Artist Manager Contracts in India: Commission, Terms and Red Flags (2026)

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Contracts depend on facts and change over time. Have a lawyer review any management agreement before you sign it.

At some point, every growing independent artist in India hits the same problem: there's more email, more negotiation, more scheduling and more strategy than one musician can handle while still writing and performing. That's usually when a manager appears — a friend who's been helping out, someone from a label or agency, or an experienced professional who approaches you after a good gig. Getting a manager can change your career. Signing a bad management agreement can stall it for years. This guide explains what an artist manager does in India, how managers get paid, what should be in an artist management contract, and the red flags to watch for.

What an artist manager actually does

A manager is your business partner for career strategy. Day to day, that can include:

• Planning releases and campaigns with your distributor, label or PR team.
• Negotiating deals: shows, brand partnerships, sync, label and publishing offers.
• Building the team: booking agent, publicist, lawyer, accountant, tour manager.
• Handling communication with promoters, venues and partners.
• Managing money flow: invoices, budgets, making sure you get paid.
• Protecting your time so you can make music.

What a manager is not:

• Not a booking agent. Agents specifically book shows. Some Indian managers also book, but it's a separate role. See our guide to getting a booking agent.
• Not a label. A manager shouldn't own your recordings by default.
• Not a lawyer. They can negotiate, but legal review should be independent.

Types of managers you'll meet in India

• Friend or bandmate manager. Common at the start. Cheap, trusting, but often informal. Put something in writing anyway.
• Management agencies and artist services companies. Firms that manage a roster of independent acts, sometimes bundled with booking, PR or brand work.
• Label-linked managers. Managers attached to a label. Watch for conflicts of interest when they negotiate with their own company.
• Freelance professional managers. Experienced people who take on a few acts.

How managers get paid

Commission is the norm. Common points to agree:

• Commission rate. Management commissions are commonly quoted internationally in the 10–20% range of the artist's gross income from covered activities. Rates in India vary; agree a number that fits the work involved.
• Gross vs net. Is commission calculated on gross fees, or after certain costs (travel, production, band fees, agent commission)? For live shows especially, commission on net income is fairer when touring costs are high.
• What's commissionable. Shows, brand deals, sync, streaming royalties, publishing, merch? Many artists exclude income from deals and catalogue that existed before the manager arrived.
• Retainers. Some managers ask for a monthly fee early on. Be cautious; it should be modest and clearly tied to work.
• Expenses. Who pays for the manager's travel, phone and admin? Set a cap and require approval above it.
• GST and invoicing. If either side is GST-registered, invoices may need to show GST. See our GST for musicians guide and ask a CA.

Key clauses in an artist management agreement

In India, a management agreement is a contract governed by the Indian Contract Act, 1872. Here's what a good one usually covers.

Parties and scope

• Who exactly is the artist: you as an individual, a band partnership, or a company? If you're a band, make sure all members sign or the band entity signs.
• What activities are covered: music, live, brand partnerships, acting, content creation? A narrow scope keeps you flexible.

Term

• How long the agreement runs. One to three years is commonly discussed for emerging artists, often with a trial period.
• Renewal terms: automatic renewal is risky. Prefer renewal only by mutual written agreement.
• Performance targets. You can tie renewal or continuation to milestones, such as a set number of shows or minimum income.

Territory

• India only, South Asia, or worldwide? If your manager has no international network, keep territory narrow.

Exclusivity

• Most management deals are exclusive in scope. Make sure exclusivity applies only to the covered activities and territory.

Commission and post-term commission ("sunset clause")

• The commission rate and base, as above.
• What happens after the term ends? Managers usually want commission on deals they did during the term. A fair sunset clause reduces that commission over time (for example, full rate for a period, then reduced, then nothing), and limits it to deals actually negotiated during the term.

Authority to sign

• Can the manager sign contracts on your behalf? Usually you want the manager to negotiate, but you sign, or at least approve in writing.

Money handling

• Will income go to your account or the manager's? Ideally, money is paid directly to you, and you pay commission on invoice.
• If the manager collects money, require a separate account, regular statements, and payment to you within a fixed number of days.
• Audit rights: you should be able to inspect the books.

Ownership of your work

• The manager shouldn't take ownership of your recordings, compositions, band name or social accounts. Our guides on who owns your masters and trademarking your band name explain why this matters.
• Social media log-ins and your artist accounts should stay in your name, with the manager added as an admin.

Conflicts of interest

• The manager should disclose any interest in companies they negotiate with: a label, promoter, agency or brand.

Termination

• For breach, with notice and a chance to fix.
• For key-person reasons: if your manager is part of an agency, can you leave if that person leaves?
• For no cause after a notice period, if you can negotiate it.

Disputes

• Which law and courts apply, and whether disputes go to arbitration first.

Special cases

• Minors. Under the Indian Contract Act, a person below 18 generally can't enter into a binding contract. If the artist is a minor, get legal advice on how parents or guardians are involved.
• Bands. Decide how commission is shared if members leave, and what happens to the management deal if the band splits. A band agreement alongside your split sheets helps.
• Manager also books shows. If your manager also takes an agent's fee, make sure you're not paying double commission on the same show.

Red flags

• Upfront fees for "launching" your career.
• Very long terms (five years or more) with no exit.
• Commission on all income forever, including pre-existing deals.
• Taking ownership of your masters, publishing or band name.
• Being paid only through the manager's personal account without statements.
• Pressure to sign the same day, or refusal to let your lawyer review.

How to find and test a manager

• Ask artists you respect who manages them and what that's like.
• Look at the manager's track record: which acts, which deals, which shows.
• Start with a short trial period or a project-based arrangement, such as managing one release.
• Agree clear goals for the first six months.

For working with brands and promoters once you have a manager, our guides to brand deals for musicians and the gig contract checklist are useful companions.

The takeaway

A good manager multiplies your work; a bad agreement can trap it. Keep the scope narrow, the term short, money flowing to you, ownership with you, and a clear way out. Put everything in writing, even with a friend, and have a lawyer read it before you sign it.