When to Hire a Music Manager
Foundational Guide
Feb 1, 2026
A music manager is the person who coordinates your career strategy, handles business on your behalf, and connects the creative work to the opportunities that grow it. A good manager changes the trajectory of a career. A bad one, or one hired at the wrong time, costs money and creates problems that take years to untangle.
Most artists think about hiring a manager when they feel overwhelmed. That is understandable but it is not a strategy. Feeling overwhelmed is a symptom. The question is whether a manager is the right solution, or whether what you actually need is better systems, a different team member, or just fewer commitments.
This guide covers how to evaluate whether you are ready for a manager, what a manager actually does (and does not do), how to find and evaluate candidates, what the deal should look like, and how to recognize when the relationship is not working.
What a Manager Actually Does
The manager's job is to advance your career by handling the business, strategy, and coordination that you cannot or should not do yourself. In practice, this means different things at different career stages.
Core Responsibilities
Strategy and planning. The manager helps define the direction of your career: release timing, market development, brand positioning, and long-term goals. They are thinking 6-12 months ahead while you focus on the work in front of you.
Deal negotiation. When opportunities arrive (label interest, publishing deals, sync placements, brand partnerships, booking offers), the manager evaluates them, negotiates terms, and advises you on whether to accept. They are your representative in every business conversation.
Team coordination. As your career grows, you add team members: a booking agent, publicist, attorney, business manager, distributor, and potentially a label. The manager is the central hub who coordinates all of these relationships and makes sure everyone is working toward the same goals.
Opportunity development. A good manager does not just respond to incoming opportunities. They create them. They pitch you to labels, publishers, sync supervisors, festival bookers, and brand partners. They identify gaps in your career and figure out how to fill them.
Day-to-day operations. Depending on the stage, this can include managing your release calendar, coordinating with your distributor, overseeing social media strategy, handling press inquiries, managing finances (or working with your business manager), and dealing with the hundred small tasks that keep a career running.
What a Manager Does NOT Do
They are not your assistant. A manager is a strategic partner, not someone who runs errands or handles tasks you are too busy to do yourself. If you need help with scheduling, emails, and logistics but do not need strategic guidance, you may need an assistant or a virtual assistant, not a manager.
They are not your therapist. The manager-artist relationship is close, and personal conversations are natural. But a manager who spends most of their time managing your emotions rather than your career is not in the right role, and an artist who treats their manager as emotional support is burning out a business partner.
They are not a guaranteed path to success. A manager cannot make people care about your music. They can put it in front of the right people, negotiate the best terms, and build the infrastructure for growth. But if the music is not connecting with an audience, a manager cannot fix that. The music has to work first.
The Readiness Diagnostic
Not every artist needs a manager. Not every artist needs one right now. Here is how to evaluate where you are.
You Are NOT Ready If:
You have no audience. If you have fewer than a few hundred engaged fans (email subscribers, active followers, people who show up to your shows), there is very little for a manager to work with. A manager's leverage comes from having something to sell: an artist with traction. Without traction, a manager is just another person waiting for something to happen.
You have not released music. A manager needs product to promote, pitch, and build around. If you are still in the recording phase with nothing released, focus on finishing and releasing music before looking for management.
You do not know what you want. A manager executes on your vision. If you do not have a vision, a direction, or at least a strong sense of what you are trying to build, a manager cannot fill that gap for you. Define your goals first, even if they are rough.
You need help with tasks, not strategy. If your primary need is someone to post on social media, update your website, or send emails, you need a contractor or assistant, not a manager who takes 15-20% of your income.
You ARE Ready If:
Opportunities are arriving and you cannot keep up. Booking requests, sync inquiries, label interest, press requests, collaboration offers. When the volume of incoming opportunities exceeds what you can evaluate and respond to while still making music, a manager adds immediate value.
You are leaving money on the table. You know there are deals, partnerships, or revenue opportunities you should be pursuing, but you do not have the time, connections, or negotiation skills to pursue them. A manager who can close one significant deal often pays for their commission many times over.
You need strategic guidance you cannot get elsewhere. You have reached a point where the decisions are complex: Should you sign this deal? Which label is the right fit? How should you sequence your next three releases? When the stakes of the decisions justify having a dedicated strategic partner, a manager makes sense.
Your career is growing and you are burning out on the business side. If managing the business is consuming so much time and energy that it is affecting your creative output, and the business is generating enough revenue or opportunity to justify a manager's commission, it is time.
