Music Business Management MA

This module looks at how artists and musical products are developed within the music industries. The practice of artist and repertoire is now more commonly known as artist development or A&R. Knowing and understanding music in its commercial context is key to career development in the music industries. A&R has become a central practice within the music industries. This is a very exciting module where you get the opportunity to listen, discuss and debate music and artists’ development.

This module is concerned with the critical evaluation of entrepreneurial business structures and behaviours in the creative industries. The approach is interdisciplinary, and is designed to provide you with a solid introduction to media economics, social theory, and entrepreneurship in the creative industries.

Intellectual Property (IP) and copyright are central to all the creative industries. In today’s environment IP and copyright are increasingly under attack. In this module we will critically examine the role of IP and copyright in today’s music market. IP and copyright can cover works as diverse as songs, master recordings, videos, photos, writings, knowledge, the expression of ideas, prototypes, and more. This module is designed to provide students with a critical awareness of the various issues around IP and Copyright Management and additionally enable students to look critically at the contractual relationships that bind the industry. This is a highly contentious field and is in the process of transformations due to the rapid changes in the delivery of music across the globe, some might argue the changes in the law are not happening fast enough - we will examining these issues.

The module offers an overview of the development of the live music industry which will contextualise the relationship and power structures of the main stakeholders in the live music industry, from the audience to multi-national promoters. An examination and critical evaluation of the live music scene in developing the musical careers of artists, as well as the expansion of key markets through the live music industry, for example the global festival market and the development of marketing and branding elements. The module will also look at how the specific areas of live music management interplay to enable students to develop an overall live strategy, examining the key roles and issues in the live music industry which include secondary ticketing, contracts, performing rights, challenges raised by gentrification , the EDM boom and the relationship between live and the recording industry.

The Music Business Management Project is recognised by graduates as one of the most rewarding and empowering experiences of the course. You will be supervised by a member of the University faculty, and possibly supported by a music industry representative, to carry out research in an area agreed between yourself and the module leaders and/or industry professional. The subject must address current music business issues and concerns and should incorporate relevant music business theories, academic research design and critical analysis. The Project builds on the skills and experience you have gained in previous modules, and gives you the opportunity to apply programme knowledge to a major project, adding to the body of professional practice and theoretical literature.

This module aims to equip students with a systematic understanding of the relevant knowledge of music industry organisations and their labour relations with an emphasis on preparing Masters students for work within the wider music industry. It will contextualise organisational structures and working relationships within the music industry and critically evaluate the development of current issues in business and management theory and practice informed by leading research and professional practice. Students will be involved in critically mapping creative networks and the interplay of wider media and creative industries in the development of leadership roles as they apply in both theory and practice in the music business. Students will also examine the different roles and skill sets at work in the wider music industry. This module will be industry facing and supported by theoretical study alongside guided independent study (GIS) in which students will learn to evaluate and explore their own skill sets in order to develop an understanding of career development within the music industry and wider creative industries.

This module is concerned with the critical evaluation of music marketing and the technologies which drive it and explores underlying theories, concepts and current best practice. The module offers insights into the wide range of issues, strategies and challenges facing marketing and promotion of music and provides insights into current and future industry practices in relevant areas of marketing and tech such as social media marketing, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.