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Lou Pearlman (1954–2016) - In one of the most notorious cases of recent times, Lou Pearlman, former manager of boy bands Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, was found guilty in 2008 of orchestrating one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in history. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Lou Pearlman (1954–2016) - The fraudulent scam netted Pearlman millions. Previously, members of Backstreet Boys (pictured) and NSYNC had sued him in court for misrepresentation and fraud. Pearlman died in custody in 2016 after suffering a stroke.

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Joe Jackson (1928–2018) - Patriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers, Joe Jackson began working with his sons' musical group in the early 1960s, later known worldwide as the Jackson 5 and fronted by Michael.

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Joe Jackson (1928–2018) - Allegations of physical and emotional abuse by Joe Jackson towards his children tarnished his reputation in later life. However, Michael Jackson admitted that his father's strict discipline played a large part in his success.

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Colonel Tom Parker (1909–1997) - Parker, real name Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, was the Dutch-born manager of Elvis Presley. An entrepreneurial genius, Parker is credited with guiding Presley's meteoric career.

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Colonel Tom Parker (1909–1997) - An illegal alien, Parker never left US territory. Subsequently, Presley never performed beyond American soil. It was later revealed that Parker was claiming over 50% of Presley's earnings to feed a ferocious gambling habit.

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Scooter Braun - One of the most successful and influential entertainment entrepreneurs of recent times, Braun represents a number of performing artists, notably Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.

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Scooter Braun - The story of how Braun first encountered Bieber (pictured) by watching a video of the then 12-year-old singing on YouTube and subsequently signing him up is the stuff of show biz folklore. However, his career is not without controversy. 

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René Angélil (1942–2016) - Legendary Canadian music producer René Angélil started his career in Montreal as a pop singer in the early 1960s. Later moving into management, he heard a demo tape by 12-year-old Celine Dion in 1981. He eventually became her agent and manager.

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René Angélil (1942–2016) - Angélil married Dion in 1994. Theirs was a highly creative and productive partnership. In 2013 he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and died in 2016. The singer was heartbroken.

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Brian Epstein (1934–1967) - The man credited with discovering the Beatles, Brain Epstein put the Fab Four in suits, polished up their set, and helped make them the biggest act on the planet.

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Brian Epstein (1934–1967) - While he had an obvious eye for talent, Epstein missed a beat when he failed to secure full merchandising rights on Beatles' products, costing him and his boys millions. His death in 1967 marked the dissolution of the group and had a profound effect on each Beatle.

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Allen Klein (1931–2009) - The loss of Brian Epstein was the beginning of the end for the Beatles, a fact precipitated in part by the arrival of Allen Klein. Already managing the Rolling Stones, he took over management of the Beatles in 1969 (against the advice of Paul McCartney).

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Allen Klein (1931–2009) - Unhappy with his bandmates' choice of manager, McCartney announced he was leaving the group. Klein (pictured with John Lennon and Yoko Ono) has subsequently gone down in music history as partly to blame for the breakup of the most successful band in history.

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Tommy Mottola - Former boss of Sony Music Entertainment, Tommy Mottola's first successful management client was pop rock duo Hall & Oats.

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Tommy Mottola - He has since represented the likes of Carly Simon, Mariah Carey (whom he married), Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez, among other A-list entertainers. He is now married to Mexican singer Thalía (pictured).

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Peter Grant (1935–1995) - While he is widely credited with improving pay and conditions for musicians in dealings with music promoters, Peter Grant has also been described as one of the most ruthless managers in rock history. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Peter Grant (1935–1995) - Among the huge acts he managed was Led Zeppelin, with whom he had a complete and unwavering faith in. He protected the financial interests of the band with iron-fisted zeal and was devastated when drummer John Bonham died in 1980. Led Zeppelin disbanded shortly afterwards. Grant's health subsequently deteriorated and he virtually retired from the music business.

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Malcolm McLaren (1946–2010) - McLaren, together with his fashion designer girlfriend Vivienne Westwood, is credited with initiating the UK punk movement in the 1970s, but his first managerial role was advising the New York Dolls in the US. He then took charge, of sorts, of managing the Sex Pistols.

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Malcolm McLaren (1946–2010) - While employing shock tactics to publicize the band, McLaren was soon being accused of misleading the group and refusing to pay them. He was taken to court by John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) in the 1980s in an attempt to win contract rights and unpaid revenues. Lydon won and gained complete control from McLaren in 1987. They never spoke to each other again.

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Tony Defries - While he helped launch the careers of Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople, and John Mellencamp among others, British impresario Tony Defries is best remembered for managing the career of David Bowie during his stratospheric rise to global stardom. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Tony Defries - The pair initially forged a close relationship. However, they later fell out over a contract dispute. Bowie, by now world famous, sacked Defries as his manager in 1975, and remained resentful of Defries' share of his earnings and his control over his career.

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Andrew Loog Oldham - A name synonymous with the rise of the Rolling Stones, Andrew Loog Oldham was the manager and producer of the British five-piece from 1963 to 1967.

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Andrew Loog Oldham - He positioned the band as an "anti-Beatles," and deliberately promoted a "bad boy" image. But in 1965, after recruiting American executive Alan Klein as his business partner, Oldham's relations with Mick & Co wavered. Substance abuse and his apparent inattention to the group's needs led to Oldham's sacking as manager in late 1967.

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Bill Curbishley - Originally a tour manager, Bill Curbishley moved into band management by representing The Who and heavy metal band Judas Priest. He also represented former Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in the 1990s.

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Bill Curbishley - Working closely with Roger Daltrey, Curbishley produced The Who's film 'Tommy' (1975), the prison drama 'McVicar' (1980), and the comedy 'Buddy's Song' (1991), all starring Daltrey. Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Don Arden (1926–2007) - Known in Britain as "Mr Big" for his aggressive and unscrupulous business tactics, Don Arden (born Harry Levy) managed several acts including Little Richard, Black Sabbath, and Electric Light Orchestra.

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Don Arden (1926–2007) -

In one of rock's most notorious episodes, after Black Sabbath sacked their vocalist Ozzy Osbourne (right), Arden's daughter Sharon entered into a relationship with Osbourne and took over his management from her father. Arden was furious. The next time Sharon visited Don, his dogs reportedly savaged her. She was pregnant at the time and lost the child. She went on to marry Osbourne. 

See also: Iconic bands and musicians: where are they now? 

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