# An agent for a songwriter, trying to place one's material in the US?



## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Any words of advice, please?

Apparently, the US has an open system, unlike the UK, so called "pitching system" for placing one's music on the market. One gives the songs to an agent who gets info when artists are seeking for material to record, then s/he [one's agent] sends it to his/her [artist's] manager...

No one cares, apparently, where you are from, if you're willing to give 1/3 of your work to some talentless songwriter ["change a word - a third" policy] just because s/he is also a singer [as is the case in the UK so too very often] etc.

I'm off to NY in mid November, for some 5 days and am quite keen to find an agent, give the songs to her/him and see what happens. What's the point of just wondering "Why haven't I ever even tried?", innit... 

Thanx!

P.S. The same goes for EU/UK, if anyone knows a good agent...


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## phildwyer (Oct 25, 2008)

Can't help with the specifics, but I definitely think an agent is the way to go in any field.  I recently got myself an agent for my book, and it was the best thing I ever did.  Much better than dealing with publishers yourself.  I found mine through the web, I'm sure you could do the same.


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## phildwyer (Oct 25, 2008)

PS I'm in NYC November 19-24.  How about you?


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

You'll have a PM in a sec, m8...


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## D (Oct 25, 2008)

Hmm.  I wish I had advice on this front, but I can only speak as a performer outside the music industry.

If you can do a mass mailing with the target arrival date for your materials, say, 2 weeks before your actual arrival in NYC, I think that would probably be good.

And if you can snag some face to face time, well, that would be grand!

I don't know what the rules are for commissions for agents who represent songwriters, but I know that agents who are union franchised can't take more than 10% in NY and CA.

Managers can take more.

And in my experience, once you're dealing with agents of a certain caliber, what makes a 'good agent' comes down primarily to whether you and your agent are a good fit.  The better they feel they know you, obviously, the better equipped they will be to match you with the right artists/potential gigs.


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Yeah, that _is _advice and it seems pretty good and straight forward, kinda common sense... Thanx!!!

Alas, for mass emailing one needs many addresses of such people/office and I have - well... none... No experience, you see... 

When I tried once it wasn't exactly a glaring success... Frankly, I just don't know where to start, without splashing a lot of dosh on "Who's who", even if it existed...

Yesterday I googled, of course and tried signing up with http://www.northern-music.com/form.htm - but no much luck, I'm afraid, no idea if it went through etc. 

EDIT: Actually just tried again and it finally went through, as Firefox didn't allow it properly... IE did...

Oh, well, must plough on, I suppose...

Cheers!


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Crikey! So many and yet... It's unbelievable just what kind of a jungle it is...

On the other hand, the horror stories about who is trustworthy...

Echhhh....

Anyone knows anything about these guys, people? http://www.songwriter.co.uk/ Any good? Three months free when you subscribe to their newsletter... Otherwise, it's £20 for 6 months, which isn't excessive. They protect your rights etc.

But the legal wrangles... Ahem... How much is taken by whom and just how much stays with you... Oyyyyyyooooyyyyoooooyyyyy!!!!

Here is a taster from the above sites:



>





> Northern Msic Agency is a north european music agency, coordinating, marketing and licensing music services and solutions for international markets.
> 
> NMA is a window for and to the world of music. Through our huge network of international connections, we are able to contact relevant companies for the artist we represent.
> 
> ...



or



> *The ISA Services
> 
> You can use the following free services
> 
> ...



Sounds too good to be true?

Ta!


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## D (Oct 25, 2008)

I would be cautious about agents whom you can 'find' over the internet.  Ultimately, yes, most agencies probably have webpages...and, again, maybe it's a different story for writers since you don't ever have to meet face to face and they're selling your writing not YOU, per se (different situation for me as a performer).

But...not only is it a jungle, but I'm sure it's a network...meaning, connections, connections connections.

Send your stuff to EVERYONE you can find info on.  You know what you should do?

Go to the ASCAP website http://www.ascap.com/

have a poke around there and see if there's a section on advice for representation

in fact, a quick glance reveals:

http://www.ascap.com/musicbiz/

Check also the "resources" section.  I don't know what it would be called, but what you need is one of those stupid listings guides that lists every agent based in NYC representing songwriters.  And then you need to mail your shit to every single one of them (unless you have the inclination also to look them up online and you see that they're bogus/not for you/etc - in fact, it's better if you can look 'em up, even though it's more time consuming).  Within the next week.  It will be a huge waste of time and money, BUT it is possible that someone will bite.  Say clearly in your cover letter that you are coming to New York and would like to set up a meeting to find out whether you and X would be a good fit.

That's the way it's done when you don't have a referral.  It's thankless and expensive - especially from abroad, I can only imagine how much it will cost to do your mass mailing.  You could look 'em up and then be more judicious about to whom you send.  Or you could just submit indiscriminately.

