We get piles of letters and thousands of emails requesting advice about all levels of the music business, from getting an A&R job to becoming a famous rock star or starting a record label; some people just want to further their knowledge about this crazy, wacky, voodoo that we do. If you are looking at this web page, you probably fall under one of the above categories. You already know that there are multitudes of consultants dying to "escort" you to that mysterious place where art meets commerce. As a cooperative of misfit, music biz explorers, we at Sub Pop have always advocated absorbing the excellent, intuitive information available in books and on the Internet. Following is a list of resources we recommend...

• This Business of Music: More like a legal treatise than a practical guide, but still a wealth of information that includes an appendix of standard industry forms and legal extracts. (It's a bit dry and mostly useful to college-age readers). Also More About this Business of Music by Krasilovsky/Shemel.
  Author: Sidney Shemel and M. William Krasilovsky
  Publisher: Billboard Directories
• All You Need to Know About the Music Business: Known as the industry bible and highly recommended, this one is written in simple terms and although doesn't necessarily help you "get a deal," it explains how deals work. Topics covered include recording agreements, publishing, merchandising and music for film. This book is frequently updated for new editions.
  Author: Donald S. Passman and Randy Glass
  Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Rock and Roll Is Here To Pay: An economic history of the music business, offering explanations of the origins of today's major label conglomerates.
  Author: we don't know at the moment but read it anyway.
  Publisher: (see Author).
• Musician's Business and Legal Guide: Easy to read dissections of typical recording contracts and basic agreements. All the essential music business concepts are covered.
  Author: Mark Holloran, Beverly Hills Bar Association.
  Publisher: PH
• The Music Business: Career Opportunities and Self-Defense: Without diminishing the importance of musical values and goals, this book explores career opportunities, discussing both the many stepping stones and the inevitable roadblocks.
  Author: Dick Weissman
  Publisher: Crown Publishers.
• Book Your Own Tour (supplement, issue): How to book your band, get press, distribute and promote your own product etc.: basically everything D.I.Y. you need to know.
  Author: various
  Publisher: Maximum RockandRoll Magazine. (Billboard Magazine and other newsstand items offer special features too).
• Hit Men: An expose on the history of payola and radio indies. It was written in the late 80's and basically called out a lot of big wigs for being corrupt. Good shit.
  Author: Frederick Dannen
  Publisher:

A&R

• Hit Men: Power Brokers & Fast Money Inside the Music Business: The juicy story of the greed and corruption of many of the assorted kingpins and hustlers at the helm of the music business, including a look at the "little cocaine problem" and how David Geffen started.
  Author: Fredric Dannen
  Publisher: Random House
• Stiffed: A True Story of MCA, The Music Business, and the Mafia: The title really says it all. Juicy.
  Author: William Knoedelseder
  Publisher: Harperperennial Lib

OTHER

• Check out bookstores on the Net, such as Amazon or Fatbrain if you have the means. To give you an idea of what's out there, following are some other books and their authors...
• The Rock File: Making it in the Music Business - Norton York.
• Talking Music: Conversations with John Cage, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson...and more - William Duckworth.
• Making It in the Music Business: A Business and Legal Guide for Songwriters and Performers - Lee Wilson.
• Music, Money and Success: The Insider's Guide to the Music Industry - Jeffrey and Todd Brabec
• Career Opportunities in the Music Industry - Shelly Field.
• Breaking Into the Music Business - Alan H. Siegel.
• Networking in the Music Business - Dan Kimpel