All You Need to Know About the Music Business

by Donald S. Passman

All You Need to Know About the Music Business by veteran music lawyer Don Passman—dubbed “the industry bible” by the Los Angeles Times—is now updated to address the biggest transformation of the music industry yet: streaming.

For more than twenty-five years, All You Need to Know About the Music Business has been universally regarded as the definitive guide to the music industry. Now in its tenth edition, Donald Passman leads novices and experts alike through what has been the most profound change in the music business since the days of wax cylinders and piano rolls. For the first time in history, music is no longer monetized by selling something—it’s monetized by how many times listeners stream a song. And that completely changes the ecosystem of the business, as Passman explains in detail.

Since the advent of file-sharing technology in the late 1990s to the creation of the iPod, the music industry has been teetering on the brink of a major transformation—and with the newest switch to streaming music, this change has finally come to pass. Passman’s comprehensive guide offers timely, authoritative information from how to select and hire a winning team of advisors and structure their commissions and fees; navigate the ins and outs of record deals, songwriting, publishing, and copyrights; maximize concert, touring, and merchandising deals; and how the game is played in a streaming world.

“If you want to be in music, you have to read this book,” says Adam Levine, lead singer and guitarist of Maroon 5. With its proven track record, this updated edition of All You Need to Know About the Music Business is more essential than ever for musicians, songwriters, lawyers, agents, promoters, publishers, executives, and managers—anyone trying to navigate the rapid transformation of the industry.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Business, Reference, Law, Self Help, School

528 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 2013

About the author

Donald S. Passman is the author of All You Need To Know About the Music Business and a graduate of the University of Texas and Harvard Law School. He practices law with the Los Angeles firm of Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman and has specialized in the music business for more than forty years.

Reviews

[Matt Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this book to people through my work all the time (Disclaimer: I work in the music business). When I was hired, my boss commanded me to read this book. It really is the definitive starting point for understanding how the music industry works. You can get the overview, or the advanced view, depending on how far you want to dive in. Passman has a good sense of humor, even about subjects that can cause musicians' eyes to start to glaze in many other industry guidebooks. Be on the lookout for the 7th edition, about to come out!

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

For school. Already had a copy from over ten years ago, but finally updated to the newest edition. Passman is great about including accurate and relevant information as the industry continues to change. Have heard this labeled "the music business bible" time and again, with due reason.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this book for a while but wanted to wait until it had more current info on how artists were getting paid from streaming. Wow. There was so much information to digest about the different parts of the music industry. Learning how artists get screwed from publishing and label splits was eye-opening. You always hear about how terrible records deals are but damn. The book helped shed light and helped make me understand that you need leverage to get a fair shake in music. The book also showed me the various ways artist can and do make money in the music industry. One of my biggest takeaways from this book is that every musician should learn as much as they can about he industry as early as possible because learning a lot of lessons the easy way can set you up for a fruitful career.

[William Steffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book for anybody that wants or needs to conduct any business within the music industry. In depth and up-to-date examples of record deals, publishing agreements, and licensing are conveyed with a funny and often sardonic flair.

I've always heard there are two kinds of musicians: those who want a record deal, and those who want to get out of their record deal. My takeaway after reading? Stay independent and retain control over your own work.

[Tim Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...now I know everything about the Music Business.

Truthfully, the title is a misnomer. It really should be "All You Need to Know About the Bloodsucking Lawyers Within the Music Business." Because that's really what it is. It was written by a lawyer, and the lawyer side of things take predominance. Though that title wouldn't sell nearly as many copies.

And since lawyers are basically America's version of The Mafia, knowing how to run through the loopholes is absolutely essential.

This book is designed for people who are already musicians with a budding music career. Those who have products to sell and at least some buyers interested in picking it up. If you want something a little more ground level, a little bit more about how to get things going from the start, then you'll need to look elsewhere.

Which, coincidentally, is what I'm trying to create right now. Considering I stumbled upon this book on my library's randomly recommended book list, it seems serendipitous that it'd recommend potential competitors to my start up.

But enough about me. This is a well written, easy to understand book. I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking to sign a contract in the music world. This will help you keep your work yours. And most likely keep those billable hours down.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a reference book than a gripping cover-to-cover read, but well-written in a clear and enjoyable style. Definitely a go-to guide for anyone looking to makes sense of the music industry's mind-numbing but essential management, legal and accounting issues that determine the all-important answers as to who gets paid what and when.

