The Essence of the Music Business: Strategy

Mika Karhumaa

May 2021 · Mika Karhumaa

About this ebook

The fully revised Second Edition is here. New examples have been added to better reflect the present time. Also, as a main focus, strategic thinking, the ability to create long-term plans and how to prepare for this in everyday activities are also present in this book.

Understanding the importance of strategy is the basis for rational advancement. In the music business - strategies are not always perceptible. They are multi-layered, long-lasting, but also instantaneously effective. The ultimate goal often transpires along the way.

In order to understand tactics, one has to read between the lines. The reason why different pre-conditions and industrial expectations must always be taken into account is due to conflicts between artistic and economic goals. An artist's progress often depends on their interest groups' comfort to these aspects and is about maintaining the balance between business objectives and the artist's story. 

This book deals with factors affecting strategy and how it relates to the artist and their management. Although viable passive income generation in the streaming era is what is most sought after, no other aspect, including social media capital, should be ignored, as it is often even more important. All this has an impact on how an artist succeeds in other music business areas. This book illustrates the current state of things in light of new opportunities.

'Strategy' is the final chapter of The Essence of the Music Business Trilogy from Mika Karhumaa.   

About the author

Mika Karhumaa is an international music business manager. He has been a manager for various artists and industrial needs over quarter century. He also lectures a lot on the subject. Currently he is attached with many Music Business Management studies as a teacher and course planner.

He studied law at the University of Turku and specializes in international contract law and copyright.

As an artist manager, he has been a manager for Winterborn and Celesty. - to name a few. Today he is Delta Enigma's and Melba Culp's manager.

As an author he is best known for his trilogy - The Essence of the Music - a systematic book series about the international music business and the global practice that people within the industry have complied with. This series of books will be updated when the current developments in the markets so require. The trilogy as it now exists, contains

The Essence of the Music Business:Contracts (2nd Edition, 2019)

The Essence of the Music Business:Philosophy (2nd Edition, 2020)

The Essence of the Music Business:Strategy (2019)

More information and articles about music business is available at www.mikakarhumaa.fi.