want to be a professional writer for others, our meetings will be centered around making sure that you know what kind of artists need songs and how you can start to change your approach so that you are writing in those genres.
Also- a lot of people who write are better writers than producers. Helping you understand how important it is to make sure your recordings sound super competitive is a big part of what I help songwriters with. Finding the right producer for them to collaborate with is also a big part of what I focus on when consulting writers and what your manager will focus on once they sign you.
Finally if you are a producer or produce your own songs, I will spend a lot of time in our meetings letting you know what you are doing right, what doesn’t sound so right, and how you can improve it. I will be giving you homework in the form of lists of artists and producers that you can learn from by studying how they work and how they sound. Emphasizing how important it is to sound like what is on the radio is to finding great top-liners to work with- and in having a hit- is also a big part of what I do when consulting producers.
Management consultants like me work on an hourly basis. You should not hire a manager if they are asking you to pay them a monthly fee.
More than ever managers today need to find clients who are not only great performers and writers but who also have already done a lot of work on their own in terms of creating a large engaged social media following on Tik-tok and Instagram. It is also important that you are getting streaming numbers on Spotify and Youtube and – in some genres- have created a large following locally and regionally by doing live shows.