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Table of Contents

Careers in the Music Industry

Agent/Business Manager

by Stuart Paterson

Snapshot

Career Cluster(s): Business, Management & Administration; Marketing

Interests: Business & Finance; Contracts; Negotiations; Professional Representation

Earnings (Yearly Average): $75,420

Employment & Outlook: Much Faster Than Average Growth Expected

Overview

Sphere of Work

Agents and business managers represent and promote artists, performers, and athletes in dealings with current or prospective employers. They may manage contract negotiations and other business matters for clients.

Work Environment

Agents and business managers typically work in offices but may need to travel often to meet with clients and prospective employers.

An agent meets with her new client.

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Occupation Interest

Agents and business managers are highly social individuals who are results motivated. They always strive to get the best deal for their clients and work hard to build and maintain a personal reputation in the industry.

Profile

Working Conditions: Both Inside & Outside

Education Needs: Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s Degree

Licensure/Certification: Not Required

Opportunities for Experience: Internship

Interest Score: ES

A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities

Agents and business managers are responsible for securing work for their clients and managing contract negotiations. They also provide business services such as payment collection, managing financial affairs, advertising and marketing efforts, and arranging details such as travel and lodging.

Agents and business managers must stay apprised of the latest developments in their industry in order to recruit sought-after talent and secure jobs that will bring success for their clients. Effective agents maintain a network of industry contacts. They hold interviews and auditions to recruit potential clients and often look for new talent in their day-to-day dealings.

They often meet and communicate with clients to discuss career strategies and steps taken on their behalf. Agents and managers distribute samples of their clients’ work to potential employers in order to secure jobs and other lucrative opportunities such as sponsorships and endorsements.

Agents and business managers also engage in negotiations with anyone involved in contractual matters concerning their clients. This can include other managers, promoters, and union officials. They are responsible for collecting fees and other payments according to the terms of their clients’ contracts.

Further, they may be involved in advertising and marketing activities on their clients’ behalf and may schedule appearances —either promotional or performance in nature.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Keeping informed of industry trends and deals

  • Developing contacts with individuals and organizations and applying effective strategies and techniques to ensure their clients’ success

  • Conducting auditions or interviews to evaluate potential clients

  • Conferring with clients to develop strategies for their careers and to explain actions taken on their behalf

  • Sending samples of clients’ work and other promotional material to potential employers to obtain auditions, sponsorships, or endorsement deals

  • Negotiating with managers, promoters, union officials, and other persons regarding clients’ contractual rights and obligations

  • Collecting fees, commissions, or other payments, according to contract terms

  • Scheduling promotional or performance engagements for clients

  • Arranging meetings concerning issues involving their clients

Work Environment

Immediate Physical Environment

Agents and business managers often work in offices, and may work for large talent agencies, or be self-employed. However, they regularly travel to meet with clients, employers, and other industry contacts. Their work schedules may be irregular, as they often maintain a roster of clients, all of whom need their attention in a variety of matters.

Human Environment

Agents and business managers work with other people as a routine part of their job. They meet with clients and must be prepared to address a wide array of situations, including stressful and emotional moments. They also meet with industry professionals including employers, managers, promoters, and union officials, and are involved in sometimes stressful contract negotiations. They must always maintain professional decorum and focus during these encounters on behalf of their clients. Agents are often under pressure to perform at the top of their game for a multitude of clients.

Technological Environment

Agents and business managers should be familiar with all social media platforms not only as a means for potential client recruitment, but also for marketing purposes and for securing employment. They should also be able to use financial and record-keeping software for business purposes. They will communicate with clients and others in the industry daily, via email as well as video-conferencing applications.

Education, Training, and Advancement

High School/Secondary

High school students who have an interest in becoming talent agents should take courses such as English to improve communication skills; psychology or sociology to gain an understanding of human behavior; and business-related courses to better understand financials.

