With distribution and reach no longer the preserve of the major label gatekeepers, the idea that everyone will achieve fifteen minutes of fame seems more achievable than ever. For those creators who want to maintain a more long-standing spell in the limelight without sacrificing control and ownership of their music, developing a world class a la carte team of individuals and services around them is critical. A new golden age of artist empowerment appears tantalizingly within reach – but how do artists make long-term decisions in a world where the system seems set up to celebrate the short term?