Why Artist Management Is Harder Than It's Ever Been

Twenty years ago, artist management had a clear scope: book shows, negotiate deals, and coordinate with the label. Today, you are expected to be a strategic advisor, social media expert, data analyst, and therapist—often for artists who can barely afford to pay your commission. The job has exploded in complexity, but the compensation model hasn't changed. You're not just managing artists anymore; you're running a small business.

The Scope Creep Problem in Modern Management

The modern manager's plate is overflowing with expectations that didn't exist a decade ago. Beyond traditional booking and contract negotiation, you are now responsible for:

• Content Strategy: TikTok trend analysis and multi-platform content calendars.

• Direct-to-Fan Infrastructure: Managing Discord servers, Patreon tiers, and email lists.

• The Data Explosion: Interpreting Spotify for Artists, Instagram Insights, and e-commerce conversion rates.

You are essentially doing the work of five specialists while trying to survive on a commission structure designed for a pre-digital era.

Why the Traditional 15% Model is Breaking

The math of management is becoming unsustainable for independent reps. To properly manage a developing artist requires 20–30 hours per week. Yet, a manager can only realistically handle 3–4 artists at that intensity without burning out.

The industry is seeing a "management brain drain" where the best talent pivots to consulting or high-level executive roles. To survive, smart managers are moving toward system-led management—using an integrated music workspace to leverage scalable tools rather than manual labor.

Adapting to the New Artist Management Workflow

The managers who are thriving in 2026 have shifted their approach from "hustle" to "infrastructure". They are protecting their margins by:

1. Specializing and Delegating: Focusing on high-level strategy and using AI for music management to handle the repetitive reporting and administrative tasks.

2. Centralized Command Centers: Moving away from fragmented iMessages and WhatsApp threads and into a single source of truth for every artist on their roster.

3. Setting Service Boundaries: Defining a clear scope of work and moving toward retainer-plus-commission models to protect their baseline income.

Conclusion: Infrastructure is the Only Solution

If you are a manager feeling underwater, it’s not because you’re bad at your job; it’s because the job has fundamentally changed while the support systems haven’t. The music industry still operates like it’s 2005, but artists' needs have tripled.

The artists who succeed long-term won’t necessarily be the most talented; they will be the ones whose managers didn’t burn out first. It is time to stop absorbing the gap with your own mental health and start building the infrastructure your roster deserves.