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Music Business books:
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The best of Music Business books by number of unique Reddit comments:
![Six-Figure Musician - How to Sell More Music, Get More People to Your Shows, and Make More Money in the Music Business (Music Marketing [dot] com Presents)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51blniyQOIL._SL500_.jpg)
Top Reddit reviews mentioning Music Business books:
There's a book on the topic that I've been meaning to read: https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Their-Own-Invented-Hollywood/dp/0385265573/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=empire+of+their+own&qid=1568575461&s=gateway&sr=8-1
The short answer is that the entertainment industry has historically been open to people who are marginalized from other career paths. So disproportionate representation of minorities in the performing arts is something that you often see across cultures and throughout history.
Hiring an experienced manager seems like the right move. Aside from that, anyone in the biz should read this:
All You Need to Know About the Music Business: 10th Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501122185/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_034Q77JFYTJ4NN3AMZ3H
not really, this is really more of a contract guidance thing for different types of deals, such as labels, publishers, merch, live shows etc. most people in the biz agree that it's incredibly important to understand all of these things. look at the chapter titles to see what's inside https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1501122185/ref=pd_sbs_14_t_0/136-9916319-3929358?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1501122185&pd_rd_r=09d51abe-1a60-4255-a3c0-c4380e1ebaed&pd_rd_w=QKuBP&pd_rd_wg=XzSZ1&pf_rd_p=5cfcf...
Live Nation has the venues locked up. So no, you can't do it without them.
This is a great book on how we got here if this topic interests you.
This is all incorrect.
You own the Copyright as soon as you write the song down or record it.
Uploading a track to a service like SoundCloud does nothing to protect your copyright as this is not admissible evidence in a U.S. Court. Same with the old school "mail yourself a copy" trick.
Registering a Copyright takes about 10 minutes at Copyright.gov.
Copyright registration has value to you because it is the ONLY way you can prove ownership if someone steals your song.
Most labels do not accept unsolicited materials specifically so they cannot be sued for copyright infringement. If someone at a label did steal a song a Cease and Desist letter sent to their Business Affairs Dept. with proof of your Copyright registration will shut them down pretty quickly.
If you'd like to learn more about protecting both your songs and your audio recordings (there are 2 Copyrights in music) you might read Don Passman's book.
Source: I own a label and a publishing company.
For getting good sound out of a home studio, I've found this book to have a lot of solid info beyond all of the basics that you'll find everywhere online: https://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Home-Recording-Second-Coryat/dp/1423454464/
The craft books have been covered well, though I would also add The Art of Film Music by George Burt.
That being said, one of the most important books you can possibly read to prepare yourself is the most up to date version of Passman's All You Need To Know About The Music Business.
Film music is equally craft and business. If you're not prepared you will fail.
- u/portagenaybur covered this one well enough.
- If you don't own it, don't use it. That's the best way to CYA.
Ownership rights can be a bit crazy, so unless you know what you're doing or have written permission from the owner of the work, just stay away.
3) Not exactly, many times you are actually buying a license to use the clip, which they would retain the complete rights to. Unless the deal/contract specifically states that you own all of the rights, you still need to be careful.
I highly recommend everyone who is serious about making a living in the industry read this book.
It will help make these kinds of issues a lot more clear for you.
Edit: My formatting has gone wild, I apologize for the wonkiness.
Waaay better than Ari's book is "All You Need To Know About The Music Business" by Don Passman. Widely regarded as music industry bible
Not trying to be a dick. I'm just an old, bitter man. You have a better attitude than me but touring is the ONLY way you make money. In the artistic sense of music, touring is whatever, but if you're trying to sign contracts and make money aka be a part of the music business you need to play live shows and bring people out. Record labels are businesses first and foremost. There is a difference between making art and selling art. If you want to join a collective of creatives that support each other, that's a different story.
I'd recommend this book to give you a better idea of what it takes to exist in the music industry space beyond releasing random projects. Selling music is an art in itself.
https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1501122185
> These way overpriced tickets ABSOLUTELY get sold.
