Knowledge for musicians · free

The music business, simply explained

Publishing, labels, contracts, streams and everything else you need to know as a musician. Short, clear and jargon-free, with an explainer video for every topic (videos in German).

See all topics Get the cheat sheet

Join in person

Upcoming live dates

The music business course in person: one day, all the basics, with exercises and time for your questions. Taught in German.

5Dec 2026Saturday

Musikbusiness 101 course

Munich · Munich adult education centre (MVHS)

10 am to 5 pm

12Dec 2026Saturday

Musikbusiness kompakt (compact course)

Berlin · VHS Spandau adult education centre, course Sp6.305-H

12 pm to 4:15 pm

Start here

New to the music business? Read these topics in order.

Full learning path

Topic areas

Rights & Money

Who owns a song, and who collects for what?

7 topics

Labels & Contracts

How labels work and what's in their contracts.

6 topics

Release & Production

From the finished song to the playlist.

6 topics

Team & Career

Who helps you, how to play live and what to sort out.

8 topics

From every area

All 27 topics

Rights & Money · Video

What's the difference between a publisher and a label?

The publisher takes care of the song, the label takes care of the recording.

Rights & Money · Video

What actually is GEMA?

If you write songs, GEMA pays you when they are played somewhere.

Labels & Contracts · Video

What kinds of contracts are there with a label?

Artist deal, licence deal or distribution deal: who pays, and who owns the recording?

Labels & Contracts · Video

What is a 360 deal?

The label earns not only from your recordings, but from almost everything.

Release & Production · Video

How do you plan a release?

A release starts weeks before the release.

Release & Production · Video

How do you get onto Spotify playlists?

Editors, algorithm and curators: three ways into a playlist.

Team & Career · Video

What does a manager do, and when do you need one?

The managing director of your career, but only once something is happening.

Team & Career · Video

How do you get on stage?

What a booking agency does and how to start small live.

Free PDF

The cheat sheet, free

The key terms and connections in the music business on two pages: GEMA, publisher and label, contracts, artists' social insurance and who does what on your team. (The PDF is in German.)