Manager, Artist Relations

Universal Music Group•Los Angeles, CA

19d•$49,410 - $75,000

About The Position

CD Baby, part of Universal Music Group, is seeking an Artist Relations Manager to build and grow relationships with artists and their teams. The role’s first priority is managing inbound referrals from the industry network, followed by strengthening relationships with high-value and high-potential artists already using CD Baby and developing targeted outreach to prospective artists. It combines relationship management with commercial judgment and data analysis to identify opportunities, understand artists’ goals, and connect them with appropriate support. As an individual contributor reporting to the SVP, Marketing & Revenue, the Artist Relations Manager owns day-to-day relationships with assigned artists and partners with leadership to develop the processes and systems for a growing Artist Relations program. The role works closely with Artist Success and Lifecycle Marketing to support onboarding and ongoing engagement, while remaining the relationship lead and helping CD Baby understand and address artists’ evolving needs. The position manages referrals and commercial conversations, develops relationships with current and prospective artists, connects relationship insights with lifecycle marketing, and helps establish disciplined processes for qualification, outreach, follow-up, handoffs, and ongoing relationship management. It also maintains CRM records, tracks pipeline and commercial outcomes, coordinates internally on artist needs and retention, and represents CD Baby at artist-facing events.

Requirements

Experience in artist relations, artist management, talent partnerships, A&R, business development, or a related music-industry role.
Demonstrated ability to build trust with independent artists, managers, and industry partners.
Strong commercial judgment and experience helping move opportunities from introduction through agreement.
Ability to interpret streaming, revenue, audience, and engagement data to prioritize opportunities.
Working knowledge of digital music distribution, DSPs, artist marketing, and editorial pitching.
Clear, proactive communication skills and ability to set expectations, anticipate concerns, and close the loop.
Strong organization and follow-through across multiple relationships and opportunities.
A practical, collaborative approach to improving processes and working across teams.
Connections within an independent music community and ability to develop new industry relationships.
Comfort representing CD Baby externally with artists and their teams.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on use of CRM tools to manage contacts, pipelines, follow-up activities, and reporting.
Collaboration with lifecycle, customer engagement, or retention marketing teams on segmentation, lead nurturing, or targeted communications.
Experience using customer or artist signals to trigger timely outreach and relevant service recommendations.

Responsibilities

Manage inbound artist referrals from artists, managers, labels, Virgin Music Group colleagues, and other industry partners.
Evaluate opportunities against program criteria and recommend an appropriate service level.
Explain CD Baby’s distribution, support, and additional services, setting expectations about available support and how further opportunities are considered.
Lead commercial conversations within approved parameters and partner with the SVP, Marketing & Revenue and Legal and Business Affairs on negotiations and agreements as needed.
Document artist goals, service commitments, release plans, and relevant context for handoff to Artist Success for onboarding and release coordination.
Maintain relationships with referral partners and follow through on introductions.
Use revenue, streaming, audience, and engagement data to identify current artists who may benefit from a closer relationship with CD Baby.
Build relationships with selected artists and teams, understand their goals and needs, maintain purposeful contact, and identify useful next steps.
Recommend relevant tools, services, and approved promotional opportunities based on artists’ needs.
Identify relationship risks and coordinate internally to address concerns and retain artists’ future business.
Identify prospective artists through industry data, research, professional relationships, live shows, and local music communities.
Develop targeted outreach, build relationships with industry professionals who can make introductions, and follow up from initial contact through qualification and conversion.
Represent CD Baby at shows, industry events, panels, workshops, and other artist-facing opportunities.
Partner with Lifecycle Marketing to identify artist segments and signals for personalized outreach, education, or additional support.
Coordinate direct artist contact with broader marketing communications and help develop approaches for nurturing prospects, reengaging customers, and introducing appropriate services.
Share artist-conversation insights to improve messaging, educational content, and lifecycle journeys.
Maintain accurate CRM records covering contacts, opportunities, artist goals, service commitments, relationship history, and next actions.
Develop and refine repeatable processes for qualification, outreach, follow-up, handoffs, and ongoing relationship management.
Work with Artist Success to ensure commitments are understood and operational requirements are considered before they are made.
Coordinate with marketing colleagues to assess promotional opportunities and communicate approved support.
Track pipeline quality, conversion, artist engagement, retention, and commercial results.
Bring recurring artist needs and feedback to Product, Customer Experience, and Marketing.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, including 100% coverage for out-patient in-network mental health services.
Fertility coverage for eligible medical plan participants.
Wellbeing reimbursements for fitness classes, spa treatments, meal services, travel, and more, up to $720 per year.
Student Loan Repayment Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement.
401(k) with 100% immediate vesting on the first 5% of contributions, plus an additional UMG contribution.
Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) for exempt employees.
Three weeks of PTO for non-exempt employees.
Two weeks of paid Winter Break.
10 company holidays, including Juneteenth and Wellbeing Day.
Summer Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Generous paid parental leave for every type of parent.