Customer Reviews

This Business of Music, 10th Edition (This Business of Music: Definitive Guide to the Music Industry)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

An absolute must-have. When I was a teenager in a band, This Business of Music was one of the first how-to books I ever bought. Many updates later, it's still the music industry Bible.

If you're a complete novice to the industry or you're not used to reading contract language, the technical terms and legalese can be confusing and slow-going at first. But stay with it; it will get easier as your understanding of the music business grows. Some other reviewers complained about this, but understanding some music industry legalese is vital if you want to be able to cover your *ss in the music industry before you can afford a good attorney. (Later, when you can afford a good attorney, you'll save a ton of money by having a basic understanding what your attorney is talking about. Savvy, successful musicians know what's in their contracts.)

Be patient, and you can get through it; no one ever has to know how many times you have to re-read something before it makes sense. When I bought my This Business of Music as a kid, I didn't think I'd ever get through it! But I did, and a music business career later, I'm a music business consultant.

I have owned several editions of this book through the years. I am impressed with this tenth edition of a standard reference work that I point my students toward (I am a composer and a professor of music involved with production and recording).
Ever wonder about the potential legal issues involved in publishing a compilation? Or covering a famous song? The finer points of movie soundtrack copyright? Or perhaps you are confused about terms often used but poorly understood by most musicians, such as mechanical rights or what constitutes a work for hire.
As far as updates, I am pleased to see a discussion of digital downloads, the legal issues and battles involved, and their share of the music business pie. There are lists of labels distributed by the four majors-- I didn't know that Caroline and Astralwerks are both owned by EMI, for example-- as well as the inclusion of contemporary phenomena such as the South by Southwest Festival, ascendant in recent years.
But the most important aspect of this book to me is the authoritative voice of a seasoned New York City entertainment lawyer who has been around for a long time and manages to stay abreast of new trends and practices.
In short: highly recommended.

This is the industry standard for substantive knowledge of the music business. Deal points, standard contract provisions, the often technical and confusing jargon, and the historical context for many industry practices are all covered here in comprehensive yet concise fashion. The book comes with a CD-ROM containing sample agreements, forms from the United States Copyright Office, and forms from the three performing rights societies. A must for those seeking to understand day-to-day business and legal operations in the music industry. The material can be a little daunting, and at first might seem impenetrable. Multiple reads of a particular chapter or paragraph are often necessary to fully grasp the relevant subject matter. But that's a testament to the complexity of the various segments of the music industry, not the skill of the authors, who are experienced music law practitioners.

[...]

Now in its 10th edition, THIS BUSINESS OF MUSIC has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest changes in the music business, and provides powerful survey which includes major changes in digital technology and how music has been distributed. Any who would keep making, promoting and successfully selling music needs THIS BUSINESS OF MUSIC: it provides musicians, agents, managers and music publishers with the latest industry insights, covering legal and business issues and covering contracts, royalties and much more. Both college-level collections strong in music studies and business and general-interest public lending libraries will find it a popular pick.

This warhorse of a textbook still gives you the information you need when you need it. My one complaint is that it's still written in a very user unfriendly language. It just seems to me that this book can explain things with a little simpler English.

There are some good additions/changes to reflect current changes in the industry.

However, if you are a novice trying to get a feel for the machinations of the music industry, there are better books out there.

This book is the bible for Music Business. It has been very helpful to me. It explains everything you need to know about the business and legals behind it.

I found this to be a really interesting subject. Most people know next to nothing about the nuts and bolts of the music business, especially the behind-the-scenes legal battles over music, lyrics, copyrights, ownership, etc. This seasoned attorney, who can name-drop like crazy without being in the least offensive,tries to untangle the jargon for the average music fan, and explains the complexities of the industry from Tin Pan Alley to i-pods. It's not "recreational reading" nor should it be judged as such, but it is a fascinating glimpse of an industry that ultimately impacts every household with a radio.

The book is very informative and I enjoy learning all I didnt know about this business of music..I was concerned with just my music and not the business aspects until I recorded my fist Cd . Then I relized that its more to the music business than just performing.
I highly recomment this book to any musician ,seasoned or just learning.

Though I didn't buy this on here, I wanted to review it anyway because it is such a good book. It is a very comprehensive guide and very helpful if you are a music business major or minor in college as well as a great book to read if you are interested in the music business.

I read the book and its the step by step CEO type information od the entire music business and what to watch for. sometimes it does get kind of a LOT but if you wanna know Industry type Music info then this is for you. Get this for real stop thinking about it and get it.