The Manager's Playbook - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on Why Consistency Beats Talent in Music Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Mike Caren breaks down why consistency, discipline, and adaptability matter more than occasional flashes of brilliance in the music business.

This clip explores the traits that help artists and executives build lasting careers: embracing change, staying open to new ideas, avoiding nostalgia, protecting your focus, and developing the self-awareness to regularly reassess your strategy.

It’s a sharp conversation on artist development, music business longevity, creative discipline, release strategy, and staying relevant in a constantly evolving industry.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UnV1d2ltTCO1rfjqhTKc4?si=seltDGQ-RvWE9fwshY-f3w

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Timestamps:

00:00 Consistency Beats Brilliance
00:29 Adapting to Industry Change
01:27 Letting Go of Old Ways
02:47 Hip Hop Cycles and Optimism
05:54 Nostalgia vs Innovation Mindset
06:53 Distractions and Staying Focused
08:45 Quarterly Self Review Habits
10:09 Reputation Takes Time to Shift
11:16 Release Strategy and Artist Growth
13:12 Discipline and Consistency Wrap Up

Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on Why Most Artists Fail Before They Ever Become Great Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Mike Caren breaks down what actually creates longevity in the music business.

This clip is about building a career the right way: bringing value instead of extracting it, thinking long term, preparing before chasing opportunity, and developing the habits that lead to real greatness. Mike also touches on confidence, artist development, smart collaboration, and the importance of understanding music publishing and songwriting royalties.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UnV1d2ltTCO1rfjqhTKc4?si=seltDGQ-RvWE9fwshY-f3w

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Timestamps:

00:00 Value First Mindset
00:34 Longevity Over Hype
02:58 Preparation Beats Opportunity
04:02 Superstar Myth Reality
04:29 Publishing Royalties Break
05:20 Cosign Win Win Model
07:35 Traits of Long Term Thinkers
09:39 Mentorship Asking Questions
11:49 A&R Practice and Confidence
15:36 Habits of Elite Artists
17:04 Chasing More vs Mastery
19:09 Yin Yang Collaborations
19:50 Staying Fresh Closing

The Manager’s Playbook 062: Mike Caren - A&R, Artist Development, Hit Songs & Executive Leadership in Music Business Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

Mike Caren is one of the most respected music executives of his generation.

From his early years at Atlantic Records to building Artist Publishing Group and Artist Partner Group, Mike has played a major role in the careers of artists, songwriters, producers, and executives across the modern music business.

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Mike for a wide-ranging conversation on A&R, artist development, music industry leadership, publishing, record labels, management, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Mike breaks down why great creative executives need strong opinions, why long-term thinking beats short-term hype, and how the best artists and executives separate themselves through discipline, consistency, communication, curiosity, and self-awareness. He also shares his perspective on identifying hit songs, building sustainable careers, filtering distractions in the age of social media, and creating teams that challenge artists instead of simply validating them.

This episode is a masterclass for anyone serious about artist management, music executive leadership, independent artist growth, A&R development, career longevity, and the inner workings of the music business.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it.KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET

Timestamps:

00:00 Why opinions matter
00:27 Mike Caren career breakdown
03:40 Giving back with facts
07:22 Service over extraction
08:09 Longevity mindset
17:00 Mentorship, not commands
19:10 A&R taste test routine
20:29 Time management and boundaries
23:11 Elite artist habits
26:30 Collaboration and trust
31:42 Optimism and embracing change
36:18 Focus versus distractions
39:29 Consistency and catalog growth
44:01 Tough conversations early
47:00 Feedback over complaints
48:12 Why hard conversations matter
50:53 Learning from mistakes
52:16 Overcommunicate to win
57:22 Teamwork and opinions
59:09 What makes a hit
01:03:20 Defining hits today
01:05:57 Getting ahead as an executive
01:10:04 Hiring and scaling slowly
01:14:54 Building around artists
01:17:59 Consistency for artists
01:22:57 Hiring passionate talent
01:27:23 Long-term career patience
01:28:28 Closing thoughts

Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on His Blueprint for Artist Development Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down how he would build an artist with no money, using speed, consistency, release strategy, and real-world fan-building.

He talks through a no-budget artist development plan built around frequent releases, working with talented producers who believe in the vision, and staying always on so fans can build real habits around the music. Charlie also explains why mixtapes, bigger projects, versions, and steady output often do more for fan engagement, streaming growth, and artist momentum than short, low-commitment releases.

The clip also dives into real-world music marketing: listening parties, release parties, meet-and-greets, video shoots, and neighbourhood-level promotion. Charlie’s bigger point is that local scene momentum still matters, and that artists can build enough heat in real life for the internet to catch up later.

A strong listen for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives thinking seriously about music marketing, artist development, release strategy, fan-building, and long-term career growth.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rJBuPhpk34kdSw9Dc2MCX?si=OIqpw0t1R5KHv2Qa1GAnig

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on the Mindset That Breaks Artists Apr 05, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket reflects on how he and his partners ended up managing 2 Chainz by doing the work before anyone officially gave them the title.

What began as music marketing, mixtape promotion, CD street-team strategy, and fan-building quickly turned into something bigger. Charlie explains how they kept showing up with value: bringing a 30/60/90-day artist development plan, investing in physical promo, lining up opportunities, and creating momentum around the artist until the role naturally became theirs.

