Indie Weekly Podcast: Recent Episodes
Indie Week
Get expert advice and insights from music industry leaders with the INDIE WEEKLY PODCAST.
Hear the best conversations from the INDIE WEEKLY webinars (every TUES at 4pm ET) as well as the INDIE WEEK, indie101, Music Pro Summit, and SCREENxSCREEN music and tech conferences.
In this episode, get expert tips on Managing your money to achieve long-term sustainability as an artist. Get the information you need to achieve financial success from Jae Gold (Gold Music Consultants), who is retired from his practice as Canada’s leading accountant in the music/entertainment/cultural industries. These days, he does artist business/tour management and consulting.
speaker:
Jae Gold (Gold Music Consultants)
hosted by:
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
Artists cannot solely focus on their music without understanding the business side of the industry. Today's artists must make many business decisions and handle a variety of business tasks themselves. From the 2023 indie101 music conference (online), 4 expert panelists discuss why understanding the music industry is crucial for artists to take control of their careers and make informed decisions.
speakers:
Bruce Houghton (Hypebot / Bandsintown)
Andrew Stess (StessCo Consulting Group)
Tina Wroblewski (Small World Music)
Rob Schwartz (WHO?MAG Multimedia)
hosted by:
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
On today’s episode, two titans of Canadian radio — Alan Cross and John Parikhal — dig into the present and future health of the radio industry. Despite not getting the attention that streaming and other mediums do these days, radio remains hugely important to the music industry and is still very influential in getting new music discovered and popularized. This conversation was held live during the 2022 Music Pro Summit music conference (online).
speaker:
John Parikhal (Joint Communications Corporation)
hosted by
Alan Cross (Brain Dead Dog Productions / Corus Entertainment)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
Booking your own tour as an artist requires a lot of time, energy, and creativity. But with the right approach, it can also be very successful and rewarding. Hear everything you need to know to book a successful tour on your own terms as a DIY musician.
speaker:
Nicole Rochefort (AIM Artists in Motion)
hosted by
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
Need to finance your music project? On this episode, discover practical strategies and insights on DIY financing. Learn how to secure funding through grants, sponsors, and online streaming platforms, including insights on how to build a loyal fan base to support your music career. Whether you're an independent musician or a music entrepreneur, this conversation from the indie101 music conference (online) is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to succeed in the ever-evolving music industry.
speakers:
Brian Buchanan (Enter The Haggis)
Julian Taylor (Julian Taylor Group / solo)
Adam Ezra (Adam Ezra Group)
hosted by
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
Three accomplished music PR professionals share effective strategies you can use RIGHT NOW to build a strong online presence, connect with your audience, and market your music.
speakers:
Eric Alper (Eric Alper Public Relations)
Devi Ekanand (Coalition Music)
Sara Franczyk (ZYK Marketing)
hosted by
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
On this episode, 3 chart-topping songwriters share their creative and strategic methods for crafting hit songs.
speakers
Simon Wilcox (Blink-182, Carly Rae Jepsen, Selena Gomez)
Hill Kourkoutis (Aysanabee, SATE, Royal Wood)
John-Angus MacDonald (The Trews)
hosted by
Darryl Hurs (INDIE WEEK / CD Baby)
Thank you to INDIE WEEK's sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, SOCAN Foundation, and Cox & Palmer.
Superbowls halftime showcased hip hop icons Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Lamar, Mary J Blige, 50 cent clearly stating hip hops place in mainstream media and importance. What does the next generation and future of hip hop look like?
This week's session takes a deeper look at all the business systems and processes! We will be talking with Marquis Murray - CEO & Founder of Ditto, a systems and processes consultancy for organizations who need help creating clarity around the work done inside their companies. The need to create order in the chaos is common in the music business. Thus, creating SOPs, process workflows, and automations can make artists' work easier. Join this session to learn how to eliminate burnout for good so that you can focus more on your work without the stress of not knowing where or how the work is happening.
From NFT copyright infringement, to creators collecting royalties for their work, the digital landscape is ever changing creating new policies to be aware of and to be properly protected.
-Is having a “day job” a benefit or detriment to an artist?
-How can you achieve work-life balance if you’re both the creator and business person?
-Can you stay true to your art while engaging in commerce?
-What are your thoughts on sponsorships?
-Do you have to make a living from your art to truly be respected or to “make it” as an artist?
-I have a manager/agent/etc….how much do I really have to know about the business.
-There are so many music collectives - how do I keep them all straight, who to join, and how do I know that I’m not leaving my money on the table somewhere?
Music Publishers Canada is pleased to present a case study examining how Vince Degiorgio and his company Cymba Music Publishing work with the songwriters on his roster both creatively and on a business level.
When the world came to a screeching halt in early 2020,
twin sisters Phoenix (She/They) and Mercedes Arn-Horn (She/Her) saw the opportunity to begin anew. After more than a decade of making music together, they seized the opportunity to explore something new and different, not knowing where the road would lead them.
Seamlessly combining Grunge, Shoegaze, Dreampop, and punk into their “music with a message”, Softcult has quickly become the band inspiring a new Riot Grrrl movement for the digital age. PRO: feminism, social activism, creative freedom, self-empowerment, gender neutrality. ANTI: sexism, racism, homophobia, trans-phobia, patriarchy.
In immersive events and the metaverse, brands can not abandon real-world efforts when it comes to diversity and representation. Our transition to an online reality gives us an opportunity to positively move forward on topics such as rights, identity, respect and happiness today.
