The MANAGR Blog
Running the business of music — touring, deals, royalties, and getting paid. Written by working managers.
Guest Lists Without the Chaos
Comps, plus-ones, industry, family — guest lists are small money and big headaches. How to run one that the door respects and that doesn't quietly eat your capacity.
Splits Before the Session Ends: Why 5 Minutes Saves 5 Years
The worst time to agree on songwriting splits is after the song makes money. A case for documenting the split in the room — and exactly what to capture before anyone leaves.
Release Rollout: The 8 Weeks Before a Single Drops
The release is the easy part. The eight weeks before it decide how it lands. A manager's countdown — pitching, assets, pre-saves, and the dates that have to be locked.
The Tour That Looked Profitable (and Wasn't)
Sold-out rooms, a busy merch table, and a tour that still lost money. A walkthrough of where the P&L actually leaks — and how to see it before the van's already out.
Merch Math: What You Actually Make Per Shirt
A $35 shirt is not $35 in your pocket. Here's how to work out real merch profit per item — after cost, the venue's cut, and the inventory you forgot you were carrying.
The Show Advance Checklist: What to Confirm Before Every Date
The advance is where a smooth show is won or lost. The exact list of what to confirm with the venue and promoter before load-in — so there are no surprises at the door.
Music Royalties 101: Publishing, Masters, and Who Gets Paid
Two songs, two totally different money trails. A manager's guide to the difference between publishing and master royalties — and the registrations that decide whether your artist collects at all.
Commission Explained: How Managers Charge, and What's Fair
15%? 20%? Gross or net? Commission is the heart of the manager–artist deal and the most misunderstood. A plain-English guide to structures, carve-outs, and sunset clauses.
Tour Budgeting 101: Building a Budget That Holds Up
A tour that sells out can still lose money. This is how to build a tour budget that survives contact with the road — the line items managers forget, and how to read the break-even.
How to Get Paid Faster as an Artist Manager
Late payments quietly kill cash flow. Here's the deposit, invoicing, and follow-up system that gets managers and their artists paid on time — without the awkward chase.