The New Music Business with Ari Herstand
**WEBBY AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC PODCAST**
“#1 music industry podcast to help keep you in the loop” -Spotify
“The 10 Best Music Business Podcasts of 2022″ – Variety
Ari Herstand is the best-selling author of How To Make It in the New Music Business. Forbes calls him “The poster child of DIY music.” In this show, he deconstructs the brightest minds in the music industry, digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and strategies that listeners can use to run successful careers of their own. Ari offers straight talk with no fluff and doesn’t let his guests off easy. If there is a way, Ari will find it.
To learn more follow @aristake_ and @ariherstand
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Avsnitt
How This Artist Manager Deepens the Fan Relationship and Prioritizes Mental Health
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Jaclyn O’Connell, a digital marketer, creative strategist, artist manager, and founder of Bittersweet Media and Good Grief Management. Jaclyn has provided creative marketing solutions and hands-on artist management for artists and labels of all scales and sizes—from emerging artists to well-established acts and both indie and major labels. They have supported gold and platinum records and worked with artists including Wild Rivers, Cavetown, Julian Baker, and Cold War Kids. Drawing on experience in both marketing and artist management, Jaclyn offers a sharp, insider perspective on what it truly takes to build a sustainable career in today’s music industry.
In this episode, Ari and Jaclyn dive deep into the realities of modern music marketing — from navigating ever-shifting social media algorithms to building effective fan funnels that turn casual listeners into ticket buyers and lifelong fans. They also unpack the current touring landscape, direct support deals, and the hot-button issue of tour buy-ons. Whether you're an artist, manager, or just curious about how fan engagement really works, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
http://instagram.com/jaclyn_oconnell
Chapters
00:00 Building Direct Relationships with Fans
03:09 Navigating the Social Media Landscape
05:49 The Importance of Mental Health in Artist Management
09:05 Innovative Monetization Strategies for Artists
11:55 The Role of Community in Artist Growth
14:58 Understanding the Fan Journey
18:05 Challenges in Touring for Emerging Artists
21:03 The Evolution of the Live Music Industry
36:21 The Ethics of Tour Buy-Ons
39:09 Navigating the Challenges of Touring
43:05 Building Artist Relationships and Mental Health
46:04 Defining Success in Artist Campaigns
48:02 The Role of Social Media in Driving Streams
51:01 The Nuances of Going Viral
55:29 The Fragmentation of Viral Success
57:23 Conversations with Labels and Ownership
01:01:23 Balancing Management and Business
01:10:25 Setting Boundaries in Artist Management
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How The World's Largest Songwriting Camp Works
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Danny Ross, a producer/songwriter, columnist at Forbes, professor at Berklee NYC, and the founder of the largest songwriting camp in the world, Anti Social Camp. Now in its 5th year, Anti Social Camp brings together over 250 songwriters, producers, and artists, including Cigarettes After Sex, Beach Bunny, Bryce Vine, Walk the Moon, Taja Kumari, Evan Giia, and Louis Cato, for 200 recording sessions across 40 studios in 5 days.
If you are a songwriter or producer who’s ever wondered what goes down at songwriting camps or how to get involved, you’re going to learn all about that and more in this episode with Danny Ross.
Get $100 your Anti Social Camp Badge by using the code: ARIANTISOCIALVIP at antisocialcamp.com
Chapters
00:00 The Importance of Reputation in the Music Industry
03:02 Understanding Songwriting Camps
05:48 The Structure and Dynamics of Songwriting Sessions
08:47 The Evolution of the Anti Social Camp
12:01 Building Community in New York's Music Scene
14:54 The Anti Social Camp Experience
17:54 Diverse Genres and Collaboration
20:54 The Future of Songwriting Camps
31:11 Creative Collaborations in Music Production
32:26 Success Stories from the Camp
33:44 Understanding Major vs. Indie vs. Self-Releasing Artists
38:33 The Financial Landscape of Music Production
44:53 Navigating Splits and Royalties in Music
47:01 The Ethics of Publishing in the Music Industry
52:39 Teaching the Next Generation of Music Creators
56:40 The Importance of Community in Music Creation
59:01 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Bandcamp is Thinking About Superfans
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Dan Melnick, the General Manager of Bandcamp. One of the earliest direct-to-fan platforms, Bandcamp empowers listeners to support artists they love directly. They have enabled fans to pay over 1.49 billion dollars and 193 million dollars directly to artists last year. Over 75k records get sold on this superfan platform every day and over half a million fans buy at least one thing on Bandcamp each month.
In this episode, Dan explains to Ari how and why Bandcamp is still growing after 17 years. He shares where the company’s headed, and why its download model has continued to thrive, despite the fall of downloads on platforms like iTunes. Dan also highlights how artists can use Bandcamp to bolster their release strategies, and Ari shares some of his favorite, lesser-known features of the site. Take a listen to find out how Bandcamp’s direct-to-fan platform can help you connect with fans and monetize your fan relationships.
Chapters
00:00 Building a Sustainable Music Career
05:00 The Power of Bandcamp
09:59 Understanding Bandcamp's Growth
15:06 Direct-to-Fan Relationships
19:53 Innovations in Bandcamp
24:45 Community and Engagement on Bandcamp
30:03 Best Practices for Artists on Bandcamp
36:25 Merchandising Beyond Music: The Power of T-Shirts
39:28 Navigating the Streaming Landscape: Bandcamp vs. Spotify
48:25 Building a Sustainable Career: Strategies for Artists
56:11 Understanding Bandcamp's Business Model: Fair Trade Music
01:02:36 The Evolution of Curation: Bandcamp's Editorial Approach
01:05:20 The Future of Bandcamp: Building Sustainable Careers
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Don't Cut Your Drummer Into Publishing...
In this solo episode of the New Music Business podcast, Ari untangles the complexities of royalties, registration, and publishing. After his social media video with the same message (“Don’t cut your drummer into publishing”) went viral for the wrong reasons, Ari wanted to come on the show and break down the nuances of this advice. Tune in to get clear on the differences between publishing royalties and master royalties, which royalties session musicians are legally due, the importance of one-stop agreements, and how to fairly (or, more so, generously) compensate your session musicians.
Read the article on Ari’s Take: https://aristake.com/publishing-royalties/
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Music Publishing and Royalties
02:55 The Role of Session Musicians in Music Creation
05:55 Differentiating Between Master Royalties and Publishing
09:09 The Importance of One-Stop Agreements
11:59 Fair Compensation for Session Musicians
15:12 Changing Industry Standards
17:46 How Publishing Royalties Work Within Bands
20:13 Why Session Musicians Are Not Considered Co-Writers
22:20 Legally Entitled Radio Royalties for Session Musicians
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Publishing Works and Songwriters Get Paid
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Jacob Paul, the VP of Platform Growth & Brand Strategy at Kobalt and KOSIGN. Jacob has been one of the leaders behind Kobalt’s new admin publishing platform, KOSIGN, since its public launch in February 2025. Kobalt has been disrupting the traditional publishing model for years. Now their application-based platform, KOSIGN, is doing the same in the admin publishing space.
In this episode, Jacob explains how Kobalt and KOSIGN approach publishing differently than traditional publishers and admin publishers. Along the way, he and Ari completely break down how music publishing works. They touch on: how songwriters get paid, the difference between “artists” and “songwriters,” the difference between publishers and admin publishers, and how creators can be sure they’re not leaving any money on the table. Jacob also shares why it’s advantageous to have a publisher or an admin publisher instead of just working with a PRO or MRO. If you have questions about music publishing (and let’s be real, who doesn’t?), this episode’s got you covered.
