What Is the Average Percentage of a Music Booking Agent?

If you want to get gigs for your band or to perform at, a music booking agent can be an invaluable source of help. However, music booking agents don't work for free, and it is important to know how much you'll have to pay out to take advantage of their services.

According to information found on Grand Central Music’s website, a musical event booking agent for an artist usually takes his fee in a percentage of the proceeds that is earned at an event. The music booking agent will usually take around 10% of the proceeds made from each event that is booked and arranged successfully for the artist.

Paying the Booking Agent

Because a booking agent takes a percentage of the proceeds from each venue, this means that each time an artist performs, the agent who booked the venue for the artist takes in about a tenth of all of the money.

Usually, this includes money taken in ticket sales and generated from the sale of artist merchandise. In some cases, the music booking agent may even take a percentage of money made from the sale of concessions.

However, while this is the average percentage for a music booking agent and the normal payment structure, the percentage that the agent earns and what that percentage applies to is going to be dictated by the contract that is drafted between the agent and either the artist or the record label that represents the artist.

Music Booking Agent Responsibilities

The agent has a wide variety of responsibilities to earn their fee. The responsibilities of the booking agent don’t simply begin and end with booking the venue for the artist.

• Agents also have to promote the venue so that the performance is successful, drawing the largest crowd possible.
• The higher the amount of tickets the agent sells to the artist’s performances, the more he earns as a fee. 

This generally works out well, since the booking agent has an incentive to make sure his artist client is as successful as possible... which is, of course, good for the artist too.

Booking Strategy of a Successful Booking Agent

Successful booking agents know their clients well, and know what types of venues look for artists that play the types of music the artists play. This is especially important in smaller venue circuits.

Mainstream or popular recording artists can also have tour dates booked in arenas or even stadiums that also hold other types of public events such as sporting events or other recording artists. 

Because most booking agents are paid on the basis of commission, this means they only get paid when a booking is successful. If the date is cancelled and there isn’t a cancellation clause in the artist’s contract and the agent's contract, there may be no payment made to the booking agent whatsoever.

The fees earned by a music booking agent are based on both their contracted percentage as well as how successful the agent is in maximizing his chances of making a profit.