The Music Managers Forum

What The Music Managers Forum does

The Music Managers Forum - US (MMF-US) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1993 and headquartered at 322 West 57th Street in New York. The organization serves professional artist managers and self-managed artists across the United States, providing a platform that combines advocacy, education, and community connection around issues spanning live performance, music publishing, recording, investment, copyrights, and streaming. MMF-US positions itself as the leading US trade association for this audience and is formally affiliated with the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF), which links 65+ sister forums across 60+ countries.

The organization's product surface is organized around six programs: in-person Summits held across eight US cities (New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Miami) with partner venues including Reed Smith, Spotify, The MLC, Berklee College of Music, and Amazon Music; an on-demand Seminars/Webinars library distributed via the MMF-US YouTube channel covering royalties, sync licensing, neighboring rights, financing, and related business topics; a Speaker Directory connecting industry events with qualified speakers; an exclusive Member Portal; a Helpful Links Resource Center curating industry vendors; and ongoing Advocacy programs focused on policy and legislative issues. MMF-US does not operate proprietary technology; the platform is a program-and-events layer supported by a small team of 1-10 employees.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues (promotional pricing of $50 for new members), event and summit registration fees ($50-$100 general admission for non-members), and partner-sponsored educational programming. The go-to-market motion is community-led: members are acquired through direct applications, event participation, webinar attendance, and word-of-mouth within music management networks. Operational leadership consists of President Neeta Ragoowansi, Executive Director Sharon Tapper, and VP of Membership & Education Wesley T. A'Harrah.

Name

The Music Managers Forum

Legal name

Music Managers Forum - US

Website

https://mmfus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MMF-US is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1993 that serves US music managers and self-managed artists through advocacy, education, summits across eight US cities, webinars, and a speaker directory. It is affiliated with the global IMMF network spanning 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Music industry trade association
• Music management advocacy
• Professional networking events
• Music education programs
• Industry resource services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to the association's resources, advocacy services, educational content, networking opportunities, and member portal. New member pricing at $50 with summit code NEWMEMBERNYC includes one year of MMF-US membership.
2. Event and Summit Registration: Revenue generated from summit and event ticket sales. General admission tickets are priced at $50-$100 depending on the event location. Members receive free admission to summits.
3. Webinar and Educational Content: The organization produces educational webinars and seminar content covering topics such as royalties, sync licensing, neighboring rights, marketing, and business management for artists and managers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MMF-US is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association providing advocacy, education, and networking services to music managers and self-managed artists. Its core offerings include in-person summits held across eight major US cities, an on-demand library of educational webinars/seminars, a member-only online portal, a Speaker Directory, a Helpful Links Resource Center, and policy advocacy programs covering royalties, licensing, rights, and industry legislation.

