music artist business plan

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A step-by-step guide to developing a music business plan

June 17, 2021

Why you need a music business plan

Where to start, the main components of a music business plan, the importance of multiple income streams, subscribe to greenlight by thimble..

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Making a living in the music business is the ultimate dream of every serious musician. But out of the countless individuals with a passion for music, only a select few will make a profitable business out of it. That doesn’t mean reaching your goals is impossible. If you want to earn reliable income from your music career, you need to treat it like any other business. That means making a detailed blueprint that will take you from passionate hobbyist to successful professional. This step-by-step guide to developing a music business plan will set you on the right path.

Whether your goal is to have a career as a professional musician, recording artist, producer, or music teacher, documenting the path you’ll take with a music business plan will be helpful to your cause. Your business plan outlines your goals, identifies the practical methods you’ll take to achieve them, and lists the resources you have and will need.

Not only will a concrete business plan keep you on course, it will also demonstrate your credibility in the eyes of others. Potential clients and business partners will see you as a professional and not another starving artist. If you ever need to take out a business loan or raise money for investors, a business plan is a must-have.

Crafting your music business plan isn’t something you can do in one sitting. You’ll need more than an afternoon to get this right. Take your time, bite off piece-by-piece, and chew your thoughts over thoroughly.

Our first piece of advice is as old as time:  know thyself.

You need some clarity of purpose before you can craft a useful music business plan. Ask yourself:

• Who is my audience?
• What is my ultimate goal?
• Why do I want to do this?

Having this understanding will make it easier for you to explain your vision to others and convey your enthusiasm. It will also establish the framework for your music business. This step is crucial if you’ll need people to buy in to help you reach your goals.

The content of your music business plan will vary depending upon whether you’re aiming to start a music school, be a producer, or work as an artist. But the fundamental components are the same either way. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Mission Statement
• Executive Summary
• Audience Analysis
• SWOT Analysis
• Marketing Plan
• Financial Considerations

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Mission Statement:

This can be as short as a few sentences, as long as it adequately describes who you are as an artist or a musical entrepreneur and what you’re trying to accomplish. While this might sound simple, think things through a bit before you try to draft your statement. Everything that follows here will hinge upon it.

Executive Summary:

The executive summary is a one-page synopsis of your plan. It should include an introduction as well as a description of your endeavors. Details about the funding you already have and what you’ll need in addition to a brief accounting of your plans for putting all of it into play are important too.

Most experts recommend saving the drafting of this part for last. It’s essentially a digest of all the other parts of your plan. Doing it last allows you to draw upon the information you’ve drafted for all of the other steps.

Audience Analysis: 

Here’s where you’ll demonstrate your understanding of your target audience. If you’re already performing, teaching, or producing on the side, think about what traits the people who follow you have in common.

If you’re just getting started, find someone doing what you want to do whose style and circumstances are similar to yours, and analyze their target market. Create a demographic sketch of your target audience based on gender, age, location, musical tastes and favorite venues.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats:

Think about the qualities that make you unique. List everything that comes to mind, from technical mastery and creative spark to teaching older demographics and networking. Your skills might not seem extraordinary on an individual level, but combine all your best qualities and you’ll find there isn’t anyone quite like you on the market.

Don’t forget about your weaknesses. Identity these not as qualities to promote, but as areas to work on in the future. Being aware of your shortcomings will also help guide your decision on potential business partners in the future. Let your inner critic loose, but realize that this is an exercise in personal growth, not tearing yourself down.

Had enough reflecting? Let’s take a look at the marketplace. Think about potential gaps in the industry you can exploit. Perhaps your competitors are overlooking a key value and you see a way to provide it both efficiently and effectively. These are your opportunities.

Threats could include technological shifts, cultural changes, the emergence of new artists, competition, and new trends. The music world moves fast, and today’s hot act can end up as yesterday’s news before your can say “more cowbell!” Brainstorm any roadblocks you picture yourself facing over the next few years and strategies you can use to overcome them.

Marketing plan:

Your marketing plan will detail how you’ll spread the word about yourself. Consider how much money you can reasonably invest into marketing and work out how you’ll spend it to reach as many of the right people as possible. Think about how you’ll grow your online presence—including social media, a press kit, and publicity materials such as a logo and photography.

Get a full account of your current cash flow situation. List how much capital you currently have and estimate how much it’ll take to get your operation up and running. When in doubt, overestimate. Studio time, engineering talent, transportation, legal fee, copyrights and trademarks are all important considerations when projecting your budget.

Measuring your progress:

At what intervals will you go over the financials to see how you’re advancing? What are the milestones by which you’ll mark your achievements?

You’ll also need a method for measuring your impact on the market in terms of the reputation you build. Social media outlets provide analytical tools to help you track these metrics. They can also help you pinpoint the demographics of your audience.

Establishing your key performance indicators (KPIs) can help you set the standards by which you will gauge your success. Sharing this information with others makes you accountable because they can look at your projections and see how much progress you’ve made toward achieving them.

Summarizing your music business plan

As we mentioned above, once you have all of these areas covered, you can then condense the information each section contains to create your executive summary. After all, how will you know what to put in it until you’ve examined all of these other areas first?

Success in the music industry takes a lot of work and a little luck, but you can stack the deck in your favor by building multiple income streams. That way, if one area slows down, you’ll have another one in play to keep you rolling until the next opportunity presents itself. Revisit your strengths and opportunities and start brainstorming ideas. If you get stuck, here’s a quick list to get you started:

Give music lessons. Chances are if you’ve got the chops to play paid gigs, you’ve got enough skills to pass on to some novice students. Giving music lessons can be a great way to add some extra recurring income.

Start a YouTube channel. With over 2 billion active users, YouTube might just be your biggest source of untapped attention and potential. 1 The platform offers users a chance to learn or be entertained, and as a musician you’re well-positioned to offer both. You could upload instructional videos or footage of yourself performing. You’ll get to keep a portion of any ad revenue your videos make. And if the right person sees your content, it could open the doors to even greater opportunities.

Explore the marketing world. If composition is your thing, you might be overlooking a potentially huge money-maker—marketing and advertising. Brands are in constant need of good video content to market their products, and those videos need music to truly capture attention. If you’ve got a knack for putting together atmospheric instrumentals, creating music for ads could seriously help stabilize your income.

Open your own studio. If you have the capital to invest and live in an area underserved by recording studios, you might want to consider opening your own. While you’re not using it for your own projects, you can rent it out to other local musicians and producers. If there’s enough demand, you could cover the costs of equipment and rent and even have a little profit left over.

Explore session work. Sure, your band is your baby, but if you’ve got time on your hands and musical versatility to boot, why not offer your services as a session musician? Session work is an effective way to boost your income, make new connections and get your name out there as a legit professional. If an artist is truly enamoured with your work, they could invite you to join them on tour.

Another important consideration in your music business plan is protecting your livelihood from the consequences of unintentional accidents. General liability insurance is key to helping you stay focused on your business. Carrying a policy also demonstrates to potential clients that you are a serious professional — whether you’re a musician, DJ , or another kind of entrepreneur in the entertainment industry.

• Hootsuite. 25 YouTube Statistics that May Surprise You: 2021 Edition .

Written on April 19, 2021 | Last updated: June 17, 2021

Our editorial content is intended for informational purposes only and is not written by a licensed insurance agent. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary by class of business and state.

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How to Write a Business Plan for Musicians

Want a copy of ours?

Pre-Written music business plan template available! This 25-page music business plan is fully written and includes example verbiage from a musician. Use it as a template to write your own.

Creative entrepreneurs have a responsibility to themselves (and their families where applicable) to make good financial decisions for their present and their future. Whether you’re full-time, part-time, or aspiring; being financially savvy is both good for business and good for your overall morale. However, for musicians, it’s way too easy to get distracted with making music and art while neglecting other important parts of being in business like taxes , legal considerations, insurance, and finances. If you’re hoping to build a strong financial foundation for your music business, starting with a Music Business Plan is highly recommended.

Anytime an aspiring business person applies for a business loan, banks usually ask for a business plan. That’s because they want to see if you have a solid plan for making money and staying in business so they can get their money back and get a return on their investment. Likewise, if you’re hoping to achieve any amount of financial success as a musician, it’s important to start with a plan so you can make your money and get a return on your time investment.

A business plan is basically a blueprint for success. It outlines who you are, what you are, what you’re selling, who you’re selling it to, what your challenges are, how you plan to overcome them, and finally, how you plan on earning money to cover your expenses and produce a profit. Putting together a business plan for your music business forces you to ask and answer these tough questions and pave a path to success.

Your business plan should include the following sections:

Executive Summary

The executive summary is a quick synopsis of your business. It provides the who, what, and where. It’s sort of like a cover letter that you would include with a resume. It’s useful if you’re giving your business plan to someone such as a potential partner, investor, etc. It includes…

• Your stage name and location (where you’re based)
• Types of music related services and products you’ll offer (think live entertainment, sound engineering, sync licensing, songwriting, merchandise, etc.)
• Mission and vision statement briefly explaining your reasons for being a musician. If you need help putting together a mission statement for your music, check out our post, The Musician’s Guide to Creating a Meaningful Mission Statement
• The purpose of your plan (optional if you’d like to share this with others for the purposes of raising capital, support, or asking for help.)

Watch Me Walk You Through Writing Your Music Business Plan…

Customize this template and make it your own. Includes all sections that are already pre-written for a musician or band. Just plug in your information and go.

Business Description

This is an overarching description of your business and its structure. It should include…

• How your business is structured legally. Is it a corporation, a sole proprietorship, or an LLC?
• How long you’ve been in business (or why you’re doing music if you’re just starting out), a brief summary of what types of business you will engage in, and what consumer needs you plan to meet.
• A brief description of your services and/or products and who your customers/clients are.
• An overview of any growth highlights you’ve achieved since you started such as expanding your fanbase, adding team members and their achievements, or increasing earnings.
• Business goals and how you’re going to make a profit from your business endeavors.

Do you have a business plan for your music business? I just updated my plan and this next year is going to be fire!!! pic.twitter.com/J31yG04455 — The Crafty Musician (@IndieArtistsDIY) December 10, 2021

Service or Product Offerings

In this section, you’ll describe in detail what you’re offering including the various types of services you offer (live entertainment, lessons, session work, etc) as well as any products you sell such as merchandise, books, etc.

• List a description of each of your services along with its benefits.
• List a description of each of your products or product types.
• Share how you’ll stand out among fellow artists and how you’ll niche yourself, especially in your local area if you’re planning on making a splash locally.
• Any service or product expansion initiatives that you are planning in the future such as starting a band, doing larger shows at larger venues, touring expansions, etc.

Market Analysis

The Market Analysis provides a snapshot of your fanbase and how you’ll reach them. The standout portion of this section is the research you’ll do into your potential base of fans. Learning all you can in this area will help you make effective marketing and promotions decisions that save you time and money. Most importantly, it will help you build a solid following with loyal followers.

• A description of your fans or ideal fans.

Pro Tip: If you haven’t done any research or identified who your ideal fans are, check out How to Identify and Reach Your Ideal Fans here .

• A summary of music industry trends related to how you do business.
• How do people find new music?
• What types of music-related products are people buying right now ie. live entertainment, music merch, digital music, etc.
• A detailed description of similar acts in your area and how you’ll stand out.

Your Business Model

This section provides details regarding how you will make your money. It describes the nuts and bolts of your operation such as how you market your music in order to acquire new fans and how you get your fans/listeners to spend money with you. This section should include…

• An explanation of how you’ll promote your music to current fans and potential fans and how you gain exposure with your music.
• Information about your price points as it relates to each of your service offerings, products and merchandise items.
• Information about how you plan to distribute your music and make it available for people to purchase.
• A summary of your supply chain if applicable. This includes how you plan on producing your music, what professionals or studios you plan on working with, if you have a supply chain for creating your merchandise (check out my article about an easy way to create tons of merch items without having to stock an inventory here )
• An explanation of how you’ll market your services and products

The last bullet point on this list (how you’ll market your services and products) is the factor that will determine your financial growth. Each of these considerations is equally important. However, if you don’t address how you’ll market your services and products in order to earn an income, it will be very difficult to meet your financial goals. You have to be intentional about how you’ll earn your money and be willing to make these offers to your listeners, followers, and fans. In other words, simply putting your music “out there” is not enough. If you want to earn a significant income from your music endeavors, you have to start thinking like a business. This means actively engaging in sales and marketing efforts. These include…

• Hosting sales events for new merchandise items
• Promoting a special entertainment service like a singing telegram or a custom song
• Promoting your guitar lessons on your mailing list, website, and blog
• Encouraging your fans to buy your new album
• Encouraging your fans to host a house concert
• A campaign to get listeners to pre-order your upcoming release

Pro Tip: Check out our 30 Day New Release Promotions Bundle for an easy, plug-and-play way to market your upcoming release. It includes a pre-written press release, email, and pitch letter templates in addition to pre-written social media content for 30 days and more. It provides everything you need to market your upcoming release. Learn more about our 30 Day New Release Promotions Bundle here .

These are just a few examples to illustrate what actual sales and marketing initiatives look like. There are tons more ways to promote your products and services. Start paying attention to some of your favorite small businesses and how they promote their products and services. It might give you some ideas!

Organization and Management Team

This section lists who your main players are. In this section, you’ll list who facilitates the operations of your business starting with yourself at the top and then moving down the hierarchy.

• Who is the owner? Who is making high-level decisions for your business?
• Is there a management team?
• Is there a booking agent?
• Is there a PR person or team?
• Administrative professionals?
• List job responsibilities of each position.
• If you don’t have anyone currently functioning in these positions, that’s totally fine. You could choose to describe how these functions will be executed instead. For example, when you need a PR person, you’ll hire someone on a case-by-case basis. You could also use this opportunity to do a brief search for potential PR providers and list them in this section.
• You could also list potential mentors and music career coaches here as well.

Financial Outlook

This is the final section of your business plan. It describes the financial health of your music business. In this section, you’ll illustrate how your business is doing financially by providing historical financial data (if you’ve been doing business for a while) and/or financial projections for the future. When illustrating financial projections make sure it is realistic! This section includes…

• Income statements, Profit and Loss Statements , and cash flow data from the past three to five years.
• A snapshot of projected revenue and expenses for the next five years.
• A description of new potential business opportunities and how you plan to increase revenue in the future. Check out our article 18 Ways Musicians are Actually Making Money for ideas.

This section is very useful if you’re trying to apply for a business loan, business credit card, acquire investors, or show your business financials for other purposes such as taxes, insurance, rental/mortgage applications, or financial programs. It’s also great to see how you’ve done in the past and what you have to look forward to in the future.

Get the Music Business Plan Template for Musicians.

Free for members! Login or become a member below! Memberships start at just $5/month. Cancel anytime! Once you log in, you’ll see a link to the template in the exclusive members-only section below.

Preparing a business plan for your music business helps you build a solid blueprint to achieve success as a musician. It helps you create a map that will get you from starting with nothing to building your financial empire.

More Resources…

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Hi Anitra, great blog! I came across this article by watching your YT series on the same topic and wondered if by becoming a member, I could not only access the very helpful business plan template, but would it also include the August, Lately insert for contextual purposes? Or is the latter only accessible via your biweekly YT episodes?

Thanks Uasuf. The Music Business Plan Template that is available for members is pre-loaded will all of the August, Lately content. As of right now, the template only has the sections that have been covered in the YT series thus far. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks for reading/watching!

I’m a member but it won’t let me access the music business plan template.

Hi Mars. I sent you a welcome email with all the information you need to access it along with all of your other perks. Did you get it?

I just had to be more patient! I’m good. You’re the best, thank you so much!

Ok great! Let me know if you have any questions or need help with anything!

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How To Write a Winning Music Artist Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for music artist businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every music artist company should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Business Plan Template

What is a Music Artist Business Plan?

A music artist business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Music Artist Business Plan?

A music artist business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Music Artist Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful music artist business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a music artist business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your music artist company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your music artist business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your music artist firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen music artist business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a music artist business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the music artist industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the clients of a music artist business may include booking agents, music venues, and festivals.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or music artist services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your music artist business may have:

• Unique music artist style
• Strong industry presence
• Extensive music artist repertoire
• Innovative music artist techniques
• Highly experienced management team

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your music artist business via word-of-mouth, referrals, or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your music artist business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a music artist business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include:

• Signing a major artist
• Opening a new location
• Hiring key personnel

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific music artist industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Music Artist Firm

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Music Artist Firm

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup music artist business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Music Artist Firm

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your music artist company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Remember to keep your business plan updated as your company grows and changes. Review it at least once a year to make sure it is still relevant and accurate.  

Finish Your Music Artist Business Plan in 1 Day!

Music Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Music Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your music business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their music businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Music business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Musicians First Studio is a startup music company located in Nashville, Tennessee. The company is founded by Michael Smith, an experienced musician who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a music business during the past ten years while working at My Music Production & Management, another local music company. Now that Michael has experienced managing a music company, he is ready to start his own business, Musicians First Studio. Michael is confident that his skills as a musician, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable music company of his own. Michael is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a music studio – sales and marketing, production, artist management, music instruction, financial reporting, studio equipment maintenance, and client relations.