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Music Publishing and Royalties
05:07 The Role of Kobalt in Music Publishing
10:10 Distinguishing Between Artists and Songwriters
14:51 The Importance of Publishing for Songwriters
19:53 Kobalt's Innovative Approach to Publishing
25:03 Exploring Traditional vs. Admin Publishing Deals
29:56 The Launch of KOSIGN and Its Impact on Indie Songwriters
35:43 The Rise of Independent Artists
40:23 Understanding Publishing and Royalties
45:35 Navigating the Complexities of Publishing Administration
51:10 The Role of KOSIGN in Empowering Songwriters
56:25 The Future of Music Publishing and Artist Ownership
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Superfan Platform Gets Artists Paid 10x+ What They Make From Streaming
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Mag Rodriguez, the founder and CEO of the direct-to-fan platform EVEN. Throughout his career, Mag has helped artists generate over 1 billion streams—but now, he’s focused on building a parallel music economy where artists sell directly to fans before streaming. “Superfan” platforms like EVEN are redefining how artists monetize their work.
Through EVEN, Mag has partnered with J. Cole, 6LACK, LaRussell, Lauren Jauregui, Fariana, Smino, Ryan Leslie, and thousands of other artists of all levels, empowering them to take ownership of their fan relationships and unlock new revenue streams. They’re essentially putting control and earnings back into the hands of artists.
In this episode, Mag tells Ari about artists who don’t have many followers or monthly listeners, but are making significant revenue from their fans on EVEN. They discuss the previous eras of direct-to-fan platforms (like Bandcamp, Patreon, Kickstarter) and how EVEN’s music-centric model differs from these prior iterations. Superfan platforms are truly taking the industry by storm—Mag tells Ari that EVEN, alone, onboards about 8,000 artists each day. If you’re interested in exploring superfan platforms, this episode is a great place to start.
Check out EVEN at: get.even.biz
Chapters
00:00 The Challenge of Monetizing Music for Emerging Artists
02:57 The Rise of Direct-to-Fan Platforms
05:58 Understanding Even: A Direct-to-Fan Platform
08:55 Windowing and the Shift in Music Distribution
11:54 The Economics of Music Sales vs. Streaming
15:12 Selling Access: The Community Aspect of Even
18:00 Building Community: The Even Triangle
21:04 Real Success Stories: Emerging Artists on Even
24:00 Emotional Commerce: Connecting with Fans
26:57 The Future of Music Monetization
35:10 The $1,000 Album Phenomenon
38:36 Sustainable Revenue Models for Artists
40:16 Data-Driven Insights for Artists
44:27 The Journey to Building Even
51:12 Navigating Major Labels and Independent Artists
54:23 Operational Framework for Artists and Labels
01:00:07 Community Engagement and Fan Interaction
01:04:24 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lyor Cohen on YouTube Music's Future and the Music Industry's Past
This week, Ari is joined by Lyor Cohen, the Global Head of Music at YouTube. Earlier in his career, Lyor led Def Jam Recordings, where he worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Ludacris. He eventually sold Def Jam to Universal and helped create the Island Def Jam Music Group. After Def Jam, Lyor became Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group. He went on to co-found 300 Entertainment (repping artists like Fetty Wap and Young Thug) before landing at YouTube in 2016.
In this episode, Lyor and Ari discuss artist development, the state of the industry, and music’s digital revolution. Lyor shares what it was like to lead Warner Music at a time when both Spotify and YouTube launched. If you’re curious about the trajectory of tech in music, how generative AI can bring artists and fans together, or how you can use YouTube to build momentum in your career, this episode is for you.
Chapters
00:00 The Pursuit of Artist Success
05:23 Navigating the Music Industry Landscape
12:11 User-Centric Approach in Music
20:34 Building Artist Communities
27:14 The Evolution of Music Consumption
33:30 Embracing Generative AI in Music
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Victoria Canal Attracts Her Fans for The Right Reasons
This week Ari sits down with Victoria Canal, the rising singer-songwriter known for her deeply moving and introspective music. Victoria has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Later… with Jools Holland, and onstage with Coldplay at Glastonbury. She has won two Ivor Novello awards (including the Rising Star award) and recently released a new album, Slowly, It Dawns.
After ten hard-won years as a DIY artist, Victoria’s now signed with a major label, Parlophone Records (under Warner Music Group). In this episode, Victoria opens up about her journey as an artist and the varying pressures faced by both indie and label-repped musicians. Tune in to learn more about headlining the Troubadour, life as a touring artist, managing the pressures of social media, and how to attract the right kinds of fans.
https://www.victoriacanal.com/
Chapters
00:00 From Glastonbury to Stardom
03:11 The Journey of Victoria’s Career
05:49 Creating Intimate Connections Through Music
08:50 The Reality of Touring Economics
11:56 Balancing Artistry and Business
14:58 The Emotional Journey of Songwriting
18:07 Evolving Through Performance
20:55 The Impact of Social Media on Artists
24:09 Navigating Vulnerability in Performance
27:14 The New Album: Slowly, It Dawns
30:05 Reflections on Growth and Authenticity
36:23 The Inner Journey of Self-Acceptance
39:50 Meeting Idols: Reality vs. Expectation
40:45 A Dream Come True: Performing with Coldplay
45:04 The Importance of Energy in Performance
46:06 Navigating the Artist Lifestyle and People Management
49:03 The Weight of Fan Interactions
54:06 Social Media Pressures and Authenticity
01:01:19 Taking a Stand: Performing at the Kennedy Center
01:05:39 Defining Success in the Music Industry
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transviolet on Surprise China Fame, Softcore Millennial Cringe and Touring in an RV
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Sarah McTaggart from the hit alt-pop band Transviolet. Transviolet exploded onto the scene in 2015 with their breakout single “Girls Your Age” with Epic Records. The band moved between a couple labels throughout their career, but they’re now independent. Transviolet has played Late Shows with Colbert and James Corden; they’ve had notable syncs including the Pretty Little Liars theme song; they’ve played huge festivals like SXSW, Governor’s Ball and Firefly; and they recently released their fourth studio album, Softcore.
Sarah tells Ari about Transviolet’s experiences working with a major label and how things have changed since going independent. They talk about the ins-and-outs of touring (including Transviolet’s upcoming US tour), how the band got started, and a brilliant guerrilla marketing technique they used to promote one of their early releases. Transviolet also had the surprising experience of finding out they were big in China (hot tip: you might be too). Tune in to find out how they discovered they were big over there and how you can check for yourself, too.
https://transviolet.com/
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of the Music Business
02:53 Transviolet's Journey to Independence
06:02 The Creative Process Behind 'Softcore'
08:54 Exploring Vulnerability in Music
12:12 The Duality of Persona
15:09 Navigating Relationships and Personal Growth
17:50 Marketing Innovations in the Music Industry
21:11 The Impact of Major Labels vs. Independence
36:13 Redefining the Artist's Team
39:34 The Evolution of Digital Marketing in Music
44:14 Navigating Social Media's Impact on Music
51:07 Exploring International Touring Experiences
57:21 The Dynamics of Touring and Band Changes
01:08:28 Creating Art: The Journey of Songwriting and Production
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Euphoria Music Supervisor Gives a Sh*t
This month, for Women's History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite New Music Business episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode highlights star music supervisor Jen Malone. She has placed music and worked on Euphoria, Atlanta, Creed 2, The Resident, Boomerang, Baskets, Shelter, Lady Dynamite, Step Up, and more. Jen has over a decade of highly esteemed experience in the industry.
In this episode, Jen goes into depth about what music supervisors do and the business of sync licensing. She gives great advice on how independent artists can get their music synced and things to look out for in contracts and fee negotiations. If you want to know how to pitch your music to supervisors with the best chance of striking a deal, this is the episode for you.