The Financial Test
A manager typically takes 15-20% of your gross income. Before hiring one, ask: would the opportunities a manager creates or negotiates generate enough additional revenue to cover their commission AND leave me better off than I am now?
If you are earning $20,000/year from music and a manager takes 20%, that is $4,000. Can a manager create more than $4,000 in additional income or saved costs? At this level, maybe not. If you are earning $50,000/year and turning away opportunities, the math shifts dramatically.
This is not a hard threshold. Some managers take on early-stage artists they believe in and accept lower earnings in the short term for a larger upside later. But you should be honest about the economics on both sides.
How to Find a Manager
Where to Look
Your local and genre scene. The best management relationships often start locally. Attend industry events, showcases, and networking mixers in your city and genre community. Managers who are active in your scene already understand your market.
Referrals from other artists. Ask artists at a similar or slightly higher career stage who manages them and whether they would recommend their team. Artists are generally honest about their management experience with peers they trust.
Industry directories and organizations. The Music Managers Forum (MMF) maintains directories in several countries. Conference attendee lists from events like SXSW, A3C, Americanafest, and genre-specific conferences often include active managers.
Through your existing work. Sometimes a manager finds you. If your career is showing traction (growing streams, press coverage, live draw), managers may reach out. This is the strongest position to negotiate from because you are being pursued rather than pursuing.
What to Look For
Relevant experience. A manager does not need 20 years of experience, but they need some track record of working with artists. Ask who they have managed, what the outcomes were, and what they learned. A new manager with strong instincts and genuine hustle can be a good fit for an early-career artist. An experienced manager with a strong network is more appropriate for an artist with significant traction.
Connections in your genre. A manager's network is a significant part of their value. A manager with deep connections in country music may not be the right fit for an electronic artist, regardless of their experience. Ask specifically: who do you know in my genre? Which labels, publishers, agents, and supervisors have you worked with?
Alignment on vision. Before discussing terms, discuss direction. Does the manager understand what you are trying to build? Do they have ideas that excite you? Do they see the same opportunities you see? Misalignment on creative direction will poison the relationship regardless of how competent the manager is.
Communication style. You will talk to this person more than almost anyone in your professional life. Do they communicate clearly? Do they respond in a reasonable timeframe? Do they listen? A manager who is hard to reach during the courtship phase will be harder to reach after they sign you.
Genuine belief in your music. This is non-negotiable. A manager who is not genuinely excited about your music will not fight for you in rooms where it matters. Ask them what they think of your catalog. Their answer, and their enthusiasm, tells you everything.
Red Flags
No verifiable track record. If a manager cannot name a single artist they have worked with or provide a reference, proceed with extreme caution. New managers exist and can be excellent, but they should still be able to demonstrate relevant skills, industry knowledge, and professional contacts.
Upfront fees. Legitimate managers work on commission. They earn when you earn. A manager who charges a monthly retainer, setup fee, or upfront payment before generating any results is operating on a model that misaligns incentives. There are rare exceptions (some established management firms charge a hybrid), but for most artists, upfront fees are a red flag.
Vague promises. "I can get you on major playlists." "I know people at labels." "I'll make you blow up." If a manager cannot describe their specific plan, specific connections, and specific approach, they are selling a fantasy.
Pressure to sign quickly. A good manager gives you time to evaluate, consult an attorney, and make a considered decision. Anyone pressuring you to commit before you are ready does not have your best interests in mind.
Conflicts of interest they do not disclose. If a manager also runs a label, a publishing company, or a production company and wants to sign you to all of them, every deal needs independent evaluation. Undisclosed conflicts are a serious warning sign.
They want to manage your social media and nothing else. Social media management is not artist management. If someone positions themselves as a manager but only wants to handle your content, they are a social media manager (a legitimate role, but a different one with different compensation).
The Management Agreement
Never enter a management relationship without a written agreement reviewed by your own entertainment attorney. The key terms to understand:
Commission Rate
Standard: 15-20% of gross income. Some managers negotiate higher (up to 25%) for early-stage artists where the risk is higher. Some negotiate lower (10-15%) for established artists with significant existing revenue.
Gross vs. net. Most management agreements commission gross income (total revenue before expenses). Some negotiate net (revenue after certain costs are deducted). The difference is significant. On $100,000 gross with $30,000 in expenses, a 20% gross commission is $20,000. A 20% net commission is $14,000. Understand which calculation your agreement uses.
Scope of Commission
What income is commissionable? Some agreements commission all music income. Others exclude specific revenue streams (such as songwriting or publishing income, or income from activities that predate the management relationship). Define this clearly.
