Recommended Reads: Books to Fuel the Spark

As a music industry hopeful I’ve read numerous blogs, articles and interviews on the music industry and after a while you might run into the same topics over and over again as one writer inspires another writer to write on the same topic and that writer inspires the next and so on. This is great! These sources keep us updated on an ever-changing music industry but if your interest in the music business/industry has just been sparked you might be looking for one place to get a lot of useful information on different topics. I suggest that this search for information start with these well written books:

1.)     Donald S. Passman’s  “All You Need to Know About the Music Business.” (now in its 8^th edition)

This book gives you the information to understand many different aspects of the music business from artist management, to record labels, music publishing, touring, motion picture music and even group issues you might face as artists. As overwhelming as all of this information might sound this book is so well written it allows readers to get through the book easily, it’s a simple read with a lot personality that adds some fun into the mix.

2.)     Peter M, Thall’s “What They’ll Never Tell You About the Music Business: The Myths, The Secrets, The Lies & a Few Truths”

The title of this book could not be more accurate. This book delves deeper in the situations you might run into, consider or recover from in the music industry. As someone who is inexperienced in the music business it’s good to at least have an idea of the problems you’ll run into. Better to see the punch coming than be blindsided!

3.)    Dr. Stephen Marcone’s  “Managing your Band” (5^th edition)

           “Managing your band” has a special place in my heart because it taught me about music marketing before I was even a business student and before I really had any specifics about the industry. This book has so many useful examples such as a sample marketing plan for an artist that would likely be the produced by a record company, long examples of recording contracts and examples of actual legal battles. If you want to know how the music industry works internally and behind the scenes this is the book to start with.

I’ve yet to find another book that I love as much as these 3 gems. If you get the chance pick up one of these books, I hope they’ll continue to fuel that spark you have for learning about the music biz.

If anyone has any more suggestions for books on the music business I’d love to hear them!  just leave me a comment or tweet me @AliciaMachuca0