Nobody is paying 10k for a ticket. Ever. Even corporations ... who often have a legit source of tickets and don't need to pay the street price.
I am very aware of the practices of TM. If you want to learn more, buy this book. Its pretty good.
https://www.amazon.ca/Ticket-Masters-Concert-Industry-Scalped/dp/0452298083
> ABSOLUTELY make her tickets non-transferable
Like Pearl Jams fan club tickets. If you want to sell them, you can only sell them to other fan club members at face value. TM even handles the transaction.
Okay, well I guess this entire book about Jews creating Hollywood is just bullshit, and all the scholarly articles about immigrant Jews creating and maintaining (aka running) Hollywood through the early years through the Golden age are nonsensical, in part because Walt Disney was also there, being not Jewish
So out of all of the "circumstances" you've considered, the only outcome you can conclude is that Kanye must 100% be bipolar. Good detective work Sherlock, I think you've cracked it. 🤦
Now, seeing as Kanye West is certainly not the only person in the public spotlight to claim that Jews run Hollywood. In your opinion, are all the others who made this claim bipolar too?
Maybe the author of this book from '89 was bipolar too... What do you think? 🤷
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Their-Own-Invented-Hollywood/dp/0385265573#
Why are you even here in this sub if you don't believe in conspiracy theories? What is your motive?
Maybe because Anti-Semites from a hero hurts.
But anyway read An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood if you actually care how Hollywood started.
If any of you already haven't, PLEASE check out the book:
Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped by Josh Baron (Author)....just a GRATE read about how tickets for concerts are REALLY distributed, and what goes on behind the scenes. You will NEVER buy another concert ticket from TicketMaster again.
As many times as you can and read Donald Passman’s book on Music Business. It is the best tool any artist, producer, music business person, or anyone involved in the music industry can ever have in his or her arsenal. It is like a Bible that will guide you through stuff like this. Trust me. And email and tell him that his student Jonah recommended him to you and that you need his help with such and such and please make sure to make your email extremely formal. I hope that helps.
Read this book:
All You Need to Know About the Music Business: Tenth Edition, by Donald S. Passman
Spotify is merely one of many ~~faces~~ tentacles of the major label mafia that has had its chokehold on the music industry for ages. These same guys are major stakeholders in YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Apple Music…you know, the usual lot. If you think you’re “doing better” by swapping Spotify for any of those, you’re deeply mistaken.
Here are a couple of links on the topic
(https://www.amazon.com/Hit-Men-Brokers-Inside-Business/dp/0679730613
Start here https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1501122185 for some basic knowledge.
Try to find a mentor.
>Whenever I watch YouTubers that give music business advice something always seems sort of gimmicky and cheesy about them to me?
The entire music business is gimmicky and cheesy. At best. Realize that you are stepping into a snake pit.
The most important person in your career as a musician is your personal manager. Start reading books about the music business and figure out the most secure way to start building your team
I highly recommend this book to start
All You Need to Know About the Music Business: 10th Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501122185/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_59GQJ0805D7BF3347HB3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Ah, okay, "lost songs" because they received the least airplay. Probably not enough money changed hands.
See also:Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business
Realize this will seem like a plug, but the book All You Need to Know about the Music Business by Donald Passman is worth a read, the most recent edition is the 10th, gets updated after most major changes in music trends (streaming for example). The book is written for artists, not for legal people. Link below, but also available by audiobook:
https://www.amazon.com/Need-Know-About-Music-Business/dp/1501122185
>whatever they’re spouting is probably some PR stunt Ticketmaster put out.
My source for the comment above is this book, which didn't seem like PR put out my TM when I was reading it.
>If you buy the tickets directly from the artist before Ticketmaster does, they’re much cheaper. If you buy them at the box office, again, much cheaper. If what they’re saying above was the actual situation 1) they would be the same price at the box office/straight from the artist
I go to a lot of concerts. In my personal experience, there are very few artists that do their own direct sales. For most artists, they still run their presales through TM. One major exception to this is some big jam bands like Grateful Dead, Phish, and DMB which offer tickets by mail through the artist. Pearl Jam does too following their big show down with TM years ago. This was a thing the Dead had to fight venues and promoters on, and those artists are allotted only a specific percent of tickets through their own sales. The rest has to be through TM so the venue and promoters can get their cut. Everyone is worried about the top line number of their revenue, not whether some outlets offer a cheaper price than other outlets. Big artists are aware of every revenue stream at their concerts, including concessions and sponsors.
