ABSTRACT
The music business swirls in its own continuous change, and the result has been the shrinking infl uence of large record labels in the careers of artists. Instead of being an adjunct to the work of the label on behalf of the artist, managers are at the hub of the artist’s career, providing many of the services formerly handled by labels, and they wield considerable control over the success of music careers. Labels sell less music, and in response, continue to cut overheads in an attempt to
remain in business. Labels have traditionally cornered the distribution of music, but online sales have signifi cantly reduced the need for a distribution system designed to deliver pallets of boxed physical product to warehouses. As traditional labels see their roles diminishing, the opportunities for managers of recording artists have never had a brighter future-today, many management companies provide most of the services of a record label and some have replaced the label by recording and marketing music on behalf of their artists. Clearly, a career in artist management requires a continuing-almost daily-education by paying attention to what is happening in the music business and other industries and events that affect it, and what that means to the artists they manage.