Two years ago in 2020 people were just logging onto ZOOM for the first time, now we have new online worlds to explore through the METAVERSE. For many it is new and unknown - and intimidating. With a host of big companies seeking to make the metaverse happen (Fortnite, Roblox, H&M, Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook), we know IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for an expected $68.7 billion, explaining the deal was part of an expansion into the metaverse is another indicator that we are closer to the metaverse becoming an industry standard.
What can we expect to see in the near future and how do we get involved?
Fan clubs were a large part of the "customized fan experience" of the 70's - 90's. KISS had their army, PEARL JAM the ten club. U2 has maintained a fan club since 1982, starting out with the old U2 magazine, rebooting with Propaganda in 1986 and is now online. We have entered the subscription economy — and the sector is growing fast. Revenue among subscription businesses grew roughly 5x faster than the retail sector from January 2012 through June 2019 and with the pandemic that has only accelerated.
If not before, now is the time to look at building a subscription model for your business online that offers resilient revenue and profit growth.
Ep 9: Co-Writing a Song: Legal Considerations To Know! With Guest Speaker: Matt Gorman (Ocean Town Music) • Tune into this week’s podcast to learn more about CO-WRITING with Matt Gorman ofOcean Town Music.
Matt will help you avoid the mistakes artists often make when co-writing, so you can focus on the music and skip the drama!
With extensive experience as a lawyer in the music industry, Matt shares useful advice in a way that’s easy for artists to understand and put into practice. Don’t miss it!
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 8: Music Publishing 101 With Guest Speaker: Margaret McGuffin (Music Publishers Canada)
• Need a crash course in music publishing?
You’re in luck! This week’s podcast is MUSIC PUBLISHING 101 with Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada.
Margaret loves diving into research and policy related to the creative industries, and is leading the way in making sure Canadian songs are heard around the world. Don’t miss out on what she has to say!
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 7: Virtual Goods and Digital Merch With Guest Speakers: Jon Vlassopulos (ROBLOX)Tim Westergren (Sessions)Yvan Boudillet (TheLynk) • As J Balvin, Lil Nas X and others draw tens of millions of viewers to virtual concerts, a marketplace for virtual merchandise has emerged as a viable alternative to physical goods. Fans are outfitting their avatars with digital-only apparel, accessories and other goodies with no need for an IRL counterpart. Thought-leading execs from some of the most successful platforms behind these virtual goods share exclusive glimpses into the consumer trends (and spend) behind one of the fastest-growing sectors of music merch.
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 6: Building a Successful Live Streaming Model With Guest Speaker: Ty Roberts (FanTracks) • Join us as Darryl and Ty go in-depth in the future of live streaming involving big to small artists, where the money is, including technology you might not have heard about yet.
Also included in the discussion: NFTs, Changing Payment Models with Streaming for Artists, and Immersive Audio.
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 5: Embrace, Engage and Monetize With Guest Speaker: Robert Singerman (Lyricfind) • This episode is all about how to earn more income and make change by being present everywhere and communicating with an ever-growing audience!
Tune in to learn how to get your message across in order to reach more people globally and monetize more effectively your own songs, creations, rights, and efforts in collaboration with LyricFind.
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 4: Career of SATE: Highlight and Artist Journey! With Guest Speaker:SATE • Want a peek into the life of an artist? This week’s podcast with Toronto-based artist SATE will leave you fully satisfied! SATE will be joined by her manager David “Click” Cox to talk ARTIST HIGHLIGHTS and the ins and outs of the music industry. Tune in to learn about SATE’s journey and background, how she created her latest album, and so much more!
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, Gold Music Consultants, and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 3: Grant Writing 101 WithGuest Speaker: Jorge Miguel (Seneca College) Presented By: Seneca College • This episode is all about GRANT WRITING, featuring Jorge Miguel of Seneca College.
Jorge is an expert when it comes to finding and applying for grants. Sure grant writing takes some effort upfront, but with the right guidance and mindset your likelihood of success can grow exponentially. Tune in to hear about Jorge’s impressive track record with grant writing and learn how you can apply his tips and tricks to score some grant money yourself!
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, Gold Music Consultants, and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 2: Why Artists Should Not be Afraid of Tech With Guest Speaker: Steve Stewart (former manager of Stone Temple Pilots / Vezt Inc.) • Tech getting you down?
Let’s turn it around! This week on the podcast special guest Steve Stewart (former manager of Stone Temple Pilots & CEO of Vezt Inc) discusses WHY ARTISTS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF TECH.
We get it - as an artist sometimes it feels like your time is spent on everything but the music… so tune in to learn how to own it, and start taking advantage of tech to boost your career, save time, and help you accomplish your goals.
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, Gold Music Consultants, and SOCAN Foundation.
Ep 1: Career Highlights: Martin Atkins With Guest Speaker: Martin Atkins (Nine Inch Nails / Ministry / Public Image Ltd.) • In this week’s podcast, Martin Atkins (Nine Inch Nails / Ministry / Public Image Ltd. and more!) will be sharing CAREER INSIGHTS from his 35+ years in the music business.
Martin is the definition of entrepreneurial activity in cultural arts endeavors, and his insights are sure to spark innovative new ideas and strategies you can start implementing today. Prepare to be inspired!
Thank you to our sponsors: Slaight Music, CD Baby, Actra RACS, CMRRA, LyricFind, Bandzoogle, City of Toronto, Global Affairs Canada, Ontario Creates, FACTOR, SENECA college, CIMA, Gold Music Consultants, and SOCAN Foundation.