The Future of What: Recent Episodes

Kill Rock Stars

A weekly podcast & radio show about the music industry hosted by Music Business Association president, Portia Sabin. Listen to new episodes here, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Killphonic Rights is a creator-founded, full-service music company, with Michelle Fantus serving as Head of A&R. Michelle has witnessed the evolution of artists and repertoire over her tenure in the industry, seeing music consumption go from iTunes downloads to streaming, and now music discovery being redefined by AI & algorithms. While some things have changed for A&R over the past decade, the practice remains the same at its core. In this episode, Michelle walks through the performance measures that A&Rs of both the past and present evaluate, the two “buckets” A&Rs tend to fall into, what this new era of music discovery brings, and more!

As a distributor, publishing company, creator of DIY platform OFFstep and one of the world's largest music MCNs on YouTube, ONErpm is considered a full-service, modern record label. The company puts artists at the forefront by emphasizing transparency & education at both the front end and back end, and even has its own CMS platform for artists to track spending & marketing plans. In this episode, Head of Marketing Jenna LoMonaco details how ONErpm supports & helps to develop their artists’ vision, along with the company’s strategic incorporation of modern tech, and clears up misconceptions on exploitation in the industry.

The Clio Awards have celebrated advertising & creative works across industries dating back to the 1950s, diversifying into different programs over time, including Clio Music in 2014. In this episode, we speak with Michael Kauffman of Clio Music on the three pillars of The Clios, and break it down further into the three award areas of the music branch, along with how to enter. Michael also expands on the true value of recent winning campaigns from around the globe, and the importance of cause-based work & recognition through awards in the music industry and beyond.

In the past, artists needed to sign with record labels who would take out bank loans in order to provide financing. Now thanks to companies like Sound Royalties, artists can receive financing via advances without giving up any ownership. Possible income generating streams for artists have also grown from few to many, transforming music into a viable asset class. In this episode, Alex Heiche discusses how this evolution occurred, the importance of educating artists on where their income is coming from, and more on Sound Royalties – including where & how they operate and the solutions they provide.

Mike Pelczynski has been a part of many important conversations on the subject of AI as the Chief Strategic and Innovation Officer of voice conversion platform, Voice-Swap. These discussions revealed that general sentiments towards AI have shifted from fear to that of constructive concern. In this episode, Mike examines how some issues posed by AI can be addressed using solutions we are already familiar with, the importance of strategic partners for major stakeholders, how the music industry’s approach to AI guides other industries, and more!

Soundstripe is a tech-enabled music licensing company working with brands, agencies and rightsholders, housing 1.5 million users in 160 countries. In this episode, Soundstripe’s Angela Abbott walks us through their licensing process, emphasizing how the platform ensures artists maintain sonic identity. She then imparts advice to early-level professionals, and addresses aspects of licensing that may be overlooked, such as microsync, the importance of valuing licensed music to ad spend, and differences in monetization models from platform to platform.

At Music Biz 2025, Lisa Hresko of A2IM moderated a panel on growth strategies for independent music companies, a topic which she touches upon in this podcast recorded live at the Conference! She further expands the conversation to discuss how artists can “choose their own adventure” in the industry today by tapping into the independent community. Lisa also speaks on A2IM’s current projects, including advocacy for the HITS Act and other legislation.

We spoke with Carrie Colliton of DORS & Record Store Day at Music Biz 2025 about the recent sales surge at indie record stores, how sales data from record stores was on the verge of exclusion from Luminate reporting, and the power of community that brought about the deal to keep that data counted. The conversation also touches on both the positive and the negative effects of streaming on indie music, as streaming helps new fans discover albums they want to own on CD or vinyl but can also devalue music through lower price points. Carrie also talks about how physical music continues to be an expression of personality for music fans, and how it allows for true ownership in the digital age.

We sat down with Chuka Chase, co-founder of SymphonyOS, during Music Biz 2025 to talk about his company, his experience at the Conference, and the convergence of the music and tech industries. He discusses his professional journey which led him from the tech space to music, as he compares and contrasts how both industries operate. He also covers how the internet has made the music industry less siloed, and how SymphonyOS continues this democratization of knowledge for today’s artists. Finally, Chuka shares his experience speaking on a 2025 panel to an audience of startup founders like him.

In this episode, we discuss the motivations behind NIVA’s letter to the US Copyright Office in conversation with Tobi Parks of the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF). Tobi disputes the narrative that licensees are just trying to cut costs, explaining how the current PRO system, combined with a lack of education provided to licensees and artists, leaves an untapped pool of money waiting to be fairly distributed. She also dives into the unique issues faced within the US due to having multiple PRO entities, and how discounts provided to large venues, combined with other economic factors, end up hurting small artists and venues.

We caught up with Virginie Berger, Founder of Don’t Believe the Hype and Advisor at MUSICx; fmr. MatchTune during Music Biz 2025 for a conversation covering the sentiments of fear and concern surrounding the uncharted territory that is AI. She addresses the complications and confusion today’s music market faces, current copyright wins & losses, the fine line AI walks in terms of what is & isn’t forbidden, and MatchTune's AI detection and audio fingerprinting solutions. Touching on legislation in the US, UK and Europe, she explains how rushed governance in the past failed to take into account the issues we are facing now. Virginie also discusses her Music Biz panel on what lessons the music business can learn about embracing new tech from the adult entertainment industry, and how the Conference serves as a forum for all types of topics.

This week we speak with Jonathan Azu, founder of Culture Collective, on the state of the live industry, along with some exciting projects & collaborations he’s working on! Jonathan discusses how important it is for executives to diversify themselves in the same way today’s artists do, highlighting the multi-hyphenate approach he has taken for his business by working on tours, TV specials, philanthropic and DEI-related work, and developing artists. Jonathan provides us his expertise, evaluating the consistency of our industry’s DEI initiatives born out of the self-reflection that came from the COVID era, and how large-scale change comes from those in power. He also examines how the live industry has ebbed and flowed as a result of the pandemic, tying together how no matter what venue, city or capacity, a show itself must be great to have longevity.

Edward Ginis, Founder and CEO of OpenPlay, attended his 15th Music Biz Conference this year. In this episode, he discusses how the Conference continues to evolve with the times, providing true substance and debate over platitudes and hype. In the same vein, Edward touches on just how crucial it is for our industry to nurture entrepreneurs and startups in a mutually beneficial relationship. He discusses how the Conference’s startup programming, including OpenPlay’s “Break The Silos. Build The Future.” Hackathon, allows our industry to both progress in tandem with the tech space and show investors that music companies are worth collaborating with. Finally, he covers hot-button topics such as AI and copyright registration, and how we as an industry have to step up where the government leaves gaps!

The difficulty common earplugs have conforming to each person’s unique anatomy leads to frequent struggles with actually keeping these devices in our ears – not to mention the poor sound quality they create by blocking out only the top frequencies. Biomaterial professor and industrial designer, Lauryn Menard may very well be revolutionizing the future of earplugs, as she has pioneered a solution that not only resolves these issues but also provides a more sustainable option for our environment. Her company GOB has created aerial mycelium foam earplugs that conform to each person’s ear shape and dampen all frequencies for a balanced & comfortable listening experience. In this episode, Lauren touches upon the journey that led to the creation of GOB, strategies the company is using to successfully market their product to consumers, and upcoming venue partnerships.

Top Drawer Merch began their journey through collaborating with artists to create charity bracelets. Today, they service clients both in and out of the music industry, producing apparel & a variety of other merchandise. Implementing a traditional brand approach, they understand that merch is not just a band’s logo on a t-shirt – it’s a story told through the product that comes back full circle, tying into a much larger ecosystem. Kerstyn Inouye, Marketing Director of Top Drawer Merch joins us this episode to discuss the opportunities superfans bring to merchandising, loyalty programs, what it’s like to work with niche bands & their managers, and creative strategies the company implements to maintain a smooth on-site merch experience.

Friends of Noise, an organization supporting the creative youth of Portland, Oregon since 2016, is expanding their educational programming with the opening of their all-ages venue, “The Off Beat.” The nonprofit hosts professional development workshops and produces all-age concerts where teens can perform on-stage, run sound, accept tickets & create posters, with their youth sound engineers being hired to produce local events ranging from block parties to weddings. In this episode, we speak with their Executive Director, Andre Middleton on the organization’s plans for a silk-screen printing microloan program, their upcoming season pass program, the new venue’s specs & how they envision it as a stepping stone for emerging bands!

Building on our series of interviews with Atlanta locals, we spoke with Byron, Ryon & Tyson Horne, better known as The Horne Brothers. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, the brothers highlighted Atlanta in their 2024 documentary, “The South Got Something To Say.” Though Hip-Hop’s birthplace is credited as New York, the documentary discusses how a large share of popular hits and collaborations have come from Atlanta. It also covers the city’s status as a music melting pot that has created unique, cross-genre sounds through a welcoming network of studios, artists, producers and other talent. This makes Atlanta a strong force in the overall music economy, and therefore the perfect place for music execs to meet for Music Biz 2025. Tune in to hear more on how music impacts the city’s education system, sports & film sectors, and how both the Music Biz Conference and Atlanta’s local government can spark impactful movements.

Independents make up 40% of the publishing industry, and yet, they struggle to leverage deals. Why? It all comes down to industry fracturing that is preventing the emergence of their collective voice. Angry Mob Music CEO, Marc Caruso touched upon this in his Billboard op-ed, “Why It’s Time for Indie Publishers to Get Angry,” where he highlights how the collaborative environment of the indie publishing space makes rallying together for change an easier and more organic process. In this episode, we speak with Caruso on what it means to be truly independent, the current landscape of publishing & label markets, how indie music companies can collaborate and more!

Jennie Smythe, CEO of Girlilla Marketing, not only brings on unique & interesting clients, ranging from local businesses to well-known actors, but has proudly ensured her agency remains female-led throughout the 17 years she has been running it. With her tenure as a woman in both the music and digital marketing industries comes a great deal of lessons imparted onto her – thus, she decided to compile them all into a memoir. In this episode we dive into Smythe’s journey that led to her memoir, the evolution of diverse representation in the music industry, how the digital age has allowed for increased artist & fan expression, and the role of creativity in marketing.

The financial loss our industry faced when touring came to a halt during COVID-19 has brought attention to the importance of the long glossed over live sector. From here, NIVA (the National Independent Venue Association) was born, where Jamie Loeb, SVP of Marketing for Nederlander, worked tirelessly to help secure the biggest arts grant program in history from Congress – $16 billion of aid used to keep promoters, festivals and venues afloat. In this episode, we speak with Loeb on her work at NIVA & Nederlander, the career journey that brought her here, and the live event marketing process. Loeb zeros in on the power of social media for marketers & artists alike in targeting specific fan demographics, and explores how this knowledge can be translated into creating a live concert audience.

The Music Leaders Network exists to establish a network of underrepresented female, trans & non-binary music executives and support their industry careers. In our latest podcast, we speak with Music Leaders Network co-founders Remi Harris & Tamara Gal-On about the organization’s origins, its latest UK cohort & expansion into Nordic countries, the changing landscape of DEI initiatives in 2025, and so much more!

With the Music Biz Conference coming to Atlanta for the first time this year, we’re continuing our series of interviews with local executives to learn more about the city’s thriving music & entertainment business scene. This month, we spoke with Atlanta-based Shachar Oren of a media technologies venture capital firm, Sound Media Ventures, on his experiences in the city at the crossroads of music and technology. Tune in for his perspectives on why Atlanta is the perfect place to bring our Annual Conference, ranging from its status as an international business hub & large artist community to its bolstering presence in the music tech space & growth as a home for venture capital in the last decade.

The music industry’s high-stress and ever-changing nature often leads to the development or exacerbation of mental health issues for artists & professionals alike. Particularly since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, music & research organizations have looked to study the effects being in this industry has on its workforce and develop resources to best support their needs. A new study from MusiCares and Amber Health seeks to look beyond the need for mental health resources and instead analyze how access to these resources impacts those who receive them. In our latest podcast, we talk with Amber Health’s Dr. Chayim Newman and MusiCares’ Theresa Wolters about how both organizations support the music industry ecosystem, the need for robust mental health resources for music professionals, and the groundwork for this new research initiative!

Generative AI has taken all creative industries by storm over the last few years, and the technology’s rapid adoption has already led to major headaches for the music industry. AI-developed “songs” have flooded streaming services, being used by bad actors to siphon royalties from hard-working artists and creating problems for music discovery. Jen, founded by tech entrepreneur Shara Senderoff, is an AI-driven creative platform that seeks to mitigate these ethical issues by putting artists’ needs & concerns first and foremost. This month, we talk to Senderoff about Jen's origins, the platform’s role as a companion tool for artists, the ways the company has involved & aimed to compensate artists since its inception, and much more!

The Annual Music Biz Conference will take place in Atlanta for the FIRST TIME in 2025, gathering more than 2,100 global music professionals in a vital music hub city for four days of educational & networking opportunities to help inform the industry’s trajectory forward. This month, we’re kicking off a special series of interviews with Atlanta-based music & entertainment executives to learn why it is the PERFECT place to bring our Annual Conference and all the things that make Atlanta’s music industry so special. Up first, we’ll hear from Tobago Bonito from local record store DBS Sounds & founder of the F.A.M.S. (Forever a Music Store) Coalition!

The past decade has seen a vast uptick in the importance of the music publishing sector. Publishing rights now account for roughly 30-40% of rightsholder revenue, thanks in part to both the adoption of consistent digital revenue streams and major investments from the financial sector that have bolstered the value of music catalogs. In our first podcast of 2025, we talk to Reservoir Media President & COO, Rell Lafargue about the evolution of the music publishing sector, what changes in the industry as a whole have contributed to publishing’s importance, what the future may hold, and much more!

2024 was yet another transformative year for the music industry, bolstered by the widespread embrace of AI integration, challenges to the cornerstone that DSPs have become, and maturing integrations in gaming & VR. In our final conversation of 2024, we speak with Vickie Nauman of CrossBorderWorks about how as music consumption becomes more passive, more interactive experiences enabled by exciting new tech may define the music industry in the year to come!

With the ever-changing landscape of the music industry, as well as new expectations from today’s artists, it’s time for us to check in on how the management field has evolved to meet the needs of today’s music makers. In our latest podcast, we talk to 10 and 8 Management’s Nicholas Mishko about what managers can do to best support their artists in the 2020s, when artists should enlist a manager & for what reasons, what new tech & revenue streams managers need to be aware of, advice for those looking to break into management, and beyond!

The misuse of generative AI tech has already tested the status quo of music distribution & streaming, with DSPs being flooded with thousands of fraudulent tracks meant to siphon royalties away from rightful artists & rightsholders. AI:OK is a new initiative which takes a multi-pronged approach to ensuring that the music industry is ethical in its use of AI. In our latest podcast, we talk to AI:OK founder & CEO, Dr. Martin Clancy about the initiative’s origins and goals, as well as the immediate outlook on AI’s impact on our industry.

Research divisions within music companies often operate to advance the products & services they offer. In the case of Deezer’s most recent research on identifying & tagging songs, it may improve the ways our business fights against bad actors. This month, we talked to Deezer's Head of Research Romain Hennequin about his team’s origins, its most recent paper which delves into how self-supervised learning (SSL) may help accurately identify AI-generated tracks uploaded to streaming services, and much more!

iVoted is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that hosts concerts on election nights & during early voting periods to help drive voter registration & turnout. After hosting the largest digital concert in history during the 2020 Presidential Election, which data from MIT touts as bolstering voter turnout by an estimated 7%, #iVoted is gearing up for a series of events leading up to and on Election Night 2024. The org’s Founder & CEO, Emily White, joins us on the podcast to talk about how it has evolved since 2018, how her music industry background informs how #iVoted operates, the ways it uses data to most effectively plan events in target areas, and much more!

Following up on her op-ed for our Keeping Tempo series, we’re thrilled to have Jessica Vaughn of Head Bitch Music on our latest episode of The Future of What! In this interview, Vaughn discusses the ways our industry has evolved (both for better and worse) in its support of women & marginalized communities, how her industry origins as an artist influenced her to pursue an executive career and institute change from the inside, her current roles in the sync/custom music space, and much more!

Since the digitization of the music business began, new tech applications and methods of consumption have helped to redefine how our industry operates. In recent years, the highest profile changes have been the implementation of AI algorithms and the rapid adoption of music consumption through short-form video platforms. We spoke with Miquido’s Chief AI Officer, Jerzy Biernacki about the benefits of AI applications on personalized music experiences like curated playlists & song recommendations, and how music trends on TikTok are changing how labels search for & market new talent!

Ray Bush founded The Music Royalty Co. (MRC) in 2014 after identifying opportunities to modernize royalty calculations in the face of music data’s exponential explosion as streaming began to take off. A decade later and the company has remained an expert in complex royalty calculations for labels, publishers and distributors, while also evolving to meet the accountancy needs of music companies. In our latest podcast, we speak to Bush about the company’s first decade, how the global music industry has financially grown in that same time, the impact of having a dedicated royalty service, and much more!

The events of the last few years, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, have had a major effect on how people across the globe view work-life balance and traditional ways of working. In our latest episode, we discuss how to best support today’s workforce with two experts in the avenues of HR and workers’ rights. First off, we speak with WorkFour Director, Jackson Kerchis about how his organization is raising awareness in the U.S. about reduced work-time initiatives and how they stand to benefit both employees & employers. Then, we discuss how companies can best support their employees and answer their questions around wellness, as they either navigate their new work-life balance or return to the office, with Natoya Brown, SVP of People Inclusion & Culture for Universal Music Group.

The complex web of unique identifiers associated with an artist and their body of work can make it extremely difficult for them to interact with publishers, sync officers, and other parties they work with. Switchchord aims to eliminate this friction by allowing artists to document ownership of their music and map out the legal & business relationships they engage in via legally verifiable, decentralized digital identities. We spoke with company founder and CEO, Cole Davis about how the technology works and what opportunities it opens up for artists!

