100 Best Music Business Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

Timothy Ferriss

5.0

More than 100 pages of new, cutting-edge content.
Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times. Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, Th

Recommended by Eric Weinstein, Simon Sinek, Tim Draper, and 51 others.

Eric Weinstein

Managing Director/Thiel Capital

Eric Weinstein recommended this book on Twitter. [source]

Tim Draper

Founder/Draper Fisher Jurvetson

With this kind of time management and focus on the important things in life, people should be able to get 15 times as much done in a normal work week. [source]

Jack Canfield

Co-author/The Success Principles

It's about time this book was written. It is a long-overdue manifesto for the mobile lifestyle, and Tim Ferriss is the ideal ambassador. This will be huge. [source]

2

Artist Management for the Music Business

Paul Allen

4.6

Anyone managing an artist's career needs to be well versed and have a savvy understanding of the moving parts of the music business. Learn how and why those moving parts "move," as well as how to manage and navigate a music-based career.

Artist Management for the Music Business gives a comprehensive view of how to generate income through music and how to strategically plan for future growth. The bo

3

Music Money and Success 8th Edition: The Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Music Business

Jeff Brabec and Todd Brabec

4.6

The Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Music Business is the industry bible and the ultimate guide to making money in the music business. Music is a business of money, contracts, decisions and making the most of every opportunity. To succeed—to make money—to have a career—you have to know what you are doing in both music and business. This invaluable book tells you how the business works, what

4

All You Need to Know about the Music Business

Donald S. Passman

4.6

For fifteen years, "All You Need to Know About the Music Business" has been universally regarded as the definitive, essential guide to the music industry. Now in its sixth edition, it has been completely revised and updated with crucial, up-to-the-minute information on the industry's major changes in response to today's rapid technological advances and uncertain economy. Veteran music lawyer Donal

5

Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business

Richard Stim Attorney

4.6

How to make your band a huge business success

Whether you're recording an album, budgeting a tour, or insuring your vintage guitar, you need solid information to make the right legal and business choices.

Music Law is the all-in-one guide you need. Written by musician and lawyer Rich Stim, it explains everything you need to:
write a partnership agreement
buy, insure, and maintain equipment
use sample

6

A Visit from the Goon Squad

Jennifer Egan

4.6

Jennifer Egan’s spellbinding interlocking narratives circle the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other’s pasts, the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs, over many

Recommended by Dan Ariely, Adam Roberts, Adam Roberts, and 1 others.

Adam Roberts

I love this novel. It is wonderfully written, brilliantly imaginative and engaging, funny and sad and smart. I also love it because of what it says about SF. That in a genre often caricatured (by those who don’t know it very well) as being about the wish-fulfillment fantasies of adolescent boys – huge space weapons, scantily clad astro-girls and so on – some of the very best work is being written by women. [source]

Adam Roberts

I love this novel. It is wonderfully written, brilliantly imaginative and engaging, funny and sad and smart. I also love it because of what it says about SF. That in a genre often caricatured (by those who don’t know it very well) as being about the wish-fulfillment fantasies of adolescent boys – huge space weapons, scantily clad astro-girls and so on – some of the very best work is being written by women. [source]

Lee Pace

@Egangoonsquad @EW I loved this book. Great pick. [source]

7

How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician

Ari Herstand, Derek Sivers

4.6

Forget everything you think you know about the odds of “making it” in the music industry. Today, odds mean nothing and success is not about lucky breaks. It’s about conquering social media, mastering the art of merchandising and simply working harder and being smarter than everyone else. We are living in the midst of an industry renaissance, one that has left the record companies desperately strug

Recommended by Nate Maingard.

Nate Maingard

@amazon hiya, I received a water-damaged, slightly battered delivery of @ariherstand's -amazing- new book over here in South Africa 😢. I don't want to waste paper, fuel or time by getting a replacement, just thought y'all would want to know 💝. Thanks for the great book, Ari! https://t.co/oQFRe6hWDe [source]

8

How Music Works

David Byrne

4.5

*Updated with a new chapter on digital curation*

How Music Works is David Byrne's incisive and enthusiastic look at the musical art form, from its very inceptions to the influences that shape it, whether acoustical, economic, social or technological. Utilizing his incomparable career and inspired collaborations with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and many others, Byrne taps deeply into his lifetime of

9

Take Care of Your Music Business, Taking the Legal and Business Aspects You Need to Know to 3.0

Esq. John P. Kellogg

4.5

The long awaited installation from the expert in the field of entertainment law. This Second Edition includes new chapters on the 360 degree deal and the emerging digital age as well as samples of the most-used industry contracts, options for business structure, royalty and accounting information, the author's Keys to Success in the world of entertainment and more. The reference book for DIY and l

Cover unavailable

10

COPYWRITING: Persuasive Words That Sell | Updated 2019 (Online Marketing Book 1)

Ari Herstand

4.5

11

Social Media Promotion for Musicians: The Manual For Marketing Yourself, Your Band, And Your Music Online

Bobby Owsinski

4.5

Learn how to use social media to promote your band, your music or yourself with the Second Edition of Social Media Promotion for Musicians. The completely updated book reveals a host of online insider tips and tricks that will help you gain more fans and followers, increase your views and streams, and grow your ticket and merch sales.

