The Manager's Playbook The Manager’s Playbook 058: JMSN - DIY Artist Blueprint, Music Videos, Ads, Touring, Content & Music Marketing
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, I sit down with JMSN, artist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and one of the best case studies for what real independent artist success looks like when you stop waiting for the industry to “pick you.”
We talk about why he stays fiercely DIY (not just “indie”) from owning your masters and building leverage without relying on a major label or a hype-driven record deal. JMSN breaks down the part most artists and managers don’t like posting about: being independent means you’re basically the label—funding the art, building the systems, and learning how to turn momentum into a repeatable release strategy.
We also get into modern music marketing that doesn’t feel like selling your soul: why a great music video can be the best long-term “ad,” how content becomes distribution (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube), and why streams and metrics don’t always tell the full story anymore, especially when the real goal is fanbase growth and turning streams into fans. Plus: touring as the engine, merch and direct-to-fan thinking, and how the right artist management support can replace the kind of “label help” that rarely comes with real care.
If you’re an artist, manager, or aspiring music exec trying to build a career outside industry norms, press play.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.
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Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook
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