The Digital Media Association (DiMA) represents the world’s leading audio streaming companies and streaming innovators, providing community, resources and advocacy for its member companies. This month, we spoke with newly appointed DiMA President and CEO, Graham Davies about DiMA’s mission, his first few months at the helm of the organization, and what the Association is working towards through the rest of 2024!

The music industry has proven time and time again that inclusive practices lead to better productivity and a higher quality of work in all business segments. That’s why Ralph Torrefranca of Angry Mob Music has sought for more diversity in high-level songwriting rooms by starting the New Normal Writing Camp in 2023, which featured 70% female artists & writers and 50% women producers from more than 12 cultural backgrounds in its inaugural edition. In our latest podcast, we spoke with Torrefranca about his op-ed, “Why Diverse Writing Rooms Must Become An Industry Standard,” what led him to start the writing camp, and his plans to further support diverse writers going forward!

The fight against all forms of music fraud has been a major watershed moment for intra-industry collaboration, as was seen in the Music Business Association’s establishment of its Spin Fraud Task Force and its hosting of the Trust & Safety Symposium in January 2024. Now a few months away from that event, our latest The Future of What podcast explores how music professionals & companies are developing internal tools & best practices to fight fraud, while also learning lessons from others who have dealt with bad actors in the finance, film, game industries and beyond. Be sure to listen for insights from Symphonic Distribution CEO, Jorge Brea and Ethixbase360 consultant, Virna Di Palma!

Merch sales is one of, if not the primary, revenue generator for artists at certain levels of their careers. Tie this into the fact that merch proudly worn or displayed by their fans helps spread the word about their music, and it becomes all too essential for today’s artists to have a strong merch strategy. This important need is what led Vanessa Ferrer to found Merch Cat, a POS & inventory management tool that helps artists track what merch they sell each night on tour, easily identify what merch items & types of products are most popular among their fans, and unify sales across the merch table and a fan-centric shopping app. We spoke with Ferrer about Merch Cat’s story, the importance of using sales metrics to understand your fanbase, why every artist should have a holistic approach to merch sales, and beyond!

With almost a decade of experience securing copyrights for artists & rightsholders, Cosynd identified that music producers were being potentially priced out of registering their backlog of work with the U.S. Copyright Office. This led them to develop a new group registration service, allowing producers to save time & money by registering groups of beats and other musical elements instead of individually registering each element. We spoke with Cosynd CEO, Jessica Sobhraj about this new initiative, the company’s mission of supporting creators’ legal protections, the importance of registering music with the Copyright Office, and much more!

While looking into higher-ed music business programs, David Fritz and Steven Ship found that the segmented approach to curriculums was helpful for new students, but it did not help artists and songwriters who needed to know the ins-and-outs of how the industry works for their already established careers. This led them to start Creative Intell, which offers practical classes that give students insights and step-by-step guides on everything from recording and releasing a cover song to tracking all of their income streams. In our latest podcast, we discuss the platform’s founding, the feedback from early users, future plans for expansion and updates, and more!

With more artists creating and releasing more music now than ever, there is a major need for new revenue streams and funding options to help artists take their careers to the next level. This month on The Future of What, we speak with two representatives from companies that do just that: Nick Struzenski of Vault, a bespoke catalog brokerage & artist funding service, and Matthew Tilley of beatBread, which provides funding for artists & labels alike powered by data science. Tune in for conversations about their companies’ offerings, why the need for funding is so prevalent right now, how new technologies like machine learning are making it easier to provide funding, and more!

RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities) was founded in 2021 as a collective of artists, performers and music professionals with disabilities seeking to raise awareness of disability culture in the music business. Since then the organization has worked to advocate and create opportunities for disabled music professionals and ensure they have access to inclusive & accessible spaces, including partnering with the GRAMMYs to make the annual awards event more disability-inclusive. This month, we spoke with RAMPD’s founder, Lachi & President, Precious Perez to learn about RAMPD’s story and what the group is working on in 2024!

Sync placements have become a highly lucrative revenue stream for artists and rightsholders alike in recent years, as the production teams behind tv shows & movies constantly search for the perfect tracks to set the scene in their latest project. With that expanded attention to this part of the business comes a lot of extra paperwork, something that until recently sync licensing teams did not have help with. This month, we spoke with Trevanna Tracks’ CEO, Jennifer Freed and COO, Selina Meere to learn more about the company’s origins, its all-in-one solution for logging & organizing complex sync project data, and the importance of centralizing this data to increasing sync teams’ productivity!

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) was founded at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a lifeline for small live music houses, pulling together federal grant money to ensure that venues would remain afloat until it was safe for artists to tour again. Since then, the organization has shifted focus to develop a member services suite, tackle major issues like the ticketing debacle, and address the needs of venues on a local level. We spoke with NIVA's Executive Director, Stephen Parker about the organization’s history and recent advocacy work, as well as the variety of issues indie venues still face.

Founded in 2020 by five tenured independent music professionals, Exceleration Music set out to invest in music rights, enter strategic partnerships and develop a suite of support services, all backed by authenticity and reverence for everything essential to indie music’s DNA. The company doubled down on that commitment in September 2023 by acquiring Redeye Distribution, effectively creating an indie music powerhouse with a vast catalog and distribution reach potentially rivaling that of the major labels. In our first podcast of 2024, you’ll hear from Exceleration founder & managing partner, Glen Barros and Redeye co-founder, Glenn Dicker about the acquisition and how it stands to benefit the entire indie music business!

Tune in to this special message from Music Business Association President, Portia Sabin with some updates regarding our inaugural Trust & Safety In Music Symposium, Music Biz 2024, the Common Ground Webinar Series & our new Music Biz Events app, changes to our website & socials, and more!

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic opened eyes across the world to just how vital touring & live music is to the entire music business ecosystem. As venues of all sizes closed to stop the spread of COVID, a number of organizations and initiatives were founded in the first pandemic year to help local independent music houses financially stay afloat. Today, these groups now work to keep the live industry alive, providing vital grant funding and support networks to ensure these important local cultural centers remain open. This month we spoke with Executive Director of the Live Music Society, Cat Henry about how her organization got its start pre-COVID, as well as the ways it has evolved since 2020 to assist the U.S. live music industry!

In just a few short years, song lyrics have gone from a “nice to have” addition that music fans could seek out in liner notes or on the internet to a hot commodity on streaming platforms, graphics-heavy promotional videos, user-generated content and beyond. This month, we talk with LyricFind Founder & CEO, Darryl Ballantyne about the evolution of lyric-centric products, how his company liaises with labels & publishers to help support their needs, the renewed importance of proper song translations as music’s reach breaks cultural barriers, and much more!

While some say nothing quite captures the experience of listening to music performed in-person, new technologies are bringing unparalleled levels of immersion to the music listening experience. Enter Dolby Atmos, an immersive audio format which debuted for movies more than a decade ago that is now available across music services on 2.5 billion devices. In our latest podcast, Dolby’s Head of Music Industry Relations, Christine Thomas discusses the evolution of the company’s immersive audio efforts and how it gives artists the ability to deliver their music to audiences in an exciting new medium!

Bad actors have already learned how to exploit generative AI to either pose as popular artists or misappropriate copyrighted material. However companies like DAACI are working with artists, songwriters & composers to develop tools that are additive to the creative process, helping to eliminate tedious parts of their job and overcome writer’s block. In our latest podcast, we talk to DAACI CEO, Rachel Lyske about her company’s mission to support composers with a tech suite backed by three decades of research and deep collaboration with members of the creative community to address their specific needs!

After running a record label and finding common issues across several different music distribution platforms, Gregory Hirschhorn decided to enter the distribution space with Too Lost, paying extra attention to technologies and methods for combating fraud. The company uses Know Your Client (KYC) protocol, which has roots in the financial industry, to add extra security for users uploading their tracks for distribution to DSPs. This added measure helps to weed out bad actors who game the system to generate undue revenue. In our latest podcast, we talk with Hirschhorn about the benefits of implementing KYC tools and how they help protect artists and relevant rightsholders.

While generative AI can be used to help human creators develop original works, concerns exist as major film & TV studios stand to reap huge financial benefits by using the technology to wholesale develop screenplays or substitute in digital recreations of actors. This is one of the pillars of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, as workers in the creative industry fight for regulations on the technology to ensure they are not exploited for the sake of corporate profits. In our latest podcast, J. Christopher Hamilton of ARS Counsel joins us to discuss the ins-and-outs of the present issues around the strikes, as well as what early steps are being taken to support creative professionals.

Recent months have shown an uptick in the frequency and variety of fraudulent music streaming practices, allowing bad actors to collect undue revenue by criminally inflating the number of streams for tracks they upload to DSPs. In the first of two episodes this Fall covering music streaming fraud, we talk to CD Baby's Chief Revenue Officer, Christine Barnum about the history of fraudulent behavior since the start of digital music sales, CD Baby’s participation in the Music Fights Fraud initiative, why there is a need for a coalition to combat streaming fraud, and what steps are being taken today to address the issue.

Originally hailing from the record label side of the business, Bruno Guez founded Revelator 10 years ago to help jumpstart an evolution in digital payments to help meet the needs of the increasingly digital music industry. Fast-forward to today, and Web3 asset distribution & sales may have a similarly transformative effect on the global music business. In this month’s interview, we spoke with Guez about how Web3 will help artists & rightsholders monetize new forms of interactive content and build connections between artists and their fans with direct compensation models!

The Presidential Award for Outstanding Executive Achievement is one of the Music Business Association’s highest and longest-standing honors, presented to individuals or organizations who have contributed greatly to the overall success of the music industry. In our latest podcast interview, Gina Miller of MNRK Music Group — our 2023 Presidential Award winner — discusses her life journey from piano student to accomplished music industry executive, approaching her music industry career as a fan first, her advocacy work across Nashville Music Equality and other outlets, and so much more!

AI and machine-learning technologies have been utilized in various capacities in the music industry for decades now. However, the rise of Generative AI — which uses existing human-created art within its algorithms to generate content — presents new legal challenges over who is compensated when the tech is used. This month, we spoke to the NMPA’s Danielle Aguirre about the current legal issues regarding copyright for AI-generated content like music, and what organizations like the NMPA are doing to support songwriters.

At the outset, Amber Health was founded to analyze the mental health needs of artists & touring professionals and develop resources to support them navigate their incredibly taxing line of work. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, its mission and scope expanded to create boots-on-the-ground support for the mental health needs of all music industry professionals. In this interview, we speak with Amber Health co-founder, Dr. Chayim Newman about the organization’s mission and evolution over time, and what it’s doing to support executives and artists alike.

The performance sports space offers an exciting new revenue opportunity for artists whose tracks are properly licensed for use in gymnastics, dance, cheerleading and beyond. This month we talk with Chantal Epp, the founder and CEO of ClicknClear, a tech-based solution for athletes and program directors to access pre-cleared licensed music that ensures artists are paid for the use of their songs!

2022 marked the first edition of Music Biz’s Bizzy Awards program, a crowd-nominated series of honors recognizing music industry individuals and companies who strive to advance commerce in our industry and make it a better place to work. This ceremony marked the debut of the Leading Light Award, which is given to a company or executive that has supported their staff via internal initiatives aimed at improving mental health, wellbeing and work/life balance. In our second episode covering the 2023 Leading Light Award, we talk with Mike Heyliger of The Orchard, Sarah Robertson of A to Z Media, and Karen Steincke of WMG about each company’s nomination and how they have evolved to support their staff!

2022 marked the first edition of Music Biz's Bizzy Awards program, a crowd-nominated series of honors recognizing music industry individuals and companies who strive to advance commerce in our industry and make it a better place to work. This ceremony marked the debut of the Leading Light Award, which is given to company or executive that has supported their staff via internal initiatives aimed at improving mental health, wellbeing and work/life balance. In our first of two episodes interviewing nominees for the 2023 Leading Light Award, we talk with TuneCore CEO, Andreea Gleeson about the company's nomination and how the company has evolved to support its staff!

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) began as after Blackout Tuesday in 2020 to combat issues of systemic racism in the UK music industry. After learning there was no available data on the topic, the organization commissioned a survey of 2,000+ artists & industry professionals about issues & perception of racism in the region. In our latest podcast, we speak with BLiM CEO, Charisse Beaumont on what’s changed since the first report was released, and what hurdles the UK industry still has to overcome.

Released on International Women's Day 2023, the 3rd iteration of the BE THE CHANGE study showcases the perspectives of more than 1,500 music industry professionals across 100+ countries on how gender discrimination is both experienced and perceived across the music industry. We continue our coverage of the BE THE CHANGE study by talking with TuneCore CEO, Andreea Gleeson about her perspectives on gender parity in the music industry and how it compares to other businesses, the ways that intra-industry partnerships are leading to better data on and action to correct discrimination & inequity in our industry, and much more!

Released on International Women's Day 2023, the 3rd iteration of the BE THE CHANGE study showcases the perspectives of more than 1,500 music industry professionals across 100+ countries on how gender discrimination is both experienced and perceived across the music industry. In the first of two episodes focused on this year's report, Matthew Yazge of Luminate breaks down findings from this year's survey and their impacts on industry professionals, and discusses possible solutions to issues of systemic discrimination.

For many years, smaller independent labels have found it challenging to provide health insurance options to their employees that were not cost prohibitive. This month we talked with A2IM's President and CEO, Dr. Richard Burgess about the A2IM Benefits Store, launched in September of 2022 to deliver member labels access to affordable health insurance packages, as well as other vital resources they may need.

While major strides have already been made to improve the work culture of companies across the music business, it’s a never-ending task to ensure that EVERYONE who works in our industry is welcome, supported and truly happy in their day-to-day roles. To kick off the new year, we sat down with BMI’s SVP, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Sandye Taylor in a conversation about sustaining the important work of supporting both greater inclusivity across the global music business and work-life balance with consideration for mental health needs.

Born from the renewed calls for focus on mental health & wellness during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lazuli Collective works to establish "a new cultural paradigm" that puts the human needs of both artists and music industry executives front and center. In this month's interview, we sat down with the organization's founder, Brandon Holman, to discuss how the Lazuli Collective is making a difference for entertainment professionals, as well as the cultural shift taking place to support mental health and well-being.

It is of utmost importance for creators, especially in the age of digital music consumption, to log EVERY detail of who participates in the preparation of a song to ensure that all collaborators are properly paid. With his background as a songwriter and producer, Niclas Molinder set out to create a creator-friendly toolset to help not only fairly track credits directly in-studio, but also facilitate deeper collaboration. At Session, he's done just that with the help of some high-profile partners — listen to this month's episode to find out how!

The recent ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) to increase royalty payout rates for songwriters and publishers is a great step forward in fairly compensating creatives for their work. However given the complex nature of the industry, other segments of the business, particularly those involved in selling and distributing music both physically and digitally. In this episode, we discuss the industry-wide implications of the rate increase with Colin Rushing of Duck Road Advisory LLC and Danielle Aguirre of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA).

Over the past two years, we’ve seen a major shift from pursuing incremental change to taking truly meaningful action in establishing a more inclusive and equitable workforce. In this month’s episode, we talk to three executives leading the charge to bolster diversity and inclusion in the music industry about the successes of their initiatives and what work still needs to be done.

In this month’s episode recognizing Disability Pride Month, Music Biz President talks with singer/songwriter and disability advocate, Lachi who founded RAMPD (Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities), a coalition that works to build support for disability culture and inclusion for creatives & industry professionals with disabilities. Tune is as Lachi shares the story of her journey from artist to advocate, recent successes for disability visibility & inclusion, and what changes must still be made.

Now more than ever, it is vital to amplify and celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in an industry like ours where they've had an immeasurable impact. In honor of Pride Month, we discuss the state of queer visibility & representation in the music business, both for artists and executives, with Joshua Dickinson of Queer Capita and Sydney Christensen of Kill Rock Stars!

The financing options available to artists at all levels of their career are much more robust today than they’ve ever been, allowing them to accelerate their exposure and access tools to create music more in-line with their original vision. In our latest podcast, Music Biz President Portia Sabin talks to Andrew Bergman, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings and Alex Heiche, Founder and CEO of Sound Royalties about what’s out there and how to find assistance!

What began as a way for independent record store owners to bolster foot traffic and sales has grown into a shining example of, "if you build it, they will come." In celebration of Record Store Day's 15th anniversary in 2022, Music Biz President Portia Sabin discusses the origins of the event and its affect on the recent resurgence of U.S. vinyl sales with:

Brittany Benton, Brittany's Record Shop Carrie Colliton, Record Store Day Larry Jaffee, Making Vinyl Carl Mello, Newbury Comics

From its humble beginnings on Orchard St. in NYC 25 years ago to the use of wide-reaching distribution tools used by artists & their teams across the globe today, The Orchard's mission has not changed in its first quarter-century: work to help indie artists get their music out to the masses. In the latest episode of The Future of What, listen in as The Orchard's Co-Founder, Richard Gottehrer and COO, Colleen Theis discuss the company's past, present and future, as well as how the landscape of music distribution has changed since its inception!

We're excited to bring you the first new episode of The Future of What since 2020! Listen in for expert insights from Beatdapp co-founders, Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk, as they discuss the ins-and-outs and different types of fraud which are present in the streaming ecosystem and how they can be detected. Plus, Melissa Morgia from the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry)shares perspectives on the impact of streaming fraud outside of the U.S., its effects on music consumers, and international legal rulings setting precedent to protect artists from unlawful actions.

One of the more important pieces of the Music Modernization Act passed in 2018 was the establishment of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Similar to SoundExchange, the MLC (as it’s commonly referred to) is a third party organization that exists for the purpose of collecting the royalties (mechanical) that are generated from plays on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. In addition to collecting said royalties, the MLC (like Soundexchange) is also responsible for dispersing those royalties to self-publishing artists and publishers alike, who have registered with them, or who have had their info logged by the Harry Fox Agency.