Suggested High School Subjects

  • Algebra

  • Biology

  • Calculus

  • Chemistry

  • Earth or Life or Physical Science

  • Economics

  • English

  • Geography

  • Geometry

  • History

  • Physics

  • Psychology

  • Statistics

  • Trigonometry

Related Career Pathways/Majors

Business, Management & Administration Career Cluster

  • General Management Pathway

  • Human Resources Management Pathway

Marketing, Sales & Service Career Cluster

  • Marketing Management Pathway

Transferable Skills and Abilities

Analytical Skills

  • Analyzing industry trends to determine career paths for clients

Communication Skills

  • Communicating effectively with clients, employers, and other industry stakeholders

Decision-making Skills

  • Making crucial decisions on behalf of clients, and with clients’ best interests in mind

Interpersonal Skills

  • Dealing with a range of people in different roles

Listening Skills

  • Understanding clients’ needs and the needs of employers

Negotiating Skills

  • Arguing on behalf of clients to secure the best contract terms possible

Organizational Skills

  • Managing time effectively

  • Managing the finances and business dealings of multiple clients

Postsecondary

There are no formal educational requirements to become a talent agent, but a bachelor’s degree in business management or similar field is considered an asset, especially if you are seeking employment at an agency. Experience and contacts are also crucial, so prospective agents should network as much as possible in the entertainment industry to build up a roster of contacts and even prospective clients.

Related College Majors

  • Advertising

  • Arts, Entertainment, & Media Management

  • Communications

  • Public Relations

  • Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions & Contracts Management

  • Sales Management

  • Sports Management

Earnings and Advancement

Earnings depend on the experience of the agent, the size of the firm for which they work or whether they are self-employed, the industry in which they practice, and the caliber of the talent they manage. Median annual earnings of agents and business managers were $75,420 in 2020. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $190,500.

Agents and business managers may receive paid vacations, holidays, and sick days; life and health insurance; and retirement benefits. These are usually paid by an employer, if not self-employed. An employer may also cover travel expenses.

Agents and business managers who work at an agency may rise through the ranks over time to become office managers.

Employment and Outlook

Agents and business managers held 21,900 jobs in 2019. Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2029, at a rate of 8 percent or higher.

Demand for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes will continue to be high, with endless interest in new talent, and with streaming services providing greater-than-ever access to and demand for content. Online platforms and social media are also proving to be fertile ground for burgeoning talent—individuals who will require professional representation.

Top industries requiring agents and business managers include independent artists, writers, and performers; performing arts companies; promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events; and sound recording industries.

Fast Fact

Whereas talent scouts used to find fresh talent at local clubs and via demo recordings, they now frequently discover musicians by pouring over troves of online content. Source: stacker.com

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Related Occupations

  • Advertising/Promotions Manager

  • Human Resources Specialist

  • Insurance Sales Agent

  • Marketing Manager

  • Meeting/Convention/Event Planner

  • Public Relations Specialist

  • Securities/Commodities/Financial Services Sales Agent

  • Talent Director

  • Writer/Author

More Information

Artist Management Association (AMA)

info@artistmanagementassocation.org

www.artistmanagementassociation.org

Association for Talent Development (ATD)

1640 King Street, Box 1443

Alexandria, VA 22313-1443

800.628.2783

customercare@td.org

www.td.org

Association of Talent Agents (ATA)

3019 Ocean Park Blvd, Suite 344

Santa Monica, CA 90405

310.274.0628

www.agentassociation.com

International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA)

www.imta.com

Music Managers Forum—US (MMF-US)

P.O. Box 419

New York, NY 10156

212.213.8787

info@mmfus.com

www.mmfus.com

North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents (NAPAMA)

105 W 86th Street, Box 420

New York, NY 10024

communications@napama.org

www.napama.org

Talent Managers Association (TMA)

4821 Lankershim Boulevard, Suite F 160

North Hollywood, CA 91601

www.talentmanagers.org

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Paterson, Stuart. "Agent/Business Manager." Careers in the Music Industry,Salem Press, 2021. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CIMusic_0006.
APA 7th
Paterson, S. (2021). Agent/Business Manager. Careers in the Music Industry. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Paterson, Stuart. "Agent/Business Manager." Careers in the Music Industry. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2021. Accessed May 09, 2025. online.salempress.com.