Last week, we opened applications for the sixth year of the Music Managers Forum’s (MMF) Accelerator Programme for music managers.
For anyone unaware of Accelerator, this is the groundbreaking initiative we launched in 2019 with support from YouTube Music, Arts Council England, PPL, Creative Wales, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Music Industry Association – and in effect the world’s first, and so far only, purpose-built funding and professional development programme for music managers.
Accelerator’s creation was partly a response to the industry’s changing dynamics, and the winds of change that have elevated the role, responsibilities and expectations of music management.
The global adoption of streaming and social media, in particular, has resulted in artists gaining far greater autonomy – building direct relationships with their audiences, retaining greater ownership of their rights, and capable of developing new types of businesses that are tailored to their strengths. There is no standard one-size-fits-all model anymore.
In response, traditional partners, particularly record labels, have adapted their businesses too – moving to new service-based models.
As a result of these trends, the workload of managers has increased exponentially – particularly in terms of talent development and investment. In this crucial role as creative business builder, we felt that managers required some strategic support and professional development. And particularly as a significant number of MMF members operate on a freelance or part-time basis, often juggling management with other roles in the music business.
“Placing lone-wolf managers into a ready-made network has proven incredibly powerful”
The goal of Accelerator was to ease these burdens. To provide talented independent managers with a hand up, and help them develop commercially robust and sustainable businesses – increasing their capacity to take on more clients. The equivalent of an artist giving up their day job, to focus full time on their art.
Five years down the line, and we’ve been quietly successful in this mission. To date, 115 managers have benefitted from Accelerator’s offering of grant funding (up to £12,000 per annum, per participant), regular expert-led training sessions across all aspects of the modern music business and a two-day retreat.
Placing lone-wolf managers into a ready-made network has proven incredibly powerful. Rather than plough on alone, with Accelerator they can share information and knowledge with their peers, gaining confidence and learning from others.
This network effect has been amplified by the depth and diversity of Accelerator participants. To date over 50% have been based outside of London, 42% have been women and 43% have been from Black, Asian or Ethnic backgrounds.
They include managers of artists such as Joy Crookes, Shygirl, PinkPantheress, FLO, Eliza Rose, Joy Anonymous, Moses Boyd, Enny, Nafe Smallz, Squid, Joesef, S1MBA, Moonchild Sanelly, The Reytons, Steam Down, Shygirl, Dry Cleaning, Employed To Serve, Yolanda Brown, Wes Nelson, Shabaka Hutchings, Goat Girl, Pigsx7, CHALK, Bree Runway, Porridge Radio and Caskets.
Collectively, Accelerator participants have worked on eight UK Top 40 singles (including a Number 1) and 13 UK Top 40 albums. Two former Accelerators – Clare Sanders-Wright and Nike Durosaro – currently sit on the MMF board.
“Driven by the immediacy of streaming, we regularly see live careers accelerate at a breakneck speed”
Anyway, that’s the background of the Programme. So why am I telling you about it in the pages of IQ? Well, there’s two reasons.
Firstly, if you yourself are a talented independent music manager – or if you’re working with a talented music manager – with clients who have generated at least £20,000 in gross income over the past 12 months then I’d like to encourage you to apply. All the information you need is here.
The initial application process involves uploading and submitting a five-minute video before our first stage deadline of 10am on Monday 26 February.
And secondly, to make Accelerator even more effective, we’re actively seeking greater engagement with live music. While the global reach of online culture has upended the recorded business – and the role of the manager within that business – the impacts and disruption on the live sector have been equally dramatic.
Driven by the immediacy of streaming, we regularly see live careers accelerate at a breakneck speed, revealing previously untapped demand for new and exciting genres. Artists such as Bad Bunny, BTS, Blackpink or Rosalita have matched their astonishing recorded successes with sell-out global tours – while, closer to home – genres like UK Rap, Jazz and Afrobeats now help provide the next generation of festival headliners.
Many of these artists will bypass some of the industry’s traditional structures and protocols, while others (for instance: The Reytons, managed by Accelerator alumni Rich Goodwin) will build resolutely from the ground up to attract local, national – and now – international audiences.
“Frequently, it is live music that provides the flywheel around which artist businesses are constructed”
As highlighted above, there is no fixed model; albeit in most instances, the artist is the driving force to selling a show through their networks, mailing lists and social media.
But whatever their background, managers still require expertise and experience to navigate and scale the touring market – whether that’s understanding tour planning, insurance, ticketing, accounting, event production, stagecraft, mental health provision, environmental concerns or access to finance, and the challenges of red tape and bureaucracy resulting from Brexit.
Moreover, frequently it is live music that provides the flywheel around which artist businesses are constructed. They might accrue significant revenues from streaming, publishing, branding, merchandise or synchronisation, but often the end goal is to use those strands as levers with which to build a long-term and loyal live audience.
While millions of streams look and sound good, ticket sales and festival slots might pay the bills, managers are the ones who have to join the dots. So please consider this as an invitation to get involved.