Musicians First Studio will provide a full suite of music production, management, and instruction services for both novice and professional musicians in the Nashville area. Musicians First will be the go-to music studio in Nashville for its client-focused services and dedicated professionals who are experienced in all aspects of the music industry. The company will be the ultimate choice for the needs of aspiring and professional musicians.

Product Offering

The following are the services that Musicians First Studio will provide:

• Artist Management
• Music Recording, Production, & Post-Production
• Private Music Lessons & Group Classes
• Venue Booking & Live Event Management
• PR & Marketing for New Artists

Customer Focus

Musicians First Studio will target new and experienced musicians in Nashville who are looking for professional production, management, or marketing services. The company will also target aspiring musicians and children looking for music lessons taught by industry veterans. No matter the customer, Musicians First Studio will deliver the best communication, service, and professionalism.

Management Team

Musicians First Studio will be owned and operated by Michael Smith. Michael is a graduate of Tennessee University with a degree in music. He has over ten years of experience working as a manager for another local music studio. Michael will be the company’s chief executive officer. He will oversee the recording/production process, music equipment, and studio staff’s activities.

Michael has recruited his former administrative assistant, Jessica Garcia, to be the company’s chief operating officer and help oversee the studio’s operations. Jessica will handle the day-to-day operations, including budgeting, scheduling, client relations, and logistics.

Michael and Jessica have recruited an experienced marketing director, John Brown, to become a member of the Musicians First Studio management team. John is a graduate of the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in sales and marketing. Michael and Jessica rely on John’s expertise to execute the company’s marketing plan and advertising strategies.

Success Factors

Musicians First Studio will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Skilled team of music production technicians and veteran musicians who will work one-on-one with clients to reach their individual music goals whether they’re looking to record a new album or learn a new instrument.
• Musicians First Studio is one of the only studio’s in the area that offers a wide range of services for musicians of all skill levels and goals.
• The company offers competitive pricing and discounts for referrals.

Financial Highlights

Musicians First Studio is seeking $800,000 in debt financing to launch its music business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the studio and purchasing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff and marketing expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Studio build-out: $340,000
• Music equipment, supplies, and materials: $280,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, utilities): $160,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Musicians First Studio.

Company Overview

Who is musicians first studio.

Musicians First Studio is a newly established music company in Nashville, Tennessee. Musicians First will be the first choice for aspiring, novice, and experienced musicians in Nashville and the surrounding communities for its full-suite of professional services provided by industry veterans. The company will provide a wide range of services including recording/production, music lessons, artist management, and marketing for new musicians.

Musicians First Studio will be able to guarantee high quality production thanks to the latest and most innovative music technology operated by expert music production technicians. The company’s team of highly qualified professionals experienced in music, production, and marketing will manage the suite of services offered at the studio. In addition to customized services for musicians, customers will be able to book studio time that comes with use of equipment by the hour.

Musicians First Studio History

Musicians First Studio is owned and operated by Michael Smith, an experienced musician who has gained valuable knowledge on how to manage a music business during the past ten years while working at My Music Production & Management, another local music company. Now that Michael has experienced managing a music company, he is ready to start his own business, Musicians First Studio. Michael is confident that his skills as a musician, combined with his understanding of business management, will enable him to run a profitable music company of his own. Michael is recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day-to-day complexities of running a music studio – sales and marketing, production, artist management, music instruction, financial reporting, studio equipment maintenance, and vendor relations.

Since incorporation, Musicians First Studio has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Musicians First Studio, LLC to transact business in the state of Tennessee
• Has identified an ideal location for the studio that is available for lease
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include local musicians, production technicians, and venue managers to help spread the word about the new studio
• Began recruiting a staff of musicians, music instructors, production technicians, marketing experts, and office personnel to work at Musicians First Studio.

Musicians First Studio Services

Industry analysis.

The global music industry is an estimated $60B market and is expected to grow by 8% by 2026. The broad music industry can be categorized into three primary segments; recording, live music, and music publishing. In the United States, the recording segment generated approximately $8B in revenues last year, while the live music segment brought in an estimated $9.5B, and the publishing segment totaled $1.8B. A majority of revenues generated in the recording segment come from streaming (28% of total industry revenue), with digital downloads and physical media coming in much lower (6.7% and 7.5% respectively). Revenue for the live music segment is generated primarily through ticket sales (37.1%) and sponsorships (10.3%). Publishing accounts for approximately 8.9% of total industry revenue.

Music streaming is one of the most significant trends in the industry, with the number of Americans who pay for streaming subscriptions at approximately 82.1M, up from 7.9M in 2014. Another trend is the emergence of independent artists and small record labels. These groups are earning more revenue than in years past and their percentage of revenue increase year over year is growing faster than that of larger record labels. With more options open to them when it comes to where and how to get their music out to consumers, artists, managers, and record labels have more opportunities for success than ever before.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Nashville, Tennessee are:

Customer Segmentation

Musicians First will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Novice-to-experienced musicians looking for recording/production services
• Aspiring musicians of all ages looking for music lessons
• Musicians looking for artist management, booking, and representation services

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Musicians First Studio will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

My Music Production & Management

My Music Production & Management is one of the largest commercial music studios in Tennessee. The company was established in 1997 and offers professional music recording and production services for local musicians. My Music Production & Management also handles the business management activities for musicians including marketing, booking, and legal representation services. The company is well known for providing high quality production for some of the top artists in the region and has been recognized in various publications and music industry associations for its outstanding work in the local music community.

Genre Music

Founded in 2018, Genre Music is a small music company catering to local musicians in Nashville, Tennessee and surrounding areas. Genre Music is owned and operated by a veteran musician who has over 40 years of experience in the music industry. The company specializes in artist branding, marketing, and representation in addition to its top notch recording services. Genre Music has worked with a variety of up and coming artists in multiple genres and has a loyal customer base of regular musicians who use the company’s services.

Retro Recording & Productions

Retro Recording & Productions is a trusted Nashville, Tennessee-based music company that provides superior production and recording services for Nashville and the surrounding areas. The company is able to provide a wide variety of recording, production, and post-production services using its state-of-the-art music recording equipment. Retro Recording & Productions serves local musicians and national musicians. The company prides itself on being the number one choice for classic sound produced through modern technology. Retro Recording & Productions also manufactures its own collectible vinyl records in limited quantities.

Competitive Advantage

Musicians First Studio will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• The company offers competitive pricing on studio rentals and discounts for referrals.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Musicians First Studio will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Musicians First Studio provides a full suite of services tailored to the individual musician’s needs. Professionals are equipped to provide services for all skill levels from the aspiring and novice musician, the the industry veteran.
• The company’s studio is expertly designed for the clearest sound quality. The equipment is carefully selected to ensure the best sound possible.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Musicians First Studio is as follows:

Social Media Marketing

The company’s marketing director will create accounts on social media platforms such as Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. He will ensure Musicians First maintains an active social media presence with regular updates and fun content to get customers excited about using the studio’s services.

Professional Associations and Networking

Musicians First Studio will become a member of professional associations such as the Nashville Music Association, American Music Educators Society, and the Tennessee Music Production Association. The leadership team will focus their networking efforts on expanding the company’s artist and vendor network.

Print Advertising

Musicians First Studio will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events. The company will also send direct mailers to local residents advertising the services it provides.

Website/SEO Marketing

Musicians First Studio will utilize the in-house marketing director that designed the print ads to also design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services that Musicians First is able to provide. The website will also list information on the company’s events and featured artists.

The marketing director will also manage Musicians First’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in a search engine “music company” or “music studio near me”, Musicians First Studio will be listed at the top of the search results.

The pricing of Musicians First Studio will be on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Musicians First Studio.

Operation Functions:

• Michael Smith will be the CEO of the company. He will oversee the music production technicians, production process, and the music equipment maintenance. Michael has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Jessica Garcia – Chief Operating Officer who will manage the day-to-day operations, client relationships, scheduling, and logistics.
• Nancy Johnson – Chief Financial Officer who will provide all accounting, budgeting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• John Brown – Marketing Director who will oversee all marketing strategies for the company and manage the website, social media, and outreach.

Milestones:

Musicians First Studio will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

12/1/2022 – Finalize lease to rent the studio facility

12/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the Musicians First Studio management team

1/1/2023 – Begin build-out of the studio, purchase equipment, and test the acoustics

1/15/2023 – Begin networking at industry events and implement the marketing plan

2/15/2023 – Finalize contracts for musicians, instructors, production technicians, and marketing professionals

3/15/2023 – Musicians First Studio officially opens for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Musicians First Studio are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the company’s services and fees charged to book studio time by the hour.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a music company. The expenses will be the payroll cost, utilities, equipment and supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Average hours booked per month: 120
• Average fees per month: $30,000
• Overhead costs per year: $640,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, music business plan faqs, what is a music business plan.

A music business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your music business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your music business plan using our Music Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Music Companies?

There are a number of different kinds of music companies , some examples include: Recorded Music, Music Licensing, Live Music, Music Publishing, Music Production, Music Business Consulting, and Retail Music Store.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Music Business Plan?

Music companies are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

Music Business Plan: A Guide for Music Industry Professionals

Augur CPA helps entrepreneurial creatives gain clarity around their business finances.

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A music business plan is crucial for any music industry professional looking to launch or grow their business. It provides a snapshot of the current state of the business and lays out a clear growth plan for the next five years. This is essential for understanding where the business is at and setting achievable goals for the future.

Check out our article below to learn more about creating an awesome music business plan and get a template.

What is a Music Business Plan?

A music business plan is a comprehensive and detailed document that outlines the goals, strategies, and financial projections for a music-related business. Whether it's a record label, music production company, artist management firm, or any other music-related venture, a business plan provides a roadmap for success. It helps to attract investors, secure loans, and guide overall operations.

From market analysis and competitive research to marketing and distribution strategies, a music business plan covers every aspect of the business to ensure clarity, direction, and long-term viability. It is an essential tool for anyone looking to establish or grow a music-related business in the highly competitive and dynamic music industry.

Why is it important to have a music business plan?

A music business plan is crucial for an artist's success in the industry for several key reasons.

It serves as a blueprint for the artist's career, outlining their goals, strategies, and financial projections. This document helps attract investors by showcasing the artist's vision, potential for return on investment, and realistic plans for reaching their target audience.

A well-crafted business plan guides decision-making by providing a clear direction and framework for the artist's activities and investments. Furthermore, it defines the artist's brand, including its image, style, and target market, which is essential for standing out in the competitive music industry.

In summary, a music business plan is instrumental in attracting investors, guiding decision-making, and defining an artist's brand, making it essential for achieving success in the music industry. Therefore, having a solid and comprehensive business plan is crucial for any aspiring musician or band looking to establish a successful and sustainable career.

How to Fill Out Your Lean Music Business Plan

In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of filling out your lean music business plan, from identifying your target audience to mapping out your marketing and sales strategies. 

We'll be referencing sections of the US Small Business Administration's ( SBA ) lean business plan template . Despite its generality, it works as a music business plan template. 

Aspects of this guide relate to the traditional business plan, which we will discuss later in the article. 

Business identity

A business identity helps your business specify exactly what you offer. Both the single-page lean plan and the traditional plan place importance on your identity. Let's say, for example, you're a business-owning musician who provides audio for creatives in the media industry. Here's how your identity might look:

Our business identity revolves around providing high-quality music and sound effects for TV programs, film industries, commercials production companies, video game developers, corporations, and event organizers. 

Through the lean template, try to identify your business in under one paragraph. Then, using the traditional template (see below), expand on that identity. Things like your mission statement, which we visit later, are an aspect of this.

The problem you're trying to solve

All businesses are problem solvers. Record labels help musicians with distribution, while music teachers help provide the next generation of musicians with a strong foundation. 

Naturally, you might wonder how this applies to musicians. Just saying "entertainment" feels a bit weak. There are bands, like Rage Against the Machine, who make music to push a movement. But if you're not part of that crowd, what do you put?

So, think about why you got into music-making in the first place. Any professional musician should think about who their music appeals to and what they want people to feel when hearing their music. You can then say your music solves that problem in a cheesy reminder that you think about more than what shows up on your financial statements. 

If you don't want to get too corny, think about who your music will most appeal to. Then, you can say what your target audience is. Think of something like this:

Creating music for young men and women that will entertain them and inspire them to explore challenging topics.

This problem-solving might feel generic, but you'll know your fans and why you make music. So, stay focused on that.

Solution your business presents

Once you consider the problem your business solves, you need to state how you solve that problem. Again, this is much easier for music industry professionals who work in support roles. Music distributors solve the problem by having direct connections with other distributors, while music marketers help bands reach out to fans via multiple social media platforms. 

As someone who makes music, your solution is the creation of music. So, ask yourself how the creation of your music solves this problem. Here's an example based on our situation above:

Our band writes music that delves into mental health struggles based on personal experiences and how we overcame them.

You might think that doing this as a musician feels silly, but think of it as a reminder. One of the reasons famous musicians like David Bowie and Tom Morello were so successful is focusing on how their music helps people. 

Competition 

Competitive market data varies depending on the territory you plan to target. For musicians and bands, this might involve bands in the local area and those in future touring locations. For musicians, the competition can also be a list of potential collaborators.

For everyone else not making music, other record labels and music production companies are just competition. Whether you can collaborate with them or not, you'll want to differentiate yourself from all the other options out there. Being another "me too" music business will make it easier to forget you. 

Using the lean small business plan, you'll want to stick this to two or three sentences. Be very general, knowing you can also expand using the traditional business plan. Here's an example of a made-up Tennesse company: My Music Production & Management: 

The competitive landscape for music production companies in Tennessee includes My Music Production & Management, Genre Music, and Retro Recording & Productions. My Music Production & Management offers a wide range of services, including music production, artist management, and music distribution. 

Revenue streams

Revenue streams come from various sources. A business plan reminds you of those sources so you can stay focused. As a musician, your income can come from many sources. Below is an example you can use under the lean business plan:

As a musician, my income comes from paid gigs, teaching music lessons, instrument repair services, and recording sessions. To ensure financial stability and growth, I plan to diversify my income by capitalizing on these different opportunities.

Your revenue streams will differ as a record label or other kind of music business. Like musicians, your revenue streams can vary. However, as a young business, you may specialize in specific areas. You might work on creating merch or distributing digital releases. 

Marketing activities

Marketing activities focus on how you plan on reaching out to different sources. For many new music businesses, this involves outreach through social media platforms. Here's an example of what you might include in your business plans:

Our marketing activities will primarily focus on building a strong online presence through social media and regional publications. We plan to utilize platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to engage with our audience and share regular updates about our music and upcoming events. Additionally, we will work on developing a press kit to distribute to regional publications and media outlets to garner publicity and reach a wider audience.

Bands can create electronic press kits (EPKs) that are prebuilt for members of the media. This makes it easy for journalists and members of the media to share content about you, such as a new album release. You can also consider how much you might pay for advertising. Digital marketing activities like those above are the first choice, as this activity uses advanced targeting tools based on what people search for and their demographics.

Marketing traditionally focuses on the four Ps: product, price, place, and promotions. The first two Ps delve into your product line, which you'll learn about later. Promotions indicate the type of marketing you choose, and Place usually refers to the platforms your target audience uses. 

The lean business plan gives you a simple overview of your likely expenses, which can be detailed in your longer business plan. Part of these expenses include music taxes. Read our guide on music taxes for more details.

Expenses vary depending on the type of music business you run. You could pay to rent a studio for recording sessions, purchase recording equipment, access manufacturers, or pay for other expenses. These expenses can result in tax deductions .

Here's an example of what your expenses section might look like:

To get my music business up and running, I need to budget for several key expenses. Studio time would be required for recording and producing music, averaging around $50-$100 per hour. I'd also need to allocate funds for engineering talent, which could cost between $50-$200 per hour, depending on experience. Transportation costs for getting to and from recording studios or performance venues should be factored in, estimating around $200-$500 per month.

Legal fees for business formation are also deductible. When listing your expenses and considering deductions, ask yourself what your type of company would normally deduct. Reach out to Augur CPA if you'd like a comprehensive review.

The key roles section provides a list of high-ranking authorities in the business and explains the responsibilities and functions those roles bring to the business. Here's an example of what that might look like in your business plan:

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Responsible for overall strategic direction and leadership of the organization, making key decisions and representing the company to the public and stakeholders.

2. Human Resources Department: This department is responsible for recruiting, training, and managing employees, as well as ensuring legal compliance and promoting a positive work environment.

3. Marketing Department: Responsible for promoting the organization's products or services, conducting market research, and developing marketing strategies to attract and retain customers.

4. Finance Department: This department is responsible for managing the organization's financial resources, including budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting.

5. Operations Department: This department is responsible for overseeing the organization's day-to-day activities, optimizing processes, and ensuring efficient production and service delivery.

As a new business, you might not need all of this detail in your roles. A new business owner wears many hats, handling all of this themselves.