Social Media Promotion for Musicians shows artists, bands, engi

12

Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business

Fredric Dannen

4.4

Copiously researched and documented, Hit Men is the highly controversial portrait of the pop music industry in all its wild, ruthless glory: the insatiable greed and ambition; the enormous egos; the fierce struggles for profits and power; the vendettas, rivalries, shakedowns, and payoffs. Chronicling the evolution of America's largest music labels from the Tin Pan Alley days to the present day, Fr

Recommended by Daniel Ek.

Daniel Ek

Still the essential biography of the music industry. [source]

Cover unavailable

13

The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop

Dan Charnas

4.4

The Big Payback takes readers from the first $15 made by a "rapping DJ" in 1970s New York to the multi-million-dollar sales of the Phat Farm and Roc-a-Wear clothing companies in 2004 and 2007. On this four-decade-long journey from the studios where the first rap records were made to the boardrooms where the big deals were inked, The Big Payback tallies the list of who lost and who won. Read the se

14

Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator

Ryan Holiday

4.4

You've seen it all before. A malicious online rumor costs a company millions. A political sideshow derails the national news cycle and destroys a candidate. Some product or celebrity zooms from total obscurity to viral sensation. What you don't know is that someone is responsible for all this. Usually, someone like me.

I'm a media manipulator. In a world where blogs control and distort the news, my

Recommended by Timothy Ferriss, Dov Charney, Tucker Max, and 12 others.

Timothy Ferriss

Author & Entrepreneur

Ryan is part Machiavelli, part Ogilvy, and all results. From American Apparel to the quiet campaigns he's run but not taken credit for, this whiz kid is the secret weapon you've never heard of. [source]

Dov Charney

Founder/American Apparel

Behind my reputation as a marketing genius there is Ryan Holiday, whom I consult often and who has done more for my business than just about anyone. [source]

Tucker Max

Author/I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

The strategies Ryan created to exploit blogs drove sales of millions of my books and made me an internationally known name. The reason I am standing here while other celebrities were destroyed or became parodies of themselves is because of his insider knowledge. [source]

15

Fail Until You Don't: Fight Grind Repeat

Bobby Bones

4.4

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bare Bones, host of the marquee morning program “The Bobby Bones Show,” comedian and dedicated philanthropist delivers an inspirational and humorous collection of stories about his biggest misses in life and how he turned them into lessons and wins.

Bobby Bones is the youngest inductee ever into the National Radio Hall of Fame

Cover unavailable

16

An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood

Neal Gabler

4.4

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history, this "wonderful history of the golden age of the movie moguls" (Chicago Tribune ) is a provocative, original, and richly entertaining group biography of the Jewish immigrants who were the moving forces behind the creation of America's motion picture industry.

Recommended by Marina Hyde.

Marina Hyde

I’ll start with An Empire of Their Own, because it’s just so difficult for us to understand what Hollywood was like then, particularly for these guys who were either first generation, or immigrant German, or East European Jews, who’d come largely from running things like nickelodeon outfits on the East Coast, and ended up creating this extraordinary confection out in California. Bearing in mind that they weren’t allowed in the country clubs and things like that, they ended up trying to suppress their Jewishness in almost every way. [source]

17

Music Business Handbook and Career Guide

David Baskerville and Timothy Baskerville

4.4

The Twelfth Edition of this powerhouse best-selling text maintains its tradition as the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide to the music industry in all of its diversity. Readers new to the music business and seasoned professionals alike will find David Baskerville and Tim Baskerville's handbook the go-to source, regardless of their specialty within the music field. Music Business Handbook and Ca

18

Life

Keith Richards

4.4

The long-awaited autobiography of the guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Ladies and gentlemen: Keith Richards.

With The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life.

Now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Mu

Recommended by Harry Khachatrian.

Harry Khachatrian

Binged Keith Richards’ autobiography, LIFE in about 3 days. Great book! Highly recommend it to anyone remotely interested in the Rolling Stones, blues, or music in general https://t.co/trzEHkvBgE [source]

19

The Realist's Guide to a Successful Music Career

Joel Cummins and Matt DeCoursey

4.4

So you want to be a rock star. Or the next pop sensation. Or a country music artist. Or perhaps you're more intrigued by vital roles behind the scenes. The Realist's Guide to a Successful Music Career reveals all the ins and outs of building a viable career in today's ever-changing music business. With blunt honesty paired with expert insight and encouragement, this empathetic guide covers everyth

20

Superfans: Power, Technology, and Money in the Music Industry

Emily Gumbulevich

4.4

Ever wonder where your concert ticket money goes or what happens when you stream your favorite song on Spotify? Heard about the Music Modernization Act but not sure what it means? In Superfans: Power, Technology, and Money in the Music Industry, concert fanatic Emily Gumbulevich dives straight into the mysteries of the music industry.