With states opening up more and more spaces to the public, the question on some minds is “When will live music return, and what will it look like once it does?” Can venues enforce social distancing responsibly? Will half capacity be enough to sustain artists, venues and crew financially? What can venues do now to assure that they will survive long enough to re-open down the road? We get answers to these questions and more from the audio taken from a recent MusicBiz Live! session.

Episode #189 : While the long term effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on the music business are yet to be known, there are lots of real-time metrics to be analyzed in the interim. With the postponement of Record Store Day, and most record shops being closed to the public, the effect on physical sales during this time should be obvious to most. The less obvious changes to global music consumption are the ones that are happening in the digital space, particularly around streaming services and music video plays. What genres are booming, and which ones are seeing a decline in listenership in those spaces? Listen now and find out from our panel of experts.

Guests:

David Bakula (MRC Data) Russ Crupnick (MusicWatch) Sania Haq (AudienceNet) Rutger Rosenborg (Chartmetric)

While many have speculated about what the long term economic impacts of the COVID-19 quarantine might be, fewer have openly discussed what the long term psychological impacts on society might be. In this episode, Portia speaks with several mental health experts who were actively working with musicians before the quarantine began, and gets their take on what was working for their clients pre-quarantine and what should happen next, if those mental health gains are to be maintained.

Over the past several episodes, Portia has had countless discussions with the heads of music business organizations who represent various facets of the industry within the United States. This week, she’s speaking with their peers and equivalents in the U.K. and E.U. about how they’re weathering the pandemic, and what efforts their various governing bodies are making to aid musicians and other cultural workers in this time of crisis. The six person panel also speculates on what happens next within the industry, as other interconnected industries come back online or remain closed for an indefinite amount of time.

Episode #186 : While the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on live entertainment and brick and mortar retail are already apparent, other sectors of the music industry like publishing haven’t truly felt the effects of the pandemic yet because of their buffered collection timeline. Will some sectors bare the brunt of this pandemic, while others thrive? Join us this week as Portia speaks candidly with members of the MusicBiz board about how they intend on mediating the effects of this pandemic on their particular niches inside of the music business, and what best practices look like moving forward.

Episode #185 : It should come as no surprise that independent record stores have been particularly hard hit by the “shelter in place” orders established by many states around the country in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Some retailers have pivoted to online sales and other creative means to keep customers happy, but for many brick and mortars, this move just isn’t enough to maintain community or their bottom line. To make matters worse, the revenue generated by Record Store Day will not be coming anytime soon, as the worldwide event has been pushed back until June, at the very earliest. How will your favorite record stores survive this pandemic? Tune in and find out!

Episode #184 : On this week’s episode, we’re revisiting another MusicBiz LIVE! event that features candid conversation about what music business trade associations are doing to help their specific constituencies navigate the COVID-19 quagmire. Joining Portia in conversation about the CARES Act and more are : Mitch Glazier and Michele Ballantyne of the RIAA, Richard Burgess of A2IM, Bart Herbison of the NSIA, David Israelite of the NMPA and Sarah Trahern of the CMA. Listen in to find out what relief is coming your way, and learn how to access it in your particular district or state with the help of this week’s guests.

Episode #183 : In the few weeks since our last episode, COVID19 has changed the world and how we interact with one another, and that has had many impacts upon the music business as a whole. With venues and record stores closed to the public for the foreseeable future, musicians are having to find new ways to interact with their fans, and because of the quarantine, most of those interactions are happening virtually. To help with this transition to a digital-only reality, the teams at Facebook and Instagram are rolling out new products and initiatives to help musicians and their fans establish new types of relationships that will work in the new paradigm faced by us all. In this episode, we revisit a public conversation between Portia Sabin, Perry Bashkoff (Instagram) and Mayola Charles (Facebook) that was part of a MusicBiz Live! webinar that occured on April 6, 2020.

Episode #182 : While many people start their career in the music business by forming a band or record label, and learning the industry’s norms and quirks largely through trial and error, others choose to enroll in various university programs to learn about the industry. This week we’re exploring what those university programs look like for both undergraduate and graduate students, and what the key takeaways from those programs are. Join us as we speak with Serona Elton (University of Miami), Joe Rapolla (Monmouth University), and Larry Miller (NYU Steinhardt) about the different kinds of programs that they help facilitate for students at their respective academic institutions.

Episode #181 : Music production has become increasingly fragmented thanks to the advent of affordable studio technology and high speed internet connections, which comes with both benefits and drawbacks. The main benefit is that band members and songwriting teams can now collaborate from anywhere in the world at any time of day, and they can arrange for special guest features with little more than a simple email exchange. The drawback to this evolution is that proper attribution for these collaborations are often messy, overlooked, or forgotten altogether, as the musicians involved are wearing too many hats in the studio. Thankfully, new online systems like Jaxsta and VEVA Sound have entered the market to help consolidate credits and session files into one simple place, so that everyone involved gets their due credit. Join us this week as we speak with Jaxsta CEO Jacqui Louez Schoorl, VEVA Sound president Deborah Fairchild, and Grammy award winning engineer/producer Reid Shippen about how these systems are being used in today’s top studios.

Episode #180 : Matt Black and Jonathan Fine first joined forces in the late 1980’s, after a chance encounter at a local record shop. Now, some thirty-odd years later, the two are still working together in multiple capacities, and show no signs of stopping. They’ve released multiple albums as the electronic duo Coldcut, and helped produce several others, in addition to founding the highly regarded UK electronic label Ninja Tune, which is now in its thirtieth year of existence. In the recent past, they’ve also turned their attention to making musical software, like the Ninja Jamm app, that allows both novice and pros alike to remix and create music on the go with their smart device. Join us this week as we speak with both Matt and Jon about their history as a band and their philosophy as label owners and app developers.

Episode #179 : Touring has quickly become one of the most effective ways for bands and artists to earn money in the streaming era, despite the fact that getting around is more expensive than it’s ever been. Thankfully, some new technologies have made planning and booking a tour easier than ever, so that bands and artists can push into new markets, without the same level of financial risk that was associated with doing so in the past. Join us this week as we speak with Fabrice Sergent (BandsInTown), Steve Marks (RoadNation), Matt Walters (Parlour Gigs) and Mary Ivanova (Show4Me) about how their services are supporting bands and artists to get on the road and be seen!

Episode #178 : While music consumption has pivoted away from piracy and downloads, the spectre of the past is once again looming over the industry, as podcasts become an even more dominant medium. Generally unregulated, most podcasts contain at least one musical work, that is likely unlicensed, which means that those episodes you’re downloading are really no different than the unauthorized downloads of the past. So, will the industry coalesce around a standard blanket license to solve this issue? Or, will podcast hosts develop a YouTube-like Content ID system to identify these unlicensed works and prevent them from being distributed? We get answers to those questions and more this week from Jim Griffin (OneHouse), Gabe Fleet (Attorney), and Tom Mullen (Atlantic Records, Washed Up Emo).

When you hear people within the industry referring to “The Black Box,” they’re most likely referring to the growing sum of undistributed and/or undistributable royalties that have been collected on an artist’s behalf by organizations like SoundExchange. What happens with this “Black Box” is a hotly debated topic within the industry, as every collection society that has one deals with these unclaimed royalties differently. Join us as we discuss the problem and its potential solutions with John Simson (American University), Wayne Milligan (TriStar Sports & Entertainment Group) and Steve Ambers (SOCAN).

As we move into 2020, two things have become all the more apparent, artists have to view themselves as small businesses in order to survive, and income streams within the industry are increasingly fragmented. Thankfully, these trends have been tracked for several years in a row, and there are a multitude of services available to bands, artists, and songwriters to help them collect these fractionalized income streams so that they can keep their creative businesses afloat and their rights secure. Join us this week as we explore three such services, namely Jammber, AdRev, and Songtrust.

Since 2015, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center has played host to Project Music, an accelerator program for tech start-ups whose focus is upon creating solutions for the music industry. This first of its kind accelerator program has supported five different cohorts to date, and several members of those cohorts have already gone to market with their unique solutions, as a result of the mentorship and fundraising help they received through the program.

After several years of growth, the music business no longer feels like its in freefall, and some hopeful industry insiders are hinting that the best is yet to come in the 2020’s. As streaming goes global, and the overall adoption rate goes up across the board, continued revenue growth will be the norm in 2020 and beyond, which is to say nothing of the new ways that music is being monetized in video games, short form video, and more. Join us as we hear 2020 projections from Vickie Nauman of Cross Border Works, Josh Berman of Concord Music Group, and Russ Crupnick of Music Watch.

Today’s streaming market is a crowded arena that’s chock full of big brands, all of whom are vying for the same monthly subscribers, but none of them have truly distinguished themselves from the other. Yes, they all have different visual interfaces and apps, and some are even offering higher bitrates, but as listeners switch over to voice activated listening via smart speakers, how will users know the difference between Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc. when the interaction becomes purely audio? Enter Super Hi Fi, a new service that is helping DSP’s and radio stations create unique audio branding and listener experiences.

With 2019 coming to an end, it feels like the right time to highlight a few of our audience’s most listened to episodes and of the year, so we’re doing a best of 2019 this week! We went through this year’s stats, and isolated the top ten episodes of the year, and then culled the most informative and/or interesting interviews from that bunch. Listen in as we revisit our interviews with writer Cherie Hu, former Merlin CEO Charles Caldas, and Bayonet Records owner Katie Garcia.

While some artists are eschewing the traditional label route to market, there is no getting around the fact that artists simply can’t do everything they need to do in order to be successful on their own. Most developing artists need help with marketing, branding, social media strategy, booking, publishing, content creation and more, if they’re going to breakthrough the din of digital noise. On this episode, we speak with Chelsea Cressman (AGD Entertainment) and Cameo Carlson (mTheory) about the ways that their companies are helping artists build and hire teams to manage the tasks that are beyond their particular scope and level(s) of expertise.

Episode #170 : At the beginning of the year, record stores big and small started noticing a difference between what they ordered and what they received in the mail. This became all the more noticeable when stores were shorted important and highly sought after titles for Record Store Day in April. Since then, the problem has only gotten worse according to some, and bands have missed their street dates entirely in the process, costing them countless dollars, but also chart positions, which means losing out on radio and television opportunities.

In the past, digital start-ups frequently approached the music industry with tech solutions to problems that didn’t exist for most artists and labels. That paradigm has seemingly shifted in the past few years, and now the solutions being brought forth by tech companies are helping to alleviate certain stresses and strains on the music industry. On this episode, we’re highlighting new tech companies like Ursa Music, Corite, and Pitch who are creating new revenue streams for artists and labels, rather than cannibalizing the old ones and taking a cut.

Twenty years ago, Syd Butler started Frenchkiss Records, after his band Les Savy Fav couldn’t find a home at the prominent labels of the time. Fast forward up until today, Syd’s now part of Seth Meyer’s 8G Band, the label is still going strong, and Les Savy Fav is still playing shows. On this episode, Syd joins us to talk about the label’s triumphs and tribulations over the course of the last two decades, as does Craig Finn, who’s bands The Hold Steady and Lifter Puller have enjoyed success under the Frenchkiss umbrella.

Episode #167 : Several high profile artists moved away from sampling in the late 90’s, after a smattering of lawsuits were brought against artists like De La Soul, Biz Markie, 2 Live Crew, etc. for the use of unauthorized samples in some of their biggest hits. As a result, the familiar sounds of hip-hop, pop, and electronica changed dramatically in the decades that followed, as people were both scared off of sampling, and/or confused by the myriad of clearances and fees needed to sample legally. To solve this dilemma, Tracklib has stepped into the arena to act as both a clearinghouse, and conduit between sample based producers and the companies that own both sides of the material that producers want to use in their derivative works.

Episode #166 : Under the current distribution model, labels and rights holders typically only get paid once a month by their distributor, and those payouts are often for streams and downloads that occurred well before the pay period. In an era where artists and labels are able to see nearly real-time usage data for their catalog, these delays in payment have made rapid growth difficult in some cases, and now there are companies stepping in with solutions. On this episode, we speak with Bruno Guez of Revelator and Daniel Dewar of Paperchain about their efforts to increase the liquidity of assets for rights holders by advancing payments to them based upon their catalog’s performance on DSP’s.

The Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2019, or C.A.S.E. Act, is currently making its way through Congress, and it stands to have a significant impact on musicians and labels across the country. As it stands now, if you’re a musician who’s had their music used without a license, your only recourse is to go to a federal copyright court to defend your claim of ownership, which often costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in court and attorney(s) fees, and you must travel to D.C. for the hearing. The C.A.S.E. Act seeks to change that reality by creating a small claims court, that would be much more accessible to artists and labels, both financially and physically, since proceedings can happen remotely.

Episode #164 : Like every other role in the music industry, the face of management is changing to meet the current needs of artists. With fewer and fewer labels investing in artist development, the work of building a team up around an artist has started to land more and more on the shoulders of managers. In our exploration of this topic, we speak with Brian Dubb of Centralized.me, who has developed a web based “virtual management” application that helps developing artists manage themselves, as well as Adina Friedman who works for the management company, “Friends At Work.”

Episode #163 : For the last eleven years, Merlin has been championing the independent music community in a variety of ways. During that time the organization has put over two billion dollars into the pockets of indie labels and distributors, through its negotiated deals with DSP’s like Spotify, et. al., and the organization is only continuing to grow its reach internationally. On this episode, we talk to Charles Caldas, the man at the helm of Merlin for the past eleven years, along with Jorge Brea of Symphonic Distribution and Katie Alberts of Reach Records, who both use Merlin’s services for their businesses to great advantage.

In previous episodes, we’ve discussed the diminished role that music criticism plays in today’s market, and now we’re turning our focus towards music journalism at large. With more and more magazines and newspapers going out of business, writers find themselves with even fewer publishing options, and they’re being forced to look for work outside of the music industry. Join us this hour as we cover this topic with journalists, PR folks, and band managers, and talk about what comes next for this side of the industry.

Episode #161 : Denmark’s Crunchy Frog has been releasing albums for a quarter century this year, and they are celebrating their anniversary with a new compilation of music from the label’s roster, that’s being released in tandem with a variety of specialty beverages to commemorate the occasion. Listen in as label head, Jesper "Yebo" Reginal, talks about the origins of the label, and its successes with international crossover hits from bands like Junior Senior and The Raveonettes, while Johannes Gammelby tells us why his many bands are all signed with the label.

Guests:

Jesper "Yebo" Reginal (Crunchy Frog) Johannes Gammelby (The Malpractice, I Am Bones, Beta Satan)

Music:

I Am Bones "Restorer" Dtroit "What's A Man Got To Do" The Malpractice "Get Daddy On The Phone" Delta 5 “Mind Your Own Business”

Episode #160 : At this point, we all know that streaming royalties have become a larger and larger share of revenue within the music industry, but how those royalties are calculated by DSP’s is still somewhat of a mystery to artists, labels, and consumers. For example, why doesn’t your $9.99/mo. only go to the artists you’ve streamed that month? And, why do the per-stream rates fluctuate so much, based on time of day, the specific plan you’re on, etc.? On this episode, we talk to Vickie Nauman and Louis Posen about the “pool method” of royalty calculation (currently in use by most DSP’s), and alternatives to this method that are being proposed by some, and piloted by others.

With more and more venues shutting down due to rising costs in metropolitan areas, some musicians are looking towards non-traditional venues, and people’s homes, as a means to an end. On this episode, we talk with the founder of the Undiscovered Music Network, a service that pairs musicians with willing home concert hosts, and Amber Sweeney, a singer/songwriter who’s recently done several house shows as part of her tour route. Rounding out the episode, we talk about the non-traditional venue host, So Far, with writer Emma Silvers, who wrote an exposé on the business’s rather unscrupulous practices for KQED.

Episode #158 : The world has changed quite a bit since the Pacific NW queercore outfit Team Dresch released their first full-length album 25 years ago. There was no internet, there weren’t any openly gay people running for president, and there weren’t nearly as many corporations sponsoring pride festivals. While the band never truly broke-up, they have returned to the public eye after announcing a few reissues and a short U.S. tour schedule. As If that wasn’t enough to re-establish their presence, they’ve also recorded some new material for their new singles comp, which you can hear in this episode!

This episode is sponsored by DISCO! Go to disco.ac/future for a free trial and 20% off with code: future

Episode #157 : Given the success of films that have been adapted from comic books and graphic novels, it makes sense that other industries would start adopting them, too, and Herø Records is doing just that. Blending the worlds of music and graphic art into a transmedia experience, Herø Records, has released several singles, EPs and more that are all tied to comics in some shape or fashion. On this episode, we speak with the CEO (Matt Medney) and Creative Director (Pete Russo) of Herø Records about their vision, and Herø Records artist, Skela.

This episode is sponsored by DISCO! Go to disco.ac/future for a free trial and 20% off with code: future

Episode #156 : Thousands of hours of content are uploaded to sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, TikTok, Facebook, etc. every minute, and a fair amount of it contains unlicensed music. Technologies like YouTube’s “Content ID” system can help rights holders find offending usages once they’re uploaded, but not all sites have that kind of functionality, and certain uses are so short that the current tech can’t find them. Thankfully, there are several third party services stepping into the market to fill this critical gap in digital attribution and rights management, and we talk to three of them on this episode. In this hour, we hear from Stephen White of LyricFind, Amadea Choplin of PEX, and Stephen White of Dubset.

This episode is sponsored by DISCO! Go to disco.ac/future for a free trial and 20% off with code: future

Episode 155 : Record labels, music supervisors, management companies, et. al. deal with high volumes of music submissions on a daily basis, and until recently, managing those files (and their requisite metadata) hasn’t been easy. Enter DISCO, a cloud based storage solution for music professionals, that combines the best parts of iTunes, Soundcloud, Dropbox and MailChimp all in one easy to use browser based application. On this episode, we talk to Karl Richter of Level Two Music about the development of DISCO, and then we speak with music supervisor Whitney Pilzer and Pete Beck of Believe Music about how the platform has transformed their day to day business operations.