Product overview

The Music Managers Forum - US (MMF-US) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association for music managers and self-managed artists that operates as a platform providing advocacy, education, and community connection. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including in-person Summits held in major cities (New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Austin, Chicago, Miami), a library of educational Seminars/Webinars on topics spanning royalties, sync licensing, and artist financing, a Speaker Directory connecting industry speakers with events, a Member Portal for exclusive resources, and a Helpful Links Resource Center cataloging industry vendors and services. MMF-US does not offer a single unified software product but rather serves as a membership-based trade organization delivering programs through events, content, and professional networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MMF-US Summits In-person multi-day summits held across major U.S. cities (New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Austin, Chicago, Miami) featuring keynotes, panels, presentations, and networking opportunities for music managers and industry professionals.
• Seminars/Webinars On-demand webinar series covering topics including royalties, sync licensing, metadata, marketing, financing, neighboring rights, and neurodivergence in music management, available via the MMF-US YouTube channel.
• Speaker Directory Directory connecting music industry conferences, organizations, and executives with qualified speakers from the MMF-US community.
• Helpful Links Resource Center Curated directory of industry resources including accountants, legal services, distributors, PROs, CMOs, grants, health and wellness, merchandise platforms, and trade organizations.
• Advocacy Programs Policy awareness campaigns and advocacy efforts supporting music managers and artists on industry issues including rights, licensing, and legislative matters.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reed SmithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReed Smith LLP serves as a key venue partner for MMF-US New York Summits, hosting events at their 599 Lexington Avenue offices. The law firm provides legal expertise and support for educational programming covering music industry contracts, catalog sales, and rights management topics.
• SpotifycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpotify hosts MMF-US summits at their Los Angeles office, providing venue space and participating as a key industry partner for educational events covering topics relevant to streaming, artist services, and music industry evolution.
• The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MLC partners with MMF-US for summit programming and educational presentations on mechanical licensing, royalty collection, and rights management. The MLC's Nashville offices host MMF-US Nashville Summits.
• Berklee College of MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerklee College of Music partners with MMF-US for the Boston Summit, hosting events at their campus. The partnership provides educational programming and connects emerging music professionals with industry managers.
• SoundExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoundExchange participates in MMF-US educational programming, providing presentations on digital royalty solutions, sound recording rights, and neighboring rights for recording artists and master rights owners.
• The Recording AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Recording Academy participates in MMF-US summits with GRAMMY 101 presentations and advocacy programming, helping managers and artists understand the awards process and membership benefits.
• PPLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPL participates in MMF-US programming on neighboring rights, providing education on international neighboring rights collection and management for recording artists.
• Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIMP co-presents the Atlanta Summit with MMF-US, combining publisher and manager perspectives on industry topics including rights management, publishing, and artist development.
• International Music Managers Forum (IMMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMMF is the global parent organization connecting MMF-US to 60+ Music Manager Forums worldwide. The partnership provides international networking, knowledge sharing, and global advocacy coordination for music managers.
• TuneCoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTuneCore participates as a summit partner providing keynotes and presentations on independent artist distribution, publishing administration, and artist development services.
• Kobalt MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKobalt Music has provided keynote speakers for MMF-US programming, sharing insights on music rights technology, transparency, and the evolution of music publishing.
• LinktreeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinktree participates in MMF-US summits providing education on fan engagement tools, link-in-bio platforms, and direct-to-fan relationship building for artists and managers.
• Amazon MusiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon Music hosted the MMF-US Los Angeles Summit in 2025, providing venue space and programming opportunities focused on streaming, artist services, and music industry evolution.
• Women In MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen In Music partners with MMF-US for programming including Austin chapter events and educational panels focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the music industry.
• Sync SummitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSync Summit co-presents 'The State of Sync' panels at MMF-US summits, providing expertise on synchronization licensing, music placement in media, and revenue opportunities from sync.
• Future of Music CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture of Music Coalition participates in MMF-US advocacy programming, providing policy education and legislative updates affecting music creators and managers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA): Largest US music-industry trade association representing major and independent labels. Overlaps MMF-US on policy advocacy and industry education but operates from a label-side rather than manager-side perspective.
• National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA): US trade association for music publishers and songwriters. Comparable trade-association model and rights-policy advocacy remit, though focused upstream on publishing rights rather than artist management.
• The Recording Academy: Larger, more established US music-industry trade association (Grammys). Overlaps MMF-US on advocacy, education, and member events for music professionals, but operates at substantially greater scale and scope.
• International Music Managers Forum (IMMF): Global federation of national music-manager forums across 60+ countries. MMF-US is the US chapter, and the two share organizational DNA, but IMMF operates at a wider international scope.

Direct peers

• Future of Music Coalition: US non-profit advocating for musicians and the music industry on policy, technology, and economic issues. Directly comparable to MMF-US in advocacy focus, and already a programming partner.
• Folk Alliance International: International non-profit for the folk music community. MMF-US President Neeta Ragoowansi previously served as Executive Director, indicating directly comparable trade-association operations, conference programming, and member services.
• Music Business Association (Music Biz): Trade association for the music business ecosystem covering physical, digital, and streaming commerce. Shares MMF-US's trade-association structure, conference programming, and advocacy remit for music-industry professionals.
• Women In Music: US non-profit advancing equity and opportunity for women across the music industry. Co-programs MMF-US chapter events and shares the same advocacy-plus-education-plus-community trade-association model.
• American Association of Independent Music (A2IM): US trade association serving independent music companies, labels, and self-releasing artists. Closely comparable to MMF-US in mission (advocacy, education, community for music-business independents) and structure (501(c)(6), events, member portal).
• Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP): US trade body for independent music publishers. Co-presents MMF-US summits (Atlanta) and overlaps on rights-management education and advocacy for the independent music community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmaXQmOFaJOKU8HtdivaYtQ
• Xx.com/mmfus
• Facebookfacebook.com/mmfus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mmfus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Music Managers Forum