Despite touring and releasing music, many successful artists st

21

Music Marketing for the DIY Musician: Creating and Executing a Plan of Attack on a Low Budget

Bobby Borg

4.4

(Music Pro Guide Books & DVDs). There has never been a greater need for practical DIY marketing advice from a musician who has been there and succeeded than now at a time when new technologies make it more possible than ever for musicians to attract attention independently and leverage their own careers, and record industry professionals look exclusively for developed artists who are already succe

22

Music Marketing: Press, Promotion, Distribution, and Retail

Mike King

4.3

(Berklee Press). Berklee expert speaks on how to market and distribute your songs and group. Sell more music! Learn the most effective marketing strategies available to musicians, leveraging the important changes and opportunities that the digital age has brought to music marketing. This multifaceted and integrated approach will help you to develop an effective worldwide marketing strategy. Step b

23

How Music Got Free: The End of an Industry, the Turn of the Century, and the Patient Zero of Piracy

Stephen Witt

4.3

What happens when an entire generation commits the same crime?

How Music Got Free is a riveting story of obsession, music, crime, and money, featuring visionaries and criminals, moguls and tech-savvy teenagers. It’s about the greatest pirate in history, the most powerful executive in the music business, a revolutionary invention and an illegal website four times the size of the iTunes Music Store.

Recommended by Paolo Gregoletto.

Paolo Gregoletto

Great book about it all https://t.co/hFLhiZOwRo [source]

Cover unavailable

24

Music Law in the Digital Age: Copyright Essentials for Today's Music Business

Allen Bargfrede

4.3

(Berklee Press). With the free-form exchange of music files and musical ideas online, understanding copyright laws has become essential to career success in the new music marketplace. This cutting-edge, plain-language guide shows you how copyright law drives the contemporary music industry. By looking at the law and its recent history, you will understand the new issues introduced by the digital a

Cover unavailable

25

Bill Graham Presents: My Life Inside Rock And Out

Bill Graham, Robert Greenfield

4.3

Gritty, moving, funny, and always fascinating, Bill Graham Presents is the inside story of the explosive and unforgettable man who created the business of rock.

As a child, Bill Graham fled Europe to escape Hitler's armies. He grew up on the streets of New York and in the dining rooms of the hotels in the Catskills. After failing as an actor, he headed for San Francisco right before the Summer of L

Recommended by James Murphy.

James Murphy

Bill Graham Presents My Life Inside Rock and Out because I think it’s very important for young people to understand the history of the concert business before trying to jump into it. You need to have a clear understanding of where it’s been to know where it’s going and how you can help take it there. [source]

26

This Business of Music: The Definitive Guide to the Music Industry

M. William Krasilovsky, Sidney Shemel, John M. Gross

4.3

This new edition addresses such important issues as the implication of MP3, the Copyright Term Extension Act, union treatment of digital music, and much more.

27

The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll

Ian S. Port

4.3

“A hot-rod joy ride through mid-20th-century American history” (The New York Times Book Review), this one-of-a-kind narrative masterfully recreates the rivalry between the two men who innovated the electric guitar’s amplified sound—Leo Fender and Les Paul—and their intense competition to convince rock stars like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton to play the instruments they built.

In the

28

Music Business for Dummies

Loren Weisman

4.3

Start your music career off right with this fun guide to the music industry "Music Business For Dummies" explains the ins and outs of the music industry for artists and business people just starting out. You'll learn how file-sharing, streaming, and iTunes have transformed the industry, and how to navigate your way through the new distribution models to capitalize on your work. It all begins with

29

Financial Freedom: My Only Hope

Jeremiah Brown

4.3

Many people work hard all their lives scrimping and saving in order to achieve the American dream of financial freedom. The unfortunate reality, however, is that success is fleeting, and debt, loss, and corruption are all too common. Whether unemployed, underemployed, or still trying to climb the corporate ladder, we’re all plagued by money worries—unless we’re in the 1 percent.

The truth is that w

30

Performing Artist Pathway: Navigate The Highs & Lows On Your Music Journey

Brianna Ruelas

4.3

31

On the Track: A Guide to Contemporary Film Scoring

Fred Karlin

4.3

On the Track offers a comprehensive guide to scoring for film and television. Covering all styles and genres, the authors, both noted film composers, cover everything from the nuts-and-bolts of timing, cuing, and recording through balancing the composer's aesthetic vision with the needs of the film itself. Unlike other books that are aimed at the person "dreaming" of a career, this is truly a guid

32

Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco and Destiny

Nile Rodgers

4.3

You will hear a Nile Rodgers song today. It will make you happy.
Today's pop music--genre-crossing, gender-bending, racially mixed, visually stylish, and dominated by dance music with global appeal--is the world that Nile Rodgers created. In the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote and produced the songs that defined that era and everything that came after: "Le Freak," "Good Times," "We Are Family," "Like a

33

When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man

Jerry Weintraub

4.3

Here is the story of Jerry Weintraub: the self-made, Brooklyn-born, Bronx-raised impresario, Hollywood producer, legendary deal maker, and friend of politicians and stars. No matter where nature has placed him--the club rooms of Brooklyn, the Mafia dives of New York's Lower East Side, the wilds of Alaska, or the hills of Hollywood--he has found a way to put on a show and sell tickets at the door.