The clip also gets into a deeper idea that matters across the music business: the tension between being “smart” and being willing to move before the proof is there. Charlie argues that in artist management, A&R, artist development, and hip-hop marketing, conviction and action often create opportunities that logic alone never will.

At the centre of it all is a simple truth: sometimes you recognize superstar potential before the rest of the industry does. And if you believe strongly enough, you move accordingly.

A strong listen for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, music executives, and anyone serious about breaking artists, building momentum, and understanding how artist careers really get shaped behind the scenes.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rJBuPhpk34kdSw9Dc2MCX?si=OIqpw0t1R5KHv2Qa1GAnig

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on The Old School Music Marketing Tricks That Still Work Apr 04, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down why so many artists in today’s music industry are too focused on virality and not focused enough on building real momentum.

He shares a sharper approach to music marketing, artist development, fan-building, and independent artist growth: run the play, stay consistent, and boil a pot of water before trying to heat up the whole world. Using Travis Porter’s early run in East Atlanta as an example, Charlie explains how repeated club appearances, street marketing, direct fan engagement, flyers, CDs, and weekly presence helped turn strangers into loyal fans.

He also introduces his idea of “mom-ology” - the process of building superfans through connection, consistency, vulnerability, authenticity, and time spent. The clip goes further into why time spent has become one of the most important drivers of audience loyalty, and why the loss of mixtape culture changed the way hip-hop artists build fanbases, release music, and stay connected between projects.

A strong listen for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives thinking seriously about artist promotion, fan engagement, direct-to-fan strategy, and long-term music career growth.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rJBuPhpk34kdSw9Dc2MCX?si=OIqpw0t1R5KHv2Qa1GAnig

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on How Music Managers Create Momentum for Their Artists Apr 03, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down his “Blitzkrieg” approach to music marketing; a focused 30-day sprint built around urgency, consistency, and strategic execution.

Instead of glorifying burnout or everyday hustle culture, Charlie explains why artists, managers, and music executives often get better results from short, high-intensity bursts of artist promotion, fan-building, local market strategy, content creation, and release momentum.

He walks through how to build a 30-day promo campaign, from radio stops, DJ outreach, city runs, local collaborations, street marketing, and video drops, to creating enough touchpoints for an artist to feel impossible to ignore. He also shares a sharp lesson for managers on how to get artist buy-in: don’t pitch small asks. Pitch the bigger vision and the upside attached to it.

The clip also touches on early Travis Porter growth, using manual MySpace outreach, direct fan engagement, and zero-budget marketing to become the platform’s top unsigned act.

A strong listen for independent artists, managers, A&Rs, and anyone serious about artist development, music marketing, and building momentum in the music business.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rJBuPhpk34kdSw9Dc2MCX?si=OIqpw0t1R5KHv2Qa1GAnig

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

The Manager’s Playbook 061: Charlie Rocket - 2 Chainz, Music Marketing, Artist Development, Fan Building & Mindset Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket joins us for a powerful conversation on artist development, music marketing, fan building, independent artist strategy, and the mindset required to win in the music business.

Best known for helping build 2 Chainz and for his evolution from music executive to public speaker and entrepreneur, Charlie breaks down why he believes success often requires a level of intentional “delusion,” the kind of belief that allows artists, managers, and executives to move before the proof is there. We talk about what it really means to chase purpose over money, why overthinking kills momentum, and how some of the best careers in music are built through conviction, consistency, and action.

Charlie also shares practical gems on breaking artists without money, building authentic fanbases, local market strategy, mixtape culture, release strategy, manager leadership, publishing, label relationships, streaming growth, and audience development. From 30-day blitz campaigns and “boiling a pot of water” in one city, to winning over 2 Chainz and navigating a life-changing brain tumour diagnosis, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons on music industry strategy, artist growth, and long-term career building.

Whether you’re an independent artist, manager, A&R, music executive, or creative entrepreneur, this is a conversation about belief, leverage, execution, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it.KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes drop Tuesdays @ 10am ET

Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on Why K-Pop Has Better Artist Development Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown breaks down why K-pop continues to win at artist development, and why its system still looks a lot closer to Motown than what much of the American music industry is doing today.

We get into Tommy’s work in Korea, the session that led to BLACKPINK’s “Ice Cream” featuring Selena Gomez, the group’s studio discipline, and what that level of perfectionism taught him about greatness, standards, and building global artists.

Tommy also talks about fan culture, physical album sales, team structure, and why moving fast, experimenting, and “rushing to get to no” can be a real advantage in the music business.

This one is for artists, managers, producers, songwriters, and music execs trying to understand K-pop, BLACKPINK, artist development, global music strategy, and how real systems create real stars.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/71unpLmCSi3VjbieeOMiUy?si=KmFi8zCgTqmYpznq5UdhqQ

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on What Netflix’s Hitmakers TV Show Left Out Mar 29, 2026

Show notes

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown reflects on his experience filming Netflix’s Hitmakers, the pressure of creating on camera, and why the show did not go deep enough into the real lives of songwriters and producers.

We get into leadership, acceptance, collaboration, and the financial reality behind the music business, including why so many creatives are not making the money people assume. Tommy also shares how he would rather show the real process through songwriting camps, daily content, building in public, and honest storytelling around what it actually takes to build a career.

This one is for artists, managers, producers, songwriters, and music execs who care about the real work behind the scenes.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/71unpLmCSi3VjbieeOMiUy?si=KmFi8zCgTqmYpznq5UdhqQ

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook