Live Performances
Require a venue and various equipment including microphones,
speakers, mixing desk, lights, etc. Live performances typically
bring in a lot of revenue for the performer, the venue owner,
management, the sound team and the producer. With the increase of
illegal downloading of albums on the Internet most artists look to
touring to make money.
Artist Management
Artist managers counsel acts on their profession. The artist may
hire managers themselves or the manager may discover the artist and
become their manager. There are various contracts and assurances,
which are signed before the act is officially under management. The
managers job differs from other jobs that surround a musical act;
an artist may also have a press agent, a booking agent, a promoter,
a songwriter and an accountant among many others.
Music Label
A record label is a publishing company responsible for
controlling the production, distribution and promotion of
recordings under the label. They also search for and sign new
talent and then assist the artists with developing their music.
Labels come in two forms: independent and major. As of 2012 there
are only 3 active major record labels (known as the Big 3) they
are: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner
Music Group. These 3 companies control a huge percentage of the
Worlds music market. They have many smaller subsidiary companies
that are part of the Big 3 but trade under a different name. If a
record company is not under ownership by one of these Big 3 then
they are considered to be independent labels.
Music Publishing
Music publishers ensure that singers and songwriters are paid
when others use their intellectual property. Composers sign a
publishing contract with the publishing company and in return the
company monitors where the songs are used, collects the royalties
and distributes them and copyrights the songs.
Albert Grossman
Albert Grossman was a manager who in the American Folk and Rock
and Roll scene. He managed many successful acts including Bob
Dylan, The Band and Janis Joplin. Albert was known for overcharging
for his managerial services, charging 25% when the industry
standard at the time was just 15%. He was born in 1926 in Chicago
and died in 1986 of a heart attack whilst on a plane journey to
London; he was rumored to be on the way there to sign an unknown
act.
