How to Fire Your Music Manager
For Artists
Ending a management relationship starts with reviewing your contract. Check the term length, notice period, termination clause, and sunset provisions. Give written notice according to the contract terms, plan the transition of responsibilities, and handle the exit professionally. A bad ending can damage your reputation in a small industry.
Nobody talks about this part. Every guide covers how to find a manager, what a manager does, how to know when you need one. Almost nobody covers what happens when the relationship stops working. But it happens constantly. The artist outgrows the manager. The manager loses focus. Communication breaks down. Trust erodes. At some point, staying is more damaging than leaving.
This guide covers how to evaluate whether it is time, how to handle the legal side, and how to manage the transition without burning bridges. For context on how the management relationship is supposed to work, see Building Your Artist Team.
How to Know It Is Time
Not every rough patch means you should leave. Management relationships go through difficult stretches, especially around releases or when the career hits a plateau. The question is whether the problems are situational or structural.
Situational problems (worth addressing directly): A miscommunication about a booking. A campaign that underperformed. A disagreement about creative direction. These are normal. Bring them up. Have the conversation. Give the manager a chance to adjust.
Structural problems (harder to fix): The manager consistently does not follow through on commitments. Communication has broken down repeatedly despite attempts to repair it. You have lost confidence in their strategic judgment. They are not generating opportunities proportional to their commission. You have fundamentally different visions for your career.
If you have had direct, honest conversations about the structural issues and nothing has changed over 3-6 months, that is your answer.
Review Your Contract First
Do not say a word to your manager until you have read your agreement. If you do not have a written agreement, that is a separate problem, but it actually simplifies the exit. No contract means no notice period, no sunset clause, and no binding terms. You can end the relationship with a conversation.
If you do have a contract, review these specific provisions. For a detailed breakdown of management contract terms, see Management Contract Terms.
Contract Provision | What to Look For |
|---|---|
Term length | When does the agreement expire? Some contracts auto-renew. |
Notice period | How much advance notice is required to terminate? (30-90 days is common) |
Termination clause | Can you terminate for cause (breach)? Without cause? What are the conditions? |
Sunset clause | Does the manager continue earning commission on deals made during their tenure? For how long? |
Key person clause | If you signed with a firm, does the contract specify which individual manages you? Can you leave if that person leaves the firm? |
Scope of commission | What income does the manager commission? Does this continue post-termination? |
The sunset clause is the most important provision to understand. Most management contracts include one. It means your former manager continues earning a percentage (often reduced, sometimes full) on deals they initiated or income from projects they worked on, for a defined period after termination. A typical sunset is 2-3 years at a declining rate (e.g., 20% in year one, 10% in year two, 5% in year three). This is industry standard and generally fair if the manager genuinely contributed to those deals.
Get Legal Advice
Before you initiate termination, consult an entertainment attorney. This is not optional if you have a written contract. An attorney will tell you exactly what your contract allows, what your financial obligations are post-termination, and how to give proper notice. The cost of a contract review ($500-$1,500) is far less than the cost of a legal dispute.
If you do not have an entertainment attorney, see Finding a Music Attorney for how to find one.
How to Have the Conversation
Once you understand your legal position, have the conversation directly. Do not ghost. Do not send a text. Do not have a friend relay the message. This is a professional relationship and it deserves a professional ending.
Be direct and respectful. You do not owe a lengthy explanation, but you do owe honesty. "I have decided to move in a different direction with my management" is sufficient. If you want to give reasons, keep them brief and focused on the mismatch, not on personal attacks.
Do it in person or by phone. Email is appropriate for the formal written notice that follows, but the initial conversation should be human. The music industry is small. How you handle this will be remembered.
Do not negotiate in the moment. If the manager pushes back, asks for another chance, or disputes your reasoning, you do not need to resolve everything in that conversation. Say you will follow up in writing with the formal notice per the contract terms.
Transition Planning
A clean transition protects your career. After giving notice, work through this checklist:
Accounts and access. Identify every platform, account, and tool the manager has access to. Spotify for Artists, social media accounts, email accounts, distributor dashboards, banking. Change passwords or remove access systematically after the transition period ends.
Contacts and relationships. Ask your manager to introduce you (or your new manager) to key contacts: booking agents, publicists, label contacts, sync supervisors. These relationships are partly personal to your manager. A warm handoff preserves them.
Pending business. Identify every deal, opportunity, or project currently in progress. Determine who will carry each one forward. Outstanding invoices, pending sync placements, booked shows, active press campaigns. Nothing should fall through the cracks during the transition.
Financial reconciliation. Confirm all outstanding commissions are accounted for. Agree on the sunset terms in writing. If there is ambiguity, your attorney should clarify before the transition ends.
Artists building a career on their own terms treat every team change as a professional operation, not a dramatic exit. For guidance on what to look for in your next management relationship, see Working With a Music Manager.
What Not to Do
Do not badmouth your former manager. Publicly or privately, in the industry or on social media. People talk. Professionalism after a split speaks louder than venting.
Do not skip the notice period. If your contract requires 60 days notice, give 60 days notice. Violating the contract terms gives the manager legal grounds to pursue damages.
Do not assume you need a new manager immediately. Some artists benefit from a period of self-management between managers. It reminds you what the job involves and clarifies what you actually need from the next person.
Do not ignore the sunset clause. If your contract entitles your former manager to post-termination commissions, honor it. Disputing a standard sunset provision damages your reputation and can result in litigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fire my manager without a contract?
Yes. Without a written agreement, either party can end the relationship at any time. Put your decision in writing (email is fine) for documentation purposes, but there are no binding terms to follow.
Do I still owe my manager commission after they are fired?
Usually, yes, on deals they initiated or income from the contract period. The sunset clause in your agreement defines the specifics. Without a sunset clause, consult an attorney.
How do I find a new manager after firing one?
Wait until the transition is complete. Assess what you actually need. Then ask your network: attorneys, booking agents, other artists. The best managers come through warm introductions, not cold outreach.
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Plan What Comes Next:
Orphiq keeps your releases, strategy, and team coordination organized through every transition.