In the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry, the role of a music manager has undergone a radical transformation. Once primarily associated with handling logistics, booking shows, and organizing sync deals, today’s music manager is an indispensable architect of an artist’s career. They are no longer mere schedulers or intermediaries; they are strategic visionaries, brand developers, and negotiators with powerful leverage.
Frankie Santella explains that this modern breakdown will explore how music management has evolved into one of the most multidimensional and essential roles in the industry today. Frank Santella looks beyond the surface and dig into what artists truly need from management in a world where brand equity, data analytics, content strategy, and direct-to-fan engagement are just as critical as radio spins and tour routing. With experience leading cross-platform artist campaigns, managing Grammy-nominated projects, producing branded content, and securing high-level partnerships across music, media, and fashion, Frankie Santella exemplifies the modern music manager whose role extends far beyond logistics into cultural strategy and long-term brand building.
The Evolution of Music Management
Traditionally, a music manager’s job revolved around three key pillars: booking gigs, organizing media exposure, and handling negotiations with record labels. They worked behind the scenes, allowing artists to focus on their creative output. But as the traditional model of the music business has fractured, thanks to streaming platforms, social media, and the decline of major label gatekeeping, the artist-manager relationship has shifted dramatically.
Frankie Santella understands that today, many artists are launching their careers independently. The barriers to entry are lower, but the level of competition is higher. As a result, a modern artist doesn’t just need someone to “get them gigs.” They need someone who can build a blueprint for a sustainable, scalable, and profitable career, and that’s where the modern music manager comes in.
Strategic Thinking: From Manager to Executive Producer
Artists today operate more like startups than creatives with a single product. As such, managers must take on the role of strategic consultants. Frankie Santella explains that this includes long-term career planning, brand positioning, marketing campaigns, and product rollout strategy.
A good manager will:
- Develop a roadmap that aligns creative goals with commercial milestones.
- Analyze audience data from platforms like Spotify for Artists, TikTok, and YouTube to identify growth opportunities.
- Oversee brand development, ensuring everything from an artist’s Instagram aesthetic to their merchandise line fits within a cohesive identity.
- Curate partnerships with labels, distributors, publicists, and agents based on where the artist is in their journey, not just who’s available.
In essence, the manager becomes the executive producer of the artist’s career, orchestrating how different components, music, content, visuals, fan engagement, and business opportunities work in harmony.
Vision: Seeing the Big Picture and Building Something Bigger
Frankie Santella understands that every artist needs someone who sees what they could be, not just what they are. Vision is perhaps the most intangible yet critical quality in a modern manager.
Vision involves asking:
- Where is this artist uniquely positioned in the market?
- What kind of fan base can they realistically build?
- How will they evolve over time, and how can that evolution be navigated smoothly?
Managers help shape the narrative around an artist, guiding them from one phase to the next. For example, the leap from niche indie act to mainstream festival headliner doesn’t happen without foresight, brand reinvention, and often, a complete recalibration of the business model.
Vision is also about building a legacy. Frank Santella explains that a manager must help an artist think beyond singles and streams, considering assets like publishing catalogs, brand deals, equity in startups, and even film and television opportunities.
Leverage: The Currency of Modern Music Management
Perhaps the most powerful tool in a manager’s arsenal is leverage. In a business that thrives on who you know and what value you bring to the table, managers serve as the leverage that artists often cannot build alone.
Leverage comes in many forms:
- Relationships with DSPs (Digital Service Providers) for playlist placement.
- Access to influencers, producers, videographers, and content creators who can boost an artist’s profile quickly.
- Negotiation skills with labels and publishing companies to secure favorable contract terms.
- Cross-industry knowledge—particularly in fashion, tech, and digital marketing, to build partnerships that push artists into new markets.
Managers with a strong network and proven track record can catapult an artist forward by opening doors that would otherwise remain closed. More importantly, they know how to time opportunities strategically, ensuring artists don’t just get any deal, but the right one.
Navigating the Day-to-Day: Still Essential, But Only Part of the Picture
While we’ve expanded the scope of what a music manager does, traditional tasks like coordinating schedules, approving budgets, overseeing touring logistics, and managing legal or financial affairs haven’t gone away. These administrative roles are still crucial, especially as an artist’s operations scale.
However, today’s best managers either delegate these responsibilities to their managers, business managers, or virtual assistants, or integrate them into a broader strategy that serves long-term goals. The difference is that day-to-day duties are no longer the focus; they are simply the foundation.
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
It’s worth noting that artists, especially in today’s high-pressure, highly visible environment, often face mental health challenges, burnout, and creative blocks. A modern manager must be emotionally intelligent and empathetic; part mentor, part coach.
They:
- Provide honest feedback without crushing confidence.
- Help artists stay focused through the highs and lows of public attention.
- Encourage experimentation and growth without diluting the artist’s core identity.
This human element of management can make or break careers. When trust and mutual respect are strong, artists thrive creatively and commercially.
The Artist-Manager Relationship Is a Partnership
Ultimately, a modern music manager is a co-pilot, not a boss or an employee. The relationship requires shared values, open communication, and a willingness to take risks together.
Artists today need managers who understand branding, digital culture, licensing, financial modeling, and marketing psychology just as well as they understand sound checks and split sheets. Frankie Santella explains that the most effective managers combine business acumen with creative instinct, operating at the intersection of strategy, vision, and leverage.
In an industry where DIY independence is celebrated but sustainable growth is hard-won, a visionary, strategic, and well-connected manager is more essential than ever before. They are not just keeping the wheels turning; they’re building the vehicle, charting the course, and often, fueling the journey forward.