>2)I would think that they would give the tickets straight to Ticketmaster, as opposed to Ticketmaster needing bots to literally buy up all the tickets immediately to Jack up the price.
TM does have all the tickets, or at least the ones they're allocated to sell. The don't need bots to buy back their own tickets. If different tickets hit the market at different times or in different ways (e.g. Platinum tickets), that's something that been agreed to with the artists, promoter, etc.
The source of my comment above is this book. The author certainly didn't come across as a shill or a PR guy for Ticketmaster. Just a journalist that interviewed a variety of smaller industry insiders (e.g. guys who set up the very earliest online ticket companies, promoters, etc.).
Pick up part time work at a music venue - ticketing, merch, concessions, security, promotions etc. Radio stations also have street teams that usually hire people with no experience to sit at a table at events and hand out t-shirts. This will set you up to meet people at every job. If you discover live music is not your favorite, having this experience will be enough to get you in interview somewhere for an office job like at a record label, management company, talent agency, tour promoter or even streaming service.
If you'd like to be closer to the artist, start with reaching out to local acts and offer to help out but be upfront about your intentions and lack of experience. It helps to offer general assistance bc you don't know their specific needs but also offer suggestions on what you might do for them and they'll more likely respond. Examples depend on your personal skills: Put up posters when they have shows, help load/unload gear, update their social media, create strategic fan accounts, start a tiktok trend, design merch, have a photoshoot etc.
If you're looking for knowledge, you need this book: All You Need To Know About The Music Industry - Donald Passman. There is a chapter on each component of the music industry and discusses how they intricately work together. This is good if for example you don't know the difference between agent and manager or publishing rights and performing rights. The book was recommended to me when I was first starting as an intern because it is incredibly well known by music professionals and it often gets brought up casually in conversations because most people I know have at least heard of it.
Jewish people played a large role in the early history of Hollywood, since many of the major studios like MGM were founded by recent Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe or Germany. A large part of the reason for this is that many other industries simply excluded Jews at the time. Hollywood was basically one of the few industries where Jews were able to thrive without dealing with various social barriers.
Naturally, this fed into various pre-existing conspiracy theories about Jews controlling everything. Whether this LA Times article is satire or not, I have no clue, but it is true that historically Jews played a pretty significant role in the development of the movie industry. And outside of New York City, Los Angeles historically has had the largest community of Jews, so it's really not surprising to find Jews over-represented in the movie industry.
That being said, I'm Jewish, and so far I don't control the world, sadly.
just a heads up that “minor” labels do not exist, its majors and indies
this may seem obvious, but have you tried cold messaging people on LinkedIn? Especially 1st/2nd connections & alumni? remember when you reach out initially that you arent asking for a reference, youre asking to learn more about their work, their company, the industry, etc. once you build a meaningful connection, then you can start asking for referrals / sending them job openings you want to pursue.
also, what’s your financial experience? if youre trying to do finance at a major, most people in my experience work at a bank for a bit and then pivot out into music. also keep in mind that you can quite easily make 3-4x the money at any midsize bank in NYC as you can in the music business at an entry level role, and orders of magnitude wayyy higher in later years.
if youre not trying to do finance, it would really help if you narrowed down what youre trying to do. “marrying my business acumen and love for music” is the most stale, overused pitch in the world. what unique skills do you bring to the table? are you skilled in analytics or data science? do you have a valuable network of successful upcoming artists? you mentioned photography, how’s your portfolio? graphic design skills? etc
would also recommend to read this book if you havent already, and start browsing sites like [music business worldwide](musicbusinessworldwide.com) to dive deeper into industry happenings.
good luck!