How to get a music manager: and when you need one
A good manager multiplies what you already have. The best way to get one is to build something worth managing — and to show it clearly.
What a music manager does
A manager runs the business side of an artist’s career so the artist can focus on the music. Day to day that means:
- Building the plan: releases, shows, content and goals for the year.
- Assembling and leading the team: label, booking agent, publicist, lawyer, distributor.
- Negotiating deals and protecting the artist’s interests.
- Keeping track of money, dates, contracts and everything that is pending.
A manager is not the same as a booking agent (who sells shows) or a publicist (who gets press), although in small teams one person sometimes does several jobs.
When you need one
You probably need a manager when the business takes more time than the music, when opportunities arrive that you can’t evaluate alone, or when you are leaving money and deals on the table because nobody follows up. If you are still releasing your first songs, you usually need a plan and consistency more than a manager.
How managers are usually paid
Most managers take a commission — a percentage of the artist’s income — rather than a salary. The percentage, which income it applies to (shows, recordings, publishing, brand deals) and whether it is calculated on gross or net income are all negotiated. Some agreements also include a “sunset clause”: what the manager keeps earning on deals they made after the relationship ends. Ask a music lawyer in your country what is common there.
Get ready before you look
- Music that is finished and released, with a consistent sound and release schedule.
- Proof of momentum: real listeners, a growing audience, shows, press — whatever is honestly growing.
- An up-to-date press kit (EPK): bio, photos, links, best songs and videos, upcoming dates. See TONTRIA Studio for sharing unreleased songs privately.
- Organized basics: split sheets signed, releases registered, a calendar and simple numbers of what each release earned.
- Regular content from your shows, studio and interviews — AI clips help you keep it weekly.
Where to find a manager
- Credits of artists at your level or slightly above: who manages them?
- Your existing network: producers, promoters, venue bookers, label staff and other artists.
- Industry events, showcases, conferences and music business programs.
- Management companies that sign developing artists in your genre.
- Someone close to you who is organized and committed — many artist–manager teams grow together.
How to approach them
- Research their roster and explain, in one line, why you fit.
- Send a short email: who you are, your best two songs, three facts that show momentum, and what you’re looking for.
- Link to your EPK instead of attaching large files.
- Follow up once, politely, after a couple of weeks.
- Invite them to a show if you have one coming.
Before you sign
- Talk about goals for the first year and how you will measure them.
- Agree on the commission, what it applies to, the term, a trial period and the exit conditions.
- Decide who controls the money and how often you will see a statement.
- Read the post-term commission (the “sunset” clause): what the manager keeps earning after the contract ends. The clauses to check are in our guide to music contracts.
- Have a music lawyer review the agreement before signing.
Managing yourself meanwhile
Until the right manager appears, act like your own: a plan for each release (start with our release planning checklist), a calendar, your files and contracts in one place, and someone you trust to help with follow-ups. That’s what TONTRIA MGMT is built for — and it makes you easier to manage when a manager does arrive.
This guide is general information, not legal advice.