I'm gearing up to take my own advice .... time for another mass mailing for yours truly soon.  I haven't done one in ages.  And I would like representation in NYC.


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## El Jefe (Oct 25, 2008)

gorski said:


> Any words of advice, please?
> 
> Apparently, the US has an open system, unlike the UK, so called "pitching system" for placing one's music on the market. .



It's wrong to say the UK doesn't have this system, it's just not as prevalent. 

I used to work for a magazine called Song Plugger which would list writers and try and place their work, not sure it still exists but I expect there are equivalents.


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

It's called "streaming", I was told, but it's internal, for those who already are the "insiders"...


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Thanx, D!!!!!!!! 

Will do!!!


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

http://www.berklee.edu/careers/associations_n-z.html

Some stuff here under songwriters etc. 

http://www.songwriters-circle.com/resources.htm

http://www.songlink.com/horg.html - more

http://www.wma.com/agency/contact.aspx - see this, for instance: I see it and I'm miffed - wtf do you do with such guys...?!?

===================================================

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/01/dmf_2006_songwriters/ - interesting article and more links below...

http://music-tech-policy.blogspot.com/2006/07/solving-music-subscription-service.html - similar


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## phildwyer (Oct 25, 2008)

D said:


> I would be cautious about agents whom you can 'find' over the internet.  Ultimately, yes, most agencies probably have webpages...and, again, maybe it's a different story for writers since you don't ever have to meet face to face and they're selling your writing not YOU, per se (different situation for me as a performer).



Well I made damn sure that I met my agent face to face, for the reasons you suggest.  But there are web-sites that list all agents and their specialties, and you can check their reputations on various message boards.  If you go with a big agency they won't rip you off, or not in an illegal manner anyway.


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## El Jefe (Oct 25, 2008)

gorski said:


> http://www.songlink.com/horg.html - more



That's the one run by David Stark who I used to work with on Songplugger. Horrible man


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Thanx!!!


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## El Jefe (Oct 25, 2008)

"I met all the Beatles you know" 

Oily cunt


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

phildwyer said:


> Well I made damn sure that I met my agent face to face, for the reasons you suggest.  But there are web-sites that list all agents and their specialties, and you can check their reputations on various message boards.  If you go with a big agency they won't rip you off, or not in an illegal manner anyway.



But how do I get to have a meeting with those co's? And which ones to approach? And... echhh... too many Qs and all at once...

I suppose, in the UK it's demi-feudal, as one can't get to the people who make decisions - from the "minders"...

In the US, they tell me, it's much easier.... "They actually wanna exploit your stuff"...

We'll see if I'm that lucky...


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## D (Oct 25, 2008)

There's nothing easy about it.

First of all, unless you're with a boutique agency there's a very good chance that you'll get lost in the shuffle.  Someone may meet you, say, "hey, I'd like this writer/fill-in-the-blank-er to freelance with me..." but if they don't have anything for you, if the market isn't swaying your way straight away, there's little you can do - no matter how many postcards, updates, whatevers you send 'em - to remind 'em you exist.

Also, having an agent is no guarantee of actually getting hired to do anything.

THat said, you have nothing to lose (except a bit of time and money).

The way you set up meetings is by doing what I said - send your stuff, hope someone bites.  They call you, don't call them, etc.  Or you get a referral from someone who's already represented by that agency.

***

Also, NYC is only one market...You've also got LA (and smaller markets throughout the country).  And I don't know which one would be more appropriate for you, gorski.


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## D (Oct 25, 2008)

Again, I don't know the music industry; but I'd be SHOCKED to hear that navigating it is in any way easy.  Are the folks who are telling you that having wild success?


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

My ex-singer managed to get a lot done from the UK and then go to the US and meet the people who actually can make decisions, have a gig or three etc. So, he said it's "easier" - meaning, than London/UK... but not easy, no...

LA market? That would be cool, as I have some soul-r'n'b-funky-jazzy-gospelly stuff as well... But not a clue as to how to approach it... especially long distance, as it were...


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## phildwyer (Oct 25, 2008)

gorski said:


> But how do I get to have a meeting with those co's? And which ones to approach?



Well I made a list of the agencies I wanted to represent me, then sent each of them a cover letter and sample chapter over the web.  Got four or five offers within a week, and just chose the biggest one.  But I'm sure its more difficult with music--there's actually serious money at stake for one thing, and there must be more competition, and I suppose like D says a face to face meeting is necessary from their point of view.


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## gorski (Oct 25, 2008)

Yep, it stands to reason - it's just that it looks like a bloody maze to me... Daunting, really... 

Suppose I'll just have to muddle through somehow...


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