Any music business book recommendations?
Richard Wilcox
It's two years since the Honcho Songwriter Links & Resources was loaded up to
the net and thanks to everybody who has given me suggestions and encouragement
so far.
I have decided to expand from what was primarily the craft of songwriting to
include the business side and because there is so much information out there I
thought the best way was to recommend a few books which could be defined as
definative. But I haven't the time or patience to read every book, I suppose I
could write to the publishers for a promo copy, but that thought appals me too.
So my question is - "Has anybody read any of these books and would like to
comment, whether on- or off-forum, whether any of the following books are good,
bad or just plain indifferent or are there other books worth recommending?"
Recommendations for other market and language books besides UK/US would also be
useful.
Thanks for your help.
Richard
Note : The list is alphabetical and was extracted from the first 100 music
books at Amazon.co.uk . Prices range from about £6 (about $10) to £35.00 ($52).
Generally about the £15 ($22) mark.
100 Careers in the Music Business ~Tanja L. Crouch
2003 Songwriter's Market: 1200 Places to Market Your Songs ~Ian Bessler
(Editor)
All You Need to Know About the Music Business ~ Donald S. Passman
Breaks for Young Bands: The Step-by-step Guide to Success in the Music Business
~Ed Berman (Editor)
Future Sounds: An Insider's Guide to Making and Selling Music in the Digital
Age ~Tom Frederikse, Adrien Cook
How the Music Business Works ~Larry E. Wachol
How to Be a Working Musician: A Practical Guide to Earning Money in the Music
Business ~Mike Levine
How to Pitch and Promote Your Songs ~Fred Koller
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying ~Frank Loesser
How to Succeed in the Music Business ~Allan Dann, John Underwood
How to Succeed in the Music Business: A Guide for Singers, Songwriters and
Musicians to the Business Side of the Music World ~Allan Dann, John Underwood
Label Launch: A Guide to Independent Record Recording, Promotion, and
Distribution ~Veronika Kalmar
Making and Marketing Music: The Musician's Guide to Financing, Distributing,
and Promoting Albums ~Jodi Summers
Making It in the Music Business: The Business and Legal Guide for Sonwriters
and Performers ~Lee Wilson
Making Money Making Music ~Bill Evans, Quint Randle
Making Money Making Music (The Business of Music) ~James Dearing
Making Music Your Business ~David Ellefson
Making the Ultimate Demo ~Gino Robair
Managing Your Band: Artist Management: The Ultimate Responsibility ~Stephen
Marcone
MUSIC - THE BUSINESS ~ANN HARRISON
Music Copyright: For the New Millennium ~Mike Congregation Curb
Music Money & Success: The Insider's Guide to the Music Industry (Revised,
Expanded) ~Jeffrey Brabec, Todd Brabec
Music Publishing ~Randy Poe
Music Publishing: a Songwriter's Guide~Randy Poe
Music: the Business: The Essential Guide to the Law and the Deals ~ Ann
Harrison --
Producing a Complete Marketing Campaign for Selling Music to the Listening
Public ~ Tad Lathrop, Jim Pettigrew Jr
Profiting from Your Music and Sound Project Studio ~Jeffrey P. Fisher
Rock Star 101: A Rock Star's Guide to Survival and Success in the Music
Business ~Marc Ferrari
Running a Band as a Business ~Ian Edwards, et al
Secrets of Negotiating a Recording Contract ~Moses Avalon
Selling Songs Successfully: Learn How and Where to Sell Your Music for Top
Dollars ~Henry Boye
Star Tracks: Principles for Success in the Music & Entertainment Business
~Wacholtz
The Guerilla Guide to the Music Business ~Sarah Davis, David Laing
The Manual: How to Have a Number One the Easy Way ~Bill Drummond, et al
The Music Business ~Dick Weissman
The Music Business (Explained in Plain English): What Every Artist and
Songwriter Should Know to Avoid Getting Ripped Off! (Revised) ~David Naggar
The Musicians' Bible 2002: The Complete Guide to the Music Business ~John
Collis
The Musician's Guide to Making and Selling Your Own CDs and Cassettes ~Jana
Stanfield
The Platinum Rainbow: How to Make It Big in the Music Business ~Bob Monaco,
James Riordan
The Real Deal: How to Get Signed to a Record Label ~Dayle Deanna Schwartz
This Business of Music (This Business) ~William Krasilovsky, Sidney Shemel
This Business of Music Marketing and Promotion: A Practical Guide to Planning
and
Working in the Music Business ~Ray Hammond
Songwriting, recording and creative & links
http://www.angelfire.com/music2/richhoncho/index.htm
A selection of RMMS at
http://www.angelfire.com/music2/richhoncho/RMMS.htm
Talking with Tonz - Emery Z. Balint Jr.