Chapters
00:00 The Journey to Music Supervision
02:55 Navigating the Music Supervision Landscape
05:59 The Role of a Music Supervisor
08:55 The Evolution of Music Syncing
12:00 Tools of the Trade
14:59 Finding and Pitching Music
18:00 Understanding Music Ownership
21:08 The Process of Music Supervision in TV and Film
24:05 Collaboration with Composers
27:09 The Differences Between Film and TV Music Supervision
33:40 Managing Multiple Projects
35:21 The Role of Personal Taste in Music Supervision
37:22 Juxtaposition in Music Placement
42:26 Impact of Music Placements on Independent Artists
46:04 The Evolution of Sync Licensing
50:19 Workflow and Project Management in Music Supervision
51:59 Differences in Working with Streaming Platforms vs. Traditional Networks
54:30 The Importance of Fair Compensation for Artists
58:03 Protecting Artist Rights in Sync Licensing
01:03:42 Advice for Independent Artists in Sync Licensing
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Imogen Heap is Building a More Equitable Future for Musicians
This month, for Women's History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite New Music Business episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode highlights award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer, Imogen Heap. Imogen Heap has released five solo albums, an album as one half of Frou Frou, and has collaborated with countless other stars including Taylor Swift, Nitin Sawhney, Deadmau5, Eric Whitacre, Jeff Beck and Jon Hopkins. Heap, recognized as an artist’s artist, has won two Grammys and an Ivor Novello award. She holds three honorary doctorates for her work on ‘MI.MU gloves’ and ’The Creative Passport’—two prominent music tech companies that work to empower creatives.
In this episode, Ari and Imogen discuss NFTs, metadata and payment transparency and how to properly credit (and pay) creators using the blockchain. Overall, how to make the future of music more equitable for musicians.
Chapters
00:00 The Fragmented Music Industry
02:52 Imogen Heap: A Pioneer in Music and Technology
05:55 The Creative Passport: Empowering Artists
09:11 Data Transparency and Royalty Distribution
12:04 The Role of DSPs and Data Integrity
14:52 The Future of Music Royalties
17:55 Building a Better Music Ecosystem
21:02 Blockchain and the Future of Music
23:46 Interoperability and Charitable Contributions
29:06 Navigating NFTs and Environmental Concerns
34:23 The Future of NFTs in Art
37:12 Building a Community Through Technology
46:58 AI as a Creative Partner
54:36 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Business of Hit Songwriting With Bonnie McKee
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode spotlights Grammy-nominated, hit singer and songwriter Bonnie McKee. Since the early 2000s, McKee has written 10 singles that have reached #1 in the US and UK, which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide combined.
McKee is particularly known for collaborating with Katy Perry, co-writing hits such as “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)“, “Part of Me,” “Wide Awake” and “Roar” together. She also co-wrote “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz, which became the second-best-selling song by a British artist in the digital era. Additional artists who she has worked with include Britney Spears, Kesha, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert and Mike Tompkins. Last year, she released her album Hot City featuring the hit single “American Girl.”
Chapters
00:00 The Art of Songwriting: Balancing Familiarity and Creativity
03:02 Bonnie McKee: A Journey Through Songwriting and Independence
06:06 Exploring the World of Film: From Music to Directing
08:59 The Dynamics of Songwriting Sessions: Collaboration and Creativity
11:52 Navigating the Music Industry: The Role of Songwriters
14:47 Contrasting Nashville and LA: Different Approaches to Songwriting
17:47 The Challenges of Being a Female Songwriter and Producer
21:31 Gender Dynamics in Music Production
24:44 Navigating Songwriting and Royalties
27:46 The Art of Songwriting: Balancing Authenticity and Popularity
30:48 Song Doctoring: The Business Side of Refining Songs
32:57 The Controversy of Song Credits
34:05 Creating 'Roar': A Triumph Over Misogyny
37:42 Shifts in the Music Industry: A Personal Perspective
40:32 Advice for Aspiring Songwriters
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How To Make It in Country Music from Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith's Manager
This week Ari sits down with Simon Tikhman, the co-founder of The Core Entertainment and The Core Records. The Core Entertainment first made waves as an artist management company, guiding the careers of major country stars like Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith. After demonstrated success in management, The Core Entertainment partnered with Universal Music Group to launch The Core Records.
During this episode, Simon and Ari discuss the careers of The Core Entertainment’s breakout artists, Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith. Simon explains how both artists achieved success in drastically different ways—Nate landed his record deal at age 36 after grinding for many years in Nashville, while Bailey broke out on TikTok in his early 20s. Simon outlines the value in each of these paths and explains how Nashville treats artists differently if they have found success the traditional way versus through social media. This episode also goes into detail about what the Nashville country music scene looks like today, the nuances between Nashville labels and coastal labels, and the ins and outs of artist management. If you’re curious about how to break as a country artist in 2025, this episode is for you.
https://www.instagram.com/thecoreent/
Chapters
00:00 The Importance of Country Radio
04:58 Simon Tikhman's Journey to Artist Management
16:19 Building The Core Entertainment and Nashville Connections
24:12 Nate Smith's Breakthrough in Country Music
33:53 Bailey Zimmerman's Rise as a New Artist
35:21 The Rise of Bailey Zimmerman
41:10 Navigating the Music Industry
44:47 The Importance of Labels in Country Music
52:08 The New Paradigm for Country Artists
56:51 Social Media's Role in Artist Development
01:06:42 Defining Success in the Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Independent Music Publishing Works (Or Doesn't)
This week Ari sits down with Marc Caruso, the CEO and co-founder of Angry Mob Music, an independent music publisher based in LA. Aside from being an advocate for independent artists in the publishing world, Marc is a composer, producer, and Emmy-nominated music editor himself. He is also a board member and former President of the LA chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP), a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a member of The Recording Academy, and a member of The Motion Picture Editors Guild.
In this episode, Marc describes the evolving landscape of music publishing, particularly in the context of our streaming economy. He breaks down essential terms, like ‘music publishing’ itself, ‘copyright’, and ‘royalties’, before diving into the deeper complexities of the publishing world. Marc is incredibly transparent about how the money gets made at his publishing company—giving detailed accounts of how much sync licenses pay these days and what royalties look like for microsyncs on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Rounding out a more global view, Marc and Ari discuss Universal’s deal with Spotify, the MLC’s failed lawsuit against Spotify and what all this means for independent publishers and independent songwriters.
https://www.instagram.com/angrymobmusic/
Chapters
00:00 The Shift from Sales to Streaming Economy
04:07 Understanding Music Publishing
12:50 The Role of Angry Mob Music
16:55 Revenue Streams in Music Publishing
21:30 The Importance of Sync Licensing
22:00 Sync Fees and Their Variability
29:44 Sync in Film and Advertising
34:34 Micro Sync and Social Media Platforms
39:41 Navigating Music Licensing for Creators
45:24 The Complexities of Music Rights on Social Media
49:11 The Role of Music Publishers and Advocacy
57:02 Inequities in the Music Industry
01:10:30 Empowering Independent Artists and Publishers
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spotify Commissioned Cheap "Fake Artists" And She's Got the Proof
This week Ari sits down with Liz Pelly, a prominent music journalist and author of the new book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. Liz’s journalism has appeared in NPR, The Guardian, and Pitchfork among other prestigious publications. Preceded by an exposé in Harper’s Magazine, Pelly’s latest work, Mood Machine, pulls back the curtain on Spotify’s exploitative practices and uncovers how those practices impact artists and listeners.
