Common Music and Entertainment Business Careers

A music business concentration gives you the necessary business expertise to excel in the music and entertainment industry. As a student pursuing a music and entertainment business degree, you study the legal, production, music business management, marketing and merchandising aspects of this field.

• Business Manager. Handles all financial and royalty responsibilities for signed artists.
• Distributor. Distributes musical product, such as CDs, DVDs, etc., to record stores, labels, and retail chains.
• Music Licensing. Copyrights and approval of usage of musical products to other mediums.
• Helps provide guidance to an artist during the recording process in a studio atmosphere.
• Production Department. Assist in all technical aspects of creating an album.
• Owner-Independent Record Label. Start up and run your own independent record label where you find and book the talent you want, work with your favorite venues, and make all your own decisions.
• Venue Manager / Owner. Manages and or owns a concert venue where shows and events are held.

Common Music and Entertainment Management Careers

A music business management concentration helps you learn to problem solve and work effectively with others in the music and entertainment business environment.

• A & R Representative (Artist & Repertoire). Work for record labels to seek out new talent to sign.
• Artist Manager. Manage the career and best interests of a band or artist.
• Booking Agent. Finds work and books shows and tours for bands or artists.
• Promotions Director. Runs the promotions dept. that gets the word out about an artist, event, or new product.
• Music Marketing. Marketing and promoting an artist, tours, and musical product for talent often signed to a particular label.
• Music Merchandising. Create accompanying products that deal with a particular artist or performer, such as t-shirts or posters, for mass production.
• Authorizing various uses of songs through the use of various licenses.
• Works directly with an artist to arrange public appearances, photo shoots, and side work to aids in promotion.
• Tour Manager. Manages a band or artist while on tour as well as handles all equipment load in & out for each show.

Get the skills and training you need to pursue in a variety music career paths with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in music and entertainment industry studies. 

Music Business Careers

Survey of music industry careers. Study of support functionaries, such as talent and advertising agencies, publishers, business managers, buyers, accountants, record producers, and distributors. Performers’ rights, copyrights, agency contracts, financing and production agreements, licensing and retailing.

Music Promotion and Broadcasting

Study of the radio station and record company as vehicles for the promotion of record sales. The organization and administration of a radio station: programming concepts and market research. The structure and operation of record companies and radio stations are examined.

Music Publishing and Copyright

Music publishing from its roots in Tin Pan Alley. The music publisher’s operations: sources of income (domestic and foreign), performing and mechanical rights organizations, copyright laws, contracts, and catalog development. The publisher as producer and record company, unions, trade organizations, publications, vocabulary, piracy, and the publisher/songwriter relationship. 

Music Business Contracts

Contracts and other agreements between producers, directors, performers, writers, personnel managers, and booking agents are examined. Bargaining positions and negotiating techniques are discussed.

Music Business Contracts

Contracts and other agreements between producers, directors, performers, writers, personnel managers, and booking agents are examined. Bargaining positions and negotiating techniques are discussed.

Business Organization and Management

Character, forms, and structure of business organizations; their relationships to society and human factors in business.  Marketing methods, information systems, finance and investment are examined within the business environment.

Principles of Management

Principles of Management as they relate to the planning, organization, leading, controlling and evaluation of management activities.  Case studies and problems are used to analyze management problems.  Both classical and current theories of management are explored.

The Music Entertainment Industry Studies concentration is designed to provide you with the necessary expertise to learn all about the music business.

A business management degree focuses on developing skills to support business professionals in management or leadership positions. To specifically focus on the music and entertainment industry, a business management degree with a concentration in music and entertainment industry studies gives you the skills you need to pursue a variety of music and entertainment business careers.

FTC also offers an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Business Management with concentrations in either audio recording technology, management, marketing, or music entertainment industry studies. Learn more about the A.A.S. in Business Management here.

Learn more about music career paths available with a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in music business or management.