34

The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory

John Seabrook

4.3

There’s a reason today’s ubiquitous pop hits are so hard to ignore—they’re designed that way. The Song Machine goes behind the scenes to offer an insider’s look at the global hit factories manufacturing the songs that have everyone hooked. Full of vivid, unexpected characters—alongside industry heavy-hitters like Katy Perry, Rihanna, Max Martin, and Ester Dean—this fascinating journey into the str

Recommended by Ryan Holiday.

Ryan Holiday

Author

I've been meaning to read this book for a while, and after I did I bought copies for everyone at my company (since we produce books and other kinds of content). In the book, Seabrook explains how just a few men and women are responsible for producing nearly every hit song you hear on the radio, see on YouTube or listen to on Spotify. He explains the economics of the music industry in a way that allows you to understand why music is the way that is today (the good parts and the bad parts). As someone who tends to listen to songs on repeat while I write--usually bad songs--it was interesting to hear how many of them were made. My only gripe: He neglects a couple people I would have liked to hear more about like Sia and Linda Perry who are just as prolific as Dr. Luke and Max Martin. [source]

35

The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir by James Prince

James Prince;Jasmine D. Waters and Pilar Sanders;Julia Beverly

4.3

36

Building a Career in Opera from School to Stage: Operapreneurship: CMS Emerging Fields in Music

James Harrington

4.3

Building a Career in Opera from School to Stage: Operapreneurship provides early-career singers with an overview of the structure of the opera industry and tools for strategically approaching a career within it. Today's voice students leave the conservatory with better training than ever, but often face challenges to managing their own careers after graduation. This book addresses what singers nee

37

Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age

Jeff Goins

4.3

Bestselling author and creativity expert Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is in fact a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

The Starving Artist Is a Myth

We’ve heard it a thousand times: There’s no money in art. It’s too risky. You’ll starve. So, we end up chasing more stable careers. We become lawyers and doct

Recommended by Scott Perry.

Scott Perry

I just dropped reading a book that was not delivering on its promise and pulled Jeff Goins’ Real Artists Don’t Starve out of my “read-next” stack. It was gifted to me by my altMBAAlumni friend Brigitte Anderson Cutshall who would make a great guest in this series! [source]

38

Music Industry Forms: The 75 Most Important Documents for the Modern Musician

Jonathan Feist

4.3

(Berklee Guide). Organize and manage your music projects! Whether you are a performer, writer, engineer, educator, manager, or music maker, these time-tested charts, plots, diagrams, checklists, and agreements will help make your work easier and better. These forms will help you clarify your work, track critical details, and maintain quality control. Each one includes explanation about how it is u

Cover unavailable

39

King's Cage (Red Queen, #3)

Victoria Aveyard

4.3

In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl's spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion?

Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king,

40

Six-Figure Musician - How to Sell More Music, Get More People to Your Shows, and Make More Money in the Music Business (Music Marketing [dot] com Presents)

David Hooper, Chris Caldwell, et al

4.3

An Open Letter to Any Musician Who Wants to
Make $100,000 (or More) in the Music Business

You're in a career where it's considered "normal" to be broke. If you were doing anything else for a living, you'd have given up by now.

And I'm sure there are people in your life who wish you'd do just that... They want you to settle down, get a "real" job, and make music a hobby.

Screw 'em. The truth is, if you

41

Habits of a Successful Band Director: Pitfalls and Solutions/G6777

Scott Rush

4.3

42

HussleNomics: Money, Ownership & Business Lessons Inspired by Nipsey Hussle + a Step by Step Guide on How to Implement Each Principle

Ash Cash

4.3

43

Project Management for Musicians: Recordings, Concerts, Tours, Studios, and More

Jonathan Feist

4.2

(Berklee Press). Get organized, and take charge of your music projects! This book will help you harness your creativity into clear visions and effective work plans. Whether you are producing a recording, going on tour, developing a studio, launching a business, running a marketing campaign, creating a music curriculum, or any other project in the music industry, these road-tested strategies will h

Cover unavailable

44

Starting a Business QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner's Guide to Launching a Successful Small Business, Turning Your Vision into Reality, and Achieving Your Entrepreneurial Dream

Ken Colwell PhD MBA

4.2

Starting a Business QuickStart Guide: The Simplified Beginner's Guide to Launching a Successful Small Business, Turning Your Vision into Reality, and Achieving Your Entrepreneurial Dream

THE ULTIMATE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO STARTING A BUSINESS IN 2019!

Have you ever dreamt of starting your own business and living life on your terms?

This book shows you EXACTLY what you need to know to stand out from the

45

Your Child's Career in Music and Entertainment: The Prudent Parent's Guide from Start to Stardom

Steven C. Beer and Kathryne Badura

4.2

In today’s competitive society, parents face great pressure to encourage their children to follow their dreams and strive for excellence. Organized in a practical question-and-answer format, Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment: The Prudent Parent’s Guide raises and addresses many of the issues parents encounter when seeking to turn their children’s creative passion and talent into a sus

46

The Plain & Simple Guide to Music Publishing: Foreword by Tom Petty

Randall Wixen

4.2

(Book). Publishing is one of the most complex and lucrative parts of the music business. Industry expert Randall Wixen covers everything from mechanical, performing and synch rights to sub-publishing, foreign rights, copyright basics, types of publishing deals, advice on representation and more. Get a view from the top, in plain English. This updated and revised edition has been prepared in light

47

Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction

Derek Thompson

4.2

Nothing "goes viral." If you think a popular movie, song, or app came out of nowhere to become a word-of-mouth success in today's crowded media environment, you're missing the real story. Each blockbuster has a secret history--of power, influence, dark broadcasters, and passionate cults that turn some new products into cultural phenomena. Even the most brilliant ideas wither in obscurity if they f

48

What They'll Never Tell You About the Music Business, Third Edition: The Complete Guide for Musicians, Songwriters, Producers, Managers, Industry Executives, Attorneys, and Accountants

Peter M. Thall

4.2

Completely revised and expanded, What They'll Never Tell You About the Music Business reflects the realities of today's music industry and remains a must-have for music-lovers, songwriters, and record executives alike.

