Promotions managers are responsible for encouraging sales within the music industry. Other job titles that may be used include plugger, music agent or promoter. They may work for individual artists/bands, a record company or a venue.
The Work
There are a number of different areas within music promotions and publishing, including artists and repertoire (A&R – signing and promoting music acts), copyright and legal matters, production, sales and marketing and accounts.
You could be:
listening to new performers and deciding whether to take them on
negotiating contracts and advising your clients on legal matters, such as copyright
arranging with radio stations and TV channels such as MTV to broadcast your clients’ music (known as 'plugging')
writing press releases and producing promotional CDs and DVDs
arranging publicity events such as newspaper or TV interviews
working with designers and printers to produce marketing material such as posters and leaflets
organising one-off gigs or full tours for your clients, nationally or abroad
keeping the accounts, staying within the budget
networking with other professionals in the entertainment industry to make contacts.
You would usually specialise in one area. For example, if you work for a venue, as a concert promoter, you could be:
attending performances to scout for acts for your venue
contacting performers or their agents and booking dates
keeping the venue diary full for weeks ahead while avoiding double bookings
arranging to produce and distribute marketing material
getting the entertainments licence
organising technical equipment and security
finding a replacement act if a performer cancels.
Pay
Pay varies widely in this kind of work. The following figures are only a guide.
As a new entrant building up contacts you might earn between £16,000 and £19,000 a year.
Once established as a promotions manager you can earn from £24,000 to £50,000 a year.
If exceptionally successful, you might reach £70,000 a year or more.
Your income may be partly or entirely through commission, based on a percentage of your clients' earnings (usually 15-20%), or on how many times a particular track is played. You might get perks such as free concert tickets and other promotional gifts.
Conditions
Hours are irregular, can be long and include evenings and weekends.
The job involves travelling and overnight stays, perhaps abroad.
Promotions managers are office based but spend time in noisy venues.
Work may be on a freelance (self-employed) basis or short contracts.
Entry is very competitive and getting in largely depends on making contacts in the industry.
Knowledge and experience of the music world matter more than educational qualifications.
It helps if you have experience of working on events – perhaps a holiday job or organising social events at college or university.
Useful subjects to study at college or from home include popular music, marketing, communications, the mass media, accounts and contract law. There are courses available at various levels: NC/NQ (SCQF Level 4-6), HNC (SCQF Level 7), HND (SCQF Level 8) or degree (SCQF Level 9-10) level.
A number of colleges in Scotland offer HNC, HND and degree courses in music business: Edinburgh College, Glasgow Kelvin College, Perth College UHI and the University of the Highlands and Islands.
To get on an HNC/HND course you normally need 1-2 Highers or equivalent and entry requirements for a degree are 4-5 Highers.
You might start as an unpaid intern, through volunteering or in a junior position doing general duties.
A driving licence is useful and sometimes necessary.
Health and safety and first aid certificates are useful.
The UK is the second largest source of repertoire in the world (after USA) and is the third largest market in the world for sales of music.
You might start off in a junior administration job or as a runner (see the Runner job profile) within a radio, television or record company and watch out for a vacancy arising in a relevant department, such as marketing.
excellent knowledge of modern music or a specialist field of music
good organisational skills.
You should also be:
passionate about music
creative
energetic, motivated and driven
resilient and persistent.
Training
Training is mainly on the job.
The Music Managers' Forum (MMF) offers those in the business advice, workshops, networking opportunities, and a range of short courses from MMF Training.
Getting On
Success depends on making a wide range of contacts in the music industry. Once you have managed this, you might work freelance.
You could go on to specialise in a particular field, such as legal advice.
More Information
The Creative and Cultural Skills website has a careers section called Creative Choices which covers information, jobs and opportunities in music, including promotions.