This specialization will give you the knowledge, both theoretical and practical, to launch your career in the music business as an artist, manager, agent, and/or producer. You will begin with Music Business Foundations, which provides a broad overview of the music business, including a history of the industry as well as the various roles that exist and how they relate to one another. You will learn how record contracts are structured as well as a basic overview of copyright law. From there, you will complete Copyright Law in the Music Business, which gets to the heart of understanding copyright infringement. You will have the opportunity to unpack high-profile copyright law cases involving world-renowned artists, gaining a better understanding of how to leverage the law to their benefit. Next, you will complete How to Make Money with Your Music Copyrights, which will give you an in-depth breakdown of registering your copyright and collecting money from it. You will hear from professionals and lawyers who work to get artists paid and you will be able to identify ways to make money with your music that you may not have considered in the past. Finally, you will complete Creativity and Entrepreneurship, in which you’ll learn what it takes to be an effective entrepreneur in the music business, learning skills that are essential for thriving in an ever-changing industry.

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Music Business Specialization
Learn the Basics of the Music Business Industry. Success begins with developing creativity and fundamentals in entrepreneurship, discussing copyright law and revenue streams, and understanding the roles and structure of the music business industry.



Instructors: John P. Kellogg, Esq.
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What you'll learn
Discuss how the music business functions, including the various roles within the business, contract agreements, and how artists make money
Discuss the exclusive rights granted by copyright law and explain how to leverage those rights as a creator
Leverage skills used in musicianship to become a more effective entrepreneur
Overview
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March 2025
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Specialization - 4 course series
What you'll learn
Analyze recording contract provisions
Assess the various rights that make up the copyright bundle of rights
Discuss the roles of the personal manager, business manager, road manager, agents, road crew, and attorneys
Examine the importance of having written agreements that outline the duties and obligations of various parties
Skills you'll gain
What you'll learn
Explain the six exclusive rights of copyright law
Describe the concept of Fair Use and know when it applies and when it doesn't
Describe the various aspects involved in a copyright lawsuit
Differentiate between the composition copyright and the sound recording copyright
Skills you'll gain
What you'll learn
Skills you'll gain
What you'll learn
Discuss the importance of observation and the impact it has on your work as an entrepreneur
Discuss the importance of editing and be able to simply complex problems down to their core issues
Define what makes a strong brand and brainstorm ideas of how to establish your brand
Identify the various kinds of people you need to have in your network to help you succeed
Skills you'll gain
Earn a career certificate
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Frequently asked questions
There are 4 courses in this specialization and each course is 4 weeks. In total, the specialization should take about 16 weeks to complete.
There is no background knowledge required to complete this specialization.
While a specific order is not required, we recommend completing the courses in the following order: Music Business Foundations, Navigating the Music Business, Copyright Law in the Music Business, and Creativity and Entrepreneurship.
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