In this episode, Liz gives the low down on research she conducted for the book and explains how Spotify has unfairly conspired with major labels since its launch. As she does in Mood Machine, Liz calls out Spotify’s Perfect Fit Content (PFC) program and explains how its use of ghost artists degrades the integrity of their model for all. Ari and Liz discuss the value of music and how that can differ in the eyes of major corporations and individuals. Whether you’re an artist, label, or listener who uses Spotify, this episode will help you understand the impact Spotify’s model has on your relationship to music.
https://www.instagram.com/lizpelly
Harper’s article: https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/
Chapters
00:00 The Inner Workings of Spotify
12:48 Ghost Artists and the PFC Program
37:50 Spotify's Launch and Major Label Relationships
41:26 The Evolution of Streaming Contracts
44:14 Valuing Music: A Cultural Perspective
49:43 The Impact of Streaming on Music Value
56:10 Algorithms and the Personalization of Music
01:01:20 The Role of Music in Society
01:07:23 Future Solutions for Musicians
01:19:38 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How This DIY Darkwave Band From Texas Sells Out Venues Around The World & Gets Millions of Streams
This week Ari sits down with Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. of the duo Twin Tribes. This dark wave band out of Brownsville, TX has been gaining impressive momentum on the gothic scene—and they’re doing it entirely DIY. Twin Tribes releases their music through DistroKid and has over 30 million streams with nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. They have toured the world and managed their growing success completely independently.
In this episode, Twin Tribes tells Ari all about how they’ve built their DIY operation from the ground up. They share about how they’ve partnered with record labels to utilize their physical product offerings (CDs, cassette tapes, vinyls, etc) while still maintaining full independence as artists. Luis and Joel also break down the potent visuals behind the Twin Tribes brand and how they developed their aesthetic. This conversation is an inspiring example of how finding your niche and building a DIY community can help catapult your career.
https://www.instagram.com/twin_tribes/
Chapters
00:00 The Genesis of Twin Tribes
02:53 Building a DIY Community
06:03 The Role of Aesthetics in Music
08:51 Discovering the Gothic Scene
12:13 The Cassette Era and Initial Releases
15:10 Growing Through Live Performances
17:58 Transitioning to Full-Time Musicians
20:51 Strategic Partnerships and Touring
24:04 The Evolution of Their Sound and Success
28:21 Navigating DIY Music Partnerships
30:42 Building a Digital Strategy for Streaming Success
36:24 Creating Ambitious Music Videos
44:23 Crafting a Cohesive Aesthetic and Vision
50:36 Engaging with Fans and Community
53:04 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Twin Tribes
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How the China Music Market Works
This week Ari sits down with Alex Taggart, an expert on the Chinese music market. Alex spent 10 years in China overseeing local strategy for clients such as Dua Lipa, Diplo, Lauv, John Legend and so many more. He now works independently, managing artists through his own company, Isle of Management. Alex’s main focus is bringing globally-minded talent to local audiences worldwide.
This conversation gives a comprehensive introduction to the Chinese music industry. Whether you’re well-versed in this market or know virtually nothing about it, you will learn a ton from this episode. Alex highlights various DSPs used in China (i.e. their versions of Spotify/Apple music) and explains the inner workings of Chinese social platforms. If you’re an artist looking to break into China, Alex offers actionable steps to get your music on their radar. In fact, you might already be big in China and not even realize it! Alex shares important info about how to check your music’s traction in China. If you’re interested in booking shows or touring through the country, this episode is for you, too. Enjoy this breakdown of the multifaceted Chinese music market!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-taggart-music/
Chapters
00:00 Collaborating for Success in China
01:51 Understanding the Chinese Music Market
07:55 Music Consumption and Streaming Platforms in China
15:59 Checking Your Traction in China
20:38 Revenue Streams for Artists
23:57 Monetization in the Chinese Music Industry
35:41 Navigating Publishing and Rights Management
37:07 Understanding China's Music Publishing Landscape
40:01 Navigating the Challenges of Music Rights in China
44:27 Exploring Touring Opportunities in China
49:50 Strategies for Artists to Break into the Chinese Market
54:12 The Role of Competition Shows in Artist Development
01:01:19 Leveraging Collaborations for Market Entry
01:12:01 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
He Wrote/Produced 10 #1 Hit Songs: Stargate's Tor Hermansen on How To Do It
This week Ari sits down with Tor Hermansen, half of the production/songwriter duo Stargate. Stargate has written and produced major hit songs for artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, and Coldplay, to name a few. Tor has billions of streams, has written and produced 10 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles in the US and 11 in the UK. He has won 2 Grammy Awards and received the ASCAP songwriter of the year award twice. Stargate’s writer and producer credits include Beyoncé’s global hit “Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé and Shakira’s “Beautiful Liar,” extensive work with Rihanna including “Rude Boy,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” “Only Girl (In the World),” What’s My Name, “S&M, “Diamonds,” Selena Gomez’ “Come & Get It” and “Same Old Love,” Fifth Harmony’s “Worth It” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Most recently, the team produced Coldplay’s album A Head Full of Dreams, co-wrote and produced Julia Michael’s current hit “Issues.”
Tor talks about the process of songwriting and producing, working with artists and topliners. He shares great advice on how to write and work in the room with other songwriters, producers, and topliners. Tor also shares valuable insight on demoing, writing, re-writing, scaling up a musical production, and more. Ari and Tor dive deep into the business end of songwriting and producing as well; they discuss the 9-month intensive LAAMP program (Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Producers) Tor and his Stargate partner Mikkel Eriksen created for aspiring artists, songwriters, and producers in LA and how to get involved. If you’re interested in how songwriting and producing works at the hit level, this episode is for you!
https://www.instagram.com/stargate/
Chapters
00:00 No Compromising in Music Creation
00:33 Introduction to Tora Hermanson and Stargate
02:51 Songwriting and Production Process Insights
04:41 The Evolution of Music Production
10:19 The Pitch Game: Is It Dead?
13:14 Identifying a Hit: The Unpredictable Nature
16:03 The Role of Social Media in Music Success
18:52 Adapting to New Mediums: TikTok and Streaming
21:27 The Creation of 'Issues' with Julia Michaels
24:41 Evolving Production Techniques
27:51 Collaboration and Song Development
30:33 Creative Freedom in the Final Product
32:11 The Art of Collaboration in Songwriting
37:01 Navigating the Songwriting Process
46:59 The Business of Songwriting and Representation
49:16 Building a Career as a Songwriter
56:45 Creating a Nurturing Environment for Artists
01:04:50 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How YouTube Works for Music
This week Ari sits down with George Karalexis & Donna Budica, the co-founders and CEO/COO (respectively) of TEN2 Media, a content distribution and marketing company that helps artists and labels maximize revenue and growth on YouTube. TEN2 Media partners with Warner Music Group, UnitedMasters, Travis Barker, Benson Boone, Brent Faiyaz, and more. They specialize in marketing, monetization, and collection on the YouTube platform, all of which you’ll hear about in this episode.
This entire episode is dedicated to YouTube for music—artists and labels in particular. Donna and George share stats about how listeners interact with YouTube, how people discover new music on the platform, and what it means that YouTube is the #1 music discovery platform right now. They break down the components of YouTube monetization and do a deep dive into companies that help artists manage their YouTube channels and revenue. If you’re wondering how to up your YouTube game, the most effective ways to use YouTube these days, and all the various tools that exist on the platform (shorts, music videos, vlog content, lyric videos, playlists, storytelling, UGC [user-generated content], etc.), this is the episode for you.