As your business grows and you fill roles like those above, you'll want to create an operating agreement . Operating agreements dictate the roles, holding groups responsible for their actions. This can dictate things like voting rules, which are vital when making high-risk business decisions that require more input.

Your milestones tell readers, yourself, and business partners of the important milestones you've already taken or plan to take. Your lean business plan is a single sentence telling people what you generally plan to do. Larger business plans might look something like this:

Milestone 1: Lease Finalization

- Task: Negotiate and finalize the lease agreement for the studio space

- Deadline: by May 15th

Milestone 2: Personnel Contracts

- Task: Draft, review, and finalize contracts for hired personnel

- Deadline: by May 20th

Milestone 3: Studio Build-out and Equipment Purchase

- Task: Begin construction and build-out of the studio space, purchase necessary equipment

- Deadline: Construction to be completed by June 30th

Milestone 4: Networking and Marketing Plan Implementation

- Task: Develop and implement a networking and marketing plan to attract clients

- Deadline: Marketing plan to be in place by June 1st

Each milestone outlines specific tasks and deadlines to ensure a smooth and successful opening of a recording studio. A musician or distribution company should take a similar approach, focusing on initiatives that help them grow their business.

Filling Out Longer, Traditional Business Plans

The SBA's traditional business plan, which you can find here , is a multi-page document. It's an expanded version of the lean business plan, which you can provide upon request. When applying for business loans or bringing on business partners, this plan can help communicate your vision.

Traditional business plans might use a bit more jargon, like executive summaries and mission statements. Below, you'll learn a bit more about some of the more complex aspects of writing your detailed business plan.

Executive summary

Executive summaries summarize the main points of a business plan. The summary points include the purpose of the business, the business name, the target market, your business location, and how your business solves its target audience's problem. Here's an example you can use for inspiration:

The Executive Summary of my music business plan showcases my artist bio, mission statement, and unique selling proposition. As a musician, I bring a unique blend of classical training and modern influences, with a strong foundation in jazz, pop, and R&B. My mission is to create music that transcends genres and connects with audiences on a deeper level, aspiring to inspire and uplift through my art.

My unique selling proposition lies in my ability to blend diverse musical styles and deliver powerful, emotionally resonant performances. I have achieved recognition in local music scenes, including winning the Best New Artist award at a prominent music festival. My aspirations include reaching a global audience and collaborating with industry-leading producers to create music that leaves a lasting impact. What sets me apart from others in the industry is my unwavering dedication to authenticity and artistry, always prioritizing substance over trends.

For bands and musicians, the executive summary is a great way to showcase your passion for music. Notice the "unique selling proposition," which indicates how you plan on differentiating yourself compared to other companies.

Other companies, like music publishing companies, might focus a little less on the creative aspects of their business. An executive summary can differ slightly between companies. However, if you're new, start with the template until you get comfortable writing these plans.

Company description and mission statement

Your company description, based on the traditional plan, includes the mission statement, members, legal structure, and location of the company. It might also include the executive summary.

Here's an example of the description for a made-up company: SoundWave Entertainment:

Our company, SoundWave Entertainment, is structured as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and has been in business for ten years. We specialize in providing top-quality live music entertainment, event production, and artist management services. Our diverse range of offerings includes wedding bands, corporate event entertainment, and music festivals. Our customer demographics range from engaged couples looking for the perfect wedding band to event planners seeking unique and memorable entertainment experiences. In the past decade, we have experienced significant growth, expanding our roster of talented artists and achieving a strong presence in the events industry. Our primary business goal is to continue providing exceptional musical experiences and to further expand our reach in the entertainment industry.

The description is simple enough, but the mission statement is arguably the most important aspect of your business plan. It's a few sentences long but shares the overall mission of your company, dictating where it goes and how it makes decisions. Mission statements are emotionally driven and connected to the morals and heart of the company's stakeholders. Here's how it might look:

At SoundWave Entertainment, we are committed to delivering unforgettable musical experiences and fostering the growth of talented artists. We strive to exceed our client's expectations by curating exceptional live entertainment and providing a platform for artists to showcase their skills. Our goal is to leave a lasting impression through the power of music, creating moments that inspire and connect people.

Market conditions and research

The traditional business plan offers a bit more room for reviewing your market conditions and researching your competition. Doing your own research helps you understand the market. Sharing your research on a business plan provides proof of your knowledge of market conditions. Here's a short example of market conditions:

The current market conditions in the music industry are characterized by several industry trends, including the shift towards streaming services, the resurgence of vinyl records, and the increasing importance of live performances for artists' revenue. Consumer behavior has also changed significantly, with more music fans opting for subscription-based streaming services over traditional album or single purchases. Key competitors in the industry include major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, as well as record labels and live event promoters.

Additional sections of your business plan include a detailed description of your customers, how your company outperforms the competition, and regulations that might impact your company.

Regarding regulations in the music industry, it helps to have a general understanding of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ( DMCA ), fair use , and current communication laws. Knowledge of these laws or working with a music attorney can help you with this aspect of your business plan.

Service line and pricing structure

Your service line includes a complete list of your services and their costs. For musicians, this might include gigs, music lessons, and anything else you do to advance your career in music. It then breaks down the pricing of your services, including some potential for how that pricing can flex.

Services can vary heavily depending on your company and the services you offer. When you first start your business, you might specialize in a few areas. One milestone could be expanding to include additional features, like a record company offering email marketing services.

The service line section also includes your product lifecycle. For example, albums tend to make more money during their first year of release, and your lifecycle dictates how long you might make albums. If you go on a tour during the album, you might stop creating new albums or merchandise sales during this time. 

Service line information can also include information on intellectual property rights and how your band and albums will be copyrighted. You can also work to trademark your company (or band) logo.

Marketing, sales, and growth strategy

While your marketing research section details information about the market and industry, your marketing, sales, and growth section dictates how you plan on reaching target customers. The lean plan mentioned above briefly addresses this area.

The three areas you'll want to consider are your growth strategy, how you want to communicate with customers, and how you plan on selling your products.

Let's say you plan on creating your own Shopify e-commerce store for your business, which is a huge investment. This means your growth strategy, product sales, and customer communications will wrap around this tool. If you want to start simpler, mention how you plan on talking with fans and setting up merch tables at local shows.

Here, you'll see some examples of how you could write this section:

Our music business aims to market, sell, and grow by implementing a combination of online and offline strategies. Our marketing efforts will include targeted social media campaigns, SEO optimization for our website, and collaborations with music influencers and bloggers. We will also explore opportunities for live performances, partnerships with local venues, and utilizing traditional advertisement methods.

To drive sales, we will offer unique packages for our music services, including special promotions for first-time customers and loyalty rewards for returning clients. Our pricing strategy will be competitive while still maintaining the quality of our services.

In terms of customer retention, we will focus on delivering exceptional customer service and providing personalized experiences for our clients. Our unique selling proposition lies in our ability to offer customized music solutions tailored to different occasions and preferences.

Moving forward, our plans for growth and expansion include branching out to new markets and offering additional services such as music production and event management. We will also invest in building brand loyalty and expanding our customer base through strategic partnerships and collaborations within the music industry.

Why Should I Care About A Business Plan?

A business plan is a crucial tool for any musician or music industry professional looking to advance their career in the music industry. It serves as a roadmap for your career, helping you set goals, make strategic decisions, and stay on track for success.

One of the most significant benefits of having a business plan in the music industry is its ability to attract investors. A well-thought-out plan demonstrates to potential investors that you are serious about your music career and have a clear direction for success. It outlines your financial projections, marketing strategies, and potential for growth, making it more likely for investors to see the value in supporting your music endeavors.

Additionally, a business plan guides decision-making by providing a framework for evaluating opportunities and making informed choices. It forces you to consider all aspects of your music career, from marketing and promotion to touring and merchandising, ensuring that you have a comprehensive strategy in place.

Furthermore, a business plan helps define your brand identity and outline your unique selling points, target audience, and marketing message. This is crucial in the music industry, where standing out and connecting with fans is essential for success.

To learn more about how taxes can apply to a financial plan for your business, contact Augur CPA today .

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. You should consult your own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor regarding matters mentioned in this post. We take no responsibility for actions taken based on the information provided.

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Artist Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Artist Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their artist businesses. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write an artist business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is an Artist Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your artist business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for an Art Business

If you’re looking to start an artist business or grow your existing artist company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your artist business to improve your chances of success. Your artist business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Artist Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an artist business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for artist companies.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for an artist business.

If you want to start an artist business or expand your current one, you need a business plan in the proper business plan format . The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your artist business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of artist business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have an artist business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of artist businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.

• Give a brief overview of the artist industry.
• Discuss the type of artist business you are operating.
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of artist business you are operating.

For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of artist businesses:

• Antiques: This type of artist business may include the restoration, curation, and auction of antique furniture and other items.
• Art Consultant: This type of artist business involves helping clients find and select art pieces for their own collections.
• Tattoo Artist: Tattoos are a popular way for artists to earn money by tattooing permanent ink art onto their customers.
• Photography: Photographers may specialize in certain categories like wedding photography or nature photography.
• Graphic design: This type of business encompasses all kinds of design from creating logos and marketing materials for businesses to creating websites and designing products.
• Art teacher: This type of artist business involves art instruction and can include anything from teaching an elementary school art class to a recreational painting class, or an online art course.

In addition to explaining the type of artist business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of clients served, the number of art pieces sold, reaching $X amount in revenue, etc.
• Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the artist industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes. First, researching the artist industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends. The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your artist business plan:

• How big is the artist industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your artist business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your artist business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, schools, families, and corporations.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of artist business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other art businesses. Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This may include other sources of art pieces, auctions, or resellers. You need to mention such competition as well.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of artist business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you make it easier for your customers to engage with your product or service?
• Will you offer products or services that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a artist business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of artist company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you sell paintings or sculptures, consult on various art pieces, instruct a painting class, etc?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your artist company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your artist business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your artist marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to websites
• Distribute flyers
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your artist business, including answering calls, meeting with clients, billing and collecting payments, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to book your Xth client, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your artist business to a new city.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your artist business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing artist businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing an artist business or successfully running a small curation business.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you meet with 5 clients per day, and will you charge by the hour for art consultation services? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your artist business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a artist business:

• Cost of equipment and office supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a sample of your artist portfolio.  

Writing a business plan for your artist business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the sample template above, by the time you are done, you will have an expert artist business plan; download it to PDF to show banks and investors. You will understand the artist industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful artist business.  

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How Do You Start an Artist Business?

Starting an artist business is easy with these 14 steps:

• Choose the Name for Your Artist Business
• Create Your Artist Business Plan
• Choose the Legal Structure for Your Artist Business
• Secure Startup Funding for Your Artist Business (If Needed)
• Secure a Location for Your Business
• Register Your Artist Business with the IRS
• Open a Business Bank Account
• Get a Business Credit Card
• Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
• Get Business Insurance for Your Artist Business
• Buy or Lease the Right Artist Business Equipment
• Develop Your Artist Business Marketing Materials
• Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Artist Business
• Open for Business

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A music business plan: Why you need one and how to create it

• Best Practices

Can’t wait to become a musician and hang up your business casual wear? We get it. But there’s just one more administrative task to accomplish before you can do that: creating your music business plan . 

A career in music allows you to put your passion to work by recording tracks or performing for live audiences. But in order to make the most of it (and ensure you earn enough to meet your financial goals), you’ll want to start out with an artist business plan .

What is a business plan ? Essentially, it’s a document in which you state your goals and chart how to reach them. Think of it like manifesting, even if it seems more like office work. 

If you’re about to start a career in music, we’d venture to guess you have a dream. A solid business plan can help you get there. Stay with us in a corporate (okay, semi-corporate) mindset a few minutes longer while we explain the importance of a business plan for musicians . 

Why do you need a music business plan ?

We hope a major record label stumbles upon your music and offers you an incredible deal. 

But until you make your big break , you should plan to drive your own success with a business plan that maps out where you hope to be in five years. You’ll determine whether you’ll need to raise money to get started, how much you’ll need to earn, and what revenue streams you’ll have to help you get there. You may be starting your business plan now, but you can continue to modify it as your career develops and changes. 

Creating a music business plan: what do you need?

Ready to get to work? Start by outlining the following sections or use a music business plan template to help you stay organized.

1. Executive summary

Writing an executive summary might seem easier said than done, but trust us, it’s doable. In your own words, explain who you are, what kind of music you make, and why you do what you do. That’s right, this is your mission statement! An executive summary is a high-level view of your work, which is why it’s sometimes tricky to write. Don’t get lost in the details. If you get stuck, try creating this summary after you’ve finished the rest of your plan. 

2. Business description

Unlike the executive summary, which is your would-be elevator pitch, a business description gets down to brass tacks. Imagine you score a meeting with a music mogul who thinks you have what it takes to be a star. They’ll have questions about how your business is structured and registered, and they’ll also want to see some stats on your earnings, fan base, and growth. Provide all this information in your business description. 

3. Offerings

If you offer services like music for events, backup singing, or play-for-hire gigs, include a section in your business plan that lists out all that you provide. It’s important to diversify your income streams, so if you play solo gigs but also provide freelance songwriting or music production services, be sure to list all that here.

4. Audience analysis

Everyone has a target demographic. If you have a hard-core metal band, you’re probably not trying to attract pop fans. Or, maybe you have some serious crossover potential that you must mention in your audience analysis. In this section, highlight who your listeners or future clients are. If you plan to jam at weddings, then your target clients are brides- and grooms-to-be. If your goal is to become popular on streaming apps with your bassy house tunes, then your target audience is club-goers, say, from ages 18-30. 

5. Market analysis

A market analysis exists more for you than it does for anyone who reads your business plan. It helps you familiarize yourself with the industry. Do some research, and outline how much money is in the industry to determine what’s trending (aka what’s profitable). How’s the industry projected to fare in the next three, five and 10 years? Get to know your competition and figure out what businesses or platforms you can depend on to support your work. If you plan to become a recording artist, familiarize yourself with the big labels and major distribution platforms. 

6. Marketing plan

Until you have a record label or a team behind you, you’ll likely be in charge of your own marketing strategy. In this section of your business plan, outline your ideas for social media and any other type of online or print marketing you plan to do. If you hope to get your latest track out to music lovers around the world, build your reach on social media by opening accounts on all major platforms and posting consistent content that’s coherent with your “brand.” If you want to reach local audiences, perhaps an ad in regional papers or magazines is a good idea. Don’t forget to link to your merch site and streaming outlets, too, by putting a Linktree multi-URL in your social bios. 

7. Operations 

You know what you hope to achieve, but how are you going to get it done? Think of the operations section of a business plan as a generalized to-do list. Write out the tasks you’ll have to do every day to keep your music career up and running. If you can’t do it all yourself, think of whom you could outsource the work. This is also a good space in which to plan how you intend to reach your long-term goals, like accruing 10,000 social media followers. 

8. Finances

If the idea of creating financial statements makes your head spin, here’s where you may want to hire an accountant. In this section of your business plan, you’ll provide an income statement, cash flow statement and a balance sheet. Creating this section will help you identify the costs of running your music business and make more accurate financial projections. 

Having a business plan gives your career some shape. Not only will you feel more confident in your ability to make it in a tough industry, but investors and brands will believe in your potential as well. 

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How to Develop an Independent Music Artist Business Plan

Most independent music artists are not very good at business planning . Yes, most popular indie artists are creative and talented. But the ability to create a business plan is often outside their wheelhouse.

And every Independent Music Artist needs a plan, whether they know it or not. A business plan is a document that outlines the goals of your music career and how you plan to achieve them. It will help you stay focused and keep moving in the right direction.

You may have heard that artists don’t need to worry about money because they “make art” instead. This couldn’t be further from the truth. All musicians must understand  basic financial concepts  to keep their businesses running smoothly.

So, this article will help you create a simple yet effective music business plan. Are you an upcoming Independent Music Artist who wants to make a living from your music? If so, then read on.

Elements of a Good Business Plan

Every good business plan should include the following elements.

Vision Statement

A “vision statement” is a brief paragraph describing your business’ purpose. It should be no more than one or two sentences long. But this is the most crucial part of your plan because it sets the tone for everything else.

The vision statement serves as the anchor for your business. Many popular indie artists have powerful vision statements. They usually showcase them on their websites and social media profiles. It shows  potential investors  that the artist has a clear vision of where they want to go with their career.

Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives are quite different from the vision statement. Goals are specific and measurable and will help you determine where you want to go with your career. For example, if you want to  sell a particular number of albums  next year, that’s a goal.

Objectives are vaguer than goals. They’re things that will help lead you toward achieving your goals. For example, putting together a press kit is an objective. Your objective will help you sell more albums (your goal).

Defining your goals and objectives as an Independent Music Artist is essential to your success. Goals will help you focus on what you want out of your career. On the other hand, objectives will help you achieve those goals.

Target Audience

Popular indie artists already know their target audience. But it’s important to revisit this information every once in a while. Re-evaluating your target audience can help you better connect with them. It’ll give you an idea of how to create music that will appeal to them.

And an upcoming Independent Music Artist must define their target audience. This will help them figure out who they should be creating music for. To do this, you’ll need to know where your fans are and what they like about your music.

