The role of artist managers in South Africa

This article examines artist management in the music industry by examining the different types and roles of managers, and how managers can earn money for themselves and for the artists they represent. According to Music In Africa’s Revenue Streams for Music Creators in South Africa 2022 report, artist management represents a promising income source, with a reported monthly average of R13 778 for band/artist managers in South Africa.

What is an artist manager?

In essence, a manager is the public representative of the artist, though their specific roles will be determined by the agreement entered into by themselves or their agency and the artist. Typically, managers will provide some combination of the following services:

• Strategic planning (short, medium and long-term)
• Contract negotiations (recording, distribution, endorsement, etc.)
• Booking (gigs, tours and festivals)
• Marketing and branding (brand and image)
• Promotion (events, press releases, etc.)
• Artist development (making career decisions)
• Financial management (collecting payment, budgeting, paying tax, etc.)[1]

Traditionally, an artist or band will work with a single manager that represents them in all aspects of their career, and outsources some roles (e.g. booking, production, promotion) for specific tasks when needed. However, like virtually everything else in the music industry, the roles and functions of a manager may differ in each case – with bigger artists often working with entire management agency teams.[2]

Yet, whether a manager works directly with an artist and manages all aspects of their career, or if they work in a specific department for a label or agency, it is essential that they have an extensive understanding of the whole music industry. This should be paired with good admin skills, excellent communication and networking skills, and passion for music.[3]

Video: AMPD Studios presents a discussion about artist management in the South African context.

How managers earn money

Managers usually earn a percentage (10-30%) of the gross income made by the band or artist. In most cases, and depending on the agreement, this applies only to income that the manager helps to generate. In some cases, it may apply to all income made by the artist even if the manager didn’t actively help create it.[4]

This model means that management services can cost a lot of money. If an artist is working with a manager who has employed a booking manager, both managers need to be paid.

Below is an example using a live show where the booking and artist manager charge 20% for their services:[5]

+ R10 000 (booking fee paid to artist for a performance)
- R2000 (20% commission for booking agent)
- R2000 (20% commission for artist manager)
- R1 800 (18% tax – lowest tax bracket in South Africa)

Net income: + R4 200 (profit left for the artist)

In cases where the artist works with a management agency, the agency may be able to provide all of the management services for a single commission (usually about 20% to 30%).

While these arrangements may seem expensive, they can be highly beneficial to artists because the manager has to earn money for the artist before getting paid themselves. This acts as a strong incentive for managers to generate as much money as possible.[6]

On the other hand, some managers will work with smaller bands on a retainer basis. This is where the artist pays the manager a fixed monthly fee in return for certain services such as booking shows and tours, negotiating contracts and running marketing campaigns. While this arrangement can guarantee access to your manager – as per the conditions of the retainer agreement – there is a risk that the manager will not dedicate enough time and effort to the artist (because their payment is already guaranteed). For this reason, most independent and smaller artists choose to manage themselves.

Becoming and artist manager in South Africa

There are a few artist and talent management courses offered at some tertiary education institutions – such as the Campus of Performing Arts and Boston City College – though these are generally quite new on the scene. Traditionally, there has been no official training or qualification requirement to be a manager – with experience and industry knowledge regarded as the most importnat attributes in this profession.

Many artist managers start out by doing other jobs in the music industry, such as promotion, tour management, A&R, etc. By doing these jobs, they gain insider knowledge and experience before becoming an artist manager. Alternatively, they may start working for a management agency as part of a team. Other managers find themselves in the role almost by accident, when for example a close friend or family member gains success and needs assistance in managing their career. Finally, many managers are also artists that manage their own career, and use their skills to help manage other artists.[7]

Whatever the situation may be, artist managers must be good at communicating (both verbally and in writing), be able to keep a cool head under pressure, and be hardworking, dedicated, creative and egoless.[8] A manager who does not have these qualities can sometimes do more harm than good: it is not unheard of to hear a promoter or producer refusing to work with an artist because of problems with their management style.[9]

Most importantly, there must be trust between the artist and the manager, especially if the manager is in charge of the financial aspects of a career. Stories of artists being exploited by their representatives are as old as the music industry itself. A manager is meant to be the artist’s teammate, business partner and confidant. Trust and shared goals are essential to creating and maintaining a relationship of this nature.[10

Resources and citations

• [1] MasterClass. (2021). "What Is an Artist Manager? Understanding What a Musician Manager Does and How to Get One for Your Band”. Accessed on February 1, 2022: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-an-artist-manager-understanding-what-a-musician-manager-does-and-how-to-get-one-for-your-band#how-do-you-become-a-musician-or-band-manager
• [2] Shaw, JG. (2017). The South African Music Business (Third Edition). Billion Music: pp.75-77
• [3] New, J. (2019). “How To Become An Artist Manager (In The Music Business)”. SmartistU. Accessed on February 1, 2022: https://smartistu.com/how-to-become-an-artist-manager-in-the-music-business
• [4] Shaw, JG. (2017). Ibid.
• [5] Ibid.
• [6] Herstand, A. (2019). “7 ways to find an artist manager”. Bandzoogle. Accessed on February 1, 2022: https://bandzoogle.com/blog/7-ways-to-find-a-manager
• [7] New, J. (2013). “How To Become An Artist Manager”. SmartistU. Accessed on February 1, 2022: https://smartistu.com/how-to-become-an-artist-manager
• [8] Berklee Education. (2019). “Artist Manager”. Accessed on February 1, 2022: https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/artist-manager
• [9] Original interview for Music In Africa with Jean-Michel Wickli: 14 December, 2021.
• [10] Berklee Education. (2019). Ibid.

This article is part of the Revenue Streams for African Musicians project, supported by UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity in the framework of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, the Siemens Cents4Sense programme, Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, the National Arts Council of South Africa and Kaya FM.

Editing by David Cornwell and Kalin Pashaliev