Kristin Robinson Billboard Article: How Did Two Unknown Latin Music Operators Make $23 Million From YouTube? The IRS Says They Stole It
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of YouTube in Music
03:13 Understanding YouTube's Unique Role
06:02 Strategies for Artists on YouTube
08:49 The Power of YouTube Analytics
12:07 Monetization Mechanics on YouTube
15:00 Navigating YouTube's Revenue Streams
37:12 Understanding YouTube's Viewer Demographics
40:09 The Evolution of Cover Videos and UGC
42:55 The Long Game: YouTube vs. TikTok
43:51 Strategies for Emerging Artists
48:03 Navigating YouTube's Complex Revenue System
56:13 The Future of Distribution for Indie Artists
01:01:25 Filling the Void for Emerging Artists
01:09:01 When to Start Taking YouTube Seriously
01:12:07 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cody Fry on Leaving a Major Record Label and Finding His Niche Fronting Orchestras
This week Ari sits down with Cody Fry, a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and orchestral arranger known for his symphonic arrangements of his own music and other artists’ songs. Cody has been nominated for two grammys for arranging: this year for his adaptation of “The Sound of Silence” and previously for “Eleanor Rigby.” An incredible musician all around, Cody has found his niche fronting orchestras in a way that appeals to pop music lovers around the world.
Cody has played Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, the Kennedy Center, and has hundreds of millions of streams online. In 2021, his song “I Hear a Symphony” (which had already been out for five years) went viral on TikTok and landed Cody a major record deal. In this episode, Cody talks about what it was like working with a major label and the specifics of his record deal. He also tells Ari why he decided to eventually leave the label and go independent once again.
Chapters
00:00 The Artist's Journey: From Aspiration to Independence
02:50 Cody Fry: The Orchestral Innovator
06:02 Crafting Sound: The Art of Orchestration
08:52 Finding Your Unique Sound as an Artist
11:58 The Viral Breakthrough: TikTok and Its Impact
15:08 Navigating Record Deals: Insights and Experiences
18:02 The Transition to Independence: A New Chapter
20:52 Performing with Orchestras: A Unique Experience
23:55 The Future of Music: Independence and Innovation
39:54 Navigating the Music Business Without a Manager
42:44 The Importance of Team Members in Music
43:14 Non-Traditional Team Members and Their Roles
46:07 Managing Sheet Music and Publishing Rights
54:35 Exploring Alternative Revenue Streams for Artists
01:01:09 Creating Engaging Content for a Niche Audience
01:04:02 Future Aspirations and New Music Projects
01:08:13 Understanding the Value of Record Deals
01:19:37 The Evolving Landscape of the Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can The Music Industry Be a Safe Place?
This week Ari sits down with Katie Tucker, a double-platinum songwriter, vocal producer, studio owner, and the visionary behind Sharp Edges Records with its accompanying recording studio. As a songwriter, Katie has crafted hit songs for renowned artists like Namie Amuro, BoA, and Jota Quest. She has amassed millions of streams as a recording artist and her music has been featured on major platforms including ABC, USA, VH1, Fox, Disney, Peacock, and Hulu. A defining moment in her career came with "Do It For Love," featured on Namie Amuro's album Finally, cementing her status as a double-platinum songwriter.
These days, however, Katie spends most of her time in advocacy and running Sharp Edges Records. One of the main reasons Katie started her record label/studio was to create a safe space for her clients within the industry. Katie started No Creeps!, an event and movement advocating for mental health, safety, and inclusivity in the music industry as a further expression of her advocacy. This conversation goes deep into safety and inclusion in music and recording. In this conversation, Katie offers tangible resources for how we can all participate in making this industry a safer and more supportive place for everyone.
Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesharpedges/
Women In Music Safe(r) Spaces Resource Directory: https://www.womeninmusic.org/saferspaces
No Creeps! Digital Resource Zine: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uk87S0hmxSsHaEXCTieSuz3AiwcaKs-x/view?usp=drivesdk
Chapters:
00:00 Creating Safe Spaces in the Music Industry
03:08 The Journey to Sharp Edges Records
05:56 The Importance of Vulnerability in Music Creation
09:06 Navigating Safety and Inclusivity in Recording Studios
11:52 Concrete Steps for a Safer Music Environment
15:11 Understanding the Spectrum of Safety Concerns
18:00 Educating for Change: The Role of Communication
20:50 Empowering Artists Through Advocacy
30:20 Addressing Abuse of Power in the Music Industry
32:11 The No Creeps! Initiative: Creating Safe Spaces
36:19 Empowering Voices: Sharing Experiences and Education
41:11 The Importance of Allyship and Advocacy
46:24 Navigating Imperfection: Learning from Experiences
52:35 Resources for Safety and Support in the Industry
56:21 Redefining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Selling out Clubs With Very Few Followers? This DIY Band Is Making It Happen.
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How Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" Made History and Became the Biggest Song in the World
This week Ari sits down with Heather Vassar, the Senior Vice President at EMPIRE—a fully independent record label, publishing company, and distributor. Heather’s career began at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she developed digital strategy for renowned artists such as George Strait, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, and Keith Urban. In 2019, Heather joined EMPIRE where she now plays a pivotal role in operations, marketing, and strategy for a diverse roster of artists including Shaboozey, Wyatt Flores, Niko Moon, Sophia Scott, Don Louis, Reyna Roberts, Tenille Arts, and Randy Houser.
Heather and Ari discuss the incredible success of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” which has been number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 19 weeks straight—the longest any song has held that position. Heather reveals how this hit (released on an indie label) became the biggest song in the world and how they have sustained its momentum. She shares the entire journey from signing Shaboozey, to putting out his initial singles, releasing his album, collaborating with Beyonce, all the way to his massive global success today. Thanks to her extensive experience at both major and independent labels, Heather has sharp insights to share about deal structures, ownership models, artist development, and how the industry has shifted (in the majors and the indies) over the last five years, all of which you’ll hear about in this episode.
https://www.instagram.com/hvassar/
00:00 The Hustle Behind Success
02:49 Empire Records: A New Era in Music
06:07 Shaboozey’s Journey to Stardom
09:12 Navigating the Independent Label Landscape
12:01 The Creative Process: From Songwriting to Release
14:50 Breaking Through: The Success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
18:07 The Role of Radio in Today's Music Industry
20:49 Building a Fanbase: The Digital Approach
24:02 The Importance of Flexibility in Music Releases
33:56 Navigating Legalities in Music Production
39:08 Strategic Album Rollout and Market Timing
45:51 Building a Global Music Infrastructure
50:02 Maintaining Momentum After a Hit Release
55:04 Balancing Art and Market Trends
01:00:10 Educating Artists in the Digital Age
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
An Iranian Refugee Became a Hit Producer and Now Finds Humanity with Global Collabs
This week Ari sits down with AFSHEEN, an electronic artist, producer, songwriter, and DJ. Initially, AFSHEEN became well-known for producing music by Madonna, Janet Jackson, Selena Gomez, Chris Brown, Sia and other big-name artists. AFSHEEN was nominated for a Latin Grammy for his work on Natalia Jiménez's album Creo en Mi. He wrote "All We Have Is Love" with Sabrina Carpenter, wrote and produced "Sunny Days" with Armin van Buuren and Toby Gad, and has worked with other notable artists like Rebecca Ferguson and Lindsay Stirling. A song AFSHEEN wrote for Korean artist Taeyeon reached number one on the K-Pop Billboard charts for two consecutive weeks.
AFSHEEN has had an incredibly successful career as a songwriter/producer, but he also recently released a new album, SMALL WORLD, under his namesake solo project. An Iranian refugee himself, AFSHEEN worked with artists from all over the world to bring this record to life. SMALL WORLD features prominent artists from Indian, Romania, Jamaica, Japan, Amsterdam, and beyond.