This episode is sponsored by DISCO! Go to disco.ac/future for a free trial and 20% off with code: future

Episode #154 : While little attention was given by the U.S. population at large, the creative class, and musicians in particular, paid close attention to the wars waged over the EU’s new copyright directive, known colloquially as Article 13. Although is has yet to be ratified, and passed into law by its member states, Article 13 has the potential to close the “safe harbor” loophole for UGC giants like YouTube, Soundcloud, etc., which would make them wholly responsible, and liable, for all previously copyrighted material published on their platforms. Since these changes to EU law will affect the way these global brands do business, there’s a good chance that changes in the European market will trickle out across the world, to the benefit of musicians and creators everywhere. On this episode, we hear from Helen Smith of Impala, Crispin Hunt of the Ivors Academy, and attorney Chris Castle.

This episode is sponsored by DISCO! Go to disco.ac/future for a free trial and 20% off with code: future

Episode #153 : Perennially popular at music business conferences, “demo” listening roundtables can be extremely helpful and informative for artists, labels, and others, since you get direct and immediate feedback from gatekeepers within the industry. On this episode, we asked three Portland professionals to bring in a new favorite track of theirs, that they’ve received as a solicited or unsolicited demo, for one of their outlets. At the table for this discussion are DJ, radio host, and monthly event coordinator, DJ Klyph, boutique music publicist, Sierra Haager, and talent buyer, Lori Hughes.

Episode #152 : As smart speakers, like the Amazon Dot and Google Home, take up residence in more homes across the U.S., kids’ music has seen an unexpected uptick in its overall consumption, mostly due to the agency imparted to children via voice activated technologies. On this episode, we explore this trend with the president of Kidz Bop, Vic Zaraya, along with Grammy nominated singer/songwriter, Lori Henriquez, and senior Wired staff writer, Adrienne So.

In the final installment of the Get Paid series (in collaboration with Vortex Music Magazine), Portia discusses sync licensing and brand partnerships with Brett Byrd of CD Baby, Marissa Hernandez of Marmoset, and Scott Wagner of WagsWorks. Do you want to know if your music sync-able, or how to make sure that music supervisors can find your music among thousands of songs when a request comes in? Listen in, and then go get paid!

Guests:

Brett Byrd (CD Baby) Marissa Hernandez (Marmoset) Scott Wagner (WagsWorks)

Music:

Filthy Friends “November Man” Wimps “Mope Around” Kinski “Guest Girl Vocalist” Delta 5 “Mind Your Own Business”

Episode #150: The landscape of independent distribution is rapidly changing. As more independent labels move toward truly independent distribution models, their market share becomes clearer. On this episode, we talk to Chris Welz of Secretly Distribution, Kevin Breuner of CD Baby, and Jim Mahoney of Merlin.

Episode #149: Last year, the music industry came under fire for an ongoing lack of meaningful representation for women. What's different in 2019? On this episode we hear about efforts toward greater diversity and inclusion from leaders across the industry, including Michele Ballantyne (RIAA), Richard Burgess (A2IM), and Terri Winston (WAM).

Episode #148: What is the role of A&R in 2019? We break down the ins and outs of signing new (and established) talent with Katie Garcia, who oversees A&R for Secretly Group (Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar, & Secretly Canadian) as well as her own label, Bayonet. We also look back at our conversation with A&R great Tom Whalley, whose signees have included everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Tupac. Plus, hear from RCA executive Tunji Balogun about how data informs A&R today.

Episode #147: From AI to to the EP, we discuss trends and innovation in the music industry. First, journalist Cherie Hu shares a few music tech developments to look out for in 2019. Then, Jon Chattman explains his recent article "How the EP Killed the LP Star." Finally, Eric "Skippy" Mueller of Pirate's Press updates us on what's happening in vinyl.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #146: One of the least talked about and perhaps most important topics for musicians to understand is copyright. What is it, how do you copyright your music, and what’s the point of doing so? On this episode, we cover the basics of copyright with IP lawyer Peter Vaughan Shaver and musician Simon Tam. We also hear from Jessica Sobhraj, CEO of Cosynd, a platform created for creators to protect their work.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #145: In 1971, Bruce Iglauer founded Chicago-based indie blues label Alligator Records. For the last 48 years, Bruce and his team have released hundreds of albums by some of the world’s most celebrated contemporary blues artists. On this episode, Bruce recounts five decades in the business and gives us a taste of what’s next for Alligator. Cutting edge talent Selwyn Birchwood also joins us to talk about his work with Alligator and more.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

In our latest installment of the Get Paid series (in collaboration with @vrtxmag), artists and business people share their real-life experiences and advice for booking, promoting and touring.

Featuring: Eli Howard - Brass Tacks Scott Gilmore + Sarah Vitort - Fox and Bones Dominik Schmidt - Rola Music Jennifer Carrizo - Talent Buyer, Crystal Ballroom Nicholas Harris - Soul'd Out Productions

Episode #143: From streaming to the inner-workings of indie labels, hear our most popular interviews of 2018 as determined by you, our listeners:

Liz Pelly on Spotify and “The Problem with Muzak”
Rob Jones on sustaining Jealous Butcher Records
Jen Cloher’s approach to the music business
Justin Schmidt weighs in on whether artists need a record label

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #142: For our last episode of 2018, we spotlight independent record label Fresh Selects. Started as a blog in 2008, Fresh Selects celebrates its fifth anniversary as a label this year. Driven by the vision of founder Kenny Fresh, Fresh Selects has made a name for itself by releasing music by artists on the cutting edge, many of whom have found mainstream success.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #141: Throughout 2018, we discussed the implications of the Music Modernization Act (MMA). Now that the historic bill has passed with the support of musicians, labels, and politicians, what’s next? On this episode, hear from Kay Hanley and Michelle Lewis of SONA (Songwriters of North America), SoundExchange president Mike Huppe, and Prof. Larry Miller (NYU, Musonomics).

Established in 1983, Portland’s Projekt Records has released hundreds of albums across the realm of electronic, goth, and ambient music, helping to popularize the term “darkwave.” Founder Sam Rosenthal (Black Tape for a Blue Girl) joins us to discuss the label’s 35 years and how they’ve survived the many ups and downs of the music business.We also hear from Grammy nominated artist Steve Roach about his experience working with Projekt.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

We look at a few of the issues concert venues are working through to keep their spaces open and more inclusive. Learn all about HalfAccess, a nonprofit working with venues to make live music more accessible. We also hear about a new mandate that could threaten music venues under the guise of public safety.

Plus: We announce a new podcast series from Kill Rock Stars: hyperurl.co/girlgerms

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

A unique feature of many independent labels is that they’re closely intertwined with one person’s taste and vision. Instead of emphasizing a genre, these ventures often reflect a specific scene or time. Like Jealous Butcher Records, these labels exemplify the true labor of love that can go into an album release.

In 1991, Rob Jones started Jealous Butcher in Eugene, Oregon. Since then, he’s released countless records from some of the state’s most exciting artists -- many on the verge of their big break. On this episode, Jones describes the history of Jealous Butcher, the philosophy behind the label, and how his business has (and intentionally has not) adjusted to today’s music industry. We also hear from Tim Rutili (Califone, Red Red Meat), who released a new album with Craig Ross earlier this year through Jealous Butcher.

Jealous Butcher is offering a discount to our listeners! Get the code in the episode. https://www.jealousbutcher.com/

Seeing your band's name on a t-shirt for the first time is an exciting milestone, but how do you actually turn those tees into a viable revenue stream? For this episode, we partnered with Vortex Music Magazine to discuss tangible ways of selling merch (and even share a few of our favorite merch ideas). Hear from Kelley Roy (founder of ADX and Portland Made), Cheryl Bland (J-Fell Presents, Harefest), and Blake Hickman (founder of Good Cheer Records).

Episode #136: How can artists, venues, and other music institutions use their platforms for social change? On this episode we hear from organizations who are connecting the music industry to voter registration campaigns and more. Emily White and Pat Sansone (Wilco) join us to discuss #IVoted, a project that works with venues to allow voters into shows for free on election day. Ivy Bryan, artist liaison for HeadCount, explains how they’ve registered over 500,000 voters with the help of musicians. Jessica George, executive director of RPM, shares strategies artists can use for positive change ahead of and after the midterm elections.

Learn more about: Headcount: www.headcount.org RPM: www.revolutionsperminute.net

IVoted: www.ivotedconcerts.com

Register to vote: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote

Episode #135: One common question we hear all the time from musicians is “do I need a record label?”

On this episode, we talk to people who offer services traditionally taken care of by a label, but outside of the traditional artist/label relationship. Hear from Shanna Jade, who works with Stem, a platform that aims to simplify artist payments. We also talk with Justin Schmidt of Missing Piece Group, a full-service marketing, PR and management agency and Gabe Herring, who runs Woods Ent. Group and works with CD Baby.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Australian artist Jen Cloher joins us in studio to talk about her musical career, running Milk! Records (the indie label Cloher and Courtney Barnett started in 2012), and her approach to the music business.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Molly Neuman is the Global Head of Business Development at Songtrust and you may know her from her time ar Kickstarter, A2IM, Rhapsody, or eMusic. Molly is best known as a creator of the riot grrrl movement as Bratmobile’s drummer and founding editor of the Girl Germs zine. On this episode, Portia and Molly discuss her career and more. Live from Indie-Con Australia 2018.

Artistic communities are integral to the livability and desirability of many cities, but are often left without defense against these cities’ rapid growth. Uniting the artists, venues, labels, and manufacturers that make up a city’s music industry on their own terms is vital to its survival. MusicPortland is a new advocacy group for those who make up Portland's vast music ecosystem. Members of the group's board join us to discuss their philosophy, goals, and progress. If you want to ensure the health of your industry, check out their work and look for advocacy groups in your city. If you're a Portlander, help MusicPortland gather the data they need to work on our behalf by visiting musicportland.org.

Episode #131: The Music Modernization Act may have unanimously passed the House and garnered support from songwriters, publishers, and DSPs, but the bill has faced a few obstacles ahead of November. On this episode, we check in with key players and look ahead at how the MMA could change our business. Featured guests include Blake Morgan (IRespectMusic), David Israelite (NMPA), Richard Burgess (A2IM), and Daryl Friedman (NARAS).

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

130: Compass Records was founded in 1994 by artists Garry West and Alison Brown. Called “one of the greatest independent labels of the last decade” by Billboard, Compass specializes in roots, bluegrass, and Americana -- and boasts the largest Celtic catalog in the world. On this episode, we hear about the label’s philosophy and history from co-founder Garry West. Compass artist Laura Cortese also shares her perspective.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #129: Despite being over a decade old, podcasting is still a new frontier for music licensing. As podcasts gain millions of listeners and big budgets, it's more important than ever for artists to understand their rights when approached about music use. Entertainment and podcast lawyer Lindsay Bowen gives us a rundown of how podcasts should go about using music and how artists can protect themselves. Jacob Webb, licensing and podcast coordinator at KEXP explains how they handle music use and navigate the intersection between streaming songs and radio play. We also hear advice from Jonathan Menjivar, senior producer at Pineapple Street Media (former producer at This American Life).

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury.

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Episode #128: Light in the Attic founder Matt Sullivan joins us to talk about the inspiration behind the Seattle label, their emphasis on reissues as well as their distribution service and more. We also hear from Ishmael Butler, whose work with Digable Planets has been released with LITA.

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Episode #127: On June 30th, we hosted a live panel in Portland with DJ Klyph. Panelists included local hip hop veterans Vursatyl and DJ OG ONE, along with promising newcomers Rasheed Jamal, Mic Capes, and Karma Rivera. The panel covered everything from all ages venues to networking and offers insight that transcends geography and genre.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Taped live at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR. Engineered by Brent Asbury. Special thanks to Marmoset.

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Episode #126: When should a band become an LLC? What can musicians write off? How can creatives safeguard against an audit? We answer these questions and more with accountants who work with artists. Guests: Emily Kingan / Jordan Michael Iannucci and Hunter Giles (Infinite Aggregate).

Episode #125: Called “music’s monetization mystery” by Forbes, on today’s episode we shed light on the “black box” -- a complicated phenomenon in the music industry where small and large sums of money don’t make it to an artist. What happens to these unattributed royalties and how can musicians safeguard their income? We ask CD Baby CEO Tracy Maddux and CrossBorderWorks’ Vickie Nauman for insight.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #124: How do local music ecosystems affect the economic and cultural health of a city? Portia went to Upstream Music Fest to discuss with leaders from the regional music hubs of Seattle (Kate Becker), Portland (David O.G. ONE Jackson), and Vancouver BC (Alex Grigg). Hear how their groups are changing the game when it comes to protecting and sustaining music culture. Learn how these regional partnerships are impacting our local community, creating opportunities and helping increase the value of music -- and our cities.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol and Will Watts.

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Episode #123: Merge Records has been behind some of the independent world’s most popular releases from bands like Spoon, Arcade Fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, Waxahatchee, and of course, Superchunk since 1989. We hear about the label’s beginnings from co-founder Laura Ballance (Superchunk), and are joined again by MC Taylor of Merge band Hiss Golden Messenger.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

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Episode #122: Since 2003, Chicago-based independent record label Numero Group has been celebrating the obscure, the rare, and the long-forgotten through their meticulously crafted reissues and compilations. On this episode, we highlight the label with co-founder Ken Shipley and discuss the ways they’ve creatively adapted to major industry changes, always seeming to stay one step ahead of the game. We also hear from Andre Gibson of disco group Universal Togetherness Band. The prolific act was rediscovered over thirty years after their breakup by Numero Group.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

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Episode #121: Establishing a reputation and fan base is vital as a musician, but how can a band evolve once they’re known for a sound? On this episode, Portia sits down with Justin Ringle, whose band Horse Feathers just released their sixth album, Appreciation. Justin and longtime producer Skyler Norwood discuss developing the band’s sound while preserving its identity and how they worked to push their boundaries after 12 years. We also hear about the album’s cycle and promotional strategies.

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Engineered by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #120: Album artwork is often a listener’s first impression of a record, so how does an artist successfully represent their music visually? We brought together graphic designers and music people for a panel at Design Week Portland to discuss the creative and conceptual collaborations that go into designing a record. Hear insight from designers Adam R. Garcia (Instrument, The Pressure), Tawfiq Mardini, Lead Designer at Fresh Selects Records, and Joe Stewart (Work & Co.), who’s behind many of Xiu Xiu’s album covers. You’ll also get the perspective of label leaders Aaron Meola (Label Manager at Tender Loving Empire) and Jenny Logan (President of XRAY Records).

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Episode #119: Portland, OR is one of many cities that have become known as hubs of creativity. The city's "maker culture" includes a large community of creators of music gear. In fact, you could put together an entire stage set up and backline just using instruments and gear made in Portland. On this episode, we hear about how some of these businesses got started and how the city's development has affected their industry. Guests include Philip Graham of microphone company Ear Trumpet Labs, Chris Benson of Benson Amps, and Saul Koll of Koll Guitar Co.

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Episode #118: Last year, outlets like the Washington Post lamented the decline of the electric guitar and the supposed absence of American guitar heroes. In September of 2017, She Shreds Magazine published an article called "We Are The 50%: The Truth Behind the Supposed Decline of the Guitar," pushing back against this narrative. On this episode, we talk with the author of the piece, Natlie Baker, She Shreds Magazine editor-in-chief Fabi Reyna, Alicia Bognanno (Bully), and Trade Up Music manager Alexa Marmon about what's really going on in the guitar industry.

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Episode #117: “Where Are All the Female Producers?” “Why Aren’t There More Women Working in Audio?” Why don’t more women “step up” in music? These are just some of the questions that continue to baffle the mainstream music industry. Yet, there are (and have been) many talented women working in recording. On this episode, we talk to people working toward broader inclusion and accessibility in recording. Madeleine Campbell is the editor of the Women in Sound zine, which is “dedicated to women, queer, & trans* people in all areas of live & recorded sound.” Madeleine also runs Accessible Recording, a studio in Pittsburgh which offers sliding scale rates in an effort to stay affordable for those with no label support, free learning opportunities, and free childcare. Terri Winston, executive director of Women’s Audio Mission, also joins us to share the organization’s goals and accomplishments as the only professional recording studio in the world built and run by women. We also hear from Andrew Jones, a recording engineer in Denton, TX, whose studio caters to underrepresented emerging artists.

Learn more: www.accessiblerecording.com www.hearandrewjones.com/the-nest www.womensaudiomission.org

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Episode #116: These days there’s nothing but data out there — social media statistics, Spotify artist insights, info about who your fans are, where they are, and when they listen to your music. But what do you do with all this data? And who is really benefiting from it? Experts Kevin Erickson (Future of Music Coalition), Erica Sinkovic (CD Baby), Susie Giang (APA), and Zeke Howard (Trailboss) join Portia to discuss how artists can put their data to work.

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Portia is off to SXSW and Treefort! We'll be back with a new episode on March 30th!

In the meantime, check out some of our past episodes, like last week's conversation about recovery and addiction in the music industry, or brush up on the Fair Play Fair Pay Act!

If you're headed to Treefort, come to our panels at JUMP!

This episode contains discussions of addiction and suicide.

Episode #115: The stereotype of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” is pervasive in music. The music business often fosters an environment where addiction is the norm, but many artists and industry professionals who are in recovery have successfully stayed in the industry. Today, we talk to a few of those people about their experiences, advice for those who are struggling, and resources like MusiCares. We hear from Gene Bowen, founder of Road Recovery, Slim Moon, founder of Kill Rock Stars, and Rob Crow of Pinback.

Resources:

Road Recovery: http://www.roadrecovery.org/ MusiCares: https://www.grammy.com/musicares National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

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Episode #114: When people start a band, they’re entering relationships that will hopefully last for years. Contracts can be helpful in remembering what you agreed to years later. We talk to lawyer Gandhar Savur about what to expect when entering into a contract with bandmates or a label. What’s normal in a record deal? How do indie label contracts generally differ from majors? What are percentage deals? Gandhar gives practical advice for anyone about to sign a deal. We also hear from musician Justin Ringle who has been navigating contracts through his band Horse Feathers since 2004.

