The Rock File

Written by musicians and business professionals, this book describes the pop music business, explains to would-be stars what to expect from a career in pop and rock and suggests ways of avoiding its pitfalls. Topics covered include production, songwriting, copyrights and booking agents.

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The glamour and the allure of the pop music business attracts many aspiring musicians, but breaking in successfully can be such a lottery that the result is often confusion and disillusionment. This book aims to describe the pop business, explain to would-be stars what to expect from a career in pop and rock and suggest ways of avoiding its pitfalls. The book is in two sections. The first is written by musicians who have worked with major artists and have experience in educating young pop players. They describe how they deal with different types of work, how they found employment, and offer advice on how to develop into a creative musician. The second section is written by industry professionals. Here are articles on how to get started, advice on the legal and financial problems a band faces, and profiles of the music business, from structure to management, and from copyright and the Performing Right Society to recording companies. From these chapters, a picture of the industry emerges, and this knowledge could enable young musicians to improve their chances of "breaking in" and developing their talent into their business.