AFSHEEN talks with Ari about transitioning from being the go-to producer/songwriter for superstars into being a self-released artist who releases his own music through DistroKid. AFSHEEN is also starting his own label, SOUNDISH. He shares insights about the process of building a label and his vision for the label’s future.
https://www.instagram.com/afsheenmusic/
00:00 Exploring Global Sounds: AFSHEEN’s Journey
09:55 The Power of Collaboration: Building a Diverse Album
20:07 Cultural Roots and Personal Stories: Music as a Reflection
30:03 The Indie Artist Journey: From Producer to Self-Released
32:00 Vision for the SOUNDISH label: A New Era in Music Production
38:24 Transitioning from Behind the Scenes to Artist
42:46 Expanding Global Reach through Collaboration
51:22 Breaking into the Music Industry
01:02:08 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Noga Erez on her Major Label Debut Album and Dealing With Hate
This week Ari sits down with alt-pop singer, rapper & multi-hyphenate, Noga Erez. Her breakout album Off The Radar earned worldwide acclaim and her sophomore project KIDS brought even greater success. She recently released a new record THE VANDALIST, which has further cemented her place as a one-of-a-kind artist of the modern era.
Noga Erez has garnered fans across the world, including superstars like Billie Eilish, Missy Elliott (who Noga collaborated with on her 2022 single “Nails”), Gal Gadot, and Finneas. She has sold out the Bowery Ballroom in NY, El Rey Theatre in LA, and Menora Arena in Tel Aviv on her headlining tours. Erez has performed at Bonnaroo, Primavera Sound, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as well as The Kelly Clarkson Show.
In this episode, Ari and Noga talk about the creation process and the craft of songwriting. They also delve into themes from her latest record, including: how social media has affected society and the ways releasing music has changed in recent years. THE VANDALIST is Noga’s first record on a major label, so she shares details of what that experience has been like for her. Noga also talks about what it means to be an Israeli artist in a larger global context, and how that has impacted her life and work.
00:00 The Meaning of Music in Life
01:05 Introducing Noga Erez and Her New Album
02:42 Navigating the Music Industry Chaos
03:36 Being an Israeli Artist in Today's World
04:36 The Creation Process of 'THE VANDLIST'
06:31 Collaborating with Real Musicians
11:35 Exploring Themes of PC Culture in Music
16:55 The Impact of Social Media on Society
24:41 The Sad Generation and Its Challenges
30:00 The Role of Music in Finding Purpose
34:43 Songwriting Process and Collaboration
37:26 The Creative Process Behind Songwriting
42:07 Navigating Major Label Dynamics
46:40 The Impact of Social Media on Artists
55:18 The Challenges of Being an Israeli Artist
01:10:48 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Partisan Records Markets Artists
This week Ari sits down with Zena White, the chief operating officer at Partisan Records. Partisan is an internationally renowned independent record label headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Zena has overseen global strategy for #1 charting, Grammy-nominated, Mercury Prize-winning album campaigns across Partisan’s diverse roster that includes IDLES, PJ Harvey, Cigarettes After Sex, Blondshell, the Fela Kuti estate and many more. Zena is also on the board of organizations like World Independent Network, A2IM, RIAA, and is a Recording Academy Member. Prior to Partisan, Zena was Managing Director at The Other Hand marketing services company in London, where she worked with artists such as Run The Jewels, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, and more.
Zena tells Ari about ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts) a nonprofit she’s involved with that uses research to demonstrate the economic, social, and cultural value of music. Then later, she takes us behind the scenes of Partisan Records, explaining where they spend their marketing money, how much they spend, and more. Ari and Zena discuss ‘old-school’ marketing tactics like radio, PR, print media, digital and TV, and Zena sheds light on how artists get on Late Night shows… along with how much that costs. Yep—it costs. Ari and Zena also dive deep into the world of ‘new media’ and discuss how Partisan spends its money in the new age of social media. Tune in to hear stories about how Cigarettes After Sex got off the ground and to get a glimpse into the inner workings of indie labels!
00:00 Investing in Artists: The New Music Business
04:48 Inside Partisan Records: A Label's Journey
10:00 Cigarettes After Sex: A Case Study in Success
24:42 The Balance of Data and Creativity in A&R
34:06 Marketing Strategies for Independent Artists
40:50 The Evolving Landscape of Music Marketing
46:28 Public Relations and Its Impact on Artist Development
52:13 Navigating Television Appearances and Their Costs
55:30 The Role of Local Press in Ticket Sales
01:02:26 Influencer Marketing and New Media Strategies
01:08:58 The Formation and Purpose of Orca
01:19:05 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Billboard Exec on Linkin Park and the state of Music Journalism
This week, Ari is joined by Jason Lipshutz, the Executive Director of Music at Billboard. Jason has written about music for over a decade and has penned cover stories on Taylor Swift, U2, Blink-182, Lorde, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, among many others. He was formerly a deputy editor at Fuse Media and has contributed to VIBE, The Hollywood Reporter, Spinner, and Popjustice. Jason recently released a book about Linkin Park called It Starts With One.
In this illuminating interview, Jason shares his perspective on the state of music journalism, how he approaches conducting interviews, who decides what gets reviewed and who goes on the cover at major music publications. Ari and Jason also trade stories about their experiences with publicists and managers trying to squash stories to protect client images. If you're interested in the inner workings of the music journalism industry, this episode is for you!
Check out Jason’s new audiobook: https://aristake.io/ul1wx7
00:00 The Balance of Music Journalism
03:10 Writing a Book vs. Cover Stories
05:56 The Evolution of Linkin Park
13:02 The Art of Interviewing Artists
18:09 The Changing Landscape of Music Journalism
29:19 Navigating the Pressures of Music Journalism
36:05 The Editorial Process at Billboard
41:44 Balancing Traffic and Storytelling
45:04 Personal Fandom in Journalism
48:14 Writing a Book on Linkin Park
56:33 Championing Creativity in the Music Industry
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Managing Hit Songwriters and Producers
This week Ari sits down with Lucas Keller, the Founder & President of Milk & Honey, an entertainment management company that represents some of the world’s biggest songwriters, artists, and producers. Established in 2014, Milk & Honey is a hybrid agency that works in both the music and sports industries and has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Dallas and London. On the music side, Milk & Honey represents world-class creators including the writers behind Dua Lipa’s “Levitating,” BTS’s “Butter,” Justin Beiber/Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” and many other international hits. Lucas and Ari talk about the state of music publishing and go deep into the ethics of royalties and producer points. Lucas explains how publishing and record deals work these days and gives his inside scoop on major catalog sales. Lucas also shares Milk & Honey’s process for setting up hit songwriting sessions.
If you’re a songwriter, artist, producer, or anyone in the industry who wants to learn more about the ins and outs of music publishing, this episode is for you.
00:00 The Art of Songwriting: A Daily Grind
04:51 Understanding Music Publishing Terminology
10:04 The Financial Landscape for Songwriters
15:11 The Impact of Collaboration on Songwriting
19:50 Navigating the Complexities of Publishing and Royalties
24:52 The Future of Songwriting: Challenges and Opportunities
26:20 The Evolution of Songwriting and Collaboration
34:04 Understanding Publishing Deals in Today's Market
48:07 The Growing Importance of Catalog Sales
51:56 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
John Summit on Collaboration, His New Record Label and Advice to Aspiring DJ/Producers
This week Ari sits down with John Summit, one of the most sought-after DJ/producers in the global dance world. John is a superstar DJ, producer, and owner of his own label, Experts Only. He has nearly a billion all-time global streams across his own catalog, two number 1 US dance radio hits, and two top 10 tracks on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Summit has sold out iconic venues such as BMO Stadium, MSG, the Forum, Coachella, EDC, Tomorrowland and other major festivals all across the globe.