Pre-existing income. If you have revenue streams that were established before the manager's involvement (catalog royalties, recurring sync placements), should the manager commission that income? Many artists negotiate to exclude pre-existing income from the manager's commission.
Term Length
Typical: 1-3 years with options to renew. Avoid agreements longer than 3 years for a first management relationship. A 1-year initial term with mutual options gives both sides a chance to evaluate the fit before committing to a longer period.
Sunset Clause
The sunset clause defines what happens to the manager's commission after the agreement ends. Most agreements include a sunset period during which the manager continues to earn commission on deals they initiated or income streams they developed during the term. A typical sunset is 1-3 years at a declining rate (full commission in year 1, 50% in year 2, 25% in year 3).
Without a sunset clause, the manager has no incentive to build long-term value during the final months of the agreement. With too aggressive a sunset, you may be paying commission to a former manager for years after they stop contributing. Negotiate this carefully.
Key Person Clause
If you are signing with a management company rather than an individual, the key person clause ensures that if the specific person managing you leaves the company, you can terminate the agreement. Without this clause, you could end up managed by someone you never chose.
Termination
The agreement should define how either party can end the relationship: by expiration, by mutual agreement, or for cause (breach of terms). Understand the notice period (typically 30-90 days) and what constitutes grounds for termination.
Managing the Relationship
Signing the agreement is the beginning, not the end. The best management relationships are built on clear communication, defined expectations, and mutual accountability.
Set goals together. At the start of the relationship and at regular intervals (quarterly is standard), define specific goals for the next period. These should be concrete and measurable: secure a booking agent by Q2, pitch to 10 sync supervisors this quarter, grow email list to 5,000 by year-end.
Establish communication cadence. How often will you talk? Weekly calls are standard for active management relationships. Define the format and stick to it. A manager you only hear from when there is a problem is not managing proactively.
Respect their time and expertise. Your manager is a business partner, not an employee. They are likely managing multiple artists and balancing their own workload. Treat the relationship with the same professionalism you would expect from them.
Provide feedback honestly. If something is not working, say so directly. If you disagree with a strategic recommendation, discuss it. The worst management relationships are the ones where resentment builds silently until the relationship explodes.
When to Walk Away
Not every management relationship works. Here are the signs it is time to move on.
They are not generating opportunities. If 6-12 months pass and the manager has not created any new opportunities, closed any deals, or demonstrably advanced your career, the relationship is not delivering on its core promise.
Communication has broken down. If you cannot reach your manager, if they are consistently unresponsive, or if the weekly check-ins have disappeared, the relationship is already over in practice.
Strategic misalignment. If you and your manager fundamentally disagree on the direction of your career and cannot resolve it through conversation, the partnership is not serving either of you.
Financial concerns. If you suspect inaccurate reporting, undisclosed deals, or financial mismanagement, address it immediately. Request a full accounting. If the concerns are not resolved transparently, consult your attorney and prepare to exit.
You have outgrown the relationship. Sometimes a manager who was right for one stage of your career is not right for the next. This is not a failure. It is a natural evolution. Handle the transition professionally, honor the sunset clause, and move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage does a music manager take?
Standard is 15-20% of gross income. Some managers negotiate higher for early-stage artists (up to 25%) and lower for established artists with significant revenue (10-15%). Always clarify whether the commission is on gross or net income, and which income streams are commissionable.
Can I have a manager and a booking agent?
Yes, and at a certain career stage you should. A manager handles overall career strategy. A booking agent specifically handles live performance bookings and touring. They are different roles with different compensation (agents typically take 10-15% of booking income). Your manager coordinates with your agent as part of the broader team. See Building Your Artist Team for how the full team fits together.
Should my manager also be my producer?
This creates a conflict of interest. As your manager, they should be advising you on the best production choices for your career. As your producer, they have a financial interest in being chosen. It can work if both roles are clearly defined and compensated separately, but proceed carefully and get independent advice on any production agreements.
How do I fire my manager?
Review your management agreement for the termination clause. Most agreements require written notice (30-90 days) and define what constitutes cause for termination. Consult your entertainment attorney before taking action. Handle the transition professionally. Honor the sunset clause. The music industry is small, and how you handle exits affects your reputation.
Do I need a manager if I have a label?
It depends on the label. If your label provides comprehensive artist development, marketing, and career guidance, a manager may be less critical. But most labels, especially indie labels, focus on releasing and marketing music rather than holistic career strategy. A manager advocates specifically for you, which a label, by definition, cannot do for every artist on its roster.
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