Music Business

What will you learn?

The highly practical degree programme in Music Business will qualify you for the unique demands of the music industry in a digital age. The programme combines innovative approaches with foundational contents from business, economics and the social sciences as well as core competencies in music business.

The combination of teaching empirical foundations, acquiring method competencies within individual subjects as well as professional applications of your qualifications make our graduates uniquely positioned to deal with the demands of music business.

Foundational Studies

1st and 2nd semester

Music business: basics

Foundations of music business: artist development and management, business start-up
Artistic foundations: music production, image/ staging/ performance
Key qualifications: self-management, techniques for scientific work, basics of empirical social research methods, project management

Advanced

Company Management:
Corporate policy, corporate planning/organizational theory, leadership, corporate culture, micro- and macroeconomic as well as policy aspects of the economy, marketing, business ethics
Music Business:
Event management, introduction to digital music business, music sales, management companies, music marketing, chart systems/trend research in music business, music publishing, event and concert management, laws and legal regulations in music business
Media Studies and Communication:
Introduction to media research, radio/internet radio/format radio, communications theory, public relations theory, planning and creating print media, media landscapes in the digital age, creative writing/press/promotion
Business Affairs:
Economically relevant basics of the BGB and HGB, financial accounting/financing
History of Popular Music:
Overview of music styles and pop sounds, socio-cultural interactions

Project studies

3rd to 6th semester

During your project studies you can choose from the following 5 concentrations:

Artist Development

Description
Artist developers work alongside creative minds and business partners on artistic visions. You can identify artists’ strengths and weaknesses and are a partner, advisor, manager and visionary, influencing the development of the industry around you.

Study Objectives
Artist development (bands, trends and the industry), psychology, good musical knowledge (at least music theory), well-founded knowledge of relevant business concepts.

Professional Fields

A&R or product management at a record company or publisher
Management or HR
Artist coaching & advising

Marketing and Sales Management

Description
The focus of the marketing and sales concentration is communicating with and persuading others in order to make sales. Introducing the public to products and visions requires creativity. At the same time, Marketing and Sales Management includes finding and recognising new trends as well as evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of products.

Study Objectives
Marketing and media, communication, leadership, networking. Good knowledge of the music and media industries as well as current trends.

Professional Fields

Record companies and publishing houses in marketing/sales/promotion
Marketing and talent agencies
Media and events
Consumer goods, esp. focussed on youth and lifestyle
Market and media research

Business Management

Description
Always keeping economic output in view, the Business Manager steers artists and companies to success. Nobody can fool you when it comes to negotiating album productions, tours or marketing campaigns, signing contracts or developing new business strategies.

Study Objectives
Finance & accounting, law, taxes, organisation and management. Good knowledge of real market prices.

Professional Fields

Leadership position in a music-related company, e.g. as CEO, strategic business planning
Start-up, e.g. as the business co-founder
Business management for artists
Consultant

Community Management

Description
Times are changing. The industry is dynamic, and nobody can build their resources entirely themselves. In companies, institutions and above all in cities and communities, experts are needed to realise co-operations and networks, to develop new projects and implement them successfully.

Study Objectives
As an all-rounder among the business types, you’ll need basic knowledge of all areas. Focus is on organisation, management (incl. project management and event management), media and communication.

Professional Fields

Rock and pop commissioner in cities and communities
Cultural management in companies and institutions, esp. in project and event management or product development
Consulting

Digital Innovation Management

Description
Digitalisation has a huge impact on culture, society, the economy and law. At the same time, the new self-image of the digital era is colliding with existing structures, conventions and traditions. A sensible education must create the basis for bringing together both sides. The moderation between familiar and new is an indispensable requirement for developing valuable future models.

Study Objectives
Digital Innovation Managers are deeply rooted in the digitally networked music industry. You are knowledgeable about the latest developments online. Your know-how in economics and law, digital culture and Net Generation technologies help you to analyse and create new solutions for web and mobile.

Professional Fields

Product and artist management in the digital world
PR and advertising agencies
Leadership position in a digital music or media company
Consulting for media and entertainment companies and investors
Content management for mobile providers and companies
Web 2.0 entrepreneurship

The Project Studies consists of the following modules. The electives depend on your respective concentration; additional courses from the elective catalogue can also be taken.

Core Courses: Advanced

Strategic Business Management
Finance, Cost Analysis and Controlling
Marketing
Innovation Management
Start-ups

Electives
Artist Development, Music Theory and Song Analysis, Pop Culture, Communications, Multimedia, Popular World Music, Sound: Recording, Band training and Ensemble Conducting, Cultural Management, Web Technologies, Artist Management, Music Business 3.0, Publishing, Media, Concerts and Events

Practice and Research
In addition to advanced theory, our so-called Project Factory provides each student with three time-intensive, practical projects. The mandatory projects, which take place in the fourth, fifth and sixth semesters, serve as an introduction to professional life through performing individual responsibilities within a team.

In addition, you will have to do two 12-week mandatory internships in the music or media industries, in the 3rd and 5th semesters.