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Episode #113: What is the Music Modernization Act and how could it impact songwriters? On this episode we hear from people who have worked on this new bill and those whose livelihoods will be affected if it passes. David Israelite, President and CEO of the NMPA explains who the key players are and clears up some common misunderstandings surrounding the MMA. We also hear from RIAA President Mitch Glazier about the timeline of the act, and Blake Morgan (#IRespectMusic) shares pros and cons from an artists’ perspective.

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Episode #112: Social media has become a vital tool for artists to connect with their fans, but knowing where to invest your time, energy, and even money can be difficult. After all, you probably didn’t become a musician to spend hours on Facebook figuring out which markets to advertise to. On this episode, we gather concrete tips for musicians to efficiently and effectively use social media, playlists, and newsletters. We’re joined by Daniel Bozyk, a Social Content & Marketing Specialist who runs Bozyk Digital Media, Tracey Gill Miller, Global Marketing Manager at CD Baby, and musician Gil Assayas of Glasys.

Special thanks to Vortex Music Magazine

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BONUS: Dewey Halpaus is a musician and founding member of Anatomy of a Ghost and The Burning Room. He's also toured as a guitarist for Portugal. The Man. Now, Dewey hosts The Peer Pleasure Podcast, where he interviews musicians and creatives. We discuss his music career, podcasting, and more.

http://peerpleasurepodcast.com/

Episode #111: Last year, we recorded a conversation with the many women who hold positions in Pearl Jam's road crew, like sound engineer and production manager. The women discussed life on the road and shared their advice for young women looking for jobs in the industry. We also look back at an interview with Pearl Jam's lead guitarist, Mike McCready, about the band's activism and McCready's own work outside the group.

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Single: Walt Lilly is a playlist curator for Apollo Playlists. He walks us through the curation process and what factors he considers when creating a playlist.

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Single: Cherie Hu is a music-tech journalist who has written for publications like Billboard and Forbes. We talk to her about her recent article in Forbes on the push to get playlist curators paid: https://www.forbes.com/sites/cheriehu/2017/05/08/inside-the-ongoing-quest-to-get-music-curators-paid/

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Single: Crosshair Music is a new company that helps independent artists pitch their music to playlist curators. We spoke with founder Garrison Snell.

www.crosshairmusic.com

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Episode #109: Playlists have been a huge driver in the growth of streaming music, and platforms like Spotify are pushing their curated playlists more than ever. Securing a coveted placement on one of the top playlists could mean millions of streams and new fans for an artist. These playlists drive discovery, chart performance, and sales, and the tastemakers creating them aren’t just kids compiling their favorite songs. From brands to professional curators, many are taking advantage of this new marketing opportunity. But could curation become a viable revenue stream? And how do artists get their music to these mysterious influencers? On this episode we hear from Garrison Snell, who built his company, Crosshair, around getting curators compensated. We’re also joined by journalist Cherie Hu, who has written about music curation models for Forbes. Walt Lilly, the curator behind the Apollo Playlist brand gives us an idea of what goes into a successful playlist. If you want to hear more about playlisting, check out our recent interview with Liz Pelly.

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Episode #109: Writer Liz Pelly has spent the last year discussing how streaming services like Spotify and the rise of playlisting affect our the health of our music industry. She joins us on the show to break down her recent piece in The Baffler Magazine, "The Problem with Muzak." We'll also hear from Peter Harris, founder of Resonate, a cooperatively owned streaming service based on a stream-to-own model built with blockchain technology.

Get 15% off at rockabilia.com with code PCFUTUREOFWHAT

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Episode #108: One of the most exciting labels in the Pacific Northwest is also one of its youngest. EYRST Records was founded in 2014 by artist Neill Von Tally and Martell Webster. Since then, the label has filled its roster with promising artists, including acts like The Last Artful, Dodgr and Myke Bogan who have garnered national attention. We talk with Neill Von Tally and local artist Blossom about being part of an indie label and Portland's growing hip-hop scene.

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Episode #107: We talked to so many remarkable people this year, so we're looking back on some of our favorite interviews of 2017. Including: Jack Stratton (Vulfpeck), Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis (Sound Opinions), Greg Saunier (Deerhoof).

Episode #106: 2010 was arguably one of the hardest years for the music industry, but that didn’t stop manager and publicist Jessi Frick from starting an independent record label with her father, Ken Hector. Since then, Father/Daughter has released acclaimed albums by Pure Bathing Culture, Diet Cig, Vagabon, Nnamdi Ogbonnaya, and more. The label has also gained a reputation for being fiercely artist-friendly. Jessi joins us to talk shop and we hear from Shamir Bailey, who just released ‘Revelations’ through the label.

Episode #105: On this episode we hear from musician Blake Morgan about starting the largest grassroots movement in music history. The #IRespectMusic campaign has been supported by creators from David Lowery to David Byrne. Morgan tells us how #IRespectMusic was inspired, why he believes musicians should be paid for their hard work, and how middle class artists have more power than they think. Learn more about #IRespectMusic at irespectmusic.org

Episode #104: 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of iconic band The B-52s. It's also the year founding member Cindy Wilson embarked on her solo career, releasing her debut, 'Change,' on December 1st through Kill Rock Stars. On this episode, Portia talks with Cindy about her new album, adapting to today's music industry, and her advice for new musicians.

Episode #103: Portland, OR has been home to a unique hip hop and rap community for decades, with veteran artists like Vursatyl, Cool Nutz, and Libretto paving the way. Now, up and comers like Amine, Myke Bogan, The Last Artful, Dodgr, Mic Capes, Vinnie DeWayne, Wynne, and more are creating a new era. So what does it take to foster a healthy music scene no matter the genre or locale? We discuss with Portland’s DJ Klyph and Cool Nutz on this episode.

Episode #92: The internet is a vital tool for artists, but without the protections that ensure a level playing field, creators’ ability to earn a living comes under threat. Now, the FCC plans to do away with these protections. On today’s episode, we dive into the murky waters of net neutrality, copyright, and tech giants. We hear from Thirsty Ear Recordings Peter Gordon about why musicians should care about net neutrality. This point is echoed by Evan Greer of Fight for the Future, who goes on to explain the organization’s controversial stance on copyright. Finally, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier shares his opinion on tech giants like Google and why musicians are so mad at YouTube.

Episode #102: The rise of streaming has bestowed the music industry with a wealth of data, but how can labels and artists leverage that data to sustain themselves in this brave new world? On this episode, recorded live from Indie-Con in Adelaide, Australia, Portia moderates a panel on streaming and data with Amy Dietz (INGrooves), Henry Compton (The Orchard), Maya Janeska (UNFD), Jane Slingo (Young Strangers), Ben Godding (AWAL/Kobalt), and James Limon (ABC).

Music: Standing in the Way of Control - The Gossip We Think She’s a Nurse - Kinski The Arrival - Filthy Friends

Episode #101: In the second part of our 100th episode celebration and live taping, we spoke with organizations who strive to help musicians grow and take charge of their businesses. Maggie Vail (CASH Music), Ben Hubbird (CD Baby), Wade Metzler (SoundExchange), and Sierra Haager (Public Display PR) weigh in. We also hear from the new movement documenting and advocating for local musicians, MusicPortland, represented by Meara McLaughlin, Chris Young (Vortex), and Andre Middleton (Friends of Noise). They're joined by City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and DJ Klyph.

Lifelong musicians Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney Filthy Friends), Peter Buck (REM), Laura Veirs and Cool Nutz join us at our 100th episode celebration to discuss being career musicians.

Episode #100: On October 25th, we celebrated our 100th episode with a live taping in Portland, OR. On this episode, you'll hear from the amazing staff at Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, Kristi Balzer and Caley Murray, as well as former camper Katherine Paul (Black Belt Eagle Scout). Then, get insight from legendary musicians Corin Tucker, Peter Buck, Laura Veirs, and Cool Nutz. Special thanks to XRAY FM and Holocene.

Episode #99: Melissa Locker is a culture writer who has contributed to Elle, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, and more. She joins Portia to talk about trends in music writing, what Mick Jagger smells like, and how everyone should try to meet Enya.

Episode #98: Whether you do everything yourself or have some professional help, being resourceful is an important skill as an independent artist. On this episode, we talk with people who've established themselves and built their businesses -- doing everything from album recording to promotion -- outside of the mainstream. We're joined by the band Listener, Krist Krueger of Self Group, and Cool Nutz.

Teen-Beat Records founder Mark Robinson discusses running the label, highlighting local music, and more.

Episode #97: How global are the issues that affect the U.S. music industry? On this episode, Portia sits on a panel moderated by Jay Mogis (QUT/Nightlife) with Lynne Small (PPCA), Richard Burgess (A2IM), Paul Pacifico (AIM), Dylan Pellett (IMNZ) and Matt Rogers (UNFD) to discuss key developments in the copyright environment affecting the indies both here and in international markets. The group explores a diverse range of topics including: safe harbour and why you should care; EU copyright directive – what does that even mean?; recognition of sound recordings in the US – will it ever happen?; Joint collection societies and more. This panel was recorded at AIR’s Indie-Con in Australia.

Ian MacKaye joins us to talk D.C., Dischord, and fellow indie label Teen-Beat Records.

Health insurance, a 401K… employment benefits in general? Not so easy to find working in the music industry. Luckily, in 1989 the Recording Academy created the MusiCares Foundation, providing a safety net of critical services and resources for industry people in need. On this episode, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow gives us some background on the foundation and, while the service is confidential, some of the many musicians, managers and crew who have been helped by MusiCares have volunteered to tell us their stories.

Episode #96: In 1985, Mark Robinson sent a letter to Ian MacKaye asking about how to press vinyl records. The year earlier, he founded Teen-Beat Records in Arlington, Virginia. Initially, only one copy of each release existed. Now, the label has over 200 releases under its belt and has shaped the D.C. independent music scene alongside MacKaye’s punk label Dischord. Both Mark and Ian join us on this episode to talk Teen-Beat, D.C., and more.

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Episode #95: We talk a lot on this show about issues that affect musicians and the creative community, so how can people get involved and actually make a difference? For the last three years, the Recording Academy has led a grassroots campaign to mobilize the music community. Through their District Advocate day (formerly GRAMMYs in My District), artists have an opportunity to make an impact on music policy by speaking directly with their legislator. This year, District Advocate day falls on October 18th. Daryl Friedman, the Recording Academy’s Chief Industry, Government & Member Relations Officer joins us to discuss how Recording Academy members and anyone else interested can get involved. Glenn Lorbecki, producer and former Recording Academy Trustee, also shares his take on the District Advocate initiative and we revisit our conversation with musician Kris Orlowski, now President of the Recording Academy’s Pacific Northwest Chapter.

Episode #94: Recently, a bill was introduced by Republican congressman Jim Sensenbrenner which calls for the creation of a comprehensive database of compositions and recordings. The “Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act” claims to make things easier for coffee shops, bars and restaurants who want to license music to play in their establishments. To many in the music industry, the bill seems like a wolf in sheep’s clothing with the potential cause big problems. On this episode we dig deep into the bill with Future of Music Coalition’s Kevin Erickson and attorney Chris Castle.

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Public Display PR's Sierra Haager returns to the show to discuss how people listen to music and what success means for independent musicians.

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Bandcamp managing editor Jes Skolnik joins us to discuss the myth of good music rising to the "top."

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Episode #93: People often say that if you make good music, the fans will follow. So does good music rise to the top? And what is the top? On this episode, we talk with Jes Skolnik, managing editor at Bandcamp. Through Bandcamp Daily, Jes makes a point to highlight lesser-known artists who might be overlooked by outlets like Pitchfork or Rolling Stone. We also hear from Public Display PR’s Sierra Haager, whose goal through her boutique PR agency is to get high-profile coverage for indie bands.

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Thirsty Ear Recordings' Peter Gordon joins us to discuss how net neutrality affects musicians and the creative community.

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Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier joins us to talk about streaming rates, big tech companies, and surviving as an indie artist. Hear more on episode 92.

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Episode #92: The internet is a vital tool for artists, but without the protections that ensure a level playing field, creators’ ability to earn a living comes under threat. On today's episode, we dive into the murky waters of net neutrality, copyright, and tech giants. We hear from Thirsty Ear Recordings Peter Gordon about why musicians should care about net neutrality. This point is echoed by Evan Greer of Fight for the Future, who goes on to explain the organization's controversial stance on copyright. Finally, Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier shares his opinion on tech giants like Google and why musicians are so mad at YouTube.

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Episode #91: What if there were an IMDB for music? Not only would fans be able to dig deeper into their favorite albums, but producers, artists, and other collaborators could catalog their contributions, labels could track data more easily, and businesses would have all of the information they need to license a song right at their fingertips. On this episode, we talk with a new service called Jaxsta. CEO Jacqui Louez Schoorl and Head of Licensing Dick Huey discuss how Jaxsta could revolutionize music data use and its accessibility. Then, we talk with one of our favorite music databases and marketplaces, Discogs. Chief Product Officer Nik Kinloch demonstrates how music fans and record collectors can take advantage of Discogs’ music database (plus we hear about some new features!).

More on: jaxsta.com discogs.com

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What does it mean when an artist or label calls itself independent? Instead of defining independence as "not major," this episode discusses what independence in music really means. Portia travels to Australia for an Indie-Con panel with Matthew Rogers (UNFD/WIN Council Member), Sebastian Chase (MGM), Chris Maund (Mushroom Group of Labels), Merida Sussex (Stolen Recordings), and Guy Blackman (Chapter Music). Then, she speaks with A2IM CEO Richard Burgess about his recent Billboard article responding to their definition of "Indie Power Players."

Episode #59: When you think of video game music, you might hear Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. original score, or maybe FlyLo FM from Grand Theft Auto’s licensed soundtrack. Either way, video games have long held promise for composers and musicians. Like movies, video games are naturally a broad medium with room for different musical experiences. Games also provide a lucrative revenue stream for some artists. One composer, Chris Remo, who has worked on recent hits like Gone Home and Firewatch, joins us to talk about how he got into the video game industry. We also hear from Steve Gaynor, co-founder of indie game studio, The Fullbright Company. Kotaku editor-at-large Kirk Hamilton gives us a rundown of current and past trends in game music. To end the show, we get an idea of how video game music has influenced an entire music genre, and hear from Spencer Seim of Nintendocore band The Advantage.

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Episode #89: The music industry has recently seen its largest sales increase since the days of Napster. Streaming, while still in its infancy has shown that making a fraction of a penny from a lot of listeners could be a long term sustainable model for many. But just as we began to get comfortable, Pandora started a premium streaming service, YouTube is still running the show and Spotify is having to sign new deals (like allowing new releases to be “windowed”). Is this Napster 2.0? Are we going to push music fans back to piracy by handicapping these services? Is streaming going to sustain the industry and the artists that keep them all employed? We discuss in this final panel from Motorco Music Hall in Durham, NC.

PANELISTS: Jason Taylor - Redeye Distribution Rich Dejong - SoundExchange Shawn Rogers Nolan - Shawn Nolan Law Wilson Fuller - Merge Records Martin Anderson - Middle West Management Alex Maiolo - Journalist, Music Festival Advisor, Recordist, Musician, Advocate

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Palehound's Ellen Kempner joins us at Pickathon to talk about how she got into music and what it takes to navigate today's industry.

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We caught up with "comedy-adjacent" rapper and fellow podcaster Open Mike Eagle at Pickathon last year.

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Episode #88: Last year, we went to Oregon’s Pickathon music festival and caught up with some promising acts in Pickathon’s interview video series. With this year’s festival around the corner, we bring you extended interviews with some of our favorite artists. We talk with rapper and host of Comedy Central’s The New Negroes, Open Mike Eagle. Then we discuss everything from Avril Lavigne to anxiety with Ellen Kempner (Palehound). Thao Nguyen joins us to recount how she first got signed to Kill Rock Stars, and Seattle’s La Luz talks business. Watch the full interview series on YouTube and stay tuned for more from this year’s Pickathon.

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SoundExchange president Mike Huppe joins us to discuss the organizations acquisition of the Canadian music licensing collective CMRRA. "Together," they say, "the two agencies will integrate and streamline the administration and distribution of sound recording and music publishing royalties."

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Gray Gannaway, founder of video strategy firm Quarterlab, discusses the recent "adpocalypse" on YouTube which has dramatically cut revenue for many channels. So how has this affected the music industry?

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The music industry is constantly changing, so today we shine a light on a few important topics developing in the business. First we discuss the recent YouTube “adpocalypse” and how it affects artists’ revenues with Gray Gannaway of Quarterlab Consultancy. Then we hear from Mike Huppe, President of SoundExchange about their recent acquisition of CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency). Finally, The Recording Academy’s Daryl Friedman gives us an update on what’s happening with issues and legislation that affects musicians, like the Fair Play, Fair Pay Act.

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Episode #86: In the early 90’s, Chapel Hill was dubbed “the next Seattle” after producing acts that got noticed beyond its state lines. Twenty-five years later, a lot has changed in the local and national music landscape but the core ingredients that comprise any music scene remain the same: venues, record stores, press, and radio. While in North Carolina, Portia spoke with local mainstays Chaz Martenstein (Bull City Records), Mark Connor (Cave/Slims), Allison Hussey (Indy Week), Sarah Schmader (Burn Sweet Booking), Aaron VanSteinberg (WXDU), and Stephen Mooneyhan (Local 506). Whether you’re just starting to perform or are a seasoned veteran, there are key players in your city’s music scene who can potentially give your career a big boost!

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Episode #85: A lot of money is spent in the music industry developing new tools and platforms, but today we spotlight a nonprofit committed to providing artists with educational and professional resources -- all for free. In 2008, CASH Music started out of a desire to create a sustainable music industry. Since then, the platform has offered everything from download code generation and redemption to social feeds. We hear more from executive director Maggie Vail and Throwing Muses’ Kristin Hersh.

