What does an artist manager do? 
Typically, what % of an artist’s income does an artist manager receive?   

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Every frontline artist – as well as writing, recording and performing music – is also running their own frontline artist business. So every frontline artist is also an entrepreneur and a business owner. 

As an artist’s career progresses, they will usually hire the services of an artist manager or music manager to help them run and grow their company. Some artists will have a management team. 

The manager works with the artist to grow their fanbase, and to identify and negotiate deals with other business partners like a record label or music publisher. 

Some managers might charge the artist a fee, but most managers work on a commission basis – basically they take a percentage of any money that that artist receives. It’s for the artist and manager to agree what the commission is, although in the UK the manager’s commission is usually 20%. 

However, is that 20% of gross or net? This needs to be agreed. So, for example, if an artist receives a fee to play a gig, but then has to spend some of that fee on delivering the gig, does the manager commission on what the artist received (gross) or what was left after the costs of delivering the gig (net)? 

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

‘Music – The Business’ by Ann Harrison
Chapter Two – ‘Management deals’

‘The Music Business For Music Creators’ by Jonny Amos
Chapter Seven – ‘What Do Artist Managers Do?’

The Essentials of Music Management
Chapter One – ‘What Is A Music Manger?’

MMF is the UK trade group for artist and music managers