PANEL - Music Managers: The New Power Brokers
Let’s be honest: the center of gravity in the music industry has shifted. In 2026, the people shaping careers, controlling budgets, and driving long-term strategy aren’t sitting exclusively inside labels or platforms. They’re managers. What began as a cottage trade is now a global profession, with managers serving as the industry’s central power brokers. They are the only role structurally positioned to operate across every sector of the ecosystem on behalf of the artist - translating artistic vision into strategy, deals, and sustainable careers. Modern management is about leadership, leverage, and long-term value creation in a decentralized, global marketplace. This panel dives into how that influence is exercised, how power is stewarded responsibly, and how managers are
Featured Speakers:
Janet Weir, Artist Manager, Red Light Management / 42 Entertainment
Janet Weir is a Nashville-based artist manager who has worked with Grammy Award winning artist Maren Morris for over a decade. Her company 42 Entertainment has a longtime partnership with Red Light Management. She got her start at Nettwerk Music Group in Vancouver, where she worked on the first Lilith Fair and contributed to management teams supporting artists including Sarah McLachlan, Avril Lavigne, Coldplay, Barenaked Ladies, and Sixpence None the Richer. She also signed Old Crow Medicine Show to Nettwerk Records during her time there. Janet gravitates toward artists who don’t sit in one genre and brings that sensibility to her management style - balancing creative instinct with strategy and a focus on building careers that can grow and evolve over time.
Layne Lindroth, Artist Manager, Track Record MGMT / C3 Management
Layne Lindroth is an artist manager and music industry professional based in Nashville, TN. She joined C3 Management in 2021, working on the Streaming Team and as Product Manager for the company’s label arm, C3 Records, supporting releases and artist development across the roster. In 2023, she relocated from Austin to open C3 Management’s Nashville office, shifting her focus fully to artist management. Building on that foundation, Lindroth co-founded Track Record Management in 2025, a joint venture partnership with C3 Management, alongside her business partner Brad Parker. The company’s roster includes Tanner Usrey, Eli Winders, In Color, Zach Hood, Grammy-nominated producer Jeremy Lutito, and has exciting plans to grow in 2026.
Clayton Toney, Artist Manager, Neon Coast
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Adam Barnes, Co-Founder, Space Colonel Management
Adam Barnes is the founder of Space Colonel, a Nashville-based artist and producer management and publishing company. Space Colonel's roster includes Shooter Jennings, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, The Lone Bellow, Nikki Lane, Benjamin Tod, Thievery Corporation, and more. The company operates a publishing arm through a joint venture with Warner Chappell Music and is committed to long-term career building across recorded music, touring, publishing, and beyond.
Neeta Ragoowansi is a seasoned music business executive and entertainment attorney with over 30 years of experience. She has served as a strategic advisor, business development resource, and legal counsel to clients across the entertainment and tech industries. Neeta is President of Music Managers Forum – US (MMF-US), President of the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF), Co-Founder of NPREX (National Performing Rights Exchange), and Global Co-Chair of Women in Music. She also serves on the advisory boards of Gritty in Pink and the All About Music Conference (India).
Her past roles include Executive Director of Folk Alliance International; Senior Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs for Global Citizen; founding head of artist-label relations and legal counsel for SoundExchange; Vice President of Business Development & Legal Affairs at Tunesat; and Assistant General Counsel for The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra Association. Neeta has also served as a board governor of The Recording Academy (New York and DC Chapters) for over a decade, and as Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force and Sponsorship Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries.
A sought-after speaker, Neeta has presented at more than 400 music industry conferences on topics including the global music business, artist management, licensing models, legal and copyright issues, as well as diversity, women’s leadership and empowerment.