I have a book I'm quite happy with, haven't finished the whole thing yet,
but it's quite packed with good info. You have the book listed:
This Business of Music (the Definitive Guide to the Music Industry)
by M. William Krasilovsky and Sidney Shemel
Billiard Books
Comes with a CD-ROM with a bunch of contracts too. Seems straight forward,
I'd recommend it.
M.
/\^/\^/\
Talking with Tonz
Listen to Some Hot Tunes!
www.soundclick.com/talkingwithtonz/
"Richard Wilcox" <richh...@aol.comedian> wrote in message
news:20021201063729...@mb-mt.aol.com...
Mike Morgan
This is brilliphant! I Haven't read any of the others.
Adam Harris
amazon and others)
Relatively inexpensive book - gives you a great deal of information on how
to get gigs for your band from making contact, negotiating fees etc to
managing touring budgets. While the information in the book is primarily
for US/Canadian market, I have found this text EXTREMELY useful in getting
bookings here in Australia. A lot of practical tips from someone that has
been there and done that (however it is written from a jazz players point of
view). Worth getting even if you already have some books in this genre, a
lot of new ideas here.
Cheers
Adam
"Richard Wilcox" <richh...@aol.comedian> wrote in message
news:20021201063729...@mb-mt.aol.com...
Richard Wilcox
>
>> All You Need to Know About the Music Business ~ Donald S. Passman
>
>This is brilliphant! I Haven't read any of the others.
>
Mike
I've read this too, can't endorse your sentiment enough. I think it should be
compulsory reading for anybody vaguely interested in the music business -
especially the UK version where he says "but you guys in the UK do it better
(and differently)......"
The only criticism I have is that you might find a lawyer in the UK for £60
($90) per hour, but not a specialist music business lawyer - you might find one
for £300 per hour, but it rises from there......
Richard
Richard Wilcox
>I would recommend "The Touring Musician" by Hal Galper (also available on
>amazon and others)
>
>Relatively inexpensive book - gives you a great deal of information on how
>to get gigs for your band from making contact, negotiating fees etc to
>managing touring budgets. While the information in the book is primarily
>for US/Canadian market, I have found this text EXTREMELY useful in getting
>bookings here in Australia. A lot of practical tips from someone that has
>been there and done that (however it is written from a jazz players point of
>view). Worth getting even if you already have some books in this genre, a
>lot of new ideas here.
>
>Cheers
>Adam
Songwriting, recording and creative & links
WoopDeeDoo
the recent song festival. The speakers gave an admonition about choosing
one. I can't recall of it but they were making a point that many of the
music lawyers are "deal makers" instead of "deal breakers." Now, the
discussion was from the standpoint of protecting writers. They said the
"deal makers" will agree to work in your behalf but when they go in, they
are thinking of future interaction with the companies they are fighting
with. So they basically become like salesmen who may offer a better deal
now (to the company) because later on they make have more lucrative
interaction than you can provide. "Deal Breakers," on the other hand, will
go in and really stand up for you. All in all, the outcomes may be very
similar but the admonishment was to be certain the lawyer you choose is
truly working in your behalf.
"Richard Wilcox" <richh...@aol.comedian> wrote in message
news:20021202151820...@mb-cd.aol.com...
> Mike Morgan wrote :-
>
> >
> >> All You Need to Know About the Music Business ~ Donald S. Passman
> >
> >This is brilliphant! I Haven't read any of the others.
> >
>
> Mike
>
> I've read this too, can't endorse your sentiment enough. I think it should
be
> compulsory reading for anybody vaguely interested in the music business -
> especially the UK version where he says "but you guys in the UK do it
better
> (and differently)......"
>
> The only criticism I have is that you might find a lawyer in the UK for
Ł60
> ($90) per hour, but not a specialist music business lawyer - you might
find one
> for Ł300 per hour, but it rises from there......
Richard Wilcox
Quite right, never trust a lawyer either ;-))
>Music lawyers were a topic of discussion at one of the things I went to at
>the recent song festival. The speakers gave an admonition about choosing
>one. I can't recall of it but they were making a point that many of the
>music lawyers are "deal makers" instead of "deal breakers." Now, the
>discussion was from the standpoint of protecting writers. They said the
>"deal makers" will agree to work in your behalf but when they go in, they
>are thinking of future interaction with the companies they are fighting
>with. So they basically become like salesmen who may offer a better deal
>now (to the company) because later on they make have more lucrative
>interaction than you can provide. "Deal Breakers," on the other hand, will
>go in and really stand up for you. All in all, the outcomes may be very
>similar but the admonishment was to be certain the lawyer you choose is
>truly working in your behalf.
Songwriting, recording and creative & links