[Dillon Gorton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I regret waiting 10 years to read it when I'm no longer really in the music scene to any degree. Even then, I'm not sure if the advice here is quite as relevant to local / low level artists and bands (eg I don't think I was ever at risk of selling $250k worth of band merch in one tour), and the edition I have was a bit out of date on the impact of streaming on the music business by the time I got around to reading it. This book is certainly informative and comprehensive, however I feel could have been significantly consolidated - it is very clearly delivered but feel like there are a million numerical breakdown examples of how to figure out 10% of X.

[peatrycze pergolette · Rating 5 out of 5]

another biblia! nie przeczytalam calego na raz, bo ilosc informacji w jednej dawce miazdzy, ale wiem, gdzie sie zwracac, jak bede faktycznie mierzyc sie z jakimis problemami

[Manuel Hernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new Manager for @WROSEband, my son's band, and someone with zero background in the music business, this book was a godsend!

Mr. Passman has been in the industry for a LONG time, and he breaks things down here for those of us that need a crash course.

He provides a pretty useful order to read the book (which is just over 500 pages long in its 10th edition), so you can focus on the sections/chapters that are most relevant to your needs.

The only downside to the book is nothing you can't imagine: with industries like music, things are changing quite a bit. Streaming is now how most music is consumed, and that has disrupted the business model quite a bit. There's, for example the advent of Fan Powered Royalties by SoundCloud, which was an ideal at the time he wrote the book (2019), but became a reality in early 2021. But this doesn't take away from the usefulness of the book.

This is, without a doubt, a MUST read for anyone entering the business, and for those who have been in it long enough and want to better understand it.

[Gemma Laurence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book recommended to me by a LOT of people – a major A&R executive, a music manager, my career counselor at Middlebury, the list goes on! I'm really glad I finally got around to reading it. It's a super informative book on the ins and outs of the music industry - the roles of labels, music publishers, managers, and agents, how sync licensing works, how streaming is affecting the music economy and indie artists, if it's worth signing with a label, how to negotiate a production contract, merchandising, etc. It's written from a legal perspective, but the language Donald Passman uses is very accessible and entertaining. I'm not sure it's ALL you need to know about the music business, but it's essentially "How to Get Started In the Music Business Without Getting Ripped Off." Essential reading for any artist kicking off their career.

[Guy Named Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for the casual music fan (such as myself) who is curious about the industry. This is for people in the trenches of the business.

From a writing perspective, the first half of the book is interesting and even funny at times. The second half is a grueling death march of absolute boredom. The author himself seems a little bored as the topics become dull.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally well written, informative handbook made for frequent referencing.

I took up this read out of pure curiosity and found myself note taking for a few days. Donald is super detailed and amazing in ensuring every type of reader is reached. I will definitely be re-reading this as well as recommending it to well every entrepreneur.

[Ashti · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my senior year of high school i interned at an entertainment compnay and 1 of my bosses sensed my passion for music and how serious i was about getting into the music field so she gave me this book to hlep me along the road on embarking into the brand new world!!!

Very intuitive!!!

[Wontfor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was given this as a textbook for a class in school (Business of Music class) and it is a must-read for people going into the industry. Not just because it is greatly informative, but because it makes learning fun.

[DJ Satoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really comprehensive look into the music industry! Passman makes it very easy for a complete outsider to learn a bit about the business, including explicitly demarcating a “fast track” that skips more nitty-gritty nuance

[David DeLoach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the 2nd edition years ago and now the updated 10th edition. Passman does a really good job explaining the modern world of music streaming.

If you want to make a living in music, you MUST read this book. It is a stark reality check about what you have to plow thru and endure.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great overview and a must for anyone who wants to work in the industry, or just learn about the business side of it.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both the most informative and funniest book on music licensing and the music business I've ever read!

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Rafael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to think that a business book was something very board that was made only for adults. But, I was wrong. When my dad told me to read “All you need to know about the MUSIC BUSINESS”, my life changed significantly. Since I read this book, I have developed new methods for having a better marketing place in the music industry. In general, no one understands the music industry and the changes it has undergone in the last years. For 20 years, Donald Passman’s book has offered detailed advice to artists, producers, managers, beat makers and executives to thrive in these volatile times.
The first topic that was covered on this book was “Copyright.” In the book, copyright is defined as "a limited duration monopoly". The purpose of a copyright is to give the progress of useful arts by giving the creators rights to their works for a while. This means that you always need to be original for not getting copyrighted.
On this book, more topics related to copyright were covered; however, I want to talk about how to manage your business. For example, if you are a music producer, you have two options for making money. A producer can give a instrumental with not an initial cost. At last, the artist will need to give the producer the 10% of the earnings; otherwise, the producer can demand the artist of stealing his work. If the artist makes $1,000,000, he needs to give the producer $100,000 or the equivalent to the 10% of the earnings.
In conclusion, this book covers up multiple topics and secrets of the music industry. The author also gives us tips on how to be successful and how to reach high standards in the music business. In my viewpoint, I will recommend this book to someone who wants to be a singer, rapper, music producer or manager because it has many tips and topics that are covered on how to be successful. I rate this book 5/5 stars because it was amazing, and I know that in the future it will help me.

