This book is available as a zipped digital download containing 2 pdfs.

The Indie Musician's Business Companion is a two-volume, practical reference eBook designed to help independent musicians, songwriters, producers, beatmakers, and bands build sustainable careers by understanding both the business and the legal foundations of the modern music industry. Together, the volumes function as a complete roadmap—moving from education and opportunity in Volume 1 to protection, structure, and enforcement in Volume 2.

Volume 1: The Book of Lists

Volume 1 focuses on helping artists understand how the music industry works and how to generate income and visibility. It begins by demystifying the industry itself, with extensive music terminology and genre definitions that allow artists to speak the same language as labels, licensors, radio programmers, and media outlets.

From there, the book guides readers through:

• Songwriting and ownership fundamentals, including splits, registrations, copyrights, and why proper documentation is essential.
• Business planning for musicians, showing how to treat a band or solo project as a real enterprise with goals, budgets, branding, and long-term strategy.
• Royalties and licensing, including mechanical, performance, streaming, and synchronization royalties, current U.S. statutory rates, the role of the Copyright Royalty Board, and how to register with organizations such as PROs, SoundExchange, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective.
• Marketing and promotion strategies, including how to prepare professional EPKs, write effective press releases, and decide when to pitch music versus when to build an audience first including 50+ Creative and non-conventional Marketing Ideas
• Sales and exposure pathways, with detailed guidance on submitting to college and independent radio, approaching major music media outlets and magazines, and understanding how airplay and press translate into career growth.
• List of Sync Licensing Agencies and Music Libraries - places to sell your music
• Major Music Media and Magazines - places to promote you or your band.
• Musician Support Groups 
• Music Supervisors and Licensing Agencies - places to sell your music
• U.S. College/Indie/Community Radio Station Directory - places to get radio airplay and exposure
• Regional Filmmaker Organizations - places where you can partner with filmmakers to sell or license your music
• Sync and media opportunities, including how to pitch to music supervisors, work with licensing agencies, and collaborate with independent filmmakers using real-world directories and outreach examples.

Volume 1 emphasizes education, visibility, and opportunity—giving artists the tools to get heard, get paid, and get taken seriously.

Volume 2: Music Contracts and Agreements

Volume 2 serves as the legal backbone of The Indie Music Companion, providing a comprehensive collection of music-industry contracts and agreements explained in clear, accessible language. Rather than replacing an attorney, this volume is designed to help artists understand what they are signing, what questions to ask, and where risks and leverage exist.

This volume includes:

• Recording, production, and ownership agreements, covering artist–producer contracts, recording agreements, master ownership, work-for-hire arrangements, and royalty structures.
• Songwriting, publishing, and licensing agreements, including publishing administration, co-publishing, sync licenses, mechanical licenses, sample clearances, and songwriter-publisher relationships.
• Live performance and touring contracts, such as booking agreements, venue contracts, festival agreements, hospitality riders, tech riders, and performance releases.
• Management, agency, and promotion agreements, including personal management contracts, booking agent agreements, publicity agreements, sponsorship deals, and merchandising licenses.
• Media and content releases, covering actor releases, video performance releases, talent/model releases, and agreements commonly required for film, video, and online distribution.
• Business and partnership documents, including partnership agreements, joint ventures, royalty payment schedules, and termination clauses.

Each agreement is presented as a reference and educational starting point, helping artists recognize standard clauses, understand ownership implications, and avoid common mistakes that can undermine careers later.

A Complete Companion for Independent Artists

Together, Volumes 1 and 2 form a complete, practical companion for independent musicians—combining industry knowledge, marketing and sales strategy, and legal clarity into a single, cohesive resource. The books are designed to be revisited at different career stages, whether an artist is releasing a first single, negotiating a sync placement, hiring a publicist, booking a tour, or signing a long-term agreement.

Rather than promising shortcuts, The Indie Music Companion focuses on informed decision-making, professional habits, and long-term sustainability—helping artists protect their work, grow their audience, and build careers on their own terms.