Last week, three of the team headed to Brighton for The Great Escape, Europe’s leading festival for new music. The team spent four days moving between intimate basement venues, iconic Brighton stages like Komedia and Concorde 2, and some more unusual spots, like Horatio’s bar on Brighton pier and a converted church. But we weren’t just there to catch sets from some of the most exciting emerging artists around. We were there because we work in this industry.
The music industry’s current challenges
The Great Escape isn’t just a music festival. Alongside the gigs, thousands of music industry professionals descend on Brighton for panels, keynotes, and conversations about where the industry is heading.
AI was a big topic. Like every creative industry right now, the music world is grappling with what it means, what it threatens, and how to use it as a positive tool. A key financial issue discussed was the cost of touring. The financial pressure on grassroots artists and venues is well documented.
Why finances matter in the music industry
Running a music career, whether you’re an artist, a manager, or an agent, isn’t like running a typical business. Revenue comes from live fees, sync deals, streaming royalties, and merchandise. Throw in European withholding tax and tour settlements across different territories, and getting a clear picture of your cash flow becomes genuinely difficult. Artists lose money they’ve rightfully earned, not through bad luck, but through not having the right financial support around them.
The reality is that getting the finances right keeps the show on the road. Which is why having Maslins in your corner, a firm that genuinely understand how the music world works, makes all the difference to your income.
Who we work with
Our entertainment team works with artists at every stage of their career, and the managers and agents who support them. This covers the practical, compliance-heavy stuff, like VAT on streaming income and international tax, as well as the day-to-day reality of managing income that comes from lots of different sources.
From releasing your first track to routing a multi-territory tour, having the right financial team in your corner makes all the difference. Whether you’re an artist building your foundation, a manager scaling a roster, or an agent navigating complex live settlements, we ensure your financial structures are built to support that growth. Connect with Maslins and let’s keep the show on the road.