You can do this by looking at the data from your social media accounts. You’ll see which songs have the most likes and shares (or comments).

Marketing Strategy

The next step in your business plan is to develop a marketing strategy. This is how you’ll get your music out there, reach new fans and grow your audience.

You can create an online presence on social media sites. You can also post updates about new songs or videos as they are available.

However, remember that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. You’ll need to adapt your approach depending on where your fans are and what they like about your music.

That’s why this stage is crucial. You’ll be wasting time and money if you market to the wrong people. The same goes for being too generic in your marketing efforts—you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd.

Finances are integral to any successful business. And the music business is no different. You need to plan for your financial future and your artistic one.

One of the most important things you can do is ensure that you have enough money saved. This helps because you won’t be left in the lurch if something goes wrong.

Don’t forget about taxes, either. Ensure you have all the information on how much each gig pays and what percentage goes toward taxes.

Another aspect of finances for an Independent Music Artist is attracting investors and sponsors. You may  need extra money  to get your business off the ground or want to expand your brand. If this is the case, look at how you can attract investors and sponsors. Look for those who want to see their name associated with yours.

Organizational Chart

“Why do I need an organizational chart? Isn’t it just for popular indie artists?” We understand your sentiments. And on the surface, you might think you don’t need an organizational chart. After all, you don’t have a big team or many employees.

But if you have big dreams and hope to grow your brand, you may need an organizational chart to help you plan.

An organizational chart is a visual representation of the structure of an organization. It shows who reports to whom and how many levels there are between them. It’s also helpful in portraying how responsibilities overlap and what each person handles.

Don’t worry if you’re an upcoming independent artist. You don’t need a big team or many employees to benefit from an organizational chart. You can use it to keep track of your creative process and ensure that you’re spending your time on the right things.

And when you eventually have a team, you’ll be glad you thought ahead and prepared.

Products/Services

“Products and services?” you may ask, “What do they have to do with being an independent musician?” Firstly, you need to define what you do. How can anyone else if you don’t know what your business is about?

This is essential because it helps you decide where to focus your efforts. If you’re starting as an Independent Music Artist, you don’t want to waste time and money on things that don’t create value.

For example, let’s say you plan to make a living off live shows. Then it’s more vital to focus on playing in front of people. You don’t need to spend lots of time perfecting your website or social media presence.

Popular indie artists might have their products and services as merchandise, talk shows, or songs. You might be an artist who offers lessons, workshops, or master classes. Are you a singer-songwriter? Then you could  sell your songwriting skills  as a service to other artists.

Whatever your product or service, you need to know what it is and how it adds value to your audience. This allows you to focus on those things that add the most value and leave out the rest.

As you can see, a business plan isn’t exclusive to large corporations and popular indie artists. An indie artist business plan can help you focus on the most critical aspects of your career. It’ll help you make better marketing, promotion , and distribution decisions.

If you’re an independent music artist just starting, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Many online resources can help you start a new business plan or update an existing one.

Need help? Contact our award-winning support team 24/7 at [email protected]

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Tip Jar: How To Write A Music Business Plan

The biggest mistake artists make when it comes to procuring financing for their music ventures is the lack of a business plan. Artists and musicians must understand that music is a business and should run like one. Once you’ve decided that music is your business, you must set aside time to write out a solid business plan if you want to grow as a business, attract investors, increase your fan base, market and sell music or launch a crowdfunding campaign.  Here are the essential elements you’ll need to begin your process of establishing a business plan:

1. Write it down (the rough draft)

Whether it’s temporarily written down on a napkin or typed in Microsoft Office, you need to get your plan from out of your head. Start by considering where you are currently in your music career and where you want to be. Give yourself a realistic time frame and work backwards, citing the steps and resources required to reach each milestone in your plan.

2. Take yourself seriously

This is not a joking matter. If you don’t take yourself seriously, no one else will, so include pertinent information regarding your music business. Before you complete your plan, make sure you’ve captured the essence of your music business with the same passion you have for your music.

3. Before you dive in headfirst

Creating a music business plan can be an overwhelming task if you allow it to be. Remember, the only way to eat an elephant is one spoonful at a time, so take a moment to breathe and gather your thoughts.

4. Taking personal and professional inventory

If you have been in the music business for at least a year, you should have a basic idea how a music business operates. In fact, you are most likely implementing core business principles and practices at your current level. Now take it a step further by conducting a SWOT analysis.

A SWOT analysis is a simple assessment of your personal or professional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats as they apply to your music business. Begin by taking a piece of paper and folding it into four equal squares. At the top of each square going clockwise, write each component of the SWOT analysis in its own square. Then create a bulleted list of all the information regarding your business in the corresponding squares. Once completed, you will have the framework to create a formal business plan.

5. Understand what should be included in your plan

At a minimum, your plan should include the following:

A ) Executive Summary - An overview of your company, including an executive summary, mission statement, goals and objectives and a brief artist history.

B ) Market Analysis - Here you will analyze the current music market, with special focus on your genre of music. Include opportunities, competitors, trends, market size and growth potential.

C ) Company Description - Describe who you are, what you offer and the audience your business serves.

D ) Organization & Management Structure - A layout of your organizational structure. Are you an LLC, corporation or sole proprietorship? List the key team players, i.e. management, promotions, legal, accounting, etc.

E ) Marketing & Sales - How do you plan to market your music to the consumer (fans)? List your sales, product pricing and positioning strategies, marketing channels, ecommerce and communication strategies, as well as distribution and promotion networks.

F ) Products or Services - Explain the music related products and services your business is offering. Are you selling physical CDs or only digital downloads? Are you offering merch for sale such as T-shirts, posters, download cards and stickers? Do you have your own website outside of your social network that also serves as an online store for your music and merch?

G ) Funding Request or Needs - How much money do you need to get your operation off the ground? How much will you need for operation costs such as fixed and non-fixed expenses? Are you or your staff taking a salary? What are your costs for manufacturing, distribution and marketing?

H ) Financial Projections - How will your music business make money? What are the current and future revenue streams of your business? Be as clear as possible, investors hate ambiguity.

I ) Appendix (if needed) - If you already have an existing music business, use this section to add documents such as: revenue model, resume of owners (founders), cash flow statement, income statement, balance sheet and any other information that can help you stay on plan and attract the right people to your business.

6. Writing the plan using a  mind map

Just like creating a song, you will never really finish your business plan; you just have to stop and be okay with what you have. A business plan should evolve in sync with your business.

As a creative type, this is probably more than what you signed up for, but I assure you that it is a well worthwhile venture. Begin by creating an outline using the parameters I mentioned early. Some business plans are far more granular than what I have offered here, but use this information as a guide to establish the basic elements.

Artists, start your plan by creating a mind map. A mind map is a diagram that visually outlines information. Draw a circle in the center of a piece of paper and write the main idea or concept in the middle. Use lines to connect smaller circles with related ideas or subtopics. Once you’ve jotted down your thoughts, use the mind map to create an outline.

7. Pulling it all together

Once you have the first draft of your business plan, put it down and walk away for a few days. After a short mental vacation, review your plan and make corrections where necessary. Make sure it is properly formatted and free of errors.

Keep in mind that your music business plan is a living document that will serve as the roadmap for your career, but it should be fluid enough to adjust to changes in the market. Visit my website http://musicbusi nessguruacademy.com/businessplantemplate and download my free Word doc Music Business Plan template.

8. Distributing your music business plan (the final draft)

Once the final draft of your business plan is ready, distribute it across your organization and discuss it. Does the plan provide the reader with the key goals of your business? If so, your business plan can be used to help you launch a crowdfunding campaign, find an investor or take on business partners.

SAHPREEM A. KING is a Multiplatinum music producer, DJ, music industry journalist and author of several music industry books, including Dude, I Can Help You! 18 Mistakes Artists Make and How To Fix Them . King has used the knowledge he acquired as an artist, producer and educator to create an online music business course that he will offer from his website http://musicbusinessguruacademy.com in early 2014. He can be contacted at [email protected] .

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Music Business Plan

Music can unite individuals, inspire social change, and strengthen communities & it is satisfactory for many musicians too. Plus the financial and creative rewards are great. Therefore, want to start your own music studio or band? Then planning everything priorly is the priority.

Need help writing a business plan for your music studio business? You’re at the right place. Our music business plan template will help you get started.

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

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How to Write a Music Business Plan?

Writing a music business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your business:

• This section may include the name of your music business, its location, when it was founded, the type of music business (E.g., record labels, music publishers, live music industry), etc.

Market opportunity:

Product and services:.

• For instance, you may include music recordings and albums as services.

Marketing & sales strategies:

Financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your company. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business description:

• Record labels
• Music publishers
• Live music industry
• Music streaming services
• Describe the legal structure of your music company, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.
• Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place.

Mission statement:

Business history:.

• Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.

Future goal:

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market:

• For instance, music lovers, music directors, movies, younger audiences, etc can be the ideal market for the music business.

Market size and growth potential:

Competitive analysis:, market trends:.

• For instance, the demand for rap and pop music is increasing; explain how you plan on dealing with this potential growth opportunity.

Regulatory environment:

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your music production business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Describe your music services:

Mention the music services your business will offer. This list may include services like,

• Music stores
• Music licensing services
• Music promotion services
• Music education services

Describe each service:

In short, this section of your music plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique selling proposition (USP):

• For example, exclusive content, high-quality production, niche market focus, etc, could be some of the great USPs for a professional music company.

Pricing strategy:

Marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, this section of your music studio business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your music business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & training:

Operational process:, equipment & instrument:.

• Explain how these technologies help you maintain quality standards and improve the efficiency of your business operations.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your music business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founder/CEO:

Key managers:.

• It should include, key executives(e.g. COO, CMO.), senior management, and other department managers (e.g. operations manager, music director.) involved in the music business operations, including their education, professional background, and any relevant experience in the industry.

Organizational structure:

Compensation plan:, advisors/consultants:.

• So, if you have any advisors or consultants, include them with their names and brief information consisting of roles and years of experience.

This section should describe the key personnel for your music business services, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:.

• This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.

Financing needs:

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the music industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your music business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This sample music business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful music plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our music business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a music business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful music business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your music company.

How to get funding for your music business?

There are several ways to get funding for your music business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

Small Business Administration (SBA) loan

Crowdfunding, angel investors.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your music business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your music business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your music business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any music business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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The Vocal Freedom Circle is back!

The 11 Pillars of Artist Development Every Emerging Music Artist Should Know

• July 13, 2022
• By Cari Cole

This post helps you get started, but that’s only the beginning. My Step Up to the Spotlight Program will take you step-by-step through the artist development process–the same process I’ve used to help my clients win Grammy Awards, get featured in Rolling Stone, secure major licensing deals, get signed to management and labels, and live the dream. 

Every serious passionate artist needs an artist development plan. It is not optional. Without it, months and years will pass without accomplishing what you need to create a career in music. Not having a plan is only delaying the work that needs to be done and further delays your achievements and success.

Artist Development is the process a musician goes through to develop their craft and the skills necessary to build a professional career in the music industry. The process involves, vocal training, songwriting, A&R direction, development of sound and direction, artist persona development, image and branding, music and video production, live performance development, marketing message and career planning and strategy.

Is it something you can achieve on your own? Yes. Is it significantly better and could you shave years off your climb working with a team like ours? Yes.

Each artist requires a different approach depending on their level of skill and where they are with their music. It’s quite involved but all under the umbrella of artist development. Voice, songs, artist brand, career.

As an artist developer I create a plan to help the artist uplevel their music to the level where they stand out in the marketplace. This is necessary to attract the opportunities you need to move forward with your career. Knowing the best next steps is key.

The perfect place to get started  is my 6-week kickstart artist development program here: Step Up to the Spotlight

I officially got into artist development in 2007 after being a vocal coach for 20 years, when I created my first online program Step Up to the Spotlight 6-week Artist Development Program . Over the past 15 years of running this program, I’ve continued to perfect and tweak the content and this new version of Step Up is now in its best form ever serving thousands of artists worldwide.

Further down, I’ll share some snapshots of some key turning points I’ve helped artists with that significantly improved the course of their careers in half of the time it would have taken them on their own. Some got record and management deals – some built their own empire. They all moved forward exponentially.

Let’s dive into the 11 Pillars.

1. Artist Development Assessment + Timeline

The first thing I want to establish when working with an artist is — where are you on your path? Each artist needs a personalized plan to fit their needs.

Are you an:

• Aspiring Artist
• Emerging Artist
• Established Artist

Next, I want to establish a timeline from where you are now to the next phase of your development or career. There are phases and stages for each artist. It’s important to touch on all of the skills and knowledge required to excel in your career. It’s also important to do it in the right phases so as not to jump ahead or fall behind when those aspects are not relative to where you are right now – and also not to miss anything vital. For instance — focusing too much on social media before you have music out which takes your focus away from the foundational elements of becoming a really good singer, songwriter and performer – without which no amount of marketing will make up for. Or on the other end — focusing too much on your musicianship when you need to be out in the world more! Knowing the exact right things to do for you at the right times in your career can not only save time but a lot of heartache and delays.

Working with an artist development expert like myself brings decades of experience from working with thousands of artists at all levels of their careers, over multiple genres which will help you reach your goals in half the time – and with much more success.

You can get started right now with instant access to Module 1 of my Step Up to the Spotlight Kickstart 6 week Artist Development Program

2. Developing Stellar Musicianship + Skills

Your voice, your songs, your musicianship, and your performance skills are the bedrock of a successful career. Without even one of them, you’re not ready to fly – not yet! Work on your music, every day – even if it’s just for 20 minutes. If you really want this, you have to have the motivation and dedication to devote time to your development. It’s critical.

Track your progress with our Daily Regimen inside our Free Step Up to the Spotlight Artist Development Program . It’s in Module 1 waiting for you here.

Every artist has holes in different places that they need to fill in to round out their skills. I design a regimen for each artist depending on the skills they need to develop. When you work with me privately I get you on track quickly and efficiently.

I also help those that procrastinate and have trouble with their daily schedule – which is a huge problem for many emerging artists. It usually has to do with not knowing where to start, or what is most important to work on – or — it’s based in emotional regulation or trauma-based issues. I know, I’ve been there myself. I have lots of tricks and holistic solutions up my sleeve!

3. Building the Right Song Catalog

Your songs are a big piece of your career. Whether you write your own songs or are looking to, you should. I used to tell my early vocal students that if they want to be successful in this business that they need to learn how to write songs. One of those young artists was Jess Best who I started working with when she was 11 – all the way through to the age of 18 when she then went away to music school at Wesleyan. So she became not only an amazing singer but a really strong songwriter. Here’s a link to her song More on Spotify at over 5,000,000 streams. What if she hadn’t started writing with me in her teen years? It would have taken her much longer to be where she is now.

Building a strong song catalog starts with writing – a lot. In our Signature Songwriting Circle we teach you how to write for yourself as an artist and VIP seats get to write with me and my expert songwriting team who has written with John Legend, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, FINNEAS and many more. Learn more here.

4. A&R Direction: Developing Your Sound + Direction

Finding, refining or developing your sound and direction is EVERYTHING. Think of Alanis Morrisette before Jagged Little Pill? Or Lady Gaga at the Bitter End before she was Lady Gaga? They hadn’t found themselves yet. It starts by examining and exploring your natural instincts, leaning into that and then amplifying what you find alongside the guidance from experts who will be able to mine the gold from your hidden natural talent. Every artist has a unique expression and gifts to bring that are often missed or not expressed early enough.

Over decades of being an artist myself as well as guiding other artists, I developed a unique therapeutic but brand-centric system that helps artists find what is unique about them. When you really find who you are as an artist it’s a transformative process that brings an inner and outer confidence.

“Working with Cari Cole and her incredible team has been the most valuable experience of my music career. When I came to Cari and the CCVM team I was confused and frustrated. I was without a clear plan that I felt passionate about in releasing my next music project. I had no idea joining the Signature Songwriting Circle would be the first step to creating my best catalog of work so far! Through Cari’s guidance, development and connection to this community of talented writers and artists, I found myself in my art again. I also found beautiful and lasting relationships with other artists and writers in the international music community. If you are feeling stuck and alone in your artistry or music career START HERE. The resources, connections and industry professionals provided to you through Cari Cole’s programs are priceless. Whether you want to improve your vocal performance, songwriting, artist direction, catalog development or work on a solid business plan that’s aligned with you, Cari and her team will get it done with you. Thank you so much Cari Cole, for everything.” ~ Alexayndra @_alexayndra

Being in the industry for a little bit it’s super easy to lose your way. I created a company of artists that are here to help other artists. Our goal is to help you find your unique voice using our experience over 3 decades in music, our expert ears and our kind supportive guidance.

Read more about our artist development process here .

5. Recording + Production

Knowing when to put music out, in what capacity is key to developing the connection with your listeners. It starts by taking the temperature of your career. Is it time for a couple of Singles, an EP or an LP? What does your audience need from you and why?

