Music Business Stories

Book One

Tom Cossie

$49.95 $42.78

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Street Stuff Music
23 October 2025

Music; Music recording & reproduction; Reference works

Music Business Stories - Book One documents the development of the music industry from 1950 to 1985. This comprehensive account underscores the significance of the 45 rpm single, vinyl record albums, and provides a detailed overview of promotion, distribution, marketing, and sales practices during this era. Each chapter presents key moments involving influential artists, their managers, record label executives, and the transformative approaches that shaped the music business.

After six decades in the music business, I wanted to share some behind-the-scenes stories of success and failure, and the reasons for both in the music business. These include some of your favorite artists and some you may never have heard of, for good reasons. Behind the glitter of the stage lights, the music business was chaos-equal parts brilliance, madness, and cutthroat deals. Tom was there for it all. At RCA Records, he promoted Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Harry Nilsson. Later, he co-founded labels, signed hit makers like Chic, and revived publishing catalogs still thriving today. In Music Business Stories - Book One (1965-1985), Tom reveals the untold truths: limo deals inked at 3 a.m., road trips gone dangerously off the rails, and backstage comedy that sometimes came with a cost. This isn't a polished history. It's the raw, unfiltered ride through rock 'n' roll's golden age-told by someone who lived it and survived to tell the tale.

By: Tom Cossie
Imprint: Street Stuff Music
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 16mm
Weight: 404g
ISBN: 9798999479006
Pages: 302
Publication Date: 23 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Behind the glitter of the stage lights, the music business was chaos-equal parts brilliance, madness, and cutthroat deals. Tom was there for it all. At RCA Records, he promoted Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Harry Nilsson. Later, he co-founded labels, signed hitmakers like Chic, and revived publishing catalogs still thriving today. In Music Business Stories - Book One (1965-1985), Tom reveals the untold truths: Tom reveals untold stories about a special Tiffany Christmas gift, a national TV broadcast on reported corruption and Payola in the music business using Lead Zepplin and David Bowie as the lead. Also, road trips stories gone off the rails, as well as some comedy moments.

Reviews for Music Business Stories: Book One

""Tom Cossie was what they used to call ""A real record man."" The saying went,"" A real record man would sell his house if he believed in a hit record."" They don't make them like that anymore. I guess old school ""Real record men"" didn't believe in jobs...they believe in music and musicians. They believed in people and the ability of those people to bring art to the world that touches other people. Nile Rodgers: Producer, Guitarist, Song Writer, Author and Philanthropist. ""Tom Cossie's Music Business Stories is a fun balance of music, personal, and family life. Enjoy the ride beginning in Pittsburgh, promoting Tommy James' ""Hanky Panky,"" to the early days of hair metal two decades later."" Warren Kurtz - Goldmine - The Music Collectors Magazine ""If you're looking for a great read and love music, then this is the book for you. Great inside stories of the music artist and songs of your life. This is from a time the music industry was finding and breaking new music from regions of the United States, carrying them on to national and international fame."" Jack Forsythe - Fmr Vice President Chrysalis Music ""This inside look at the biggest stars and events are captured here with love, charm and the view from a side never seen before. There is a wow in every chapter."" David Spero- Artist Mgr., fmr SR VP Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ""Each of us will draw a different lesson from his stories in this book. You will want to not just read it cover to cover as I did but keep it as a valuable archive to an era left behind, and a man who believed himself to success."" Tom Silverman- Dance Music Report, New Music Seminar, TommY BoY Music ""Music Business Stories"" by Tom Cossie provides insights for those working in the industry as well as readers interested in learning about a less familiar business side of music. The book shares Tom Cossie's experiences and discusses how an individual from Munhall, a steel town suburb of Pittsburgh, pursued a career in the music business through ambition, passion, and risk-taking. As an educator, I developed a Music Technology program with a chapter on the Business of Music. I invited Tom to speak to my class on the subject, and my students were completely enthralled by his state of the industry presentation. Music Business Stories"" by Tom Cossie would appeal to both music lovers and industry professionals! "" Vito DiSalvo - Composer, Producer, Educator.""