Just the thought of having an A-List artist play your event sounds incredible. You’d be the company hero with engagement through the roof and confetti raining down from the sky; maybe even lock in a low rate for virtual. It would be the ultimate value boost for your event… or would it? While booking an A-List artist seems like the perfect way to put your virtual events over the top, there is a lot you should consider.
The A-List Lowdown
Whether virtual, hybrid or in-person, we all want events that offer something special, excite audiences and drive home our purpose. There are a lot of great reasons to believe booking an A-Lister can accomplish all of these things and more, especially today with virtual events creating unique engagement challenges. If you’ve ever considered booking an international music superstar for your largest events, conferences and galas, here’s what you need to know to determine whether or not the A-List is right for you.
- Know who you want – Have a shortlist ready of 3-5 artists that fit your event. You’ll burn costly hours asking an agency to call around looking for willing artists.
- Come with a budget – On average, bottom of the A-List starts at $100K, and no, you won’t get Bruno, Katy, Justin or Adam for that price (not even for virtual) — your biggest stars command 7 figures comfortably. And if you have to ask, it only goes up higher. Come in with a firm budget and stick to it.
- Have your details in order – Knowing the exact day, time, length, content, attendance, and expectations clearly frames up the offer for the artist and gives you greater leverage when negotiating.
- Get ready for a marathon – It’s a negotiation, not a purchase. Locking in an A-List artist takes time and patience — often several months of communications, and a majority of these negotiations end up falling through.
- Don’t forget the rider – In addition to a booking fee, most artists have a list of conditions you’ll need to meet. We’re not saying you’ll be sorting out a jar of green M&Ms, but we’re not saying you won’t.
- You can’t please everyone – You’ll rarely get an artist that all attendees love, and those that don’t will wonder why you spent all that money on a performer and not something more beneficial to them.
- All about the artist – Booking an A-Lister sounds exciting, but often it comes at the cost of making your event all about the artist rather than your people.
Still up for booking an A-List artist? We like your spirit. And if you like, SongDivision can connect you with today’s leading agencies worldwide to help you navigate the booking process and negotiate a top-class deal.
An A-List Alternative
SongDivision’s musical experiences give you all the excitement and energy of any A-Lister out there, with the added value of creating deep engagement around your purpose and core values — especially in the virtual space. Advantages include:
- Interactivity – Why watch an A-List performance when you can be a part of it? All SongDivision experiences enable groups of 10 to 100,000+ to unite through interactive songwriting designed to be inclusive and engaging. No musical experience required.
- Flexibility – Easy, quick booking tailored to your programming and messaging, and adaptable to all popular online platforms, as well as televised broadcast and streaming feeds.
- Scientifically Proven – All SongDivision programming is built on the scientific principles of music linked to social bonding, emotional connection and memory stimulation (recall).
- Global Rock Stars – All the A-List you can handle. SongDivision’s musical MCs have worked with leading artists worldwide from David Bowie to Cher, Katy Perry to Drake.
Want to be the hero of your events and have (virtual) confetti rain from the skies? Check out our lineup of award-winning virtual programming.