In this comprehensive yet extremely readable book, author Peter M. Thall, a specialist in entertainment and copyright law, takes an in-depth look at all facets of the music industry.

49

3 Kings: Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, and Hip-Hop's Multibillion-Dollar Rise

Zack O'Malley Greenburg

4.2

Tracing the careers of hip-hop's three most dynamic stars, this deeply reported history brilliantly examines the entrepreneurial genius of the first musician tycoons: Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z.

Being successful musicians was simply never enough for the three kings of hip-hop. Diddy, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z lifted themselves from childhood adversity into tycoon territory, amassing levels of fame and wea

Cover unavailable

50

The Prosperous Hip Hop Producer: My Beat-Making Journey from My Grandma's Patio to a Six-Figure Business

Curtiss King

4.2

"Music is simply the soul boiling over into sound. When you produce with this in mind, there is no way you'll ever miss the mark."

Curtiss King: Producer. Rapper. Mentor to thousands of aspiring artists and entrepreneurs through his YouTube channel. His production credits include Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, E-40 and MURS, and giants like MTV, VH1, and VANS.

But once upon a time Curtiss was broke, s

51

Music Publishing: The Complete Guide

Steve Winogradsky

4.2

Written by an attorney with over 30 years of experience in the music industry, Music Publishing: The Complete Guide is the definitive manual on music copyright. Whereas many books on the subject are aimed at artists and songwriters, this book will serve as a thorough guide for industry pros, lawyers, and music business and law students.

Subjects covered include copyright; performing rights organiza

Cover unavailable

52

Writer. Producer. Engineer.: A Handbook for Creating Contemporary Commercial Music

Michael Farquharson

4.2

(Berklee Guide). Writers of commercial music are more in demand than ever before. The rules have changed in the past decade, and the contemporary writer needs a multifaceted skillset in order to succeed in business. This book will help you master the three roles of the new job: writer, producer, and engineer. You will learn to set up a profitable business model for creating commercial music, provi

53

How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams

Emily White

4.2

Emily White has been at the forefront of the modern music industry throughout her career. In this book, she shares her wisdom for all musicians who want access to this information. White feels that the modern music industry is rarely, if ever, presented in order - from creation to execution or recording to release. For the first time, White has penned all of her best practices and advice for music

54

Blueprint to Conspiracy: The Untold Story of the Black Mafia Family

Dexter 'Sosa' Hussey

4.2

55

Confessions of a Record Producer: How to Survive the Scams and Shams of the Music Business

Moses Avalon

4.2

(Book). This fully updated and expanded book is not about how the music business should work, but how it does work. Industry insider Moses Avalon tells it like it is how producers dip into budgets, artists steal songs, lawyers write contracts in code and shows you how to survive these and other career-stifling situations. Deconstructing actual major and indie-label record deals, this book dissects

56

Rough Ideas: Reflections on Music and More

Stephen Hough

4.2

A collection of essays on music and life by the famed classical pianist and composer

Stephen Hough is one of the world's leading pianists, winning global acclaim and numerous awards, both for his concerts and his recordings. He is also a writer, composer, and painter, and has been described by The Economist as one of "Twenty Living Polymaths."

Hough writes informally and engagingly about music and t

57

Me, the Mob, and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James The Shondells

Tommy James

4.2

Now in paperback, after five hardcover printings, Tommy James’s wild and entertaining true story of his career—part rock & roll fairytale, part valentine to a bygone era, and part mob epic—that “reads like a music-industry version of Goodfellas” (The Denver Post).

Everyone knows the hits: “Hanky Panky,” “Mony Mony,” “I Think We’re Alone Now,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion.” All of

58

Behind the Glass: Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits

Howard Massey

4.2

Behind the Glass, Volume II presents another prime collection of firsthand interviews with the world's top record producers and engineers, sharing their creative secrets and hit-making techniques - from the practical to the artistic. In these pages you'll find Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan) discussing the future of digital recording; T-Bone Burnett (Robert Plant and Alison Krauss) sharing his uniqu

59

Songwriting: Essential Guide to Rhyming

Pat Pattison

4.2

(Berklee Press). This book has a very specific purpose: to help you find better rhymes and use them more effectively. Rhyme is one of the most crucial areas of lyric writing, and this guide will provide you with all the technical information necessary to develop your skills completely. Make rhyme work for you, and your lyric writing will greatly improve. If you have written lyrics before, even at

60

Michael Jackson, Inc.: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of a Billion-Dollar Empire

Zack O'Malley Greenburg

4.2

The surprising rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story of how Michael Jackson grew a billion-dollar business.

