2020 was a year that changed the music industry in a lot of ways. A lot of people lost work, and being a full-time artist became much, much harder than it was before. While 2021 is looking a lot brighter than 2020, there’s no guarantee that things will magically go back to the way they were before.
So, how can you, the artist manager, tackle this challenge for your artist? How do you be a good artist manager in 2021?
Being an effective artist manager in the year 2021 will require you to think heavily on your feet. Even though 2021 will most likely be full of opportunities, capitalizing on these opportunities will be hard. With a limited number of gigs and promoters having more risk of their parties being shut down than ever before, 2021 is a year that will move fast and require you to act even quicker if you want your artists to be ahead of the curve.
You and your artists need to be ready to jump into action to grasp the opportunities that will come in 2021, as they’ll happen fast. Ensure that you discuss an action plan with your artists in the situation that gigs come back very suddenly, as getting into the workflow would be hard on the spot.
You can be proactive by signing up for artist management software like Stagent, making sure that everything is taken care of if gigging becomes very intense quickly.
Of course, you need to think beyond gigs. Just like in 2020, having a strong marketing plan will determine your artist’s course. Now is a great time to sit down and think about what you can do to maximize all the time on your hands and the uncertainty of the 2021 festival landscape.
Having a lot of music ready is something that will benefit your artists significantly in 2021. While gigs may be inconsistent, you can always choose to release consistently. Putting out new music every 6-8 weeks will keep your artists front and center in the public eye, regardless of gigs. Accompanying your music with high-quality video content will make your artists stand out even more.
If you run into problems with labels that make it hard to release consistently, releasing a free bootleg every few months with a download gate is a fantastic way to keep your audience happy while growing your socials and expanding your reach. You can always do something to keep your audience engaged and to keep your artist’s brand growing!
Alongside releasing music consistently comes performing regularly. While we still don’t know if this will be possible in 2021, what is undoubtedly possible is organizing your online performances & livestreams yourself. Investing some money into a nice location and camera crew can definitely take your artist’s brand to the next level, and it also allows your artists to promote their unreleased music. With some brainstorms, you’ll certainly be able to develop some visually stimulating ways to promote your new music.
2021 will be a challenging year for everyone in the music industry, but it will also be a year full of hope and new opportunities. While no one truly knows what to expect, staying on your feet, and being ready to act is what will separate the successful artist’s teams from the rest. The time to start planning is now!
