How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician

This is absolutely THE BEST book out there (at the time of this review) on how to make a great living in the new music business. Being a 6-figure musician myself for the last 5 years, I can personally attest that this great resource assumes that you work hard, have sufficient talent, work really hard, and follow the directions provided in such great detail in this comprehensive music career guide. And did I mention that it’s hard work?Although you have to Do The Work, Ari shares so many excellent industry insights and creative ideas that you can *work hard* on what MATTERS to your music career, and not just spin your wheels. You will learn about everything from writing better songs to producing better recordings to branding your music to licensing/monetizing your music and more.I say this guide is comprehensive because Ari goes into great detail on all aspects of the music industry. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just beginning, this book can help you to achieve your dreams of being a successful, independent professional musician making a good living doing what you LOVE.Do yourself a favor and GET THIS BOOK and REALLY follow Ari’s great advice.An aside: I bought all three versions so I could listen to the audiobook while I run/exercise, use the eBook for it’s keyword search-ability, and have the hard copy to mark up like a Bible. I have NEVER bought all versions of any book. This book is THAT GOOD.

If you are working to become successful in the music business, either as an artist or producer, AND ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL TERMS, this book is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ. Other reviews say things like, "The best book I've ever read on making it in the music business". I totally agree.It covers everything you need to know. Let me repeat this for emphasis: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. And it's very readable and easy to follow. Brilliant!Once you've read this book, I can also recommend some Udemy courses by Christopher Greenwood on marketing for musicians. (They regularly go on sale for $10). He's a musician who markets himself brilliantly. ( He also does a monthly online program called Fanbase University. I signed up for the first month which is $20, which gets you access to a lot of great videos, plus you can email him with any questions. I give him five stars, too!Udemy does a lot of great courses: Social medial marketing, piano, guitar, Logic, ProTools, etc. Plus Office, Word, Excel, Mac and PC tutorials, and a lot more. $10 is a great deal. Five stars for them, too!Another great book: The Future of The Music Business (How To Succeed with the New Digital Technologies) by Steve Gordon.But I still recommend you read Ari's book first. It's one of the best investments any musician can make in their career.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. If I could give it a ten-star rating, I would. I have zero interest in a music career and still I loved this book from the business sense it provides. Heard the author on a podcast and loved his straight talk and generous spirit to SHARE his knowledge with others in hopes that they will 'make it' in the music business. SO INSPIRING! A perfect gift for anyone who has a dream of making music one day. Game changer. LIFE changer. So big it could be used as a door stop, but so jam-packed with great advice. You will be a hero if you give it away, you will be rich and successful if you do what Ari tells you to do. As he says in the credits at the end, "Thanks to my parents for raising me right, teaching me to think of others before myself." Better than college when it comes to business advice. His tips will fast-forward any music career. And he says, "You have 'made it' in the music business when you can pay you bills doing what you love. Not when you play halftime at the superbowl." YES! I appreciate that his tone is authentic and direct, and while some people/stories in the music industry can be crass, he isn't. He says it like it is but keeps it "PG" by writing 'work your a$$' off instead of the real word. This is part of what makes it a good gift for young adults - gave it to a high school senior. So good.

I initially bought this on Audible because my son is interested in a career in music. Honestly, I had some anxiety about what career opportunities he would (or wouldn't) have upon graduation from college.In short, this book was enlightening and very encouraging. The music business has changed so much in the past 10 years and today there are an infinite number of paths for folks looking to earn money through music. The author exhaustively explores and explains all aspects of today's music business, from contracts to gigging to traveling/touring. You name it.I convinced my son to listen the book on Audible...which wasn't easy. He loved the book so much I got him a hardcover copy and he's burning through it. He says it's a great read but he's also planning to use it as a manual to handle music business situations as they come up.Not only do I feel better about my son pursuing a career in music, now I'm excited about his opportunities.Mr. Herstand, thank you for writing this book. It is proving to be an excellent investment!

I enjoyed the book and I’d say that you shouldn’t hesitate to buy and read this book at all. It’s loaded with great information and though I’m already working full-time as a musician, Ari helped me realize some areas where I could improve my work behind the scenes and also make some more money.In spots, the author struggles to not brag as he presents why you should trust his advice. I’m not sure of a better way to approach it as the author, however. It gets a little tiring to read “I once sold out this huge show,” and “I got this uber-exclusive opportunity” over and over.He’s accomplished a lot in his career and I certainly respect that. If I were listening to Spielberg lecture about filmmaking I’d get tired of him talking about his awards and reviews.

These are my initial thoughts and I will check back here soon! My copy of this book has just arrived so I haven't read it yet. However, looking at the contents, I think I am hoing to love it! It's quite a tome, running to over 400 pages and covering pretty much everything you need to know to make a good living out of being a musician. Ari himself says that you still need to get expert legal advice before deciding to sign a contract or not, but, on my first look, this will save you a lot of time, money and help you to maximise you as a musician.

This opens a world you have to know if you want to make music and live with it!5 star

Ok... I listened to Ari in an interview with Cathy Heller and really liked what he had to say. I got the book and started reading it yesterday. Right now I am on about page 100 and have learned so much !@#$%^&*(. I am an older musician with a studio and ready to retire from my day gig to do more of what I love (music). I have read a lot of books in my time and can honestly say this book is invaluable. If you are serious about getting paid for your music .... this book is a must.I don't know this guy but I like him and feel he is the real deal.

This book provides excellent analysis, comprehensive application, and practical how-to advice. The positive, optimistic attitude throughout offers the hope that discipline and hard work can result in success. I recommend this book highly.

I am a Music professional who has been in the industry for over 29 years and a Music Business Lecturer for 14 years. With the recent changes in the industry, I was looking for someone who could show me how to adapt to the new market and how to move forward. Ari Herdstand is most certainly one of the inspiring and knowledgeable people I have come across and his book is most certainly an eye opener. This is my most favourite book on the subject to date and I can highly recommend it.