Multi-platinum music producer and author of Gotta Get Signed How To Become A Hip Hop Producer, Sahpreem A. King is back with his long awaited follow up, Surviving The Game How To Succeed In The Music Business. In this book, Sahpreem takes music business newcomers by the hand and teaches them how to succeed in the music business the do-it-yourself way. In addition, Sahpreem talks about music publishing, marketing and promotion, starting an online record label, the power of social media, and making money from your music without being signed to a record deal. Music is a business. That’s what this book is all about. For a whole host of justifiable reasons, there have been numerous other books that have been published about the “talent side” of the music industry. What distinguishes this book is the author’s firsthand experience in the industry from both the talent side and the business side. Artists from all genres of music, managers, producers, A&R directors, entertainment lawyers, PR consultants, label executives, and the public at large will benefit immeasurably from reading and studying King’s advice and good counsel. Sahpreem King’s practical approach on how to get into the music business, and how to do well as a result of your passion for the art form and your willingness to grind and work hard every day, is informed by his years of experience, first as a DJ and recording artist, and then as a successful producer. The book is more than an industry insider’s view. Sahpreem tells you what to do and what not to do, from imparting to you his basic knowledge about music to the deeper wisdom that he has acquired over the last twenty years.
The Enterprising Musician’s Guide to Performer Contracts is an empowering resource that provides detailed, plain-language explanations of the clauses commonly found in legal agreements such as engagement (gig) contracts, artist-management contracts, and producer agreements. Musicians from all musical styles will be able to decipher contracts offered to them and improve terms to their benefit. In clear detail, David Williams dissects the most common clauses in performer contracts, revealing how to avoid pitfalls and properly amend content to address each musician’s needs. Seasoned performers, emerging artists, and music students of all levels will find this handy volume an invaluable compendium of conflict-free guidance as they navigate their careers in the music industry.
Most people looking at the music industry as a career only think of artist, producer, and engineer, but there are a multitude of other exciting options that offer financial security and keep you close to the music you love. The Best Jobs in the Music Industry is an essential guide for those who want to explore different areas of the industry beyond these obvious routes. This second edition includes updates and even more exclusive interviews with top professionals, giving a look at how music jobs have changed and the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the industry. Michael Redman takes readers on a tour of different music careers—from performer to label executive to recording engineer and music producer, plus more—and boils down the essentials of each job and what you will need to get your foot in the door including: job requirements skill set potential revenue longevity benefits challenges Over sixty professionals in the business share their experiences, the good and bad, and how you might take your next steps in your career—including Lee Sklar (session and touring musician), Damon Tedesco (scoring mixer), Adam Parness (executive licensing at Spotify), Mike Ladman (music supervisor at Droga5 advertising), David Newman (composer), Michael Semanick (re-recording mixer), Conrad Pope (orchestrator), Todd Rundgren (music legend), Gary Calamar (music supervisor), Mark Bright (producer), and Steven Vincent (SVP of Music & Soundtracks for the Disney Channel).
(Music Pro Guide Books & DVDs). Thousands of people try to make it as freelancers in the music and audio industries. Most of them fail, and not because they lack talent or the will to succeed. They fail because no matter how much training they've received or how hard they've practiced, they don't know how to face the challenges that await them in the "real world." No matter how much technical or musical skill aspirants may have acquired, there is always a huge gap in their understanding of how that world works. Do they understand how to behave in a professional environment? When to talk and when to listen? What about developing a personal work ethic, a support system, and a reasonable set of immediate and future plans to make goals into realities? In his dual role as a successful music and audio freelancer of over 30 years and tenured college professor, Jim Klein has not only the knowledge of what it takes to succeed as a freelancer in the competitive fields of music and audio, but also the understanding of exactly what the new aspirant needs to know to take on that world. Klein has crafted his advice into a book that is detailed, complete, and easy to understand. Welcome to the Jungle includes chapters on setting goals, networking, building a portfolio, time management, personal and professional finances, and dealing with the ups and downs downs of the freelance career. The book also includes interviews with successful music and audio freelancers, such as legendary producer Howard Benson (Kelly Clarkson, Santana, Daughtry), producer/engineer Kevin Killen (Peter Gabriel, U2, Elvis Costello), bassist Julie Slick, and others.
The second edition of iTake-Over: The Recording Industry in the Streaming Era sheds light on the way large corporations appropriate new technology to maintain their market dominance in a capitalist system. To date, scholars have erroneously argued that digital music has diminished the power of major record labels. In iTake-Over, sociologist David Arditi suggests otherwise, adopting a broader perspective on the entire issue by examining how the recording industry strengthened copyright laws for their private ends at the expense of the broader public good. Arditi also challenges the dominant discourse on digital music distribution, which assumes that the recording industry has a legitimate claim to profitability at the expense of a shared culture. Arditi specifically surveys the actual material effects that digital distribution has had on the industry. Most notable among these is how major record labels find themselves in a stronger financial position today in the music industry than they were before the launch of Napster, largely because of reduced production and distribution costs and the steady gain in digital music sales. Moreover, instead of merely trying to counteract the phenomenon of digital distribution, the RIAA and the major record labels embraced and then altered the distribution system.
The Music Business for Music Creators is a roadmap to understanding the traditional and emerging income streams that define the modern music industry. It presents the key concepts and principles that underpin the business, with an emphasis on educating and empowering the next generation of music creators to build a career from their creative pursuits. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanics of the music business, from music publishing, marketing and contract negotiation to licensing, streaming and performing. This accessible guide is written with music creators in mind and features case studies, profiles and interviews with established professionals, as well as a glossary of key terms to empower the reader in their understanding of the industry, alongside a number of useful accompanying digital resources. This book is core reading for students of music business and music creation in contemporary music education, and an essential resource for those on music, music production and music performance courses, as well as aspiring and early career professionals.