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Episode #84: Making great music is only one part of the equation; equally important is making sure you reach an audience and cultivate them as fans. As more and more musicians release their own music, the onus is on the musician to also navigate the marketing process. Almost every musician has access to the same marketing resources….and knowing your options and utilizing them effectively can make the difference between making music your hobby or making music your career. And what does a successful career in music look like by today’s standards and by what metrics is this success measured? On this episode, Portia travels to Durham, NC for a live panel with Molly Neuman (Kickstarter Music), Simon Perry (ReverbNation), Hank Stockard (Redeye Distribution), Rich Dejong (Sound Exchange), Carrie Colliton (Record Store Day), and Brian Burns (WUNC).

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Episode #83: Most indie label owners didn’t go to business school, and never expected to get interest from venture capitalists. What are the steps they can take to grow their business smartly using investment tools? This live discussion from A2IM’s Indie Week focuses on the fundamentals of investing – the basics, the intricacies, the best partnerships, and the pitfalls. When should you look for investors? What should you be aware of when an investor approaches you? Do you understand the difference between debt, and equity financing? We cover the importance of realistically valuing your catalog, how that impacts the investment itself, and what these deal structures look like. This panel will help your company prepare for growth, as you (prudently) consider partnerships, and allies to find the right fit at the right time. Panelists include Jason Peterson (GoDigital Media Group), Nari Matsuura (Massarsky Consulting), and Mathew Carvajal (JP Morgan).

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Episode #82: Since talking with Portland’s new record pressing plant, Cascade, in 2015, more and more vinyl pressing plants have opened up. New manufacturers can mean more opportunities for small labels, job creation and better quality products and customer service. We revisit the ups and downs of pressing records with Third Man Records’ Ben Blackwell, Cash Carter and Ryan Lewis of Athens, GA based plant Kindercore Vinyl and New Jersey’s Independent Record Pressing general manager Sean Rutkowski.

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Episode #81: How many "likes" did you get today, and does it even matter? On this episode, Portia leads an Upstream Summit keynote panel talking with Run The Jewels manager Amaechi Uzoigwe and RCA Records’ Tunji Balogun, two industry insiders who have effectively mined the vast quantities of data and analytics available. Artists, managers and labels have all begun using data to amplify albums, sell out shows, and launch careers; and at May’s Summit in Seattle, Portia and her panel of experts gave perspective on the types of data available and how best to harness it to reach your audience.

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Episode #80: On this episode we spotlight two people making change in the music industry. You might know Meredith Graves from her band Perfect Pussy, or from her work as a full time MTV News host. She also freelances and runs her own label. Meredith discusses her various jobs, the state journalism, hot takes and PWR BTTM. We also hear from musician Simon Tam about his groundbreaking Supreme Court case dealing with the trademark of his band’s name, The Slants.

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Episode #20: On the front page of Pandora’s website, there’s a statement that says “It’s a new kind of radio — stations that play only music you like.” How can it be that Pandora knows what you’ll enjoy? Isn’t liking music purely up to personal taste? Pandora, like many other digital music platforms, uses a complex algorithm to predict what their listeners want to hear. Other services employ human beings to curate their music discovery systems. So who’s the more effective tastemaker? Man, or machine? On today’s episode we tackle this question with writer and consultant Jim McDermott, then talk to two people who get paid to listen to music all day: New Music Scout and Artist Relations Manager for Marmoset Brandon Day and Rumblefish’s Senior Music Supervisor William Nix.

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Episode #79: Music supervisors aren’t just responsible for picking great songs for movies, TV shows, ads and video games, they also have to be savvy negotiators and know the ins and outs of music licensing. So how does someone become a music supervisor? And how can artists better connect with music supervisors when the opportunity arises? We discuss these questions and more with supervisors Jen Malone (Atlanta, Baskets), Sue Jacobs (Big Little Lies, Silver Linings Playbook) and Bryan Turcotte (Beta Petrol).

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Episode #78: People have been declaring the end of radio for years, yet stations continue to pop up and even thrive today. While many stations have been swept up by corporations, community and college low-power FM and internet stations still serve their communities. On this episode, we sit down with LPFM and college stations to discuss the role of community radio today, how college stations serve as a “pipeline for the music industry,” and how authenticity in media is more important than ever. Joining us are Zelos Marchandt (KBOO), Rebecca Webb (Portland Radio Project), Aaron Hall (XRAY FM), Laura Ragsdale (KFFP / Distiller Promo) and Jordan Rasmussen (KPSU).

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Episode #77: With more and more music flooding the internet, artists, labels, and entrepreneurs are looking for new ways to engage fans. Many look to a subscription model as a way to provide listeners with a unique, niche experience. On this episode we hear from Patreon's Jack Conte, Vinyl Me, Please founder Matthew Fiedler, Kevin Duquette (Topshelf Records) and Karl Hofstetter (Joyful Noise Recordings).

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Episode #33: “Young people [are an] underserved population when it comes to the music industry.” That’s the point our guest Andre Middleton drives home on this episode of The Future of What. In our discussion with Middleton (Friends of Noise) and Todd Fadel (The Meow Meow), we look at the logistics and pitfalls of starting and sustaining an all ages venue. Like many cities with rising rents and strict liquor laws, Portland has seen a slew of beloved all ages venues close in the last decade. Many people, young and old, still see the value in all ages venues. We talk with Claire Gunville (Semi Ok Collective) and Maya Stoner (Sabonis), both in their early twenties, about building an inclusive all ages community even without venues to turn to. The Vera Project in Seattle is often lauded for their all ages model, and their Talent Buyer Andrea Friedman gives us the low down on how they’ve survived for so long.

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Episode #76: Licensing a song may have once come with accusations of selling out, but today, getting a song on a movie, TV show or commercial can be one of the most lucrative moves for a musician. It can make paying for a tour or album that much more feasible, and can even break a band to a new audience. So how does licensing work, and how can an artist up their chances of making a deal? On this episode we talk with Kat Olsen, music supervisor at boutique licensing agency Marmoset, and Ritchie Young of Loch Lomond, who talks about having music licensed for everything from ads to Laika’s The Boxtrolls.

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Episode #75: On this episode we’re sharing interviews with three of our favorite artists from Treefort Music Fest! First, Portia talks with Catherine Harris-White of SassyBlack and THEESatisfaction about turning music into a living, then joins Seattle band Thunderpussy to talk about their upcoming album and collaboration with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. We also hear from Luz Elena Mendoza, the core of Portland group Y La Bamba, who tells us about the first time she held a guitar and more.

Find out more about: SassyBlack: https://sassyblack.bandcamp.com/ Thunderpussy: http://www.thunderpussyusa.com/ Y La Bamba: http://www.ylabamba.com/ Treefort Fest: https://www.treefortmusicfest.com/

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Episode #74: The Future of What looks deeper at recent immigration issues surrounding SXSW and Trump's travel ban with Matthew Covey of international musicians' group Tamizdat and Kevin Erickson of artist advocacy organization the Future of Music Coalition. Cherine Amr of Massive Scar Era shares her story of being turned away at the border, and Baltimore musician Ami Dang discusses her concerns over the rise in xenophobic attitudes.

More on: FMC: https://futureofmusic.org/ Artists from Abroad: http://www.artistsfromabroad.org/ Tamizdat: http://www.tamizdat.org/ Ami Dang: http://amidang.com/ Massive Scar Era: http://massivescarera.com/

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Episode #73: Treefort Music Fest is a 5-day music and arts festival in Boise, Idaho. This year’s festival was one of the most successful yet, and bolstered Treefort as a great alternative to SXSW. We headed to Boise to talk with performers and host a panel on the current state of the music industry. Hear the panel with Sharlese Metcalf (KEXP), Jess Caragliano (Terrorbird Media), Zeke Howard (The Brigade) and Karl Hofstetter (Joyful Noise) on this episode.

Find out more about: KEXP: http://kexp.org Terrorbird Media: https://terrorbird.com The Brigade: https://thisisthebrigade.com Joyful Noise Recordings: https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com

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Episode #24: Independent labels have long been at the forefront of bringing great music to the public, especially lost gems and overlooked greats that went out of print or were never pressed on any other format than vinyl. Today we talk reissues with the labels Yep Roc and Light in the Attic, as well as talking to one of the bands whose output is receiving the reissue treatment: seminal pub rock band Eggs Over Easy. Yep Roc’s General Manager Billy Maupin discusses reissues in general, and Light in the Attic’s Matt Sullivan gives us the scoop on tracking down enigmatic folk musician Sixto Rodriguez, and more!

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Episode #72: As long as there’s been music, there have been music critics. Like many professions, music review has been indelibly changed by the Internet. For a while, a numerical rating on Pitchfork could make or break a band. Blogs and social media emerged, and suddenly, truly everyone was a critic. On this episode, we hear from music critics about their role today and more. We’re joined by Sound Opinions’ (WBEZ) Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd (Jezebel), Bob Ham (Paste), and former New York Times critic, Ben Ratliff.

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Shane Told (Silverstein, River Oaks), joins us to talk about his podcast, Lead Singer Syndrome, making it in the music business and more.

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Episode #71: Podcasts have surged in popularity over the last few years, and have proved to be a great way to connect with your audience — so why don’t more musicians take advantage of the format? Today we talk with three musicians making their mark on the podcast charts, Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of Song Exploder, Joe Pug, host of The Working Songwriter, and Silverstein’s Shane Told, host of Lead Singer Syndrome. PLUS: We've joined Jabberjaw Media!

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Like many creative cities, Portland is growing rapidly, but is the vibrant music scene that bolstered its reputation benefiting? The city is known as one of the nation’s hottest music spots, so how can we make sure that its beloved music industry thrives as Portland changes? On this episode we delve into these questions and more with local industry leaders, Pat Rice (Old Town Music), Larry Crane (Tape Op Magazine, Jackpot Recording Studio), Terry Currier (Music Millennium), Sierra Haager (Public Display PR, bed.) and Andre Middleton (Friends of Noise). PLUS hear Jack Black talk Elliott Smith from 'Say Yes.'

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When people talk about “making it” in the music industry, it’s usually in reference to making a living writing or playing original songs in a popular band or as a solo artist. Today we explore alternative career paths playing music. We’re joined by Phil Hernandez and Chris Maxwell, who make up production duo The Elegant Too. They’re also the composers of some of your favorite musical moments on Bob’s Burgers. We also talk with successful children’s (or “kindie” rock) band, The Not-Its. Finally, we hear about an underrated route to success from cover artist Chris Huff.

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Episode #37: When recording engineer Larry Crane started Tape Op Magazine in 1996, he printed the first issue on legal paper and Xeroxed 500 copies to send to his friends. Branded as “the creative music recording magazine,” that first issue set Tape Op up to be one of the best resources for new and established engineers, gaining a readership of over 60,000. On this episode of The Future of What, we celebrate Tape Op’s 20th anniversary with an extended interview with Crane. We talk about what it takes to sustain an independent (free!) publication, adapting to new technology in recording, and why he has continued to distribute print issues. We also talk to longtime Tape Op admirers and notable producers Tucker Martine and Tyler Stone.

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Larry Crane runs Jackpot! Recording Studio and Tape Op Magazine. He's also the archivist of Elliott Smith's catalog. Larry talks with Portia about his time working with Elliott and putting together the upcoming 'Either/Or: Expanded Edition.'

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Episode #68: From Prince to Sharon Jones, too many musicians have passed away in the last year. What will happen to their music, and who will control their legacies? These losses remind us that, while difficult, planning for the inevitable is vital as a musician of any level. On this episode, we look at recent cases of musicians’ estate planning gone awry with attorney Andy Mayoras. We also hear from Conrad Rippy, who represents the estate of Jeff Buckley. Larry Crane, archivist for Elliott Smith, discusses protecting Smith’s legacy and working on his posthumous releases. PLUS: Hear Kevin Devine’s interview with Sean Cannon from Say Yes: An Elliott Smith Podcast.

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Episode #67: Over the last decade, the music industry has become increasingly difficult to navigate -- especially for emerging artists. As the Internet has developed, it’s introduced a slew of new issues for creators, but has also provided valuable tools. Some artists are taking things into their own hands by using crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter to launch albums and more. We discuss the trend with Kickstarter's new head of music, Molly Neuman, and hear from Jack Stratton of Vulfpeck, a group that creatively employs crowdfunding platforms and more. PLUS: We introduce the new podcast from Kill Rock Stars and The Guestlist, 'Say Yes.' You can hear pieces from the show on The Future of What over the next weeks, and subscribe at sayyes.link

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What does it take to progress as a performer? Chanticleer Tru (Chanti Darling), Travis Labbe (True West) and Peter Clark (What The Festival) discuss.

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Episode #66: You probably remember the best concert you’ve ever been to -- and the worst. Live shows have always been a core component of a musician’s job, and as the music industry’s economy has changed over the last decade, touring has become essential. Performing live isn’t for everyone though, so we’re joined by an experienced group who walk us through turning a concert into an engaging experience. In this roundtable discussion, we hear from musician Chanticleer Trü (Chanti Darling), Travis Labbe (True West) and Peter Clark (What The Festival).

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Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) talks candidly about what the Trump presidency could mean for musicians and America.

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Find out more about Lower Dens: lowerdens.com

Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) explains why the Affordable Care Act is important and how it changed Hunter's life.

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Find out more about Lower Dens: lowerdens.com

Secretly Canadian's Jon Coombs talks about the development of 'Our First 100 Days,' a new compilation which benefits different causes in light of our changing political landscape.

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Find out more about 'Our First 100 Days': ourfirst100days.bandcamp.com

Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what Trump the GOP's policy plans could mean for the music community.

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Find out more about The Future of Music Coalition: futureofmusic.org

Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what a Trump presidency could mean for musicians.

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Find out more about The Future of Music Coalition: futureofmusic.org

Episode #65: A presidency doesn’t usually hold so many unknowns for the music community, but the election of Donald Trump will affect a range of issues important to musicians and music industry professionals. On this episode of The Future of What, we have a frank discussion about how Trump’s presidency could influence issues like healthcare, net neutrality, free expression and more. We’re joined by Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition, an organization that specializes in education, advocacy and research on behalf of musicians. We also talk with Jon Coombs, who’s behind the ‘Our First 100 Days’ project with Secretly Group. Finally, Jana Hunter of Lower Dens speaks candidly about the Affordable Care Act and making music in difficult times.

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Find out more about 'Our First 100 Days': ourfirst100days.bandcamp.com The Future of Music Coalition: futureofmusic.org Lower Dens: lowerdens.com

Episode #64: Last year, we released 37 episodes on a wide variety of topics in music. From rights to royalties, we covered subjects important to artists and those who support them. On this episode, we look back at the major issues we reported on in 2016 and those who they impacted most. We hear from musician Melissa Ferrick about the Spotify lawsuits that started the year, then A2IM’s Richard Burgess gives us the scoop on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and how it’s creating problems for the industry. David Israelite of the NMPA clearly breaks down how the Department of Justice has handled the consent decrees and what that means for creators. These stories are still developing, so check back for updates!

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Episode #63: 2016 has been an unforgettable year. We lost legendary musicians and witnessed a huge political shift. Today on the show, we recap the year by talking about some of its best -- and most notable -- songs. First, we hear from Kill Rock Stars' Ben Parrish and James Reling about their favorite songs of the year, from Cate Le Bon to Jackie Lynn. Then we’re joined by songwriter Charlie Harding, host of music podcast Switched on Pop! Harding gives us the lowdown on some of the year’s biggest music trends.

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Check out Switched on Pop: http://www.switchedonpop.com/

Happy holidays! Here's another one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter.

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Happy holidays! Here's one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter.

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Episode #62: We took The Future of What to North Carolina for this year’s Redeye Label Hang. Every year, labels, industry partners and customers associated with Redeye Distribution gather for panels and discussions about the business. On this live show, we’re joined by record labels Warp, Break World, Father/Daughter and Don Giovanni to talk innovative marketing strategies, social media, and more. Special thanks to WHUP FM and Redeye Worldwide.

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We ask Russ Crupnick of MusicWatch Inc. to explain recent trends in paid downloads and what they might mean for the future of the music industry.

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Episode #61: With the launch of Apple Music in 2015, the music industry saw a steep decline in digital downloads, and rumors flew about whether iTunes downloads would be phased out completely -- one publication even wrote an obituary for the service. Streaming services are here to stay, but what will that mean for music downloads? We ask MusicWatch Inc.’s Russ Crupnick about trends in music downloads, and hear from Bandcamp’s Chief Curator, Andrew Jervis, about viability of Bandcamp downloads. Ken Shipley of Numero Group also joins us to explain why the label has chosen to stop including download codes in their vinyl releases.

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Episode #60: The ASCAP and BMI consent decree issue has put songwriters in the news this year, but we don’t hear a lot about how the profession has changed as a whole in recent years. To help us get a sense of what modern songwriting looks like, we talked to Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) and Michelle Lewis, founders of Songwriters of North America (SONA). SONA filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice in September, which, as they say, is pretty punk rock. Michelle and Kay give us an update on the lawsuit and other issues facing songwriters today. We also talk to acclaimed songwriter Sue Ennis, who wrote over 70 songs with Heart.

Episode #59: When you think of video game music, you might hear Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. original score, or maybe FlyLo FM from Grand Theft Auto’s licensed soundtrack. Either way, video games have long held promise for composers and musicians. Like movies, video games are naturally a broad medium with room for different musical experiences. Games also provide a lucrative revenue stream for some artists. One composer, Chris Remo, who has worked on recent hits like Gone Home and Firewatch, joins us to talk about how he got into the video game industry. We also hear from Steve Gaynor, co-founder of indie game studio, The Fullbright Company. Kotaku editor-at-large Kirk Hamilton gives us a rundown of current and past trends in game music. To end the show, we get an idea of how video game music has influenced an entire music genre, and hear from Spencer Seim of Nintendocore band The Advantage.

