Questions to Ask Before Signing With a Music Manager

Choosing a music manager is a significant step for an independent artist. The right person can help shape your release schedule, negotiate opportunities, build industry relationships and protect your time. The wrong arrangement can create confusion over money, ownership and decision-making just when your career begins to gain momentum.

A manager should bring practical value beyond enthusiasm for your songs. They may coordinate distributors, publicists, designers, booking agents, producers and video teams, while helping you decide which services fit your budget. In Australia, that support can be especially useful when an artist is balancing local shows with interstate travel, casual work and the cost of releasing music.

The best conversations happen before a contract is signed. Ask for clear answers about experience, fees, workload, authority and the length of the relationship. A friendly connection matters, but it should sit alongside written expectations and evidence that the manager understands your goals.

The following ten questions can help you assess a potential representative without rushing into a long-term commitment. Treat the discussion as a business meeting, even if the relationship began through a mutual friend, a local venue or the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth music scene.

Clarify Their Experience And Working Style

What artists have you managed, and what results did you help achieve? Ask for specific examples rather than broad claims about industry connections. The relevant experience may include growing streaming audiences, securing festival slots, negotiating brand work, coordinating an EP campaign or helping an artist move from local gigs into interstate touring. A manager who has worked with artists at your stage may be more useful than someone with impressive but unrelated credits.

Request references from current or former clients where appropriate. Speak with artists about responsiveness, honesty, organisation and whether the manager actually completed the work promised. Pay attention to how the manager describes previous clients: respectful language and clear boundaries are better signs than gossip or inflated claims.

How do you usually work with an artist? Discuss communication habits, meeting frequency, response times and preferred platforms. An artist based in Adelaide may need a different level of coordination from one regularly travelling between Sydney and Melbourne. If you work shifts, study or have family commitments, establish how urgent decisions will be handled outside standard business hours.

Clarify whether the manager is hands-on or mainly focused on strategy. Some managers actively pitch releases, attend meetings and coordinate suppliers; others provide direction while the artist handles day-to-day tasks. Neither model is automatically better, but the contract and your expectations should match the service being offered.

Define The Manager’s Responsibilities

What exactly will you do for me each month? Ask the potential manager to describe their responsibilities in practical terms. This might include release planning, pitching to media and playlists, coordinating a distributor, booking meetings, reviewing agreements, sourcing a publicist or preparing a touring budget. “Growing your career” is too vague to measure without a list of recurring activities.

Ask how they will prioritise your projects when several deadlines overlap. Independent musicians often have limited funds, so a manager should be able to explain when a campaign needs publicity, digital advertising, artwork, mixing, mastering or photography. They should also be willing to recommend reputable providers without forcing you to use a particular business.

Which decisions can you make without my approval? A manager may coordinate opportunities, but that does not mean they should control every part of your career. Agree on which matters require your written consent, including signing recording or publishing agreements, approving expenses, accepting brand partnerships, licensing songs and committing to tours.

Copyright ownership should remain clear. In Australia, songwriting and recording rights can involve different parties, and organisations such as APRA AMCOS and PPCA may be relevant depending on your work. A manager should help you understand the commercial consequences of a deal, not pressure you to sign rights away simply to move quickly.

Examine Money, Commission And Expenses

How will you be paid, and what income will attract commission? Music managers commonly receive a percentage of certain career income, but the percentage, duration and exclusions must be written clearly. Ask whether commission applies to live fees, merchandise, publishing, neighbouring rights, sponsorships, grants, recording income or only money directly generated through the manager’s work.

Find out whether commission is calculated on gross income or after agreed deductions. If a promoter pays a $2,000 performance fee but travel, musicians and accommodation cost $1,200, the difference can be substantial. Australian artists should also clarify how GST is handled, whether the manager has an ABN, and whether invoices will include GST where applicable.

Which expenses can you approve, and who pays them? Establish whether the manager can commit your money without prior approval. Set a spending limit for routine costs and require receipts for advertising, travel, meals, accommodation, postage and other campaign expenses. Ask whether the manager receives referral fees or mark-ups from publicists, studios, designers, videographers or distributors.