Michael Jackson is known by many as the greatest entertainer of all time, but he was also a revolutionary when it came to business. In addition to famously buying the Beatles' publishing catalogue, Jackson was one of the first pop stars to launch his own clothing line, record label, sneakers

61

Music: The Business: The Essential Guide to the Law and the Deals

Ann Harrison

4.2

Are you a recording artist, songwriter, music business manager, music industry executive, publisher, music/TV/radio journalist, media student, accountant or lawyer? Are you fascinated by the world of the music industry that fills out daily papers? If the answer is yes, Music: The Business will tell you everything you need to know.
Fully revised and updated to embrace the new challenges of the Inter

62

C'mon, Get Happy . . .: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus

David Cassidy

4.2

This memoir by David Cassidy tells the real story behind his phenomenal ’70s stardom—and the sadness that shadowed it. Includes photos and a new afterword.

Barely out of his teens, David Cassidy landed a role on a new sitcom about a musical family that toured in a psychedelic bus. The critics blasted it—but TV viewers loved it! And the young female audience especially loved Keith Partridge. Not on

63

Everything You'd Better Know about the Record Industry: For Artists, Songwriters, Producers, Musicians, and Music Entrepreneurs

Kashif

4.2

64

Great Songwriting Techniques

Jack Perricone

4.2

In Great Songwriting Techniques, veteran composer and teacher Jack Perricone shares years of experience in the art, science, and pedagogy of songwriting to teach readers the craft. Whether they write for a small group of friends or in the hopes of creating a smash hit, aspiring songwriters can learn how to focus on topics essential to their success in this competitive field; every songwriter must

65

Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin, and Beyond--The Story of Rock's Greatest Manager

Mark Blake

4.2

The authorized biography of the most notorious rock manager of all time, Peter Grant, best known for his work with Led Zeppelin

Peter Grant is the most famous music manager of all time. Often acknowledged as the "fifth member of Led Zeppelin," Grant's story has appeared in fragments across countless Zeppelin biographies, but none has explored who this brilliant and intuitive manager yet flawed and

Cover unavailable

66

Audio Mastering Secrets: The Pros Don't Want You To Know!

John Rogers

4.2

Cover unavailable

67

Complete Guide to Film Scoring: The Art and Business of Writing Music for Movies and TV

Richard Davis

4.1

(Berklee Guide). Essential for anyone interested in the business, process and procedures of writing music for film or television, this book teaches the Berklee approach to the art, covering topics such as: preparing and recording a score, contracts and fees, publishing, royalties, copyrights and much more. Features interviews with 21 top film-scoring professionals, including Michael Kamen, Alf Cla

68

The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock Radio: A Memoir

John Gorman

4.1

"John Gorman describes in exclusive, behind-the-scenes detail the state of rock 'n' roll from the early '70s to the late '80s, when just about anything happened and everyone looked the other way . . . This is essential reading for musicians, entertainment industry leaders, and music fans alike." -- Mike Shea, CEO/Co-Founder, Alternative Press magazine

This rock and roll radio memoir takes you behin

69

The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution

David Kusek, Gerd Leonhard

4.1

(Berklee Press). For the next generation of players and downloaders, a provocative scenario from a music industry think tank. From the Music Research Institute at Berklee College of Music comes a manifesto for the ongoing music revolution. Today, the record companies may be hurting but the music-making business is booming, using non-traditional digital methods and distribution models. This book ex

70

The New Music Therapist's Handbook

Suzanne B. Hanser

4.1

(Berklee Guide). Learn essential concepts and practices for providing music therapy. This book has been an indispensable guide for music therapists worldwide since the 1990s. You will learn state-of-the-art, data-driven approaches to providing care in a wide variety of therapeutic contexts. These practices are based on the most up-to-date science and experiences of thousands of patients and client

71

Music Money and Success 7th Edition: The Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Music Business

Jeffrey Brabec, Todd Brabec

4.1

Music, Money and Success: The Insider's Guide to Making Money in the Music Busines is the industry bible and the ultimate guide to making money in the music business. Music is a business of money, contracts, decisions and making the most of every opportunity. To succeed - to make money - to have a career - you have to know what you are doing in both music and business.

This invaluable book tells yo

72

The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy

Steve Stoute and Mim Eichler Rivas

4.1

The business marketing genius at the forefront of today’s entertainment marketing revolution helps corporate America get hip to today’s new consumer—the tan generation.

When Fortune 500 companies need to reenergize or reinvent a lagging brand, they call Steve Stoute. In addition to marrying cultural icons with blue-chip marketers, Stoute has helped identify and activate a new generation of consumer

73

Be Your Own Manager: A Career Handbook for Classical Musicians

Bernhard Kerres

4.1

Be You Own Manager is a career handbook for classical musicians, singers, conductors, and others making music their profession. The book contains the basics in understanding the business side of the industry for both young as well as experienced classical musicians. It contains chapters on marketing, how to use social media, fee negotiations and much more. Every chapter includes practical examples

74

Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office

Zack O'Malley Greenburg

4.1

Some people think Jay-Z is just another rapper. Others see him as just another celebrity/mega-star. The reality is, no matter what you think Jay-Z is, he first and foremost a business. And as much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle. You can wake up to the local radio station playing Jay-Z's latest hit, spritz yourself with his 9IX cologne, slip on a pair of his Roca

Recommended by Ryan Holiday.