[Benjamin Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passman's book is densely-packed with the nitty gritty details of Music Law. He has so much experience packed into this book shared through personal anecdotes, standard contracts, and a robust section on recent changes to the industry including Streaming Services and the Music Modernization Act.

This book is DENSE, and will take some time to get through, if you are really trying to absorb everything he offers. Additionally, he offers insights on the mechanics of the music industry with plenty of quantitative data, however, an artist should not rely on this book for advice for their career's overall direction. For example, this book will tell you all you need to know about a Record Label, but it offers an incomplete answer to the question, "Should I sign a record deal?" In general, a lot of the advice of this book is only relevant if you are a mid-tier artist, consistently earning substantial royalties, touring, releasing music, etc. Independent artists who are early in their career can learn a lot from this book, with an understanding that most of the lessons will not apply to them for awhile.

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

All you need to know about the music business? Nah.

Enough jargon about the music business that it helped me to research my next novel? Sure.

This book is probably useful for understanding financial breakdowns if you're a recording artist. However, if you're reading it for literally any other reason, please be aware it's stunningly boring. Literally, anytime something interesting comes up, the author is like .............. and now three pages of hypothetical dollar breakdowns.

Also, I read the 2014 reissue (shoutout to that cover; could they have put any less creative effort into it?), which treats "the internet" as a quaint new invention. Adorable.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish Donald Passman was there when I was born to explain the way the world works, because the way that he explains the music business unravels an enormous amount of mystery and secrecy in digestible , simple ways while encouraging people to dive deeper if they so choose. The effort to bring all of these trade secrets, terms, negotiation points to light all into one book and under one cohesive text, from the perspective of someone who stands to gain from them being obscured by nature of their job, is truly commendable, and i'm sure this book is a great service to thousands and thousands of musicians around the world just as it is to me.

[Al Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a looooooong time ago when I aspired to break into the (music) business. It truly is ALL you need to know about the music business. I'm thinking that what I read back then doesn't apply to today's scene but I'm also sure there have been updated versions of this book with additions and revisions. And, considering that I was reminded that I read this by a recent pic that someone had posted to facebook, it would appear that this book (or, at least the updated versions) may still be relevant.

[Dallas Hockley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a seriously encyclopedic treasure trove of information about every business aspect of the music industry, including how it interacts with other industries. Well worth the time for anyone interested in the business side of music, and a vital resource for anyone looking to make a living in the industry. Many paths and shortcuts are outlined if you don’t want the full picture to start with (or at all). Plus the author has a humorous lilt in his writing to keep it from turning into a law book.

[Amelia Barnard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did the fast track version of this book (if you’ve started reading this book, that will make more sense!), and still found it so incredibly informative. Will say though, it’s written 98.5% about the US music industry, with only brief references to the ROW. So if you’re from UK, Europe or anywhere else, I would just be aware. I studied songwriting at a UK music college and was using this book as a refresher, and I can say there are quite big differences between the UK and US industries. But there are also some crossovers, so just bear that in mind when reading.

[Marina González · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab your notebook and get ready to dive into a sea of percentages, different approaches and a lot of MUSIC LAW. This is what the whole book is about, so I recommend that you read this book only in the case that you are very interested in understanding the music business or in the case that you want to go deeper into music law (#2 is my case). My conclusion is: you need a good lawyer (which I already knew) but this book just confirmed it.

[Alexandru-Iulian Iacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hereby is one of the most comprehensive works regarding the music industry. It has every insight worth mentioning and one thing that comprised an important part of it was that it drew attention to both mainstream and underground mediums. Further on, although some people and even the author see this work as an ambitious and difficult read, it proves to be straightforward and insightful without being cramming. Will prove to be a worthwhile investment for anyone interested in the subject

[Casey Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got everything I needed from here. As I referred to it with my friends, the Passman - the bible of the music business - was super informative and educational. When I have to, I will dive back into it for the specifics. It was a little dry, even though Passman tries to work around the dry moments with his humour

[Rooz Izadi (Spacewalk) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye-opening read, and a great reference. A comprehensive and honestly-written guide to the music industry, which demonstrates why it makes less and less sense to hand over your music's ownership to those (major labels) who are not remotely willing to give the artists the profit share they deserve.