John tells Ari all about how he got his start (making music with a day job, producing songs in his parents' basement), and how those humble beginnings led to him touring the world as a celebrated artist. He talks about how he got his career “break,” and gives practical advice to aspiring DJ/producers. John also talks about running Experts Only and how he hopes to develop the label.
Keep up with John Summit at: https://www.instagram.com/johnsummit/
00:00 Breaking Out of the Local Scene
06:07 Creating an Album vs Singles
08:59 Staying Inspired Creatively
12:12 The Evolution of Live Performances
14:53 Navigating the Pandemic: A Turning Point
17:47 The Power of Persistence
24:00 Collaborating Remotely
33:16 Designing Arena Shows vs Festival Shows vs Clubs
38:46 Behind The Curtain of Experts Only Label
47:20 Experts Only Party Nights and Community Building
51:14 Marketing Support for Artists on Experts Only
53:04 Advice for Aspiring DJ/Producers
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Sub Pop Records Develops and Funds Artists
This week Ari sits down with Tony Kiewel, the President of Sub Pop Records and co-founder of ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts). Sub Pop has repped iconic artists like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Beach House, The Postal Service, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Father John Misty, and many more. Tony’s organization, ORCA, is a “think tank comprised of international independent music labels committed to increasing music’s economic, social, and cultural value.” ORCA has done incredible research to demonstrate the tangible value of music in our society. ORCA also works with numerous record labels to increase financial and contractual transparency between labels and artists.
In this episode, Tony shares the inner-workings of his experience at Sub Pop. He breaks down how independent record labels function in 2024 and how exactly his label invests in the future of their artists. Ari and Tony discuss how ORCA’s research could help influence law and policy changes for the music industry and how the organization helps people outside of the industry understand how things work. Tony talks about what Sub Pop looks for when it comes to signing new artists, how they develop current artists on their roster, and how they go about working with undiscovered artists vs. artist on the cusp of stardom. If you’re interested in the inner workings of indie labels, you won’t want to miss this episode!
ORCA: https://www.orcaformusic.com/
“Setting the Stage: How Music Works” study by ORCA: https://aristake.io/orca
00:00 Understanding the New Music Business
05:26 The Formation of ORCA and Its Goals
10:16 The Importance of Transparency in the Music Industry
16:07 The Challenges Facing Independent Artists
22:42 The Role of Indie Labels in Artist Development
33:56 Artist Development Strategies at Sub Pop
42:58 Investments in Emerging Artists
51:15 Revenue Streams and Financial Models
01:00:19 Marketing and Tour Support Budgets
01:10:36 Trends in Physical vs. Digital Sales
01:17:26 Mutually Beneficial Artist-Label Relationships
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Paying To Get on Spotify Playlists Legally?
This week Ari sits down with Dorian Perron, the co-founder of Groover, a platform that connects artists who want to promote their music with media outlets, radio stations, record labels, playlist curators and industry professionals seeking emerging talents. Ari and Dorian go in depth about how artists can safely pitch their music and receive constructive feedback from industry professionals. They discuss the current state of playlisting—specifically how to avoid botted playlists and streaming fraud while promoting your music. You’ll also get to hear Ari’s unfiltered thoughts about Groover and other playlisting platforms in this deep-dive conversation. If you’re an artist who self-promotes their music, this episode is for you.
Get 15% off your first campaign with Groover with the code ARISTAKE
Website: Groover.co
Variety Article (Streaming Fraud): https://variety.com/2024/music/news/spotify-artists-streaming-fraud-1235965379/
00:00 Artists' Goals and Varying Needs
01:18 Introduction to Groover
02:08 Streaming Fraud and Shady Companies
03:35 The Ecosystem of Playlist Curators
05:28 What is Groover?
09:41 Evolution of Playlists and Curators
12:26 Starting Groover in California
13:21 The Rise of Playlists
14:17 Types of Playlists on Spotify
17:05 Groover's Focus on User-Generated Playlists
18:28 The Impact of Playlists on Artists' Careers
19:26 Nourishing Different Types of Playlists
22:38 Pitching Songs to Playlist Curators on Groover
26:53 Paying for Consideration, Not Placement
28:21 The Streaming Fraud Issue
35:42 Verifying Legitimacy of Playlists
40:26 Factors Affecting Success on Groover
44:46 Defining Success in the New Music Business
50:42 Tailoring Music to Please Curators
56:26 Quality vs. Tailoring in Groover Campaigns
01:05:39 Varied Results on Groover
01:09:18 Finding Your Own Pace in the Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Human Classical Pianist Composing With AI
This week, Ari sits down with AyseDeniz, a classical pianist and composer with a Bachelor's from Eastman School and a Master's from the Royal Academy of Music. In 2022, she was listed as one of the 20 under 40 Young Shapers of the Future of Music by Encyclopaedia Britannica, alongside notable artists such as Adele, Lil Nas, and Lorde. In this episode, AyseDeniz talks about how she collaborates with AI to compose new works of music. AI tools have changed AyseDeniz’s career trajectory as an independent artist, even though she’s an incredibly skilled classical musician. Ari and AyseDeniz discuss the ethics of composing and collaborating with AI and how she has used these tools to propel her career forward. Check out AyseDeniz at: https://www.adpianist.com/
00:00 Exploring the Classical Music Industry and AyseDeniz's Background
02:14 Using AI to Create Classical Piano Compositions
03:43 The Emotional Component of AI-Generated Music
04:11 The Ethics of AI in Music Creation
05:06 AyseDeniz's Journey in Scoring for Film and TV
06:32 The Future of AyseDeniz's Music Career
47:35 Creating AI-Generated Compositions
50:07 Authenticity in Music Performance
51:06 Ethical Considerations in AI Music Generation
57:49 The Need for Regulations and Laws
01:13:25 The Future of Music with AI
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Record Label Prioritizes Timeless Music Over Streams
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This week, on the New Music Business Podcast, Ari sits down with Louis Marks and Fabian Brown of Ropeadope Records, a label that’s been around in the jazz world for 25 years and has worked with Snarky Puppy, Christian Scott, Greg Spero, Terrace Martin, Questlove, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Taj Majal, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Sister Gertrude Morgan, and so many more. In this episode, Louis and Fabian talk about how most of their artists cannot make a living just from streaming revenue. They share the ways they’ve been evolving, as a label, to elevate and lift their artists in the ever changing landscape of the new music industry. This conversation discusses the ins and outs of streaming, social media, physical sales, downloads, bandcamp, touring, patronage, community, and so much more.
00:00 - Introduction
04:55 - The Mission of Ropeadope Records
18:43 - Rethinking the Value of Music
24:22 - Preserving Contemporary Music
31:32 - Re-Educating Fans and Focusing on the Connection
44:44 - The Limitations of Streaming Platforms
53:29 - Exploring Alternative Models for Artist Support
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Ropeadope Records:
Website: https://ropeadope.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ropeadope/
Bandcamp: https://ropeadope.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ropeadope99
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
R&B Artist Jaylon Ashaun on World Building and the Hustle
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
This week, Ari sits down with Jaylon Ashaun, a talented R&B artist currently based in LA via Atlanta and Houston. Jaylon found success by regularly releasing music and building a direct artist-to-fans community online. His song “Strawberries and Wine” took the digital music world by storm, with over 25 million streams of its various versions. Last year, Jaylon toured the US with major R&B acts Xavier Omar and Hojean. Ari and Jaylon discuss the importance of connecting with fans directly, how to capitalize on and move past viral moments to build a sustainable career, and how Jaylon has built his superfan community, Global Nomads, online.
