All You Need to Know About the Music Business: Ninth Edition

I bought this book as soon as I saw it's release, figuring that Don Passman would have had significant updates regarding digital distribution. Specifically I expected a detailed analysis of iTunes's agreement with artists/labels as it currently sells about 80% of purchased digital downloads (also not a mention of CD Baby). I also expected some analysis of the ins and outs of digital distribution agreements, as there are now many digital music aggregators, such as IODA and DMGI. No such luck. While there are some updates, they were pretty light, and this book is still mired in the mainstream music business. Worse, it apparently assumes the bricks-and-mortar world of music selling will continue to be the norm.Mr. Passman seems to dismiss the brevity of his coverage by explaining that digital sales still represent less than 10% of the sales market. Even so, look at the trend lines -- digital sales has moved from early adopters to mainstream; CD sales are dropping (and sales no longer tell the big story in music -- file-trading probably rivals CD sales in volume of music distributed). There is a difference between technological innovations and a paradigm shift--most people recognize we are in the latter with respect to music.The earlier editions were comprehensive at the times of their releases; but this edition is not, in my humble opinion, justified as a new edition. What is particularly disappointing is that the music market has been going through dramatic changes since the release of the previous edition; but you wouldn't know it by this book--which has very little in the way of new content. Alas, there is no mention of Creative Commons licensing -- this is a huge, worldwide phenomenon.It would get 5 stars if the title were "All You Need to Know about the Traditional Music Business", but it terms of addressing the leading-edge trends that will be of interest to most artists starting out, this book falls short.If you don't have a previous edition, this is still a GREAT book to get you started. Mr. Passman covers a lot of territory and has a friendly, familiar writing style. However, this book is not nearly as valuable, nor comprehensive in terms of being an updated new edition.

The whole point of the book is to keep you from getting screwed, and it catalogs every possible way in which everyone in the music business - from record companies to publishers to promoters and everyone in between - can and will try to take a big chunk of your music earnings. It doesn't have sample contracts with long boring explanations, it just tells you the salient negotiating points and where various artists (emerging, mid-level, and superstars; majors vs. independent) generally end up in terms of compensation, what you should hold out for in your negotiations, etc.Although the book reads like a 'parade of horribles' for the music industry, and may make you reconsider your desire to become involved in the business of music, the book is really intended for people who are going to be negotiating contracts with powerful interests. Passman gives you the confidence that, when and if the time comes where you have to negotiate important deals, you will have a place to turn to get an honest appraisal of the deal you are being offered, where it might be improved, what others are getting, etc.Highly recommended for anyone in the business. If you are an artist with a "team" of professionals helping you (chapter one of the book discusses this team) this book really could be "all you need to know about the music business." If you are going to be on the employer side of the business creating contracts, the book still makes a great companion text to something like "This Business of Music" which includes sample contracts and more lengthy expositions but lacks the critical insights to protect your bottom line. If you are going the D.I.Y. route, this book is probably less important to you than Bob Baker's Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook, as promotion and publicity are everything at first, but it would still be a good reference tool, if only to prove to yourself you've made the right decision by rejecting the bad deals shady labels are offering you.

It takes gut and wisdom to become a part of the music and entertainment industry. It take much more to stay and make a living in it. All You Need To Know About the Music Business is a tool designed to help you to better understand all of the intricate parts that is being played in the industry. It is also a great tool to help you to see (if you do not have an idea) what type of role may interest you from artist, musician, engineer, publisher, promoter and songwriter to owner. This book will teach you the roles and responsibilities and how they interact with each other and how everyone gets paid.I usually recommend this one or Everything You Better Know About the Music Business by Kashif depending upon the person's mentality. Let me tell you why because I believe that Passman's version provides you some quality, needed information from a business perspective and it is a little more technical and can be difficult to read while Kashif's version is much easier to read but offers advice from an artist perspective. I've read both books and both perspectives and can see the value from both sides. You will be a much wiser and equipped artist, musician, engineer, publisher, songwriter, etc if you learn everything you can about the industry and pick up a copy of both.This book is highly recommended.

I think this is a great history book, they way things are these days, music is much less of a business for corporates and much more of an individual endeavour...to make it happen I think a new direction ought to be actioned...your own way

Very informative! Well written and extensive for the period it refers to - up to 2009.Well packaged. Fast delivery.

Best book for the music business

Brilliant book

I didnt read yet, but I've heard a lot of good things about this book. Also it's UK version which helps a lot.