I see artists hop too much on trends. Like thinking singles will build your career more. But singles don’t create a career because it’s not a body of work for your listeners to sink their teeth into. Singles are good initially, but it’s not going to do that much for you. Singles should be released in a sequence (2 or 3 8 weeks apart) followed up with a 7 song EP or 10 song LP depending on where you are at in your career. At a certain point an LP is really important to put you on the map.

And then there’s the issue of finding the right producer. Those of you who have music out in the marketplace know exactly what I’m talking about. Working with the right producer and professional team that knows how to help you carve a unique sound and make a record that make a statement and carries a strong message that can help you stand out in the marketplace is essential. I have a customized A&R experience that works with the artist to develop their unique sound and direction for the record before they go to the producer . This gives you a chance to really dive into the sound you want to create and helps give the producer a nice solid direction from the start eliminating any grey areas or confusion. Then we help to find the right producer who is able to deliver that sound.

Read more tips on what’s next for your career here.

6. Artist Persona + Branding

This is the fun stuff! Building the artist persona, finding the right name, building out the branding or rebranding is such a key element in the impacting listeners and building your community.

Here’s an example of an amazing artist I worked with and how we worked some brand magic together.

Case Study 1: Simrit

When Simrit came to work with me, she had a beautiful album out and a nice small following of devoted listeners. She performed mostly in yoga studios at the time or at yoga festivals. At that time she was wearing a Sikh turban – part of the spiritual practice she follows. It was on the cover of her album at the time. I asked her if she wanted to continue to play to that niche audience or expand out, and given she wanted to reach a bigger audience, we started to develop her brand – and we started with her image. Simrit found these beautiful headdresses that female singers in Greece would wear and started designing her own. They evolved to the beautiful ones she wears today. We also worked on her sound to fit the direction she wanted to move in. This was a big piece of helping her to design a sound that really spoke from her soul. We also worked on opening up her already beautiful voice and giving it more strength and power. Working with Simrit was a beautiful experience. She is such a lovely heart and a big light for people. She went from performing to 75-100 people to filling rooms of 5000+ and playing big festivals. One of my favorite artist development experiences.

“Working with Cari has not only propelled my career, but it has also changed my life in the most profound way. She has shared with me how to empower myself through my own persona and music. She never stops giving. The passion, love, and care that she shows for my success is rare and very powerful. I receive a transmission each time I read her blogs, emails and take her very interactive courses: I’ve taken 2 already, and I continue to keep up with her offerings. She sincerely has my best interest in mind…I can feel that. I trust her, and that is so helpful in this world…to know that someone’s got my back like that. You can’t put a price on someone or something that projects success from the depths of their heart and soul.” ~ Simrit, simritkaurmusic.com

7. Creating a Artist Business Plan + Pitch Deck

Every artist going into the business needs a business plan. You can Google them to get an idea of how to get started.

Your business plan starts with your Mission Statement and your Story. Your Mission Statement is what you want your music to do for your listeners. The community of people you want to serve. The reason why you do music. It should have your heart in it.

Your Story is the building of your story about who you are as an artist. It comes from your life. Not so much about how you got into music but choosing key elements from your life and parts of your story that make you stand out.

For instance right now I’m building a story about an artist Alexayndra (mentioned above in #4) who is from Salem, Massachusetts. She grew up amidst tarot and crystal shops and has paranormal experiences. We are building the story of her to attract the right audience for her. It’s very exciting to see her step forward into her authentic voice and mission as an artist.

She started in our Step Up to the Spotlight Program and following that joined our Signature Songwriting Circle where we do this in a group environment that has some private sessions to develop the sound, artist persona and direction. And then later in private sessions at our label services company we built a 21 page Artist Business Plan that she can take to a label or an investor with all 3 Phases of her brand and product line built out. It’s really cool! For more information reach out to our team at [email protected] .

~ Alexayndra @_alexayndra

8. Record Release + Marketing Message and Strategy

Every time you release a new product in the marketplace it’s an opportunity to introduce yourself to a new audience and/or reintroduce yourself to your existing audience.

The record release plan needs a strong marketing message for the record and for each individual single (that fits under the umbrella of the overall artist marketing message.) This is crucial, because the music won’t completely speak for itself. It’s the message and the visual that will make people click play or not. It’s an art.

Start by writing out your record release plan and marketing message and the strategy you want to use — how you will release. On what platforms and for how long. All of the details you can think of — and plan at least 6 months ahead of a release. The key is building out your marketing message – the key elements that makes people click “play” and opt-in to your world! There’s a lot to do, but without the right marketing message and visuals releases can fall flat. You want to ensure that hard work will pay off. Think “what’s in it for them” – not you! People respond to content that connects with them and offers some value.

At our label services company ccvm.co , we design a release strategy and help artists get organized to plan ahead so they can make more impact and have more successful releases that build opportunities for them. Releases are the starting point to excel your career and a great opportunity to grow your music in the world – when it’s done right.

9. Build the Right Team + Marketing Partners

Living the dream in music is all about planning ahead, getting into the nitty-gritty details, putting out a high level product — and finding the right people to work with. Who is your dream team?

I remember when I was 19, waitressing and going to music school in New York. I was in a rock band and wanted to take voice lessons. I went to a handful of teachers before I found the one that clicked. And she was the top teacher at the time teaching all of the emerging and successful rock stars in the world. I remember Cyndi Lauper had her lesson right before me. She was in “Blue Angel” at the time – this was before she broke through with her single “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” I got to watch all of that happen and learn a ton working with my coach. Also my coach was more expensive than the others, but I wanted the best and knew she could get me there faster. Remember, I was a waitress, so it was hard to part with those dollars every week, but I’m so glad I stuck to it. I ended up getting signed to a record deal, debuting my record at Carnegie Hall and getting a standing ovation at Town Hall in front of Whitney Houston’s mother among winning many awards – I was living the dream, which happened because I invested in the right team. From a vocal coach to cowriters, to producers, mentors, strategists, management, marketing team and possibly a label or your own admin team – finding people that believe in you and your music is key.

Working with mentors in the industry can help you find those key team players and partners. I recently worked with an artist who has an amazing new record and was looking for help with birthing the record to the world. In our work together I found a key marketing partner for his music with a targeted audience to launch his new music to. We are building out his marketing message to reflect what the record is about to connect with new and existing audiences. It’s an exciting moment to see it all come together.

10. The Right Industry Introductions

The music industry is a small place but it’s also a big place. For artists there are lots of choices these days for who to work with. But not everyone can do something for you! Its important to look for people or companies that represent your genre when it comes to labels, licensing and marketing partners. Different genres have different pockets of professionals to work with – and it is smart to connect with people who like the same kind of music.

For instance, I have artists coming to me looking for licensing and I try to explain to them that they need to find the kind of licensing company that releases music similar to theirs but isn’t overloaded with artists in that genre. It’s because music companies tend to resonate with the sound that the President or Founder likes (if they are active). You’ll see it across the board. And that is a good thing for you, because the you can seek them out by listening to the artists they represent. Same with marketing companies. I like to intro new artists or re-emerging artists to companies where like-minded artists are. Works most of the time and builds great industry introductions and relationships. And — I help the artist get everything ready so when we make that introduction the artist is ready!

11. Building Career Opportunities

As an artist first, I’ve been through the entire artist development process from soup to nuts myself. I have also guided thousands of artists through the process taking them from obscurity to working in the business, getting management or label deals or build their own team. I work alongside many artists helping them build career opportunities and manage their own empires.

Case Study 2: Rainsford

I met Rainsford when she was 19 turning 20. She was living in New York and auditioning for musical theatre. She needed a voice coach to work on her voice. So we started off with vocal technique and building a stronger instrument. Rainey has a gorgeous alto honey-toned voice and I got her singing more healthfully and expanding her tone and range. As a songwriter and artist myself I was curious about whether she wanted to write songs. She started bringing me her journal entries and we started writing songs together. We wrote a 22-song catalog and one of them ended up in a film at Sundance where we flew out to perform. She got signed that night to a record and development deal, right from the stage, I barely had time to put my guitar in its case and off she went! That kicked off her career and now she is playing big stages and living the dream.

“Cari seems to have an innate sensitivity towards people’s true selves. I think that is why she is such a great co-writer. When I first started bringing Cari lyrics, I was thrilled to find out just how intuitive and talented she is as a musician and songwriter. While I was embarrassed at first to let someone read what seemed like my diary, Cari was not at all judgmental. She has helped me get to the bottom of my messages and is able to see the parts of my songs that need some work. Cari saw and believed in my potential, I think, even more than I did. She has helped me put together my sound and style as an artist. With her guidance, I signed a record deal and my career has taken off. She is a friend, and mentor, and her steadfast commitment has changed my course as an artist for the better.” ~ Rainsford, rainsfordmusic.com

Get started here: Step Up to the Spotlight 6 week Kickstart Artist Development Program

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Hi, I’m Cari Cole.

You’ve got talent, but you want to become great at it. you’re in the right place my mission is to help you refine your unique artist vision to bring to the world., about cari cole.

Cari Cole is the CEO / Founder of caricole.com and CCVM: Label Without Walls. She is a Holistic Vocal Coach, Artist Development Expert, A&R Director, and Songwriter based in New York City helping artists for the past 38 years. She is a mentor for Women in Music and The Association of Independent Music Publishers. Her latest venture, CCVM a label services company, provides artists with a seamless path from creation to completion. After 30+ years of observing the overwhelm and challenges that artists face, Cari pulled together the best top creative professionals and designed a new approach to supporting our artists.

Disclaimer: The information provided on Cari Cole's website is informational only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Cari Cole's website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

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How to Write a Business Plan for an Artist’s Business

7 min. read

Updated January 24, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Arts and Crafts Business Plan Templates

“But how can I write a business plan? I’m an artist.”

He was one of my favorite students in the class I used to teach on starting a business. He had a delightful way of challenging assumptions, occasionally on the basis that art, by its very nature, was above—or perhaps immune—to cash flow. As a student, he was engaged, intelligent, and eager to learn; so yes, he was one of my favorites.

“What, you aren’t going to sell paintings?” I responded. “You don’t plan to pay your rent and other expenses? You don’t care if checks bounce?”

How you make money is at the heart of an artist’s business plan

He agreed, somewhat begrudgingly, that maybe an artist wanted to survive in the world like anybody else.

On reflection, he decided that he liked the idea of making a living without abandoning his art. In the end, he saw himself in a condition similar to the professional, like a bookkeeper or consultant, faced with the idea of doing what he loved, in conjunction with a plan.

In this case, being an artist meant creating paintings to be hung on walls. But “artist” can mean a broad range of related things, from fine art and (ugh, so crass) commercial art, to design, writing, acting, stand-up comedy, and even live art. I’m in favor of whatever works for you and in awe of people who actually manage to combine talent, passion, and hard word to make that work for them as a way of life. Hats off.

So how do you make a business plan and use it to optimize the business side of your art? Here are some suggestions.

The big idea—making money

The first big hurdle for the artist business plan is what they call the business model, or, if you don’t like the trendy buzzword, how you make money.

If you’re a performer, I assume it’s about gigs, managers, and that stuff. Or, it’s about selling your paintings, sculptures, or photographs. Maybe you’re okay with being the starving artist, but if not, it’s “show me the money.” Don’t discount the obvious—take a look at the results of a quick web search, in the illustration here, for  “where to sell my paintings.”

Don’t completely discount the related businesses. Writers teach literature, painters teach fine arts. There are galleries. There are websites buying, selling, and collecting art. You can be as creative with the business model as you are with your art. Stand-up comedy is a tough career, I hear, but there are people getting around the gatekeepers using YouTube and downloads.

One of my personal favorite artist-with-a-plan stories is the story of  Paul Anthony and Rumblefish.  He was a talented musician—a drummer who built a business around selling music rights for films and ads. He started from his dorm room at the University of Oregon in 1996; he sold his company, Rumblefish.com, for $27 million in 2015.

Eventually, you settle in on how you hope to make money. Talk to people about it, search the web, sample websites, ads, displays, prices—get as much how-to information as you can and settle in on what you’re going to try.

That is the heart of your artist business plan: how you make money.

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• Strategy and tactics

Strategy is focus. It’s as much about what you don’t do as what you do. Figure out where you are going to concentrate your business efforts. It could be as simple as what kind of work you sell, to whom, through what channels. Or it might be what kind of performance, and how you reach the gatekeepers. Think about what makes you different, who will buy from you, and what you sell to them.

With strategy set, you need tactics to execute. Tactics are decisions you make about pricing, channels, websites, social media, managers, agents, stores, overhead, allies, and so forth. Make sure your tactics match your strategy.

For more on strategy and tactics, check out  Strategy Is Useless without Execution  and  Strategic Plan for Your Business,  also here on Bplans. If you’re a  LivePlan  user, determining your strategy and tactics can be as simple and direct as filling out the pitch page in LivePlan, which defines market, strategy, tactics, and so forth. If not, strategy and tactics can be as easy as a few bullet points you set down and keep track of. You don’t have to include long eloquent texts to make a business plan for yourself. Just include what you need, and will use.

• Milestones and metrics

Think through some manageable and measurable milestones—goals—you’re going to meet along the way. It might be your first gig; your first painting sold; your first painting available through some website; your first YouTube video posted, or the 100th; or maybe reaching 500 likes or 1,000 followers; or getting on the Jimmy Fallon show. Try to spell it out, though, so you can aim for it and work toward it.

The metrics help you track progress. Units sold, gigs, unique visitors, conversion rates, viewers, likes, follows—avoid having a plan full of generalities only. Keep it concrete and specific so you can use it to guide yourself and optimize your business.

For more on that, read  Milestones Make Your Business Plan a Real Plan.  For a personal view of metrics, with some suggestions, read my post on my blog here at Bplans:  Magic of Metrics, Tyranny of Metrics.

• Essential business numbers

Although a lot of people fear forecasts, don’t. It’s easier to do essential forecasts than to run a business without them. A simple sales forecast can be extremely helpful for your business later, as you track actual results, compare them to the forecast, and analyze the difference. What went right? What went wrong? Where were you off? If you don’t lay out a  forecast  first, you lose the opportunity to follow up with the management of it.

And yes, I know, you’re an artist, that’s not what you do. It’s hard on the self-image, but it’s good for the bank balance. You can do it, and it will help you succeed. Consider this previous post:

Do a spending budget linked to the sales forecast. A lot of your spending—marketing activities, for example—ought to have a direct connection with the projected sales that will result. For more on that, try my recent post on my blog here at Bplans:  How to Do a Spending Budget.  That’s part of a whole series I finished recently, on  standard business plan financials.

And, most important, plan your cash flow. Make sure you have enough cash in the bank to pay your rent and other bills. Having enough sales is a critical first step, managing spending is next, and then make sure you have the full cash flow including things like loan repayment, buying inventory, and supplies. For more on cash flow, try this post:  How to Forecast Cash Flow.

Remember: It’s planning that matters, not just the plan

The point of the business plan for most artists isn’t just having the plan; it’s using it to optimize your business. Expect your plan to change often. It’s a cycle that starts with the first plan and continues from then on, as long as you are in business. I call it P-R-R-R, as in the illustration here on the right.

Use it like a dashboard, a tool for checking your progress against goals, for tracking results, and doing regular course corrections. Think of it as a business navigation system, which includes destination, route, and—with regular review and revisions—real-time information to adjust the route as you go.

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

Table of Contents

• The big idea—making money
• Remember: It’s planning that matters, not just the plan

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A Sample Music Business Plan

I just got home from a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my mother, sister, brother, niece and nephew in Franklin Park, New Jersey. The roads were slick from an early snow shower that turned to freezing rain. As I was driving home it dawned on me that I haven’t written a blog post (on any topic) in over a month. But tonight I suddenly found the inspiration to present…

A Sample Music Business Plan for Your Band

For those of you who haven’t read my previous posts on this topic, I’ll briefly bring you up to speed. I wrote a post on Music Think Tank Open that was transferred to the main page (an honor in my book) called How to Write a Music Business Plan . It was a bit fluffy like this one might end up and one of the MTT readers called me on it. The first comment was, “Would have been stronger with a template or sample.” I got pissed off and created a template . Thanks again Justin .

However, I never provided a sample for two reasons. One, I thought that I might loose business opportunities by providing a sample of a plan that I’ve done. People like to copy plans instead of learning the steps or hiring a business plan writer like myself. Two, because business plans as you will see in the sample below, are confidential. Half of my clients will make me sign a Non Disclosure Agreement and swear me to secrecy for good reason. Luckily for you about a year ago, one rap group from VA gave me the go ahead to publish their plan, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

My Inspiration

Every time I sit down to write another music business plan I think about all of the starving artists out there who have failed to see the value in the business planning process. There are all sorts of books out there telling people not to plan. I personally don’t understand that concept at all.

I’ve read that planning is nothing more that guessing recently. If that’s the case, I’ve been one lucky dude. I plan everything. I plan what body part I’m going to work at the gym tomorrow, what I’ll have for dinner the next day and what I’ll will wear to work on Monday. I honestly feel that I would not be as successful as I am if it weren’t for careful planning.

