Nia BowersThe modern music industry has solved one problem while creating another. Technology has made it easier than ever for artists to reach audiences, yet many still find themselves navigating increasingly complex business decisions without experienced representation. According to IFPI’s Global Music Report 2025, global recorded music revenues rose 4.8% in 2024, continuing ten consecutive years of growth. The opportunities are expanding, but so are the risks that can shape an artist’s career long before the music reaches listeners.
For Todd A. Gillman, founder of Epic Entertainment Management, that complexity has fundamentally changed what artists should expect from management. From his perspective, representation today extends well beyond securing opportunities. It requires guidance on contracts, publishing, branding, intellectual property, and long-term career planning, areas where a single decision can influence an artist’s future for years.
Todd A. Gillman
Gillman arrived at that conclusion after building a career that crossed law, business, and music. Before founding Epic Entertainment Management, a boutique artist management company focused on long-term career strategy, he practiced law, served as president and general legal counsel for a multimillion-dollar real estate company, and oversaw legal and business affairs for a talent agency. Earlier in his career, he also represented music artists and advised a music management company as outside counsel. Having spent more than 25 years as a musician himself, Gillman says he repeatedly saw talented artists receive creative support without the business guidance needed to protect their long-term careers.
“I kept hearing stories about artists who entered management relationships believing someone was looking out for their best interests, only to discover later that important business decisions hadn’t been handled with the care they deserved,” Gillman says. “Artists deserve representation built on trust, preparation, and genuine advocacy because their careers depend on much more than talent.”
Rather than positioning management around individual deals, Gillman explains that his approach begins with protecting an artist’s long-term interests. He believes understanding contracts, recognizing publishing implications, evaluating business opportunities, and assembling experienced advisors should happen before major career decisions are made. While he does not serve as legal counsel for his artists, his legal background allows him to identify issues early and connect artists with specialized entertainment attorneys and other professionals when appropriate.
According to Gillman, management also means helping artists build the right team as their careers evolve. That may include experienced entertainment attorneys, business managers, booking agents, branding specialists, and other professionals whose expertise becomes increasingly valuable as opportunities expand. He views the manager as someone responsible for coordinating those relationships so artists can focus on creating music while still making informed business decisions.
“Management isn’t just getting someone gigs,” Gillman says. “It’s helping them make the right decisions for the next decade. Every person on an artist’s team should contribute toward building a sustainable career.”
That philosophy also shapes why Gillman believes boutique management firms continue to play an important role within today’s music industry. Rather than maintaining large rosters, he prefers working with a carefully selected group of artists across different genres, allowing for closer collaboration and individualized attention. According to him, that approach creates stronger working relationships while reducing situations where multiple artists compete internally for the same opportunities.
The industry’s rapid evolution has only reinforced the need for broader business thinking. Streaming, creator partnerships, sync licensing, merchandise, touring, publishing, and brand collaborations now create multiple pathways for artists to generate revenue throughout their careers. Gillman explains that successful management requires understanding how those opportunities work together rather than viewing any single revenue source as the destination.
“Artists today have more ways than ever to build a career, but they also have more decisions to make,” Gillman says. “The goal is to develop opportunities that strengthen the artist’s business over time while preserving the creative vision that attracted audiences in the first place.”
As the business of music grows increasingly sophisticated, Gillman believes artists will need advisors who understand more than the next opportunity. In his view, the careers that endure will belong to those who approach music as both a creative pursuit and a long-term business.
“Success isn’t measured by the deal you sign this year,” Gillman says. “It’s measured by whether you’re still building your career years from now, with your creative vision and your business interests still working together.”