Challenging the Stigma: A Global Case for Artist Autonomy, Self-Governance and the Manager-as-Employee Model in the Music Industry

A prevailing standard in the global music industry posits that every musician necessitates a manager to oversee strategic planning, negotiations, and commercial intricacies. This paper contests the prevailing norm by advocating for a manager-as-employee paradigm, based on the principal–agent theory and entrepreneurship studies, in which the artist is redefined as the business principal who engages a manager for specialised functions. Utilising historical trends and the contemporary digital landscape, this article illustrates that musicians actively participate in many entrepreneurial endeavours—such as budgeting, branding and distribution—and thus need not relinquish overall authority to a manager. The article contends that, notwithstanding the valuable connections and experience offered by reputable managers, contractual agreements should prioritise the artist's creative vision and financial independence. It delineates how artists might work, examining practical frameworks such as project-based management agreements, and promoting wider acknowledgement of music as a viable vocation. The conclusion urges industry stakeholders—labels, promoters, media and educational institutions—to endorse a paradigm where artist liberty is the norm rather than the anomaly.