Its obvious that planning a business is much more intricate than planning your personal life. If running a business was as easy as having an idea and going for it, we’d all be rich. A plan not only provides you with a framework for growth, but also takes a closer look at the details of your business; ones that are typically over looked without a business plan. A CEO has to manage everything from personnel to product development and marketing to distribution and accounting. How is one supposed to conceptualize that process in their head? The answer is clear to me. You can’t.

Elements of a good plan

Whether you are planning to approach a bank or family member for financing or simply look at ways to improve your business, a good plan includes the five sections that follow.

1. Executive Summary

2. Products and Services

3. Marketing Plan

4. Management Plan

5. Financial Plan

Details on each of these plans can be found in previous posts and outlined in depth in my template, You don’t have to take my work for it however, there are tons of resources online that will tell you the same thing about business planning. Over the years I have tailored these plans to mirror the needs of the ever changing music industry. Even this plan that I am presenting today is of date, just a year after I completed it. That should tell you that a business plan should be a living and breathing part of your business and updated as your wants and needs change.

Kevin English is a marketer and student of the arts, who blogs about the skills and strategies necessary to get the most of your musical career at  http://eleetmusic.com  or on Twitter  @eleetmusic .

References (1)

Reader Comments (21)

Nice piece Kevin. In the future, I see investors providing funding for well organized groups that have traction and a working business model. Terry McBride's Nettrwerk Group started a joint venture fund called Polyphonic where his company's intent is to invest in artists that are in a place where they could grow with the help of outside funding. Any band with a good team and there business in order can benefit from doing a business plan. Doing one properly provides any band's music business with an excellent road map for future growth. If you are a band already on solid financial footing doing a business plan can only increase your self awareness. Additionally, if you are serious about investor funding, most serious investors will want to see at the very least a detailed well thought out Executive Summary of your project.

David Sherbow CEO, www.LiveMusicMachine.com

Thanks Dave. Polyphonic looks interesting. Its about time someone stepped up to the plate to take advantage of the scaling of independent musicians. I'll have to do some research on them myself.

Hey Kevin, not sure you'll remember me, but we connected back in the spring and we talked on the phone briefly about my music business plan. I'll say for the most part, the majority of what I planned for (or more so my goals) got accomplished and I'm moving on to rehashing out things for 2011 that I simply did not get to this year.

One thing I learned as I implemented my plan was that some things took longer (and more $$) than I wanted and I had to learn to be okay with that. Like my album for instance. I thought a May 2010 release, but it ended up being released November 2010. But the thing is is that it was my first one and I had no idea how it played out in reality.

I read a good book recently, "Rework", that had an interesting chapter on plans--thought I'd see what your reaction was. To summarize they say:

- plans are fantasy, there are too many factors out of your hands to predict - start referring to your business plans as guesses - plans let the past drive the future - you have the most information when you're doing something, not before you've done it - they advise not writing a long winded plan, because it mostly ends up collecting dust or being constantly rewritten

I've experienced these realities in my past life helping non-profits write strategic plans and seen the plan utterly fall apart or not even used for numerous reasons. In the music industry today, which is constantly changing, I completely agree that all the components you mention for a plan should be thought about and written down, but do you think this means musicians should write several short-term plans a year or phase them out? It probably depends on the goals of the artist.

The follow up question I have to your post is taking a plan and implementing it--how does one do it? Other than doing it, what should be in place to ensure the music business plan shows success?

I wanted to those those questions out for readers here, but my two quick answers are--A) just start doing it (how else does anything get done), and B) incorporate metrics into the plan.

Brian Franke www.brianfranke.com @bfrankemusic (Twitter) www.brianfranke.com/thinkingaloud (music blog)

Of course I remember you. I'm like an elephant when it comes that kinda of thing ;-)

This post is purposely in direct contradiction to that section in ReWork for two reasons:

1.) I'm not trying to sell you a book (yet)

2.) I've personally seen businesses fail because they didn't plan

37 signals is a great company and the authors are very smart guys, but when I hear you say things like everything you PLANNED for you accomplished, it further underscores my point.

To answer your questions:

Start by reviewing your finances. If you don't have the money to record, market, distribute and promote you cannot proceed.

Measurable goals is the name of the game. You have to know how many fans, shows, and digital downloads you need in order to become profitable. Otherwise your plan was created in vein.

Great hearing from you Brian. Keep up the good work!

Kevin, I'm glad the topic of music business plans has come up, because I've been trying to wrap my head around them for a while. After reading over your post and the provided documents, I'm still very skeptical about their practicality. (I don't intend to come off as a jerk - its hard to ask critical questions online without sounding like one)

First off, it seems like the plan for Northern Southerners is basically to "do what every other aspiring band and label does." Produce albums, merchandise, and tour. To me, this all seems like stating the obvious. I don't understand how this constitutes a guiding plan.

Under what circumstances will the folks at Northern Southern ever encounter some question or situation in which they say, "hmmm, i dunno, we better check and see what the plan said", and then crack this thing open and have their answer? It all seems very substance-free.

Then there's the finance page... am I reading this wrong, or does it end stating that they're going to be $80,638 in the hole at the end of the year? Obviously companies need to incur some startup costs, but for a PLAN, this certainly seems to end on a bit of a cliffhanger! Fuirthermore, (And I have always, always wondered this), how the heck can ANYONE project music sales for a startup act? Granted, they project a year end total of only $10,700 in total sales, which I suppose is realistic... but what are those numbers based on? Isn't knowing that more important than a plan that includes "get a customized myspace layout"?

I guess I just don't see how "spend money on a publicist and promoter" equals a marketing plan. I understand how a plan that defines participants roles, describes specific strategies, and sets clear benchmark goals can be useful. But this plan does none of that.

However, even if it did, my overarching question remains; how can ANYONE predict revenue or sales in this music industry for new products or artists? It seems to me like things either catch heat, or they don't, and it usually comes down to who is able to work their media connections best and get the most exposure.

I'm really not trying to tear this post down, I've just been told time and time again about the importance of business plans in music only to see a laundry list of very basic promotional activities, combined with seemingly imaginary financial projections. I would very much like to hear where I am missing the point.

Hey Justin,

Thanks for reading and asking some very good questions. BTW you don't come off as a jerk. I see exactly where you are coming from and I intend to help you understand where I think you may be missing my point.

You should always be skeptical of new ideas, especially when they appear from an unfamiliar author on a blog that claims to be the most relevant think tank in the new music industry today. I'm a huge skeptic myself and further more I've never been known for blowing smoke when it comes to the music business. Independents should protect their right to call, bullshit, so I'm glad you were man enough to do so. In any event, here are my arguments.

Point #1: First off, it seems like the plan for Northern Southerners is basically to "do what every other aspiring band and label does.

You're correct. It is exactly that. What is different here is that the Northern Southerners have put it on paper in order to identify the holes in it. How can you find flaws in what you propose to do without seeing all of the details out in front of you?

They have also itemized what the cost are for each basic step of the way. Sure, most (not all) artists know how it goes:

⁃ record and album, market it, promote it and distribute it

Now ask yourself, how many artists can say they have contacted all of the vendors necessary to carry out those four "obvious" steps, and project how much this "labor of love" will cost them in 2011? The Northern Southerners can.

Point #2: Under what circumstances will the folks at Northern Southern ever encounter some question or situation in which they say, "hmmm, i dunno, we better check and see what the plan said", and then crack this thing open and have their answer?

Thats a perfect segment to point #1. The Northern Southerners are often asked by investors to forecast what they are likely to spend next year. Conversely they will also have to take an educated guess about how much money they will make.

Think of a business plan as a big budget. Do you tell your banker that you are skeptical about budgeting for college, auto purchase or home loan? That you don't see the value in planning for those types of expediters? Why is a music business any different? If you say, because its "too hard" and it "either catches or it doesn't", makes me think that it is even more important to plan. Not less.

Music is emotional, I know, but businesses aren't. Remember, I didn't make these rules, I'm just presenting a way to bridge the two truths.

Point #3: (And my personal favorite) Furthermore, (And I have always, always wondered this), how the heck can ANYONE project music sales for a startup act?

How about we start with your neighborhood and say, "Who is most likely to buy my album in this town? What does my target customer look like? What do they do for fun? Where do they hang out?

Let say you come up with one market segment that is 30 year old men. What do 30 year old men do on a beautiful day like today? Watch football. So you can either come up with a catchy song about how Titans CB Cortland Finnegan got his ass beat last week and put it out on the internet too see if it "catches"

You can look at the City, County and State Census records to find out exactly the number of 30 year old men that live in your neck of the woods. Then you take your marketing tool(s) of choice and examine the industry standards on say, pay per clicks (if you plan to use internet promotion).

That is what this and any other good financial plan is based on. Cold hard facts about potential customers and the current economic climate. Not lofty ideas and passing thoughts about how great your music is.

Look I'm not going to elaborate any further in this comment, but please feel free to ask more question here, via email, twitter or phone. I'll leave all of my contact info at the bottom of the post.

Kev eleetmusic[at]gmail 347-688-5383 @eleetmusic

I finally had a chance to skim through this. As someone that has invested in, written and consumed my fair share of plans, here's my feedback:

Your plan is a fine "friend" plan. It's a plan that close friends with money to burn (in a wood stove) might invest in. However, I don't believe this is the type of plan anyone could sensibly shop to strangers (as investors). Here are a few reasons why:

The upside you are offering is far too low for the perceived risk involved. I would never put $100K into something as risky as a band unless I was going to own a significant chunk (probably far more than 20%) of the entity that controlled all the rights and IP.

You need to demonstrate that you are taking some of the significant risks off the table. Without signed rights and services agreements, there's no minimal guarantee that the songwriter or lead singer is not going to drift off to some other band/venture.

As Justin said, the plan is lacking in substance (sorry).. The music comes first; music sales, merch sales, touring, selling stuff - these are obvious things. I want to know what you are going to do to propel yourself to the moon. The 6% return is nice if you are a bank, but I want to know how I am going to end up owning a chunk of a $35M annual business two years from now! What's the unique, unusual, inventive, off-the-charts thing (strategy) that you are going to employ that's going to put you on the map and keep you on the map? (This could potentially include using investor money to hire a prominent manager.)

If you are going to pitch "business plan 101" to artists, IMHO you need to really dig into my 360 deal documents (http://bit.ly/gtGanm) to develop an understanding of how to 1) minimize risk, 2) align incentives, 3) capture all potential revenue streams, and 4) paint a picture of significant upside.

If the hardest thing in the music business is putting lyrics together with a melody to create a popular song, then the second hardest thing is finding the money you need to do everything else. In this industry, before you even write a plan to raise $10K, you better have 1) excellent songs, and 2) a believable strategy that's going to make you into a true, viable business. Cheers.

Strategy for a viable business. Bruce I know you love lists:

New Order: choose the worst singer to not only sing but also write the lyrics (some of which are literally made-up gibberish). Stay signed to a label that refuses, on principle, to finance PR. Invest the majority of any money made in a nightclub that loses money hand-over-fist (and don't buy the building it's in, just spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on its refurbishment). Name yourselves after Hitler's own term for the Nazi party.

Jimi Hendrix: restart your career as a black, psychedelic rock star in another country where black people are still a novelty, by supporting Gene Pitney and Engelbert Humperdinck, then return to your country of birth and try to start your new career there by supporting the Monkees. Pledge support for the soldiers in Vietnam whilst presenting yourself as an alt. culture freak (change your mind later). Perform and record the national anthem at sunrise with feedback guitar and sexually provocative hip thrusts. Die from ingesting your own vomit after building an intense mythology about your drug-taking powers.

Nirvana: oh, you can fill this one in yourself...

Success? Yes, all three, business-wise.

Now, if you'd asked the managers, the story would have an ever-so slightly different slant, right?

Ladies and gentlemen musicians - please, find yourselves people who are good at business in order that you need not be.

Ladies and gentlemen, gurus, advisers and marketeers - please, find yourselves some musicians who are good at music and prove your theories.

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I sincerely respect your judgement and expertise.

"Your plan is a fine "friend" plan."

Correct. The Northern Southerners came to me for a business plan to submit to a family friend that was already interested in investing, but wanted to see their business on paper.

"You need to demonstrate that you are taking some of the significant risks off the table."

Agreed. I'll look into this further with future plans of the sort.

"As Justin said, the plan is lacking in substance (sorry)"

Don't be sorry. This is your professional opinion. Granted, everyone isn't at the same level as you are. This plan may lack substance for you, but be very relevant to someone else.

"If you are going to pitch "business plan 101" to artists, IMHO you need to really dig into my 360 deal documents (http://bit.ly/gtGanm)"

First of all I'd like you to understand that I'm not pitching (Lord knows I have enough work to do). I'm simply sharing what I know with the people who have asked.

Please remember that this plan is a sample. Not the end all be all or a guaranteed road to success.

" I want to know what you are going to do to propel yourself to the moon."

Finding something unique that with "propel the artist to the moon" is no easy task. No one has found that thing from my knowledge. Not sure why I'm expected to include this in the plan.

In any event, the Northern Southerners 'thing" was the fact that they were able to clear a Bruce Springsteen sample for their lead single. That's a lot more than some can say.

I'll respond to the only coherent sentences in your comment above

"Ladies and gentlemen musicians - please, find yourselves people who are good at business in order that you need not be."

Really? How much will that cost you over the course of your career? Isn't it better to know the business than to relinquish control to someone who "says" they are acting in your best interest?

"Ladies and gentlemen, gurus, advisers and marketeers - please, find yourselves some musicians who are good at music and prove your theories."

Are you "good" at music? Let's try some theories out with you.

Keep the comments coming everyone! This is how we will progress as an industry.

figured that was pretty coherent... how about: these are three examples of very successful artists, none of whom, on paper, would seem to have had a viable business plan.

And as the world of pop is full of similarly successful musicians who have had chaotic careers that they couldn't have possibly planned for, I would say, though there might possibly be exceptions (and I would love to hear about them - honestly, that's the point of my comments) who started off with a business plan as opposed to a dream and a riff, basically, success from chaos is the norm and to state otherwise needs proof.

So, if you are making a solid offer to work with one of my artists, to create living proof, please mail me off-site and let's talk about it.

cheers [email protected]

What you are referring to is the magic that happens when an artist hits the big time.

It would be foolish to think that none of this was planned. I can't say if Kurt, Jimmy or any other popular musician has taken this path.

All I can say is that they would have been better off by knowing a little bit more about their business. Just like any other business man or woman.

You don't have to believe me or trust that my "theory" works. You can keep on dreaming and believing that one day all of your musical dreams will come true. It's your choice.

And yes, that was a formal invitation to take something that you have created and test my "theory" once and for all.

Will email you offline and post the results here.

"Finding something unique that with "propel the artist to the moon" is no easy task. No one has found that thing from my knowledge. Not sure why I'm expected to include this in the plan."

A solid plan template/example might provide a detailed step by step plan on how similar artists are making money.

Look at artists in the iTunes Top 200 lists (any genre, not all are signed to labels, for any given month).

Look at artists that are performing in venues operated by Live Nation.

Many of theses artists are making money, and not all of them are legacy artists, and not all are signed to major labels. How did they get to where they are now? What was/is (past, present, and future) their business plan? How long does it take? What are the key ingredients that are propelling success? Etc, etc.. Can this success be replicated? What did it cost to get there? And so on.. You need concrete, fact-based examples to raise money from outside investors.

@Kevin - I'm sure there have been many plans made by many artists, but the idea that they are transferable just can't be proved. Sure, we can all learn lessons from history and we can all plan hopefully, so maybe that's how we should look at your plan. I'll look forward to hearing from you.

@Bruce - as ever, intriguing me into action - I had a good look at the UK top 200, of which I found 8 artists who are apparently not signed either to decent sized labels or production companies. Some have arrived at their success by slightly more independent routes, most have a decent financial push behind them, if I took an educated guess.

Unfortunately, nearly all the 'randoms' do seem to have a uniting factor: novelty plus cultural good timing:

Brett Domino, Bruno Mars, Xamder Rawlins, aberlour choir, captain ska, yeo valley rappers.

They all have other groups and org's supporting them in various ways, because of who they are, from radio stations to the patriotic British public.

Of the other two:

Afrojack and Yolanda be Cool, you could easily put the latter in the novelty bracket, depending on your POV on Europop. Afrojack is connected to Spinnin' Records, a dance indie based in Amsterdam, so might also be discounted, although I'm not sure how big they are.

I couldn't find what we might call 'start-ups' or purely artist-run labels; even the labels apparently owned by artists tend to have deals with a bigger label or publishing company.

Of course, there might be a whole different picture in the States; with its tradition of decent-sized, locally based labels with support from large radio stations in the area, the impetus and infrastructure might be in place to facilitate smaller crews in a release. I know that certain hip hop labels have managed to do well, in the grand tradition of 'if they won't release, we'll do it ourselves' that led people like Sam Cooke, James Brown, Curtis mayfield and The Isleys to set up their own labels.

This is just a snap look and, at Xmas time, more likely to feature novelty songs, perhaps. But still, disappointing and surprising, even for digital cynic me.

