Introduction to Music Industry Law Paperback – April 8, 2023

While there are many books on the larger, more general subject of how the music industry works (including one from the same author as this book), there are relatively few that are pointed squarely at how the law interacts specifically with the nuanced music industry. The author, Vince Wilcox, ESQ, is not only a practicing entertainment lawyer, but also a distinguished professor at Trevecca University in Nashville. As someone who also teaches music business at a university, I found this book to not only be incredibly informative, but also written in a manner that is simple, to-the-point, and direct. In this sense, Vince puts the cookies on the low shelf for all of us to reach!If you're considering buying this book, it probably means you are either:a) considering pursuing entertainment law as a career path, orb) have legal questions as someone who is already working in the music industryEither way, this really is a great expose on the subject matter. The 1st half of the book does a great job of outlaying how the legal field works in general, covering everything from different types of court systems to how law school functions. The 2nd half gets more into the specifics of the music business such as intellectual property rights, contracts (i.e.: artist representation, recording, publishing, etc...), litigation on matters such as property damage, theft, etc..., and recent legislation that impacts our field. The text is written for someone who is probably at least 18 years old, but should be simple enough for anyone with a basic understanding of both the legal system in the US and the music industry.If any of this sounds like you, I truly cannot recommend this book enough! While there are many other great books on the industry out there (be it Donald Passman's classic or Ari Herstand's more modern approach), there really is nothing quite like this example of an easy-to-read, targeted approach on the subject matter. Bravo Vince!