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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.