"most have a decent financial push behind them"

Thus the point of the business plan to raise money.. Record label or not, it's still money + humans + an execution plan that's making it all work. One could possibly raise money if they 'plan' to hire the right humans and execute a 'plan' that has historically (at least over the last ten minutes) worked.

On a related matter, I believe it's incredibly difficult for the average investor (fan) to gauge popularity potential against competing alternatives (for investment money) in the marketplace. The means to measure this are crude at best (e.g.: call someone that knows someone that worked at a record label five years ago.).

So possibly the best plan might be not to bother with plans and just try to be the most exciting band in the world in the hope that 'money + humans + an execution plan', in other words, a label, or a production company, or a publishing or a management company take you on.

On the evidence, it's a better 'career path' than any other.

Investor = fan? It's possible, but unlikely. I know some crazy fans think they own the artist they love in some way, but buying their music doesn't make you an investor.

That's just free-market capitalist speak gone mad.

"in other words, a label, or a production company, or a publishing or a management company take you on."

Sure. Aren't they the groups that are supposed to be writing the plans? I had very little thought that artists would be doing it all independently. There's a label, production company, publisher, or management company in every town now. They are the ones usually seeking an investment.

Absolutely, although they are far and few, even in most big cities in the UK.

In the whole of Scotland (pop: 5 million) there's hardly a publisher, very few management companies, one serious, specialist PR company (although I think they may have just moved to Brighton). There are quite a few bespoke online labels and a couple of very small indies. There is one, very large promoter. The over-all music economy is tiny.

That's a small target to aim for, for most artists. Most of the one billion profit and x-billions turn-over, in other words, the business, is in London.

I'm sure it's similar in the States - with hotspots of finance like Nashville, NY and LA.

I honestly don't think the roads to travel on have altered all that much for artists, because of the internet. As you say, Bruce, you don't expect the artists to be doing it independently - apart from the very odd exception, I don't think that's happening.

Although, I would love it to be possible.

Really very useful and important news for everyone. Terry McBride's Nettrwerk Group started a joint venture fund called Polyphonic where his company's intent is to invest in artists that are in a place where they could grow with the help of outside funding. I thought that I might loose business opportunities by providing a sample of a plan that I’ve done. People like to copy plans instead of learning the steps or hiring a business plan writer like myself. I am going to subscribe to this feed also. Thanks a lot! Business strategy

Very interesting site and articles. Really thankful for sharing. Will surely recommend this site to some friends! Regards,

Again very useful and very important for everyone. Terry McBride Nettrwerk Group started a joint investment fund intended polyphonic ring your company is to invest in artists who are in a place where they could develop with the help of external funding. I could lose business opportunities by providing a sample that I plan. People like to copy the plans instead of learning the steps or hire a business plan writer like me. I'll subscribe to this channel. Thanks! Testking 350-001 || Testking CISSP || Testking 70-649

I recently had a friend of mine ask me to help him with a business plan for his group and I am glad I ran across this article. I had a few business courses in school so I thought I knew a little bit, at least enough to set the rough outline, but this article (as well as the comments and critiquing!) were very helpful!! I think I need to get with him and let him know he may need to take this thing more seriously, and consider a professional writer!

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Music Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Music Business Plan

If you want to start a music business or expand your current business, you need a business plan.

The following business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning music business plan. It can be used to create a music production company business plan, a business plan for a music artist, or business plans for a music teacher and/or music management.

You can download our Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Below are links to each of the key sections of a successful music business plan. Once you create your plan, download it to PDF to show banks and investors.

I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

Comments are closed.

Music Business Plan Outline

How to Sell Art Online | Online Marketing for Artists

Helping artists sell their art online since 2009. Blog, guides, courses, and coaching for artists.

Business Plans for Artists: Here, I Did It for You!

Also, check out Jennifer’s book!

You’ll want to see her Right Brain Business Plan home study course .*

Not Ready for A Full Right Brain Business Plan?

Here’s a simple 4 page example plan that will help you get started.

Example Business Plan for Artists (pdf)

Example Business Plan for Artists (Word doc)

The first thing I ask every artist when we start working together is if they have a business plan. Most of the time the answer is no. Why do you need a business plan, you ask? Great question.

You will become focused. As you start planning, that shotgun approach to marketing that most artists take will start to thin itself out and you will learn how to put a system in place. Also, establishing your unique selling proposition is really important. Sure, you’re a painter, but what makes you stand out from all of those other painters out there? There’s a lot more to being an independent artist than just creating your art.

You’ll know where you stand. Your strengths and weaknesses will become apparent to you as you start to create a business plan. What aspects of your art do you excel at? What do you tend to put off because you don’t know how to finish ? Once you know where you stand, you’ll know what your weaknesses are, and this is really important. Most artists have no idea that they’re not good at accounting, or they don’t want to admit it so they run around in circles. A business plan will help you eliminate this.

You’ll know how to get where you want to be. Once you write down a business plan, it’s easy to refer back to it often to get re-focused on your goals. Carefully analyzing what you really want out of your art business is a good way to stop doing what is getting in your way.

You’ll know what other artists are doing. Do you want a competitive advantage? Are you afraid of really pushing your business because you don’t know what will make you different and make people want to purchase your art?

Does 4 pages feel like too much?

Get started with our beginner’s one-page business plan and work your way up.

This post has been updated since its 2009 original publish date.

*affiliate link

November 20, 2009 at 11:46 AM

This is fantastic! Many thanks!

November 21, 2009 at 9:45 AM

You’re welcome!

November 22, 2009 at 5:32 AM

This is a really great resource that I’ll have to share with my readers. It’s always wonderful to find other people putting in the hard work and dedication that goes into doing what you do. .-= Damien Franco´s last blog ..Photographer’s Intro to Twitter =-.

May 19, 2010 at 3:26 PM

This is great. Thank you for doing this. It’s really something I’ve always known I needed to do. I will definitely do it now.

April 27, 2011 at 8:21 AM

Do you have a business plan for dummies and beginners? This is kind of advanced. I have nothing but 5 good paintings right now.

This is my first time coming to this website. I was very confused by the business plan. Who is “I”? As in, “I help artists dispel the starving artist myth”? It took me 15 mins to finally understand who “I” is, and who Cory and John Smith is.

January 7, 2016 at 12:24 PM

I agree, this business plan is completely confusing and way too advanced and overwhelming. I really want to like it, but after reading it a few times, I’m still lost.

October 27, 2011 at 11:10 PM

Creating a business plan was one of the smartest things I ever did. I wrote down all the ideas that had been spinning around in my head but had never been inserted into my business as a whole. Just the process of writing everything down becomes a way to clear your head and see the way forward. It’s great to see an honest, physical example of a business plan – thanks Cory!

March 11, 2012 at 4:25 PM

Wow!  I’m so glad I stumbled onto this!  Just what I needed!

June 4, 2012 at 6:16 AM

Thanks for posting the examples.  I didn’t realize that I already had lists covering most of the sections.  This really helped me put everything together in one place.  Now as I get new ideas, I have one document that I can go to.  I can quickly jot it down and properly categorize the idea right away knowing that I will have it on hand for when I have time to review the bigger picture over time.  Thanks again!

June 4, 2012 at 8:01 AM

 @figmentations Glad it helped!

January 13, 2013 at 2:57 PM

Thanks Cory. A Breath of Fresh Air!!! For the first time at last…with drudgery behind me, I can now pursue my business plan in JOY!!! In full celebration of all right brainers…here’s to your unlimited success:-)

February 23, 2013 at 11:43 AM

Hi Cory & Jennifer, I totally agree with having a business plan, writing down all the ideas & growth you have in mind for your business.

July 1, 2013 at 5:20 AM

thanks for everything. i like this site so much…

August 19, 2013 at 7:55 AM

Thank you this was very helpful 🙂

December 17, 2013 at 8:32 PM

Thank you for sharing this information, it can be difficult finding business resources for the artist/entrepreneur.

December 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Just need help starting a creative business. CB

September 25, 2015 at 3:07 PM

hello jennifar, i a cross this because am a starting artist. gama arts in Rwanda but i realy want a bussiness plan because i know success business needs a plan. thank you.

February 26, 2016 at 4:12 PM

I’m looking forward to doing the seminar on how to sell your artwork online. I am not computer literate, so this is going to require some intensive learning on my part. I am retired and can finally dedicate my time to doing the thing that I love the most, painting watercolor illustrations. I know nothing about blogging, or setting up my own web site. I hope this is the kind of information I can access from your seminar.

Thank you for showing me my first step toward creating a business out of my artwork…

May 16, 2016 at 4:35 PM

Thanks Cory and Jennifer, for sharing this information, it’s always good to know more about how I can do more on my art business.

November 25, 2017 at 3:06 PM

It helps me a lot to have specific, measurable goals. I’m just starting to turn art into a business for myself, so I’m trying out a few different things to see what works for me, but concrete numbers and plans and dates really help.

I’ve put together a list of business books for artists: http://jacquelineboss.com/2017/11/25/10-art-business-books-learn-how-to-sell-your-art/

January 22, 2018 at 12:01 PM

I had no idea how to get this started. This is super super helpful! Thank you!

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Help Support Making A Scene

Writing a business plan for your music.

July 25, 2018

The Indie Artists Guide to Writing a Business Plan

When it comes to the independent musician, the music business can be a strange, frustrating and scary concept. A good first step for any indie artist who is serious about creating a career in music, is to create a business plan. The Business plan will act as a roadmap to help the Indie Artist negotiate the music business and help them identify their strengths and weakness and more importantly, once identified, learn how to address them.

What is a Business Plan?

The mere mention of a business plan can make many of you freeze in fear. It sounds like a some mystical book of numbers and formulas that will take a business degree to understand. Nothing can be further from the truth. A  business plan is a simple outline your goals, how you can achieve those goals and outlines the resources that you have or need to get to reach those goals. It is basically a roadmap of your career and your business. It is the plan that takes you from the Dream to what actions you need to take to get there.

Why Write a Business Plan?

Basically the business plan will allow you to focus and set a realistic plan with realistic goals!  The business plan can be used to help bring in key people and companies you would like to make part of your team, such as prospective managers, agents, labels. Having a business plan will shows these people that you have thought about your career, planned how you want to achieve your goals and treat your career seriously. You can also use the business plan if you are looking to secure some financing for new equipment or to underwrite a tour.

Getting ready to write a Business Plan

Do your research, This article will give you a good framework to work from, but get a good book on the subject of writing a business plan  or you can get an Audio book to listen to while you are on the road. Second, BE REALISTIC AND HONEST WITH YOURSELF! Nothing will sink your business plan faster than unrealistic goals and an over estimation of your resources. If your goal is to be a star and make 2 Million a year writing songs from your mansion, keep in mind the amount of musicians that are out there trying to make it vs the small percentage of artists in that top tier. You would be better setting your goals to creating a sustainable income that will allow you make music your career.

Make an outline of your goals, Resources and needs. You will use this outline as you start to write your business plan.

Parts of a Business Plan

Your Business plan is a “Living Document”, it will change over time. It will also change depending on who you are presenting this plan to. Even if you are just using it as a guide to where you want to go and what you feel you need to do to get there. The reality is, as your band moves towards it’s goals, your resources will change and your goals will change, so your plan will change as well. Breaking it down to basic sections will allow you to update your plan easily. You would add or subtract sections depending on what you are doing or who you are presenting it to.

1. Executive Summary

The executive Summer should be single a page that introduces the band and provide a synopsis of your marketing plan. This would also be where you would personalize the plan to who giving this to. If it is to a bank, you would outline how much you are looking to finance and what the money will be used for.

2. Introduction

This is where you would have a more extensive bio of the band. If the plan is for a specific project (ie: Recording a CD, Setting up a tour, etc.) this is where you would outline that project.

3. Mission Statement

This is a short statement that explains who you are as an artist.

4. Vision Statement

Again this is a short statement outlines your goals as an artist.

5. Music Industry Overview

This would be a section that you would include if you are presenting your plan to someone who is not educated in the Music Business. A simple page that explains how you or your band fits within the Music Business. For example what is a Recording and touring artist, what does a booking agent do, what does a radio promoter do, etc.

6. Band/Artist Bio, History, and Functions

This would be more a resume of the band, accomplishments, key moments and it’s here that you would introduce the bio of the individual band members. You should also indicated who is doing what jobs for the band, For Example you can indicate the Bass player is working as a booking agent and the drummer is also producing and editing the bands music videos. You can also list any additional team members in this section, such as your PR Person, Booking agent, Radio Promoter, etc. This is also a good way to outline who is doing what within your business.

7. Your Market

This is THE most important aspect of your marketing plan, knowing your market. It is the artist who really knows who their audience is, stands out!

You should be tracking who comes to your shows. Do you have more women or men that show up at a gig? Are these people with disposable income, or do they nurse that beer all night. What other artists do they listen to, or go to see live. How do they get their music, CD’s, Downloads, Streaming? The more information you have about your market the better you can understand how to get them at your show. This also applies to markets you want to attract! For example, If you are looking to attract more women under 28 to your shows, then you need to know what women under 28 need to attract them to your show.

Keep in Mind your music is not going to be for everyone, but with a good understanding of your target market the better chance you will be able to expose them to your music.

8. Graphics and Branding

How you present yourself as an artist or band will determine the market that will be attracted to your shows. Your graphics and branding are an important part of your marketing plan. You should also determine how you are going to describe your music, the genre you are going to identify with. How you identify your music Genre can determine your market as well. If you are a “ Country” artist, you will attract a very specific market, or you can us other identifiers to create curiosity or interest with younger markets such as “Alt Country” or “Indie Blues”  .

9. Recording Project

If you are using the business plan for a recording project this is where you would put in the information about the project. Include information on who is producing this project, The engineer, any sessions players you are using, the studio you are going to use. Add bios of any additional players, producers and engineers. What is your timeline for the project.

This is also a good place to establish a budget for this project. Create a spreadsheet that allows you to input how many hours (and cost) of the actual recording, Mastering costs, Musician costs, pressing and packaging, radio promotion, packaging for mailings, postage for mailing to reviewers and radio stations, posters, ads, digital agrregators etc. You should also keep track of all sales of the CD as well once it is released.

You may decide to purchase the hardware and software to create your own studio to record your music. Here is where you would also outline the cost of this equipment. Sometimes this can be more cost effective then paying the hourly fee at a studio free you from the stress of watching the clock.

This will help you determine your “Return on Investment” or how many copies of your new project you have to sell before you recoup the cost of it’s production and marketing. This will reveal pretty quickly if you are making good business decisions on any recording project.

10. Press Kit

Here you can outline what is to be included in your press kit. Whether you are going to have a physical kit or an electronic press kit or both. Again what are the costs of producing each kit and the cost of sending that kit to any prospective buyer.

11. Additional Merchandise

Let’s face it, your CD is most likely the least profitable item on your merch table. Once you have sold a CD to someone, they will not purchase it again, You will quickly saturate your market and your merch table will be very quite, very quickly if you don’t have an well stocked merchandise plan. As any band with extensive touring experience will tell you, it’s all about the merch. I have known artists whose take at their merch table would be double their guarantee for the show. Again keep good records on what items you have on your merch table, how much it costs and how many you sold and for how much.

You will be able to see what sells good and what does not, what sizes sell the most and which ones sit for a while, etc. The bottom line it’s all about keeping good records and know what works and what does not. This is Good Business!

If you are looking for good ideas on how to merchandise your band check out this article. 

12. Touring Plans

Okay, here is a reality check. The Job of Musician is touring! If you don’t spend more time in your van then you do on stage then you are doing something wrong. Going on tour is not easy, and it’s not something you go into without good planing.

You need to again create a budget spreadsheet that includes how much you are going to spend on gas, Rooms (yes you are going to need a place to sleep even when you don;t have a gig that night), paying the band, food, strings, sticks for the drummer, wear and tear on the van, Oil Changes, Laundry, and make sure you have a reserve fund just in case you break down or you have to bail someone out. See Tips for the Touring Musician

As you book the shows, with a good budget you can quickly see if you will make money or lose money on the tour.

Its here you will also outline your “Tour Support” marketing. Are you sending posters to the venues in advance of the show? Are sending a press release to the press outlets in the area of the venue? Are you doing social media marketing in advance of the show? Do you need to setup interviews with the local radio stations? Have you established a mailing list for this market?

13. Connecting with your Fan Base

Your Fan base is your biggest asset as a touring artist. They are the what makes your business profitable. They scome to the shows, buy your merch and help spread the word about your and your music. With today’s access to social media platforms such as facebook, instagram, snapchat, twitter, etc., it is important to keep your fan base engaged with you and your music.

You need to outline your plan to keep your fan base informed of what you are doing, news of any upcoming shows or releases. Who is going to be responsible for posting and interacting with your fans, what are you posting and when? You should also keep an eye on your fan base to see what platforms they are using to get their information. We all know how fast the social media technology changes and you have to change with it.

You can post a instragram photo of you in front of the venue when you arrive to loadin .. do a facebook live video of the band on the road. Some behind the scenes pics and videos can help your fan base feel engaged and invested in your and your music.

