Music Business and Management
Course 10: Songwriter and Producer Managers

Similar to artist managers, songwriter and producer agents are responsible for taking care of administrative and business decisions for their clients so that they can concentrate on the creative side of the business. Duties of Songwriter & Producer Managers include scheduling, pitching songs for artists and film opportunities, and negotiating various deals including production deals, song deals, publishing deals, and so on.

You’ll learn how to secure clients, what you need to charge for your services, how to create an agent agreement/contract with clients, and other steps to building a client base. And while this aspect of being a songwriter or producer agent is similar, there are some differences between the two clients.

Yes, you’ll still want to get your clients as much work as possible at a fair rate, but how that rate is paid differs between the two jobs. Songwriters make their money by publishing their work, so you’ll learn how to work with publishing companies. Producers make their money upfront or through royalties. You’ll learn how to negotiate for both types of clients.

Your course 10 assignments are to negotiate a deal for a producer of your choice, including payment structures, fees, points, and other aspects. The second assignment will be to structure a split sheet for a song that includes payments for multiple songwriters.