The Man Behind the Band

Scott Nagelberg manages Panic! At The Disco. What’s it like working with some of the  biggest stars in the world?

September 2020

by Anna Starecheski

Courtesy of Scott Nagelberg

When Scott Nagelberg was 24, he found a few songs online from some kids in Nevada. They were still in high school, but Scott thought their music was interesting. He reached out and offered to be their manager. Fifteen years later, it’s still his job. And that band—Panic! At The Disco—is bigger than ever.

We talked to Scott about what it’s like to work behind the scenes in the music business.

What does a band’s manager do?

A manager helps the band reach their goals. I assist them with touring and advertising. I also hire other people to do the things I can’t. I explain it like this: I’m putting together all the pieces around the band so they can focus on making great music.

What other bands do you manage?

I also manage Green Day and White Sea. Recently, I was cleaning my apartment and found a ticket stub. It was from a Green Day concert in 1994. They were one of my favorite bands as a teenager. I texted them a photo, and they got a kick out of it. That was a major “I can’t believe this is my job” moment.

What excites you most about the future of music?

It’s so much easier to get started now. If you want to make music, you don’t need to rent a studio and pay to have CDs made. You can record songs on your computer and put them on the internet. That’s really exciting.

What’s the hardest part of your job?

I’m on call 24 hours a day. Let’s say one of my bands is on tour. They might need my help with a problem—even if it’s the middle of the night. So sometimes I have to decide to put my phone away for a few hours. If you’re not taking care of yourself, you can’t do your job well.

What’s the best part of your job?

It’s amazing to be in the crowd at one of my bands’ concerts. Hearing everyone scream and sing along reminds me of how powerful music is! I get chills every single time.