Ryan Holiday

Author

Just because I didn’t want this list to be all stuffy old classics, I thought I’d put this interesting (and unofficial) biography of Jay-Z on here. This is a biography that also functions as a business book. It shows how Jay applied hustling techniques to the music business and eventually built his empire. [source]

75

Making Money with Music: Generate Over 100 Revenue Streams, Grow Your Fan Base, and Thrive in Today's Music Environment

Randy Chertkow

4.1

“[Chertkow and Feehan] are the ideal mentors for aspiring indie musicians who want to navigate an ever-changing music industry.” —Billboard Magazine

You can make a living with music today. The secret is to tap multiple income streams.

Making Money With Music gives you over 100 revenue streams and the knowledge on how to tap them. Whether you're a solo artist, band, DJ, EDM producer, or other musicia

76

Songwriter's Market: Where & How to Market Your Songs

Cris Freese

4.1

Songwriter's Market is the go-to source for songwriters and performing artists who seek career advice and up-to-date information for placing their songs with music publishers, discovering record companies or producers, securing representation with a manager, and much more. With insights from a variety of industry experts and both career and up-and-coming songwriters, this edition features the firs

77

How to Play the 5-String Banjo

Pete Seeger

4.1

(Music Sales America). This basic manual for banjo players includes melody line, lyrics and banjo accompaniment and solos notated in standard form and tablature. Chapters cover material such as: a basic strum, the fifth string, hammering on, pulling off, double thumbing, and much more.

78

Making Music Make Money: An Insider's Guide to Becoming Your Own Music Publisher

Eric Beall

4.1

(Berklee Press). Making Music Make Money will educate songwriters, as well as aspiring music business entrepreneurs in the basics of becoming an effective independent music publisher. Topics include a discussion of the various roles a publisher plays in the music business: collection, administration, protection, exploitation and evaluation. A major emphasis is placed on the exploitation process, a

79

The Soundtrack of My Life

Clive Davis and Anthony DeCurtis

4.1

In this star-studded autobiography, Clive Davis shares a personal, candid look into his remarkable life and the last fifty years of popular music as only a true insider can.In the history of popular music, no one looms as large as Clive Davis. His career has spanned more than forty years, and he has discovered, signed, or worked with a staggering array of artists: Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Si

80

This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring: "A Practical Guide to Creating, Selling, Organizing, and Staging Concerts"

Ray D. Waddell

4.1

The only book that looks at the business of concert promotion. Concerts are part art, part party—and a big part business. This Business of Concert Promotion and Touring is the first to focus on that all-important business aspect, from creating a show, to selling a show, to organizing the show, to staging the show. Working with venues, personnel, booking, promoting, marketing, publicity, public rel

81

Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment

Anita Elberse

4.1

Why the future of popular culture will revolve around ever bigger bets on entertainment products, by one of Harvard Business School's most popular professors

What's behind the phenomenal success of entertainment businesses such as Warner Bros., Marvel Entertainment, and the NFL—along with such stars as Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and LeBron James? Which strategies give leaders in film, television, music, pub

82

Business Basics for Musicians: The Complete Handbook from Start to Success, 2nd Edition

Bobby Borg

4.1

(Music Pro Guide Books & DVDs). There has never been a greater need for musicians to understand the music business than now, when emerging technologies make it possible for artists to act as their own record labels, and new contracts are structured to grab the biggest slice of an artist's revenue pie. But in a digital age overflowing with confusing and ever-changing information, musicians need tru

83

Bootleg: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry

Clinton Heylin

4.1

In Bootleg: The Secret History of the Other Recording Industry, Clinton Heylin examines the entire modern history of this underground culture: from what defines a bootleg and its complex and protean legal status, to a full history of bootlegs' production and distribution, to what's contained on some of the most notorious bootlegs and how to find them. Along with many illustrations of the creative

84

The Music Business (Explained in Plain English): What Every Artist and Songwriter Should Know to Avoid Getting Ripped Off!

David Naggar

4.1

85

Management And Creativity: From Creative Industries To Creative Management

Chris Bilton

4.1

This book explores the relationship between the management of creativity and creative approaches to management.
Challenges the stereotypical opposition between 'creatives' and 'suits'.
Draws on the work of management theorists such as Mintzberg and Porter and creativity theorists such as Amabile and Boden.
Draws on the practical experience of individuals working in the creative industries.
Looks a

86

Rockonomics: A Backstage Tour of What the Music Industry Can Teach Us about Economics and Life

Alan B. Krueger

4.1

Alan Krueger, a former chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, uses the music industry, from superstar artists to music executives, from managers to promoters, as a way in to explain key principles of economics, and the forces shaping our economic lives.

The music industry is a leading indicator of today's economy; it is among the first to be disrupted by the latest wave of techno

Recommended by Cliff Burnstein, Donald Passman, Quincy Jones, and 1 others.