Touring across Australia can make small expenses add up quickly. Flights between Perth and the east coast, vehicle hire, fuel, accommodation and excess baggage may affect the profitability of a run of shows. A responsible manager should be comfortable preparing a simple budget before commitments are made and explaining what happens if ticket sales fall below expectations.

Financial Details To Put In Writing

• The commission percentage and the income streams it covers
• Approval requirements for spending and third-party invoices
• Whether GST, tax, refunds and chargebacks affect calculations
• The timing of statements, payments and financial records

Test Their Network And Development Plan

Which industry relationships could you realistically activate for me? Ask for relevant, current examples rather than a list of famous names. Useful contacts might include independent radio programmers, booking agents, venue buyers, festival teams, music journalists, playlist editors, distributors, sync representatives and experienced session musicians. The value lies in a suitable introduction and a credible reason for making it.

A manager should understand the Australian market as well as international platforms. Local radio, community broadcasters, Australian music publications, state-based funding programs and venues can all play a role in building momentum. They should know that an opportunity in Newtown, Fortitude Valley or Fitzroy may be valuable for different reasons, and that a regional tour can require a different budget from a city-based campaign.

What is your plan for the next six and twelve months? Look for a strategy connected to your music, audience and resources. It could include finishing a single, preparing visual assets, pitching to media, building an email list, supporting selected live dates and releasing an EP at a sustainable pace. Be cautious if the plan relies entirely on viral success, expensive advertising or vague promises of label attention.

Discuss measurable goals without treating them as guarantees. Useful indicators might include completed releases, quality industry meetings, stronger live offers, audience retention, mailing-list growth or improved revenue. A good manager can adjust the plan when a song performs differently from expectations, rather than spending more money to protect an unrealistic forecast.

Review The Agreement And Exit Terms

What is the term of the agreement, and how can either of us end it? Avoid signing an arrangement with no clear end date or no workable exit process. Ask whether there is an initial trial period, a review point, a notice period and a termination right for serious non-performance. Confirm what happens if the manager becomes unavailable, changes careers or stops actively working on your account.

Pay attention to post-termination commission, sometimes called a sunset clause. It may be reasonable for a manager to receive limited commission on deals they substantially developed before the relationship ended. The duration, income covered and percentage should be specific. An indefinite claim over future earnings can create problems with labels, publishers, promoters and replacement managers.

Who owns the accounts, contacts, files and creative assets? Make sure you retain access to distributor dashboards, social media accounts, mailing lists, domain names, advertising accounts, master files and campaign data. Use your own email address and secure passwords rather than allowing important assets to sit solely with the manager.

Read the full agreement before signing, including schedules, commission definitions and clauses about authority. Australian contract law and the Copyright Act 1968 can affect different parts of a working relationship, while tax and business obligations may depend on how payments are structured. An entertainment lawyer or experienced music-business adviser can explain risks before you commit; the cost of a review may be modest compared with a disputed catalogue or unpaid income.

Warning Signs Worth Taking Seriously

• Pressure to sign immediately or avoid independent legal advice
• Promises of guaranteed fame, major-label attention or fixed streaming results
• Requests for large upfront fees without defined services and records
• Refusal to provide references, written terms or transparent financial statements

The right music manager should make your career more organised, informed and commercially sustainable. Their role is to help you make better decisions, access suitable opportunities and protect momentum, not to replace your judgement or take control of assets you built.

Before signing, compare the manager’s proposal with your actual stage of development. A developing artist may need release coordination and honest budgeting more than a large team or expensive campaign. If the manager understands your audience, respects your limits and can explain how their work will create value, the relationship has a stronger foundation.

Use the ten questions as a meeting guide, record the answers, and request every important promise in writing. Then have the proposed agreement reviewed by an appropriate Australian professional before you sign, so your next career step is supported by clear expectations rather than goodwill alone.