14. Web site

As old school as you may think this is, having a really professional looking website is VERY important! This is your first impression to the music industry. It is the hub where your social media, Electronic Press Kit, Pictures, Tour Schedule, Branding, video’s, streaming players all come together to promote your band and music.

Have a good website development plan that keeps your site up to date and establish who is going to take on this responsibility. Are you going to use Reverbnation for your tour schedule or are you going to input the dates directly on your site. How often are you going to post new content (pics, videos, tour dates)?

Are you going to setup a merch store to sell your merchandise online and if so, how are you going to accept payment, and fulfill those orders.

Are you going to have an area that allows your fans to interact with your site? Are you going to have  newsletter and how are you going to capture email addresses. How can you capture demographic information from your fans from your website?

Here is a great review of the Themify Themes and Builder for WordPress

15. Partnerships with Other Artists

Do you have relationships with other artists or do you tour as a supporting act to a larger act? This is a great place to add what artists you have toured with or have opened for while on tour.

16. Video Production

What was once a luxury reserved for only the top selling artists now has become a necessary part of any independent musicians business plan. The good news is the cost of doing a music video has dropped significantly! With the advent of inexpensive HD and even 4K video on Smart phones or Action Cameras like the GoPro , it is now possible for an independent artist to produce a professional music video for a fraction of the cost of what it use to cost.

[amazon_link asins=’B074X5WPC5,B01M14ATO0,B071GX91K5,B00FEQ6OSW,B073X69CD8,1521721041,B0144JUQ0Q’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’maasc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’eed14726-9031-11e8-b817-97fc0409e4e4′]

You should create a timeline for at least 3 or 4 Videos for each release you record. You should also consider creating a “Pre-Release” “making of” video as well.

You should again create a budge spreadsheet for the cost of creating these videos. Either hiring someone to shoot and edit the video’s for you, or purchase the equipment to do your own.

The John Pagano Band used only a Iphone to shoot their latest video, you can read about it here.  You can also learn How to Create Music Video on a Budget Here!

17. Additional Revenue

As a working musician one of the most important concepts you need to come to terms with if you want to make music your career, is the fact you need to have multiple income streams. In this section you can outline any additional streams of income you can create using your music. Whether it is acting as a booking agent for other bands, Teaching music (even on the road you can teach via skype), Songwriting for other artists, creating music for Local Commercials, Film, Tv, etc.

The more income streams you are able to identify and take advantage of the stronger you business becomes.

18. Sponsors/Investors

Most investors would like to know if there are other sponsors and investors involved in the project. They seem to feel more assured if there are other investors involved. This also gives you a chance to highlight any sponsorship deals that you have been able to secure. You don’t need to get into the details of how much investors have put in (this will show up in your financial statements) but you should list them.

19. Strengths/Past Successes

This is really your chance to get out there and strut your stuff.  Let the reader know what the strong points about the band/artists are. List key past successes and milestones that you have already achieved. You definitely want the reader to be excited about the project, the band and where you have already been. This gives you a chance to show your track record – you could show past sales (if they have been strong), successful tours, key gigs, awards and honors, etc

20. Challenges

Here is where you can list any challenges that you are currently facing. Now Be honest with yourself. This may include financial concerns, band member relations, weak business skills. More importantly, you should show how you are working to address and solve those particular problems and challenges. This section is important because once you have acknowledged what you challenges are you can start to address them.

Here is where you set your goals for the next 6 months, 1 year, 3 years and five years. For each goal, you should be stating what you want to achieve, when you want to achieve and how you will measure your success. This is a great tool for you as well to see if you are on track. A detailed timeline should also be included in the appendix. Make sure you reference to it in the business plan. The best format for this is a calendar or a chart where you can plot all your dates and what you need to have achieved by then.

22. Assumptions/Scenarios

This is important for traditional investors. Here is where you state what assumptions you are using to base your success and financial statements on. How did you estimate your sales? What formula did you use? How did you estimate your costs?

What key people are necessary to your success? What events/actions are key in your marketing plan to be successful? More importantly, you should indicate what alternatives you have considered if your estimates and assumptions fall through in order to ensure success.

23. Financial

Ok, here comes the scary and most eye opening part of the business plan. This is where you put all those costs and estimate spreadsheets together and create your cost/profit financial report. Now, if your sales and costs are estimates, you should be basing it on past successes or a really thought out formula. Really look at what other artists are selling and ask yourself if you are really being realistic? Call to ensure that the costs that you have set out for yourself actually make sense. If you have been around for awhile and have kept track of your past financial information, you should be including it in this section.

The most common forms of financial reports are Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow/Budget. These do not need to be included specifically in the business plan (they can be put in the appendices); however, they should be summarized in your financial section. What are your costs, sales and do you know when you will need the most money?

Finally, some institutions/investors will require that you provide a list of collateral that will go towards the loan. You can list your tour van, Pa System, Recording Equipment, etc.

24. Conclusions

Your conclusion should sum up the band, the project, your request, and why you believe that this is a successful project and why your reader should invest in it. Keep it short, no more than a page should do it.

25. Appendices All your appendices come at the end of the document and they should be used to provide any supplemental information, but the business plan should be able to stand alone.

You don’t need to have all the sections outlined in here. It was created to cover a variety of genres, situations and career levels. Choose sections and develop your business plan to fit your needs.

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It’s been 25 years since Napster launched and changed the music industry forever

Napster, founded by shawn fanning and sean parker 25 years ago, was a milestone in how the internet could connect users and allow for content sharing. one snag: it amounted to online piracy..

• Napster was a file-sharing service that allowed users to download music tracks for free.
• The recording industry sued to have Napster shut down, and the company went into bankruptcy in 2002.
• Napster paved the way for digital downloads and music streaming services.

Remember Napster , the online network that let you download music tracks for free? All it did was totally change the entertainment industry.

Still, you may not recall its influence because the first version of Napster had a relatively short life. Soon after Napster launched on June 1, 1999, the recording industry sued to have it shut down.

Over the ensuing months as Napster fought for its life in court, consumers continued to rip CDs and put tracks onto their computers and onto the file-sharing network so others could download them. Napster grew from 20 million users in 2000 to an estimated 80 million users at its peak, The Guardian reported .

"Napster wasn't just a file-sharing service; it was the infinite digital jukebox. And it was free," noted author Stephen Witt in the 2015 book "How Music Got Free: The End of an Industry, the Turn of the Century and the Patient Zero of Piracy."

As Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of Napster, we look back at the creation of the controversial file-sharing service, the impact it made and where the brand stands today.

Napster's legacy: 4 ways the software changed the music industry, from streaming to how artists make money

Napster paved the way for streaming

After Napster shut down in July 2001, the company went into bankruptcy and reemerged as a subscription service in 2003 after being purchased by software maker Roxio. By then Apple had opened its iTunes Store for consumers willing to pay for tracks and albums. Record industry attorneys were left fighting newer, harder-to-shut-down illegal networks for sharing music freely.

But none captured the zeitgeist to the extent as the original Napster, which reset consumer expectations for music – and, eventually, movies and video games.

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Digital downloads and music streaming services – from Amazon Music and Apple Music to Deezer, Pandora, Spotify and Tidal – were all foreshadowed by Napster, says Ken Pohlmann, professor emeritus at the University of Miami, an electrical engineer and author of "Principles of Digital Audio."

"The same online distribution model paved the way for the creation of video streaming" and services such as Netflix, he said.

What was Napster and what went wrong?

Shawn Fanning began work on what would be come Napster as a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston. The Napster software, when downloaded and running on a personal computer, allowed users to search through millions of MP3 song files on other people's PCs that also had the software. All the users could download songs from each others computers.

"It was something that just provided a better way … a more reliable way and fun way for people to share music and see each other's music collection," the Napster co-founder said in an interview with the BBC , first broadcast in 2011. Napster got its name from Fanning's nickname he earned as a result of his hairdo.

Amid the hubbub, Fanning would wind up on the cover of Time magazine and Napster would grace Newsweek's cover , too.

But the recording industry had a different opinion of Napster, decrying how the network allowed users to distribute music anonymously, which went beyond the typical "fair use" of sharing copyrighted work with friends if you weren't profiting.

"A safe haven for piracy," is how the Recording Industry Association of America described Napster in its lawsuit alleging copyright infringement, which was filed in December 1999, as detailed in "All the Rave: The Rise and Fall of Shawn Fanning's Napster" by Joseph Menn.

The RIAA's suit sought $100,000 for each copyright-protected song shared over the network, or about $100 million, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.

Metallica, Dr. Dre, more musicians had a problem with Napster

While some musicians supported Napster and wanted labels to embrace a subscription service, other artists were more aggressive at voicing concerns about Napster's evils.

Among them: Rock band Metallica and record producer and rapper Dr. Dre who filed their own copyright infringement suits soon after the RIAA filed suit on behalf of the record labels.

In May 2000, Metallica delivered boxes of files citing more than 300,000 Napster users who had downloaded Metallica songs – including a demo version of the song "I Disappear" from the "Mission Impossible 2" soundtrack before it was available for purchase.

"It all all started when some guy put a song on the Internet that we hadn't finished mixing yet. And I wanted to know where it came from," Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told USA TODAY in 2003. "Things took a drastic turn from there. It was never about money and greed; it was about control. I have no problem giving (music) away, but I want to decide what to give."

While Ulrich and Metallica took a lot of flak from the media and fans for their stance, they definitely had a point. "File sharing is synonymous with music piracy," Pohlmann said.

"Napster tapped into an anti-establishment sentiment that supposed that the music industry was ripping people off," he said. "Some customers took great pride in turning the tables and ripping off the industry. What they missed was the fact that they were also stealing from the musicians."

Other artists were just as upset, if not as front and center. Eminem had to move up the release of single, "The Real Slim Shady" from 2000's "The Marshall Mathers LP" after it leaked via Napster. And the same thing happened with his 2002 album "The Eminem Show."

"All that work, days, months, hours that I spent writing it, recording it, tweaking it. ... All the songs leaked. It was like music should be free," says Marshall “Eminem” Mathers in the upcoming two-part docuseries "How Music Got Free," premiering June 11-12 on Paramount+. He and LeBron James are among the executive producers.

"Then, it's like, OK, well, here's what you don't understand (about) that music should be free. I have an engineer to pay," he said. "There's an army of people that work at Interscope (Records) that need their paycheck."

So what happened to Napster?

A federal court disagreed with Napster's contention that users were simply space-shifting their music, because other users could download files they didn't own previously.

Napster paid $26 million to settle separate suits filed by music publishers and songwriters, but buckled under the court's decision in the case filed by the record labels and filed for bankruptcy in June 2002.

Meanwhile, the recording industry began suing those sharing the music and downloading music. Eventually about 17,000 were sued, "all just average individuals," said Witt, who is also an executive producer on "How Music Got Free," which is based on his 2015 book.

The team at Napster wanted to make a deal with the record industry, Napster co-founder Sean Parker told The New Yorker in 2014 . “Napster had been this cultural revolution, much more than it was ever a legitimate company,” he said.

"There was this unique opportunity in history," said Parker, who would go on to become Facebook's first president, invest in Spotify, and found The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

"We said, 'If you shut down Napster, it’s going to splinter, and you’re going to have a Whac-A-Mole problem on your hands, where you’re fighting service after service and you’re never going to get all those users back in one place.' And that’s what happened," Parker said.

USA TODAY was unable to reach Fanning and Parker for this story.

Napster started a 'wave' of technological change

Napster's story remains a landmark among tech innovators, "All the Rave" author Menn (now a reporter for The Washington Post), told The Los Angeles Times in May.

“Uber and Airbnb took the same approach – blow away taxi and hotel regulations to give people something they want and grow so big you eventually get politicians on your side," Menn told the Times. "Napster created this whole wave of antihero entrepreneurs.”

Looking back, Fanning told USA TODAY in 2009, he was "completely blown away by the amount of interest and controversy. I wouldn't say I regret anything. It's easy in hindsight to look back at how such a complex situation unfolded and how you might have been able to make better decisions, but all in all, it was a great experience."

At the time, Fanning had sold Rupture, a network to connect video game players across different systems, to Electronic Arts. Fanning would go on to co-found Helium , which is creating wireless networks for internet-connected devices.

Echoes of Napster's odyssey can be found in current headlines with TikTok and Universal Music facing off – and Taylor Swift's music being yanked from the platform – before reaching an agreement in early May.

More recently, Sony Music warned artificial intelligence developers not to use its content to train AI models.

Speaking about the music industry in 2009, Fanning said, "it is really hard to do anything innovative. (You're) dealing with a lot of people who aren't jumping at the prospect of their business model changing."

Is Napster still around today?

Napster is still playing tunes, but as a subscription service now, although it has only a small fraction of the subscribers owned by dominant competitors like Apple, Amazon, Spotify and YouTube Music.

Many still think the brand has promise as its changed hands several times including being owned by Best Buy in 2008 and folded into the Rhapsody music service , which acquired it in 2011.

It's currently owned by a privately held consortium headed by Hivemind Capital , an investment firm focusing on digital media, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology . Hivemind acquired Napster in 2022 from virtual reality company MelodyVR.

Napster ( napster.com ) costs $10.99 per month ($14.99 monthly for a family plan; you can test drive it on a 30-day free trial) with 110 million-plus tracks from artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and The Beatles, many in CD-like lossless quality. You can download music to your Android or iOS device to listen on the go and transfer your music from other services free. There are thousands of videos available, too. The program also lets you create playlists using AI .

Contributing: Edna Gundersen and Reuters.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads:  @mikesnider  & mikegsnider .

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The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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OVG and Loft Entertainment acquire Canadian Music Week

The two new owners say they plan to “expand programming, enhance venues and offer unique engagement opportunities for artists and fans”

By Lisa Henderson on 04 Jun 2024

Tim Leiweke, Oak View Group (OVG)

Oak View Group (OVG) and Loft Entertainment have announced the joint acquisition of Canadian Music Week (CMW), Canada’s leading industry conference and music festival founded in 1983.

CMW, which runs this week (1-8 June) in Toronto, is led by founder and president Neill Dixon, who yesterday (3 June) announced his retirement from the organisation after 42 years.

Following the acquisition, OVG and Loft say they plan to “expand programming, enhance venues and offer unique engagement opportunities for artists and fans” so that CMW remains a “cornerstone event in the global music industry.”

At the same time, both firms are “committed to preserving the festival’s heritage while introducing fresh, dynamic elements that reflect the evolving music landscape.”

Canadian Music Week will continue to be headquartered in Toronto, with dates and details for the 2025 festival forthcoming.

OVG, the Los Angeles-based venue development, management and hospitality company led by Tim Leiweke, made its first foray into Canada in 2021 with the Hamilton Arena Project , which recently broke ground.

The firm says it is “deeply committed to investing in Canada [and] has been active in the market for over two years, forming strategic partnerships with prominent brands, including Canada Basketball, Great Canadian Gaming, McCain, GFL, Sports Interaction, ADP, and Diageo”.

“Neil’s vision has set a high standard that we are eager to uphold and expand upon”

Tom Pistore, president of OVG, said: “Oak View Group is delighted to expand our investment in the Canadian market and partner with Loft Entertainment in acquiring Canadian Music Week. This acquisition, along with our Hamilton Arena Project (which recently broke ground), aligns perfectly with our mission to elevate live entertainment experiences across the globe. We look forward to leveraging our expertise in venue management and conferences to take CMW to new heights. Together, we aim to deliver an unforgettable experience that celebrates the vibrant music culture of Canada and beyond.”

Loft Entertainment is a Canadian entertainment company helmed by industry veteran Randy Lennox, who formerly ran Universal Music Group Canada and Bell Media.

Commenting on the CMW acquisition, Lennox adds: “We are incredibly proud to bring Canadian Music Week into the Loft Entertainment Media family in partnership with Oak View Group,” he stated. “CMW has a rich history of championing music and artists, and we are committed to building on that legacy. Our vision is to enhance the festival experience, creating new opportunities for artists and attendees alike, while maintaining the core values that have made CMW a beloved event.

“As Neill Dixon steps into a well-deserved retirement, we honour his remarkable dedication to making CMW the influential event it is today. His vision has set a high standard that we are eager to uphold and expand upon.”

CMW was launched in 1983 by David Farrell and his wife Patricia Dunn-Farrell–then co-publishers of the weekly Canadian music trade, The Record. It began as The Record Music Industry Conference and was modelled on competitor RPM Weekly’s “Three Days in March” conferences in the late ‘60s and ‘70s.

Dixon’s marketing company Chart Toppers was initially hired in 1983 to book speakers, and organise panels for the annual event. Over the next few years, the convention morphed into Canadian Music Week, and Dixon became a co-partner a couple of years after it began

This year’s CMW is expected to draw some 3,000 delegates and host over 300 performing artists at 25 venues.

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A river flood warning in effect for columbia county, tell us: do you plan on attending a live concert or concerts this summer, some artists are canceling due to sluggish sales.

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Live music and concerts are a rite of passage for a lot of us during the summer.

Last summer, getting tickets to see Beyonce or Taylor Swift was difficult and expensive. But, those shows still sold out.

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