What percentage does an artist manager take?

15–20% of what the artist earns. 15% is the most common; 20% is the top of the standard band. Above 20%, or on gross instead of net, is worth questioning.

Is manager commission on gross or net?

Usually on net – after the costs that come off the top. On gross means the manager is paid before those costs are even covered, which is less common in fair deals.

Does the manager get paid before or after the agent?

After. A booking agent takes their cut (often ~10%) on the gross, first. The manager's percentage is then taken on what's left.

Artist manager commission: the complete guide

An artist manager typically takes 15–20% of what their artist earns – but the rate is the easy part. What actually decides your check is the base it's taken on, who else gets a cut first, and how each kind of income – a show, a royalty, a recording deal – is treated. Here's the whole picture.

What's standard

The norm is 15–20% of the artist’s earnings. 15% is the most common starting point; 20% is the top of the band. If you hear “managers take 50%,” someone’s been robbed – that number isn’t a thing in a fair deal. For the full picture on the rate, see how much a manager takes.

The rate is the easy part – the base is what matters

15% of $4,000 sounds like $600. But if $600 of that show is sound and lights, the real earnings are $3,400, and 15% of that is $510. Whether you commission on the full amount (gross) or on what’s left after costs (net) changes your check on every deal – and it’s the thing most people get wrong. We break it down in gross vs net.

You’re rarely the only one taking a cut

On a live show, a booking agent is usually paid first – often around 10%, on the gross, before costs and before you. Your commission comes off what’s left. On bigger acts there can be more hands: a co-manager, a business manager, a lawyer – each on their own rate and their own base. The order, and which base each one uses, decides who actually nets what.

A show doesn’t split like a royalty

Commission isn’t one rule. A live show is a guarantee versus a backend – the artist earns the greater of a promised fee or a percentage of the night’s box office. A royalty, a sync placement or a recording advance each commission on their own terms. Treat them all the same and the numbers stop matching the money.

Advances and recoupment

If an artist took an advance, their income is often recoupable – it pays the advance back down before the artist sees cash. The work is earning; the money is just clearing the balance first. Recoupment usually plays out across months and across deals, not on a single show – which is exactly where a spreadsheet starts to break.

Try it on a real deal

The fastest way to see all of this is to run a number through the free show commission calculator – guarantee vs backend, the agent’s cut, your commission, and what the artist nets, in one view.

Common questions

What percentage does an artist manager take?: 15–20% of what the artist earns. 15% is the most common; 20% is the top of the standard band. Above 20%, or on gross instead of net, is worth questioning.
Is manager commission on gross or net?: Usually on net – after the costs that come off the top. On gross means the manager is paid before those costs are even covered, which is less common in fair deals.
Does the manager get paid before or after the agent?: After. A booking agent takes their cut (often ~10%) on the gross, first. The manager's percentage is then taken on what's left.