The Artist Guides

The Artist Guides founders, James Brister and Sean McDermott have over 30 years of joint experience in the music industry. They specialise in artist management, performance, musicianship, music business, artist development, and career coaching.

They also established the artist management company Amour Music in 2012 and continue to manage a varied roster of artists, songwriters, and producers. They have developed and launched new artists, negotiated and secured a variety of label agreements and industry contracts, built fanbases, and managed numerous release campaigns. Their artists have achieved millions of plays on streaming services, performed live in theatres and arenas around the world, and written and produced tracks for an array of acts.

Previous and current music industry roles include Directorships, Head of Marketing, Industry Liaison Manager, Head of Sales, and Consultancy. Both founders worked for many years on the senior management team at the UK’s leading music performance school (the ICMP) in London. Achievements included building an industry network, creating a music careers service, and coaching artists.

James and Sean have worked with thousands of artists and music professionals including Apre, Matt Maltese, Bear’s Den, Laura Welsh, Barney Lister (Ivor Novello Winner 2021), Elena Tonra, Remi Aguilella and Igor Haefeli (Daughter & Ex:Re), Charlotte Clark, Josh Vine, scott is okay, ARK, Jones, Iyamah, Louisa Allen (Foxes), Arni Arnason (The Vaccines), Stealth, Richard Fairlie, Joel McBride (Tom O’Dell), Mike Dignam, Ted Dwayne (Mumford & Sons), David Klinke (George Ezra) and many more.