How much does a music manager take?
The standard music manager commission is 15–20% of the artist's gross income, with 15% more common than 20%. Sliding scales are now normal — often 20% in year one stepping down to 15% by year three. Established artists sometimes negotiate 10–15%. Anything above 20% is unusual and should come with an exceptional track record.
Gross, not net — and this is the clause that matters
Commission is almost always calculated on gross income, not profit. That means the manager is paid on money that comes in, before the artist has paid tour costs, production, or anyone else. A tour that grosses $200,000 and loses money still generates a commission.
This is not automatically unfair — it is what makes commission-only management viable at all — but it is the single most important thing to understand before signing. The negotiable version is which expenses come off the top first. Getting a handful of genuine pass-through costs deducted before the commission is calculated is a normal, winnable ask.
What the percentage applies to
The other question that decides how much a manager actually takes: which revenue streams are commissionable. Recording, live, publishing, merchandise, sync, brand deals and touring can each be in or out.
Common carve-outs worth asking for: songwriting and publishing income where the manager had no involvement, income from deals signed before the manager arrived, and recording income where an advance is being recouped by the label. If a manager refuses to discuss carve-outs at all, that tells you something.
The sunset clause
When the relationship ends, the manager usually keeps commissioning income from deals made during the term — for a period, at a declining rate. That is fair: they built those deals. What is not fair is a perpetual commission on everything forever.
A typical sunset steps down over roughly two to five years and applies only to contracts actually signed during the management term. Negotiate this at the start. Nobody negotiates a sunset clause well while the relationship is falling apart.
Common follow-ups
- Is 20% too much for a music manager?
- No — 20% is within the standard range, especially early on when the manager is doing the most work for the least return. What matters more than the number is whether it's on gross or net, which income streams it covers, and how the sunset clause is written. A 15% deal with no carve-outs and a perpetual sunset is worse than a fair 20%.
- Should a music manager ever charge an upfront fee?
- No. Legitimate artist managers work on commission. A monthly retainer, a signing fee, or a charge for 'development' means their income doesn't depend on your success, which removes the only structural guarantee you have that they'll work.
- Do managers take a cut of publishing and songwriting?
- Often yes, and it's negotiable. If your manager is actively getting you writing rooms, sync placements and publishing deals, commissioning it is reasonable. If they have nothing to do with your publishing, ask for it to be carved out.
- What happens to commission if we split up?
- The sunset clause decides. Expect the manager to keep commissioning deals signed during the term, at a rate that declines over roughly two to five years. Anything perpetual, or anything that commissions deals signed after you part ways, should be pushed back on hard.