What top artist managers actually do

Short answer: An artist manager runs the business of an artist's career: strategy, team building, deals, releases, brand partnerships and day-to-day decisions. The best managers share two habits: they build their network constantly, and they keep developing their own skills and their artists'.

Artist management is complex and takes many forms. Managers handle a list of tasks too long to start here, because every artist is different and at a different stage. Some are established musicians, some are online creators, some are writers, composers or producers, and others are mainly performers and personalities.

With so many versions of the job, looking at some of the best managers in the business is a good way to clarify what makes a manager good and what a manager should focus on. I put this together with my colleague, entertainment lawyer Shreeps Zala. We picked four managers: three in different corners of music and one in digital media. There's no shortcut, and the interviews below are worth more than any summary.

1. Steve Lobel

"You're either growing or you're dying."

Steve Lobel started in New York as a record label A&R representative and helped early hip-hop groups like Run-DMC, under the mentorship of Russell Simmons. He later worked with Eazy-E, who signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in 1993. Lobel's roster reads like a who's who of hip-hop: Missy Elliott, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Scott Storch, Three 6 Mafia, Sean Kingston, Common, Iyaz, Nipsey Hussle and more. He has also branched into TV licensing, reality TV production, a clothing line and music publishing.

2. Scooter Braun

"Failure means you're on a pit stop to success."

Scott "Scooter" Braun moved to Atlanta for Emory University, where he played basketball and started organizing parties that caught Jermaine Dupri's attention. Dupri made him So So Def's executive director of marketing at 20. In 2007 Braun found a video of a young Justin Bieber and, with Usher, signed him. His roster grew to include Ariana Grande and Kanye West, and his company, Ithaca Holdings, expanded across music, film and TV.

3. Moe Shalizi

Moe Shalizi is one of the most influential managers in electronic music, best known for guiding Marshmello's career. He's credited with groundbreaking deals placing DJ and producer talent in games like Fortnite and NBA 2K. His interview is a solid look at staying ahead of trends instead of chasing what's already popular.

4. Reed Duchscher

Reed Duchscher started in sports agency work before moving into creator management. His work with MrBeast and the roster at Night Media, from gamers to beauty and fashion creators, made him one of the defining managers of digital talent.

The common thread

Build your network and keep developing your skills and your artists. There's no magic shortcut. If you're a manager, or an artist about to sign with one, the management agreement should match the job: clear duties, a fair commission on the right income, a sensible term and a fair post-term clause.

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