If you’d like the chance to meet, support and interact with a new group of the best and brightest emerging UK managers, and to help us take Accelerator to the next level, then please drop me a line.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
We’re seeking greater engagement with live music
MMF professional development director Paul Bonham explains why more live music businesses should get involved in its Accelerator Programme
02 Feb 2024
Last week, we opened applications for the sixth year of the Music Managers Forum’s (MMF) Accelerator Programme for music managers.
For anyone unaware of Accelerator, this is the groundbreaking initiative we launched in 2019 with support from YouTube Music, Arts Council England, PPL, Creative Wales, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Music Industry Association – and in effect the world’s first, and so far only, purpose-built funding and professional development programme for music managers.
Accelerator’s creation was partly a response to the industry’s changing dynamics, and the winds of change that have elevated the role, responsibilities and expectations of music management.
The global adoption of streaming and social media, in particular, has resulted in artists gaining far greater autonomy – building direct relationships with their audiences, retaining greater ownership of their rights, and capable of developing new types of businesses that are tailored to their strengths. There is no standard one-size-fits-all model anymore.
In response, traditional partners, particularly record labels, have adapted their businesses too – moving to new service-based models.
As a result of these trends, the workload of managers has increased exponentially – particularly in terms of talent development and investment. In this crucial role as creative business builder, we felt that managers required some strategic support and professional development. And particularly as a significant number of MMF members operate on a freelance or part-time basis, often juggling management with other roles in the music business.
The goal of Accelerator was to ease these burdens. To provide talented independent managers with a hand up, and help them develop commercially robust and sustainable businesses – increasing their capacity to take on more clients. The equivalent of an artist giving up their day job, to focus full time on their art.
Five years down the line, and we’ve been quietly successful in this mission. To date, 115 managers have benefitted from Accelerator’s offering of grant funding (up to £12,000 per annum, per participant), regular expert-led training sessions across all aspects of the modern music business and a two-day retreat.
Placing lone-wolf managers into a ready-made network has proven incredibly powerful. Rather than plough on alone, with Accelerator they can share information and knowledge with their peers, gaining confidence and learning from others.
This network effect has been amplified by the depth and diversity of Accelerator participants. To date over 50% have been based outside of London, 42% have been women and 43% have been from Black, Asian or Ethnic backgrounds.
They include managers of artists such as Joy Crookes, Shygirl, PinkPantheress, FLO, Eliza Rose, Joy Anonymous, Moses Boyd, Enny, Nafe Smallz, Squid, Joesef, S1MBA, Moonchild Sanelly, The Reytons, Steam Down, Shygirl, Dry Cleaning, Employed To Serve, Yolanda Brown, Wes Nelson, Shabaka Hutchings, Goat Girl, Pigsx7, CHALK, Bree Runway, Porridge Radio and Caskets.
Collectively, Accelerator participants have worked on eight UK Top 40 singles (including a Number 1) and 13 UK Top 40 albums. Two former Accelerators – Clare Sanders-Wright and Nike Durosaro – currently sit on the MMF board.
Anyway, that’s the background of the Programme. So why am I telling you about it in the pages of IQ? Well, there’s two reasons.
Firstly, if you yourself are a talented independent music manager – or if you’re working with a talented music manager – with clients who have generated at least £20,000 in gross income over the past 12 months then I’d like to encourage you to apply. All the information you need is here.
The initial application process involves uploading and submitting a five-minute video before our first stage deadline of 10am on Monday 26 February.
And secondly, to make Accelerator even more effective, we’re actively seeking greater engagement with live music. While the global reach of online culture has upended the recorded business – and the role of the manager within that business – the impacts and disruption on the live sector have been equally dramatic.
Driven by the immediacy of streaming, we regularly see live careers accelerate at a breakneck speed, revealing previously untapped demand for new and exciting genres. Artists such as Bad Bunny, BTS, Blackpink or Rosalita have matched their astonishing recorded successes with sell-out global tours – while, closer to home – genres like UK Rap, Jazz and Afrobeats now help provide the next generation of festival headliners.
Many of these artists will bypass some of the industry’s traditional structures and protocols, while others (for instance: The Reytons, managed by Accelerator alumni Rich Goodwin) will build resolutely from the ground up to attract local, national – and now – international audiences.
As highlighted above, there is no fixed model; albeit in most instances, the artist is the driving force to selling a show through their networks, mailing lists and social media.
But whatever their background, managers still require expertise and experience to navigate and scale the touring market – whether that’s understanding tour planning, insurance, ticketing, accounting, event production, stagecraft, mental health provision, environmental concerns or access to finance, and the challenges of red tape and bureaucracy resulting from Brexit.
Moreover, frequently it is live music that provides the flywheel around which artist businesses are constructed. They might accrue significant revenues from streaming, publishing, branding, merchandise or synchronisation, but often the end goal is to use those strands as levers with which to build a long-term and loyal live audience.
While millions of streams look and sound good, ticket sales and festival slots might pay the bills, managers are the ones who have to join the dots. So please consider this as an invitation to get involved.
If you’d like the chance to meet, support and interact with a new group of the best and brightest emerging UK managers, and to help us take Accelerator to the next level, then please drop me a line.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.