Episode #58: Without technological development, the music industry would be in a very different place. From the modulated grooves of analog records to the first iPod, innovation has permanently shaped the music business, but it's not always an easy process. In recent years, technology seems to be advancing faster and faster, with more companies popping up than ever, many of which are focused on music. Are these apps and startups, who aim to be artist-centric, actually helping creators? We ask user researcher and trade journalist Kyle Bylin and music tech launch and growth strategist Patti Silverman. We also talk to startup founders Bruce Pavitt and Adam Farish (8Stem) and Taishi Fukuyama (Qrates).

Episode #57: Music has the power to inspire people and change lives. On this episode we spotlight one organization using music education to empower and amplify the voices of young women and girls. Portland’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls was founded in 2001 and provides tools and education for girls interested in music. Along with the camp’s director, Kristi Balzer, we talk to some of the women who have been influenced by and serve as role models for the camp, Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney), Jenny Conlee (The Decemberists) and Fabi Reyna (She Shreds Magazine). The Portland camp’s mission has spread as other camps have sprung up all over the world. To support GRC and find a camp near you, visit http://www.girlsrockcamp.org/.

Episode #56: A band has recorded some music -- they’ve even set a date for their album release -- but how do they get people to listen to it? Making press contacts and getting the right information to the right people can be difficult when you’re not a public relations expert. We’re joined by PR pros Sierra Haager (Public Display PR, bed.) and Chris Hnat (Grandstand Media & Management) who break down media relations do’s and don’t’s for artists. We also get advice from the editorial side with Chris Young (Vortex Music Magazine) and Casey Jarman (Mississippi Studios, fmr. Willamette Week).

Episode #55: Record stores have long been an integral part of the music industry -- not only as a place to purchase albums, but as a symbolic gathering space for music fans. While the development of MP3s, streaming and other digital technology has disrupted music retailers, some contend that the vinyl resurgence has all but made up for lost revenue. Yet, with countless popular and iconic record stores closing, it’s clear there’s more to the issue. Josh Madell, co-owner of New York’s recently closed Other Music explains the value of your local record store and what the future might look like for other retailers. Ken Cheppaikode, owner of Green Noise Records in Portland, OR, also gives his take on what it takes to survive in the record business. We’re then joined by Chad Dahlstrom, COO of online of online music database and marketplace Discogs. Sales & Label Strategy Director at Redeye Worldwide, Jason Taylor, describes how distribution has had to adjust to trends in music retail.

Episode #54: In 1986, iconic alt-rock band Blake Babies was born at Berklee School of Music. John Strohm, Freda Love and Juliana Hatfield released a few albums and toured before breaking up in 1991, but their work impacted both the Boston and national alternative music scenes. Despite their short run, Blake Babies helped define what we think of today as an independent band. On the heels of their reunion, we welcome John, Freda and Juliana on the show to talk about their enduring legacy and future plans.

Music: "Mind Your Own Business" - Delta 5 "Nothing Ever Happens" - Blake Babies "On" - Blake Babies "Waiting for Heaven" - Blake Babies

Produced by Will Watts and Anna McClain. Recorded by Brent Asbury at Beta Petrol.

Episode #53: The idea of large companies collecting information about you for free feels shady, especially when they use that data for profit. Most big tech businesses collect personal information in some fashion, including your favorite streaming services. On one hand, data helps these services tailor your playlists and lets artists know who’s listening to them. On the other, data mining can invade listeners’ privacy for profit. On this episode we talk to the founder of a new streaming service called Resonate. Peter Harris hopes that his alternative model will benefit artists -- and protect consumers’ privacy. We also welcome musician, music business consultant and activist Kiran Gandhi back to the show to demonstrate how artists can benefit from data-driven insights. A2IM CEO Richard Burgess then goes into detail about his recent Op-Ed on Hypebot, “O.P.I.P. Yeah You Know - Free?”

Episode #52: Whether you love it or hate it, if you’re in a band, touring is something you’ve got to do. Touring has long been important for building a fanbase, gaining experience and making money. Now that other income streams have diminished for artists, revenue from live performances is more important than ever. On this episode of The Future of What we talk to bands about their different approaches to touring. We hear from Hutch Harris of The Thermals, Zach Carothers of Portugal. The Man, Jack Cooper and James Hoare (Ultimate Painting), and Simon Tam, founder of The Slants.

Episode #51: As other revenue streams have weakened, merch has become integral to many musicians’ incomes. Some artists take things beyond the traditional band tee, selling everything from cologne to snuggies. While merchandising can be a fun way to connect with fans, designing and distributing products can become a whole job in itself. Electronic musician Dan Deacon has released eight albums since 2003, and tells us about his approach to merch, sold through Big Cartel. We also hear from Ed Aten, founder of Merchbar, a new retailer that has just partnered with Spotify. Then we take a look at Merchtable, a company that does manufacturing, warehousing and fulfillment for artists, labels and more.

Music: "Ron Jeremy" - Young People "700 Story Building" - Men's Recovery Project "Sunny Krakow" - Metalux "Mind Your Own Business" - The Delta 5

Episode #50: Think the music industry is confusing? Here’s where things get really hairy for songwriters. The Department of Justice recently issued a statement upholding consent decrees that regulate performing rights organizations BMI and ASCAP. These decrees were originally intended as an antitrust measure, but many feel they are outdated and come with many costs. David Israelite, CEO of the NMPA, says this decision will devalue songs, implicate the property rights of songwriters and limit their creative process. We asked musician and industry critic David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven) and lawyer Chris Castle to help us further understand the ramifications of the DOJ’s stance.

Episode #49: Chances are, at least one of your favorite artists is not from the United States. It’s hard enough to break into the music industry as an American artist, so how are these acts from abroad pulling it off? The U.S. is a huge market for musicians, but presents its own unique challenges. We explore some of these obstacles and talk success stories with Anna Bond, U.S. label manager for Rough Trade Records, Nick O’Byrne, a manager for Look Out Kid who works with Courtney Barnett, and Tegan and Sara manager Nick Blasko (Amelia Artists).

Activist, musician and industry thinker Kiran Gandhi tells us why shock art is valuable.

Episode #48: We’ve brought you expertise from businesspeople, gatekeepers and analysts, and today we’re highlighting a few of the many savvy artists we’ve had on the show. On this episode, musicians give their take on some of the most important music industry issues of the last year. First, artist and lawyer Christiane Kinney examines the recent Spotify lawsuits, then we hear from plaintiff David Lowery, who gives us his take on royalty reporting. Celebrated musician and songwriter Laura Veirs takes us on her career journey, and Valerie Day (Nu Shooz) emphasizes the importance of the Fair Play, Fair Pay Act.

Episode #47: We talk a lot about how musicians can make a living in today’s music industry, but on this episode we look at the selfless ways artists use their influence. Our guests show that musicians at any stage of their careers can affect sustainable, positive change. Mike McCready, lead guitarist for Pearl Jam, tells us how the band’s Vitalogy Foundation, funded by ticket sales, benefits everything from the environment to the arts. Then we hear from emerging queer punk duo PWR BTTM about how their tour rider is making venues safer and more accessible. Merrill Garbus, the artist behind tUnE-yArDs, explains how one song led to the creation of the Water Fountain fund. We end the show with Coy Bowles of Zac Brown Band, who uses storytelling to change kids’ lives.

Episode #46: In anticipation of Vortex Magazine's upcoming issue regarding the role of record labels in today's music economy, we sat down with three label heads from Portland to talk about what labels do for artists in 2016. Despite the label's varying ages, reach, and aesthetic, everyone in attendance could agree on the fact that there are too many business related tasks associated with releasing a record for one person, or a band, to handle.

GUESTS:

John Shepski (Fluff & Gravy) Aaron Meola (Tender Loving Empire) Blake Hickman (Good Cheer)

MUSIC:

Y La Bamba "Ostrich" Fernando "Save Me" Naked Hour "Crossfade"

Episode #45: Despite the music industry’s economic downturn, more and more music festivals have popped up and many continue to thrive. Because of the booming demand for tickets, live performances have become a vital revenue stream for many artists. But have we hit “peak festival”? Mainstays like Coachella and Lollapalooza have become increasingly corporate, and independently-run festivals contend that competition for is a huge issue in planning their events. We talk to three indie festival organizers, Nick Blasko (Rifflandia), Bob Babisch (Summerfest) and Zale Schoenborn (Pickathon), about the fate of their business and alternative festival models.

Episode #44: Whether it’s your first show or your dream venue, one of the most daunting tasks as a musician can be booking a gig. From the outside, it’s hard to know just how much planning goes into each concert. On this installment of our Music Industry 101 series, we talk to talent buyers and booking agents about what they do and how they do it. Booking agency Monterey International represents over 100 artists, from Van Morrison to Anais Mitchell. After agent Josh Brinkman offers his perspective as an artist representative, we hear from Velena Vego of legendary Athens venue the 40 Watt Club. She’s celebrating 25 years as the 40 Watt’s talent buyer. Then local tastemaker, Eric Gerber, talent buyer at Portland’s Doug Fir Lounge, gives us the nitty gritty details of what he expects from artists.

Episode #43: Each year, independent labels converge in New York to talk trade at A2IM’s annual Indie Week conference. On this episode bring you some insight into the event with a panel moderated by Portia. She’s joined by some of the indie world’s best, including Mute Records’ Nicole Blonder, Sara Dempsey of ABKCO Music & Records, Dave Martin (Omnian Music Group), and General Manager of Concord Music Group, Jim Selby. While catalog is at the forefront of the discussion, the group touched on marketing to new audiences, adapting to streaming services, and making an impact on social media.

Episode #34: The term “A&R guy” is tossed around casually in the music biz — but what does the A&R division of a label do? A&R teams are traditionally charged with finding new talent, guiding artists through the recording process and connecting artists with producers, songwriters and other collaborators. Their insight can have huge influence on an artist and label. Over the years, the role has changed with the music business. This week, respected A&R dude and founder of Loma Vista Recordings Tom Whalley tells us about his journey from the mailroom at Warner Bros. Records to chairman of the company. He also offers his perspective on how the job has changed — and the differences between working A&R at an indie and major label. Then we talk with Louis Posen, founder of established indie label Hopeless Records, about why the term “A&R” isn’t used at his company, and why a team approach to talent scouting works for them. Finally, Robby Morris, director of A&R at New York indie Matador Records, walks us through creative development at the label.

Car Seat Headrest “Vincent” Milk Teeth “Swear Jar” Delta 5 “Mind Your Own Business”

Episode #42: Touring, playing festivals, meeting loyal fans. Sounds like life as a successful musician, right? On this episode we look at a different audio and performance-driven art form: stand-up comedy. There are many parallels between the comedy and music industries, especially when it comes to releasing albums and booking festivals. We talk to comedy festival pioneer Andy Wood about the ninth year of Portland s Bridgetown Comedy Festival and how it s affected the nation s comedy landscape. We also have comedian and writer Shane Torres in studio to help shed light on the similarities among those working hard to make it in the creative world.

Episode #41: We know that producers are integral to the recording process, but even some in the industry are still confused as to exactly what producers do. While the scope of their role can vary, every music producer has their own approach. Renowned engineer, artist and educator Sylvia Massy prides herself on her unconventional production techniques. Massy has worked with artists from Prince to Tool, always bringing her unique perspective and creativity to producing. On this episode, we put the spotlight on Massy and her new book, Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording. We also talk to Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine about his methods. And stay tuned for our special interview with Libera Awards nominee Hugues Payen of Caravan Palace!

GUESTS:

Sylvia Massy (Producer / Author / Illustrator) Tucker Martine (Producer / Engineer) Hugues Payen (Caravan Palace)

MUSIC:

Panther “Latitudes for Centuries” Thao & the Get Down Stay Down “When We Swam” Shy Child “Drop the Phone” Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #40: In 2016, the way people are consuming music is changing, but it might not be how you’d expect. Between ad-based and on-demand streaming, digital downloads, vinyl, and yes, CDs and cassettes, there’s huge diversity in the way consumers are accessing music. We talk with three experts, Russ Crupnick (MusicWatch Inc.), Jim Lidestri (BuzzAngle) and Tom Silverman (Tommy Boy Entertainment), to make sense of recent statistics, and to better understand how they affect the music industry’s future.

Music: Nothing is Easy - Marnie Stern Great Skulls - Boats Eyes Hands Mouth - Explode Into Colors

Episode #39: A band is ready to release new music, but how can they grab people’s attention in such a crowded market? Promoting a song or album effectively is a multi-step process that can be daunting for artists, especially as acts and labels turn to more inventive concepts. In this 101 episode, we talk through what goes into a marketing strategy with Graham Rothenberg, Senior Director of Marketing at leading agency The Syndicate. Then we hear from Sub Pop’s Carly Starr about how publicity and marketing have begun to merge as promotional platforms have changed. Warp’s Steven Hill tells us about what made innovative campaigns he’s worked on successful, like Aphex Twin and Oneohtrix Point Never. Finally, Amit Nerurkar, General Manager of Mass Appeal Records talks us through the award-winning marketing campaign for Run The Jewels.

GUESTS:

Graham Rothenberg (The Syndicate) Carly Starr (Sub Pop) Steven Hill (Warp) Amit Nerukar (Mass Appeal)

MUSIC:

Wimps "Vampire" New Dog "Classic Ballroom Dances" Kinski "Detroit Trickle Down" Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #38: What do artists like Katy Perry, Debbie Harry, Lionel Richie and hundreds of others have against one piece of legislation? Along with many in the creative community, they’re calling for reform of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA was drafted in 1998 — before platforms like Napster and YouTube existed — with the intent of bringing copyright up to date with the digital age. Unfortunately, according to those calling for reform, the outdated act has allowed tech giants to profit from copyright infringement while artists’ own earnings plummet. On this episode, we dissect the issue and discuss solutions with Richard Burgess, CEO of A2IM, RIAA’s Senior Executive Vice President Mitch Glazier, Perry Resnick of Music Managers Forum, and musician and lawyer John Strohm.

When recording engineer Larry Crane started Tape Op Magazine in 1996, he printed the first issue on legal paper and Xeroxed 500 copies to send to his friends. Branded as “the creative music recording magazine,” that first issue set Tape Op up to be one of the best resources for new and established engineers, gaining a readership of over 60,000. On this episode of The Future of What, we celebrate Tape Op’s 20th anniversary with an extended interview with Crane. We talk about what it takes to sustain an independent (free!) publication, adapting to new technology in recording, and why he has continued to distribute print issues. We also talk to longtime Tape Op admirers and notable producers Tucker Martine, Tyler Stone, and Dave Gross.

Featuring music recorded at Jackpot! by: The Corin Tucker Band The Thermals Witchypoo

Episode #36: Felice Ecker started music marketing agency Girlie Action Media in 1994. Since then, their clients have included everyone from Bikini Kill to Morrissey. Today on The Future of What, we talk to Felice about her success as an independent entrepreneur in our new Spotlight feature, where we hear advice from influential figures in the business. While Felice brought the wisdom of a successful decades-long career, her longtime client and our guest John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants brought laughs and anecdotes from TMBG’s long and thriving existence.

Music: “The Black Table” - Milagres “Brave Motion” - Hands “Belly of June” - Horse Feathers

Episode #35: Every kid dreams of being a rock star, but what does the job actually take? While touring can be fun, the realities of life on the road can be difficult to sustain. How do working artists balance their careers with day to day life? We talk with Rafael Cohen of !!! about creating stability as a “middle-class” musician. Then, Taraka Larson of Prince Rama walks us through the duo’s touring schedule and unconventional recording process. Portugal. The Man’s Zach Carothers shares what he’s learned over the last fifteen years of working in the band, including a few tour bus cooking tips.

Music: “Ooo” - !!! “Bahia” - Prince Rama “Evil Friends” - Portugal. The Man

Episode #33: “Young people [are an] underserved population when it comes to the music industry.” That’s the point our guest Andre Middleton drives home on this week’s episode of The Future of What. In our discussion with Middleton (Friends of Noise, RACC) and Todd Fadel (The Meow Meow), we look at the logistics and pitfalls of starting and sustaining an all ages venue. Like many cities with rising rents and strict liquor laws, Portland has seen a slew of beloved all ages venues close in the last decade. Many people, young and old, still see the value in all ages venues. We talk with Claire Gunville (Semi Ok Collective) and Maya Stoner (Sabonis), both in their early twenties, about building an inclusive all ages community even without venues to turn to. The Vera Project in Seattle is often lauded for their all ages model, and their Talent Buyer Andrea Friedman gives us the low down on how they’ve survived for so long.

GUESTS:

Todd Fadel (Meow Meow) Andre Middleton (Friends of Noise, RACC) Andrea Friedman (The Vera Project) Claire Gunville (Semi OK Collective) Maya Stoner (Sabonis)

MUSIC:

Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business" Elliott Smith "Rose Parade" Thao & Mirah "Sugar and Plastic" The Thermals "Canada"

Episode #32: You’ve put your music out there and built a solid fan base, but you may still be missing an integral part of your team -- a person who could help bring your career to the next level. Band managers play a key role in the trajectory of an act, and by overseeing the business side of the group can allow the artist to put their energy into making music. We talk with three knowledgeable managers about what they do, what it takes to be an effective business partner and what artists can do to maximize their success. Joining us are Slim Moon, Ingrid Renan, and Louie Bandak.

GUESTS

Slim Moon (Kill Rock Stars, 5RC, Shotclock Management) Ingrid Renan (Manager) Louie Bandak (Manager)

MUSIC

Dear Boy “Local Roses” Summer Cannibals “Go Home” Witchypoo “Bad Circulation”

Episode #31: If women and girls are one of the fastest growing markets in the music industry, shouldn’t they be better represented in media? That’s what some, like our guests this week, are striving to do. A greater number of magazines and blogs oriented toward women and girls means that many of these aspiring musicians can finally recognize themselves in the publications they consume. But giving focus to women musicians isn’t just a good cause — it’s a good business investment. This week we host a roundtable to talk media and its portrayal of women musicians. Joining us are online editor of Bitch Media Sarah Mirk, founder of She Shreds Magazine Fabi Reyna, and Mindy Abovitz, founder of Tom Tom Magazine.