Cliff Burnstein

I actually majored in economics in college. A few years later, I bumped into a former classmate who asked me what I was doing. I told him I was handling rock radio promotion for Mercury Records. He said, ‘What a waste of your education.’ I hope he reads Rockonomics, so he'll find out I didn't end up as a total loser. [source]

Donald Passman

The music biz has been down a twisted path, but Alan Krueger brings it all together in a smart, relatable way. Rockonomics has lessons far beyond the music industry, so fasten your seat belt and come along for the ride. [source]

Quincy Jones

An absolutely brilliant mind. The definition of left and right brain balance!! [source]

87

Record Label Marketing

Tom Hutchison, Amy Macy, Paul Allen

4.1

Record Label Marketing provides clear, in-depth information on corporate marketing processes, combining marketing theory with the real world "how to" practiced in marketing war rooms. This industry-defining book is clearly illustrated throughout with figures, tables, graphs, and glossaries. Record Label Marketing is essential reading for current and aspiring professionals and students, and also of

88

The Ultimate Guide to Music Publicity

Ariel Hyatt

4.1

89

Start and Run Your Own Record Label: Winning Marketing Strategies for Today's Music Industry

Daylle Deanna Schwartz

4.0

For everyone interested in starting a record label–to market new talent or to release and promote their own music–there has never been a better time to do it!

Music can be released, distributed, and promoted for a fraction of traditional costs. Veteran author and music-business consultant Daylle Deanna Schwartz (who started and ran her own label) has rewritten and expanded her classic, Start & Run

Cover unavailable

90

Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of The Band and Beyond

Sandra B. Tooze

4.0

91

Music 3.0: A Survival Guide for Making Music in the Internet Age

Bobby Owsinski

4.0

(Technical Reference). The paradigm has shifted and everything you knew about the music business has completely changed. Who are the new players in the music business? Why are traditional record labels, television, and radio no longer factors in an artist's success? How do you market and distribute your music in the new music world and how do you make money? This book answers these questions and m

92

A Mad Love: An Introduction to Opera

Vivien Schweitzer

4.0

There are few art forms as visceral and emotional as opera and few that are as daunting for newcomers. A Mad Love offers a spirited and indispensable tour of opera's eclectic past and present, beginning with Monteverdi's L'Orfeo in 1607, generally considered the first successful opera, through classics like Carmen and La Boheme, and spanning to Brokeback Mountain and The Death of Klinghoffer in re

93

This Business of Artist Management

Jr. Xavier M. Frascogna, H. Lee Hetherington

4.0

This authoritative reference on artist management in the music industry is the standard for all phases of managing a musician's career from both the artist's and manager's point of view. This substantially updated edition covers the major changes that have transformed the business world and music industry over the past six years. Particular emphasis is given to the impact of the Internet, includin

94

Rock: Music, Culture, and Business

Joseph G. Schloss, Larry Starr, et al.

4.0

Providing the perfect balance of cultural and musical analysis, Rock: Music, Culture, and Business by Joseph G. Schloss, Larry Starr, and Christopher Waterman tells the full story of rock 'n' roll, from its earliest beginnings to today.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES
* Balances the history of the music business and the impact of social and cultural movements on the story of rock
* Enhanced coverage of contempo

95

The Indie Band Survival Guide: The Complete Manual for the Do-It-Yourself Musician

Randy Chertkow

4.0

The Indie Band Survival Guide (2008 edition) is a tremendous resource for musicians looking to record, distribute, market, and sell their music for less than most rock stars spend on green M&M's. Musicians and web gurus Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan cover every step of the process. With nothing but creative talent and the Web, they've gotten tens of thousands of fans for their band, in addition

96

Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age

Steve Knopper

4.0

For the first time, Appetite for Self-Destruction recounts the epic story of the precipitous rise and fall of the recording industry over the past three decades, when the incredible success of the CD turned the music business into one of the most glamorous, high-profile industries in the world—and the advent of file sharing brought it to its knees.

In a comprehensive, fast-paced account full of lar

97

Entertainment Industry: The Business of Music, Books, Movies, TV, Radio, Internet, Video Games, Theater, Fashion, Sports, Art, Merchandising, Copyright, Trademarks & Contracts

Mark Vinet

4.0

The entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar business that showcases the work, services, talent, and creativity of a cross-section of the international workforce. The modern entertainment industry is the convergence of the business of music, books, movies, television, radio, Internet, video games, theater, fashion, sports, art, merchandising, copyright, trademarks, and contracts. Employmen

Cover unavailable

98

Successful Lyric Writing

Sheila Davis

4.0

Covers structure, viewpoint, voice, rhythm, rhyme, and setting, identifies common song writing problems, and provides writing assignments.

99

Guerrilla Music Marketing Online: 129 Free & Low-Cost Strategies to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet

Bob Baker

4.0

An easy-to-digest overview of the many free and low-cost ways independent musicians, managers and promoters can harness the Internet to gain widespread exposure, attract more fans, and make money with their music. Veteran author, speaker and teacher Bob Baker reveals guerrilla marketing tactics to build an effective artist website, make the most of social media sites, and use the latest digital mu

100

100 Careers in the Music Business

Tanja L. Crouch

4.0