The music industry consists of four main parts: writing music, recording music, publishing music, and live music/artist management. The recording process involves an artist finding a record label, writing or choosing a song, recording vocals and instrumentation, and distributing the recorded music. Songwriters and publishers each receive 50% of revenue. Live performances are now a primary source of income for artists. Record labels oversee marketing, recording, production, promotion, and distribution for artists. They have departments for A&R, artist development, promotion, publicity, sales, and administration. Major labels are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Independent labels include Domino, Rough Trade Records, and Apple Records.

2. What is the Music Industry?
A Business mainly split into 4 parts:
 Writing of the Music
 Recording of the Music
 Publishing the Music
 Live Music and Managing the Artist

3. Recording
This is a map of the recording process.
STAGE ONE: The artist must find a record company to record with.
STAGE TWO: The artist must find a song to record. Either a Cover or an
Original
STAGE THREE: Record the Artists singing
STAGE FOUR: Record the backing track
STAGE FIVE: Distribution

4. Song Writing and Publishing
 When someone writes an original song there are
certain terms and conditions that apply when
publishing the song into the music industry.
 The song is split into two halves ; the writer share and
the publishers share.
 So for all the revenue a released single will get the
writer will get 50% and the publisher will get 50%.

5. Live Music
 With so much Illegal Downloading taking place in
todays society and Artists main source of income is
Live Performance, e.g Concerts/Gigs/Festivals

6. Live Music Process
 A promoter gets the performing artist and a venue
together to discuss a contract
 The promoters then presents the Artist to the booking
agency.
 The booking agencies job is to book the Artist in for
performances.
 Consumers then purchase tickets from the venue or a
ticket distributor e.g ticketmaster

7. What Goes On, On Tour…
 Record Companies will provide tour support. They may
finance the tour in the hope of promoting record sales.
 It is more common today for an artist to release their record
in preparation for an upcoming tour.
 Successful artists employ a Road Crew to travel with them,
headed by a tour manager, crew also includes lighting and
sound engineers, instrument tuners, maintenance and
transport, as well as an accountant, stage manager and
catering team.
 Small tours may be handled by just a few roadies or the
band themselves.

8. Artist Management
 Artist Manger: Oversees all situations that may affect an
artists career in exchange for a percentage of the artists
income
 Entertainment Lawyer: Focuses on legal services of the
music industry e.g contracts with the record company.
 Business Manager: In control of the artists finances and
book keeping.

9. Record Label
 A Record Label is a trade mark which takes care of
marketing and recording of artists songs and Music
Videos.
 Record Labels also cover production, manufacturing,
promotion, marketing and distribution

10. Departments in A Record Label
 A&R (Artists & Repertoire)-
Discover new talent, choose songs
for albums and where albums will be
recorded
 Artist Development- Promotes
and publicises the Artists over the
course of their career
 Promotion Department- Main
purpose is to make sure the artist
gets their music played on radio or
tv.
 Publicity- Works to get the word
out about new artists.
 Sales- Oversees retail for the record
company
 Admin- controls finance and legal
contracts.

11. Major Labels
 Universal Music Group (owns EMI)
 Sony Music Group
 Warner Music Group

12. Independent Labels
 Domino
 Rough Trade Records
 Apple Records

13. PRS- Performing Right Society
A UK copyright collection society that undertakes collective right
management in the music industry.

14. PPL- Phonographic Performance
Ltd
Licenses recorded music played in public or broadcast and then
distributes the licence fees to its performer and recording right
holder members.

15. Task
 Select an artist from your chosen genre from last lesson.
 Use wikipedia/band website
 What record label are the signed to?
 Is this owned by one of the big 3?
 Is this an independent label?
 When did they sign to this label?
 What other Artists are on their label?
 Have they collaborated with any other artists? If so are they
also on the same record label?
 Research the label- does it just represent a certain genre?