GUESTS

Sarah Mirk (Bitch Media) Fabi Reyna (She Shreds) Mindy Abovitz (Tom Tom Magazine)

MUSIC

Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business" EXEC "Going Under" CTM "Cézanne" Palace Winter "Menton"

Episode #30: Could two multi-million dollar lawsuits be the downfall of one of music’s most popular streaming services? Earlier this year, two class-actions were brought against streaming giant Spotify by musicians David Lowery and Melissa Ferrick. The plaintiffs allege that Spotify knowingly distributes copyrighted material without obtaining the proper licenses. So what do these suits mean for musicians and the industry as a whole? We discuss with lead plaintiff Melissa Ferrick, lawyers Howell O’Rear and Chris Castle, and musician and music lawyer Christiane Kinney.

GUESTS Melissa Ferrick (Musician) Howell O'Rear (Attorney) Chris Castle (Attorney) Christiane Kinney (Attorney, Musician)

MUSIC Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business" Melissa Ferrick "Careful" Xiu Xiu "Boy Soprano" Riddle The Sphinx "Judgement Day"

Episode #29: How do you get your music on the “it” blog or radio station? When should you hire a publicist? What does a publicist even do? These questions are common among young musicians looking for their break. In our second installment of Music 101, we talk to tastemakers Sharlese Metcalf (KEXP) and Brandon Stosuy (Pitchfork) about how they discover new artists, then publicist Nathan Walker (Riot Act Media) gives some advice on promoting your band.

GUESTS

Sharlese Metcalf (KEXP) Brandon Stosuy (Pitchfork) Nathan Walker (Riot Act Media)

MUSIC

Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business" Hella "Biblical Violence" The Advantage "Super Mario Brothers 2 - Underworld Theme"

Episode #28: In an industry where it’s difficult to make a living, musicians have had to become more and more creative to survive, especially with shrinking royalties in their pockets. One way some artists have managed to succeed is to tap into -- or create -- a niche market. Whether it’s inventing a new genre or signing to an obscure label, their stories prove that there’s not just one path to success in the music business. Our guests on this episode share their unique approaches to what they do. We hear from Simon Tam, founder of Asian American dance rock band The Slants, who saw a lucrative opportunity in playing anime conventions. Charmaine Clamor, creator of Jazzipino, a genre combining Filipino folk songs with American jazz and blues, also joins us. Finally we talk with Eric Isaacson, founder of Portland’s enigmatic Mississippi Records.

GUESTS

Simon Tam (The Slants) Charmaine Clamor (Musician) Eric Isaacson (Mississippi Records)

MUSIC

The Slants "Capture Me Burning" Charmaine Clamor "My Funny Brown Pinay" Marisa Anderson "The New Country" Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #27: Health insurance, a 401K… employment benefits in general? Not so easy to find working in the music industry. Luckily, in 1989 the Recording Academy created the MusiCares Foundation, providing a safety net of critical services and resources for industry people in need. On this episode, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow gives us some background on the foundation and, while the service is confidential, some of the many musicians, managers and crew who have been helped by MusiCares have volunteered to tell us their stories.

GUESTS

Neil Portnow (Recording Academy) Andrew Joslyn (Composer) Jennifer Wit Michael Farr Scott Patterson (Tour Manager)

MUSIC

Numbers "Mind Hole" Marnie Stern "Vibrational Match" Deerhoof "+81" The Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #25: What do Justin Bieber and weird punk have in common? Well, not much, but we cover both on our last show of the year, where we celebrate the year in music. We also get into 2015 trends in shoegaze pop, comedy, feminism, top 40, and more. Portia brings in the Kill Rock Stars crew, James Reling and Ben Parrish, to hear their favorite songs of 2015. We then wrap up the year with Kiran Gandhi, activist, musician, and former drummer for M.I.A. to talk about major trends in music and what the phrase “The Future is Female” means to her.

GUESTS

Ben Parish (Kill Rock Stars) James Reling (Kill Rock Stars) Kiran Gandhi (MIA, Madame Gandhi)

MUSIC

Randy Liedtke "New York" Circuit Des Yeux "Fantasize The Scene" Red Cabin "Secret Stories" The Coneheads "Way Things Am" The Velvet Underground "White Light/White Heat" Draft Dodgers "Why I Want To Fuck Ronald Reagan" Mamman Sani "Zaybanakoy" Silver Shadows "By My Vampire's Side" Straight Crimes "Why Is The World So Bad" Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #23: Subscribers pay about $10 a month for most streaming services -- with that kind of cash, shouldn’t musicians be making more from these platforms? For their short history, music streaming services have operated by putting all of their subscription revenue into one big pool. The pool is then divided by the total number of plays — this is called the pro rata method. Some people believe that this system is ripping customers off. Why shouldn’t your money go directly to the artists you’re listening to rather than into the big pool? Today on The Future of What, we talk to two of the people championing a new way of streaming called subscriber share, Sharky Laguana and Dick Huey. We also talk with Tim Quirk, formerly of Google Play, who argues against subscriber share.

GUESTS

Sharky Laguana (Bandago, Creeper Lagoon) Dick Huey (Toolshed, Merge) Tim Quirk (Freeform Development, Too Much Joy)

MUSIC

Red Cabin “Ice Sculpture” Wimps “Old Guy” Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #22: In this episode, Portia moderates a SF Music Tech panel entitled "The Future of Indies," that was chock full of laughs and indie stalwarts of the past, present and future. Her panelists included: Molly Neuman (A2IM, Lookout! Records, Bratmobile), Bruce Pavitt (Sub Pop, 8Stem), Amy Dietz (INgrooves), Christiane Kinney (LeClairRyan), and Kevin Breuner (CD Baby). The panel discussed their individual introductions to music and the music industry, and provided advice to both musicians and tech entrepreneurs from their unique vantage points inside the industry.

GUESTS

Molly Neuman (A2IM, Lookout! Records, Bratmobile) Bruce Pavitt (8Stem) Christiane Kinney (LeClairRyan) Kevin Breuner (CD Baby) Amy Dietz (INgrooves)

MUSIC

Bratmobile “Cherry Bomb” Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #21: For the 15th annual Future of Music Summit, we headed to Washington DC for a special taping of The Future What. Portia talked with musician and innovator Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs about her creative process, puppeteering past and more. Then we sat down with Tim Quirk, founder of Freeform Development Inc. and former Google Play exec.

GUESTS

Merrill Garbus (tUnE-yArDs) Tim Quirk (Freeform Development Inc.)

MUSIC

tUnE-yArDs “Gangsta” Too Much Joy “Long Haired Guys From England” Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #19: When people hear about the Recording Academy, some scratch their heads in wonder, while others immediately recognize them as the organization that puts on the Grammy Awards every year. However, both of these responses bely the true effort and intent behind the organization, as they are just as involved in awards shows as they are in advocacy for musicians on Capitol Hill and beyond. After several successful years of doing the music industry lobbying day, "Grammys On The Hill," the Recording Academy decided to take the model that they had developed for Washington, D.C. and bring that back to musician's home districts. This year represents the second time that "Grammys In My District" has happened, and we speak with three different players inside the organization about what's different about this year's event, and catch some soundbytes of the event that took place in Seattle on October 14.

GUESTS

Kris Orlowski (Musician) Daryl Friedman (The Recording Academy) Brandon Bush (Musician)

MUSIC

Gospel Music "Automobile" Xiu Xiu "Chocolate Makes You Happy" Kris Orlowski "It Ain’t Necessarily So" Sugarland "Stuck Like Glue" Kinski "Flight Risk" Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #18: Some music services are more "artist friendly" than others, and some might say that Bandcamp is the ultimate in that regard. Unlike other services that charge artists a per year fee for their services, regardless of units sold, Bandcamp is totally free until you sell a song or album, and then their take is only half of what other services charge artists for distribution. In this episode, we speak with Andrew Jervis and Jennifer Elias of Bandcamp about the company's history and future, and their different roles within the company. We then toggle over to Christopher Kirkley (Sahel Sounds) and Greta Kline (Frankie Cosmos), to get their impressions as long-time Bandcamp users, as label and artist, respectively. We end our episode with a snippet from our Bandcamp subscriber exclusive segment called, "How Did You Get Into Music," where we talk to singer-songwriter, Laura Veirs, about her past, present and future!

GUESTS

Andrew Jervis (Bandcamp) Jennifer Elias (Bandcamp) Christopher Kirkley (Sahel Sounds) Greta Kline (Frankie Cosmos) Laura Veirs (Musician)

MUSIC

Wimps "Take It As It Comes" Abba Gargando "Majrad Iyan" Frankie Cosmos "Art School" Quasi "R.I.P." Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #17: As the music industry continues to shrink, investors have begun to circle around record labels and holders of large back catalogs, likely in the hopes of acquiring large amounts of publishing and master rights for an artificially low price. What do these investors know? In this episode, we explore this topic at length, and try to figure out why investors are spending a lot of money on a "failing" industry, when artists' core audiences aren't.

GUESTS

Jeff Slate (Writer/Journalist) Mark Mulligan (Writer/Journalist) Matt Daniels (Poly-Graph) Jim Selby (AdShare)

MUSIC

Nick Drake "Pink Moon" Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business"

Episode #16: In the second installment of our "Gatekeeper's Roundtable," we speak with Ali Hedrick of The Billions Corporation about some of the new acts that she's working with, and how they've come to her, or vice versa. Christen Green adds to the conversation by telling us about how she ended up working with The Lumineers, among the other notable acts that are a part of Onto Entertainment. We also have Nate Nelson tell us the story about how he ended up at Stones Throw Records via the leaked Madvillain demos, and how his experience there ultimately led him to start Innovative Leisure. Don't think for a second that this is a puff piece chock full of "success stories." We dig in, and ask these folks about who they regret passing on, too! Lots of valuable "what not to do" information in this episode.

GUESTS

Ali Hedrick (The Billions Corporation) Christen Green (Onto Entertainment) Nate Nelson (Innovative Leisure)

MUSIC

Margaret Glaspy "Somebody To Anybody" The Lumineers "Ho Hey" Horse Feathers "Finch On Saturday" Horse Feathers "Old Media" Madvillain "Accordian"

Episode #15: In this episode, we explore the historical impact of musical videos by looking at the advent and evolution of MTV, and the explosion of YouTube as a format for music, and music videos. We kick off the hour with Courtney Smith, a former programmer for MTV and MTVU, who gives us a bird’s eye view of how videos were selected for air, and how her days with the station were different than the early days. From there we toggle over to Ed Vetri of Wind-Up Records, who explains the importance of music videos to his label’s growth, and the careers of bands like Evanescence and Creed. After that, we catch up with music video director, Alicia J. Rose, and talk to her about what’s changed since she got into the directing game a decade ago. Rounding out the hour is a discussion with Jack Conte, who’s band Pomplamoose has made videos a priority from the outset of their career, which eventually led him to develop the video subscription/patronage website Patreon.

GUESTS

Courtney Smith (MTV, Author “Record Collecting For Girls” ) Ed Vetri (Wind-Up Records) Alicia J. Rose (Director/Producer) Jack Conte (Pomplamoose, Patreon)

MUSIC

Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star” Buggles “On TV” Blitzen Trapper “All Across This Land” Pomplamoose “Lorde 2Pac Beck Mashup”

Episode #26: You've recorded a song, now you want people to hear it. What's next? Our guests this week guide us through the basics of PROs and song distribution.

ASCAP's Marc Emert-Hutner helps us decipher some of the acronyms every musician should know in order to understand their rights. Then, Kevin Breuner of CD Baby returns to the show to talk about how to distribute music yourself. SoundExchange's Michael Darpino wraps up by telling us how musicians can collect royalties.

Episode #14: In this episode, we speak with three different musical gatekeepers about what gets them to lower their guard long enough to allow a band safe passage to the next level in their career. Joining us for the discussion is Slim Moon (Kill Rock Stars, 5RC, Shotclock Management, Nonesuch Records, etc.), Ken Cheppaikode (Dirtnap Records, Green Noise), and Theo Craig (PDX Pop Now!, X-Ray FM, Mascaras, etc.)

Episode #13: Brooklyn band Here We Go Magic is set to release their fourth album with indie label Secretly Canadian on October 15th, and we wanted to explore the process that the album went through from "farm to table." First we speak with Michael Bloch, guitarist in the band, who explains how he and song writer Luke Temple tackled their first album as a two piece using only rudimentary tools to create a full band, live, in the studio sound. Next we speak with one of Secretly Canadian's founders, Ben Swanson, and the man responsible for signing "Here We Go Magic," who tells us why he loves the band and the label's role in seeing the record through completion. To discuss one of the final links in the chain, we talk with Ian McKinnon, the head of label relations at one of the oldest music streaming services, Rhapsody.

Episode #12: In this episode, we dig deep into the "Fair Music: Transparency and Money Flows in the Music Industry” report recently presented by the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE). Joining us for the discussion are Panos Panay (founder of BerkleeICE and SonicBids), David Lowery (songwriter for Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker, writer at The Trichordist), Mike Huppe (CEO of SoundExchange), and Jeremy DeVine (founder of Temporary Residence Ltd.).

Read the entire report here: https://www.berklee.edu/news/fair_music_report

Episode #10: At the height of the vinyl industry, over a billion units were being pressed per year in the United States. But, after the advent of the cassette and compact disc, vinyl production numbers dipped down into the hundreds of thousands. Now that vinyl "is back", and production figures are back up in the millions, what does this mean for the music industry, exactly? For major labels, and their high-dollar re-issue box sets, its been a welcome source of "new" revenue, but for many of the independent labels, that kept the format alive throughout the downturn, this vinyl resurgence has resulted in longer wait times and lower quality product -- at a time when demand for their product has never been higher.

In this episode, we visit the newest, and only, record pressing plant in the Northwest, Cascade Record Pressing, and talk to the owners (Adam Gonsalves, Amy Dragon, and Mark Rainey) about the niche they hope to fill in this exploding market, and how they hope to live through their experiences as label owners and master engineers. After that Portia speaks with one of the founders of Record Store Day, Michael Kurtz, who's organization is often credited with starting the vinyl resurgence. Finally, Portia talks with Darius Van Arman of Secretly Canadian about what the shift to a global release date means for U.S. retail stores that are trying to keep up with this new, increased demand for vinyl.

Episode #9: Is Comedy The New Punk Rock? With Hari Kondabolu, Amy Miller, Nathan Brannon, and Adam Triplett from Helium Comedy Club!

Episode #8: A lot of discussion has been had recently about the resurgence of vinyl, but there are other formats that are also increasing in market share within the industry. In this episode, we talk with Anna Bond (Rough Trade Records) and Amanda Brown (Not Not Fun Records) about vinyl, and Shawn and Lee from Burger Records about their success in the cassette world. We also talk to Gavin Godfrey (Creative Loafing) about the mixtape/CD-R culture still very much alive in Atlanta.

Episode #6: If you're a baker, you get paid for the bread you make. If you're a driver, you get paid for the road you travel. But if you're a singer, you DON'T get paid for the songs you sing that are played on the radio. We talk about radio performance royalties with Nu Shooz singer Valerie Day, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, and musicFIRST's Ted Kalo.

Episode #5: In this episode, Portia discusses the changing nature of scenes with Jon Fine (the author of "Your Band Sucks"), Marnie Stern (8G Band), and Claudia Meza (Explode Into Colors). In the age of the internet, are local, geographically specific music scenes important to artists success anymore? Tune in and find out what these folks have to say on the subject!

Episode #4:This month, the FCC ruled internet radio company Pandora could buy a small radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota. So why does Pandora want to run a small, top-40 station in one of the nation's smallest markets? It turns out this small station could reap big rewards for Pandora. We talk NMPA CEO David Israelite, Paul Resnikoff of Digital Music News, and Casey Rae of the Future of Music Coalition.

Episode #3: This episode of the Future of What focuses on "Direct To Fan" sales, which have exploded in recent years thanks to the internet. Jessica Boudreaux and Marc Swart of Summer Cannibals and New Moss Records talk about their merch strategies as both band and label. James Reling from Kill Rock Stars speaks on his super-fandom and which artists in particular he follows intently. Ben Hubbird of CD Baby explains the changing role that the company has played since their inception in 2003. Tim Bierman, manager of the Pearl Jam "Ten Club", talks about the importance of giving fans what they want when they want it. Benji Rogers of Pledge Music ends the episode with an explanation of how Pledge Music is different than other crowd funding sites, and the importance of engaging the "super fans".

Episode #2: This episode of the Future of What focuses on sync licensing, which is the process by which music is sync'd to picture, as is the case in advertising, movie trailers, etc. Justin Ringle of the band Horse Feathers sits in the studio with Portia this time around, and they talk about his recent tour(s) and the series of sync/placements that he had with the California Dairy Board. Rounding out the hour, Portia speaks with Matt FX about what its like to secure music for an of-the-moment show like "Broad City", and Carianne Marshall(of SONGS Music Publishing)explains the importance of sync licenses to an artists' career. Sohrab Nafici (Director, Music/legal at Warner Bros.) caps the episode off with his insight into the historical and current trends within the sync business.

This episode features music from: Horse Feathers, Deerhoof, Dos, and The Delta 5.

Episode #1: How are artists making money in the new economy? Some artists are fighting the corporations and winning: The Turtles and the pre-1972 copyright debate. What is SoundExchange and why does everyone love them? (Hint: They are not the Nigerian prince!) Why is there no performance royalty for commercial radio play and what are we going to do about it? Plus: featured record label Dualtone Records, home of The Lumineers and others!

Guests include: Hutch Harris (The Thermals), Mike Huppe (SoundExchange), Daryl Friedman (The Recording Academy), Emily Green (The Daily Journal) & Scott Robinson (Dualtone Records)

Featured music: Delta 5 "Mind Your Own Business", Deerhoof "The Perfect Me", Two Ton Boa "Bleeding Heart", Marnie Stern "Patterns of Diamond Ceiling"