Chapters:
00:00 Taking Risks and Putting Out Music
14:24 The Power of Regularly Releasing Music
19:37 Developing a Super Fan Community
27:52 Perseverance, Collaboration, and Artistic Identity
28:22 Building a Community and World Around Your Music
31:16 Engaging with Fans and Nurturing Your Community
33:06 The Power of Physical Merchandise
40:18 The Evolving Music Industry and the Importance of Adaptability
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Jaylon Ashaun:
Website: https://www.jaylonashaun.me/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylonashaun
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jaylonashaun
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dhseP7KiICmkxT5waM1Md
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids-Ergas
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Singing Couple is Making It by Diversifying their Business and Writing Great Songs
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This week, Ari sits down with Ni/Co, the musical duo of LA-based couple Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones. Their most recent song “On Purpose” has taken the internet by storm with over 6.2 million streams on Spotify and YouTube. Ni/Co built their early career by releasing covers on YouTube and placing their songs in sync. They have garnered over 75 million views on YouTube and have landed 6-figure sync deals with their music. However, as their covers became more popular and they wrote under various monikers for sync, Dani and Colton had to make a decision: did they want to prioritize these paths or re-center their career around original music? This conversation dives into the details of publishing and label deals, Ni/Co’s journey through sync, their experience going viral on TikTok, and how they clarified their artist identity to stay true to their vision along the way.
00:00 - Introduction and Background
10:39 - The On Purpose Journey and Release
15:47 - Meeting and Starting as a Couple
26:23 - Signing a Publishing Deal and Sync Placements
30:11 - Separating Covers and Originals
42:52 - The Success of 'On Purpose'
49:05 - Influencer Campaigns, Viral Songs, and the Importance of Diversifying Revenue Streams
1:13:20 - Challenges and Scams in Revenue Collection
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Ni/Co:
Website: https://nicomusicofficial.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ni.co_official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ni.co_official
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IR0GSCHsTo7gSw8HHLBnr
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A New Kind of Record Label
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Ankit Desai is the founder and CEO of Snafu Records, the world's first AI-enabled artist services company. Snafu's algorithms identify talented artists from all over the world, which the company then invests in growing and supporting. Before starting Snafu, Ankit was at Universal Music, where he worked with artists like Tove Lo, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, and Shawn Mendes. For his work at Snafu and Universal, Ankit was recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 Europe, and Nordic Music Business' 20 under 30.
Mira Howard currently serves as the head of Snafu's Song Fund. While she has an education in physics and economics and an MBA from Cambridge, she also has had a lifelong love for music and writes and plays music in her own time. In her career Mira has worked scaling creative startups, and is passionate about bringing Snafu to the artists of the world.
This week, Ari is joined by Ankit Desai and Mira Howard of SNAFU records, to discuss how they built a completely new type of record label from the ground up. They aim to change the way artists think about their music as a business asset, encouraging artists to invest in their catalogs and not just focus on new releases. Ankit and Mira explain how SNAFU aims to change the game and create a win-win situation for all of its artists, maximizing success and longevity all while keeping the rights in the hands of the artists.
00:00 - Discovering and Investing in Unsigned Artists
13:05 - Improving and Increasing Artists' Listenership
29:34 - Don't Give Up on Your Catalog: The Value of Old Songs
39:29 - Social Media Strategies: Coaching Artists for Success
44:53 - Playlist Power: Investing in Catalogs
51:48 - Snafu's Business Model: Partnering with Undervalued Artists
56:31 - Supporting Female Creators: The Snafu Women's Creator Fund
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Snafu Records :
Website: https://www.snafurecords.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snafurecords/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@snafurecords
X: https://x.com/snafu_records
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/snafu-records/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Fly By Midnight Went From YouTubers to Sold Out Tours
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Fly by Midnight is comprised of Justin Bryte and Justin Slavo, two best friends who honed their craft in New York and are now making waves in Los Angeles, creating and self-distributing emotive pop music.
In the episode, they discuss their journey as independent artists, starting with cover videos on YouTube and transitioning to original music. They talk about the intentional decision to release covers alongside their original music to maintain their existing fan base. The duo reflects on the importance of DIY and the value of creating high-quality content on a low budget. They also discuss the challenges of gaining industry recognition and label interest, as well as the changing landscape of virality on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Fly By Midnight discusses their approach to creating viral videos and their experimentation with different types of content. They also talk about their experiences with booking agents and their plans for future releases.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
04:53 The Thrill Tour
08:17 From Covers to Originals
19:10 Content on a Budget
28:50 Label Involvement
37:59 Balancing Virality and Authenticity
44:46 Animation and Video
52:42 Keeping Content Fresh
1:00:21 Distribution
1:11:12 Making it in the New Music Business
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Connect with Fly by Midnight:
Website: https://www.flybymidnight.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rQTEdG6hDVOlDUFKs9EjZ?si=fsDqg7-6RbiEWV5diJGkTA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flybymidnight/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flybymidnight
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJDQtPgwh6oV5MbPmclqIAg
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From Backyards to Coachella, How The Red Pears Built it The Old Fashioned Way
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
This week, Ari is joined by Henry Vargas and Jose Corona of the band “The Red Pears,” an indie band who has seen recent success particularly in the live performance scene, coming hot off the heels of their Coachella performance. They discuss their journey in the music industry, from playing backyard concerts to opening for bands like Interpol and performing at iconic venues like The Greek and The Forum. They share their insight on the importance of building relationships, treating people with respect, and staying true to themselves, attributing their success to their hard work, determination, and the support of their dedicated fan base.
The Red Pears also highlight the significance of live shows and the impact they have on their audience, sharing their experiences of connecting with fans and the importance of showing gratitude for their support.
Chapters
00:00 - Welcome
03:38 - From backyard concerts to Coachella
13:43 - On their recording process
24:45 - Balancing your career and booking shows
33:09 - How did they start touring?
38:25 - Building a fanbase from word of mouth
48:25 - Finding your booking and management team
1:01:27 - Meeting your idols
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with The Red Pears:
Website: https://theredpears.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FRYBFCNEBWMjk6kvwjHQT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theredpears/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theredpears_626
X: https://x.com/TheRedPears
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Neoni got 2 Billion Views & Streams as DIY Artists
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
This week, Ari is joined by sisters Caitlin & Sid Powell, the artists behind the hit group Neoni, to discuss the shift in the industry towards video content, and how they were able to capitalize on their own TikTok virality. Additionally they explain why they chose to stay independent despite being approached by numerous labels, and how staying DIY has helped their career. They also discuss their release strategy and how they go about maximizing attention on various platforms despite not yet touring. To wrap up the interview, they provide insight into how other artists can find success while remaining independent.
Caitlin and Sid blend Alternative Pop with electronic music, creating a unique sound as Neoni. Since 2020, they have steadily built a substantial catalog, releasing their breakout debut album, Wars in a Wonderland, in the fall of 2021, followed by All My Favorite Monsters in 2022. With two viral TikTok hits, "Darkside" and "Royalty," amassing over 2 billion views, and a rapidly growing social media presence, Neoni continues to gain organic traction with each new release.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
04:35 New project releases, live shows, and YouTube covers
09:22 Neoni’s journey and evolution
16:33 How DJs influenced their sound
21:03 From 20k to 250k streams a day
28:42 What taking meetings with major labels is like
36:02 How they convert listeners into fans
43:27 Leaning into social media for promotion
49:36 Why they still release horizontal videos
56:06 On live performing and touring
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Neoni:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/38wxcfNEqMwuPniHvplin5?si=NYWsV7e1TdCSFD9bqdu_yw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareneoni/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareneoni
Website: https://weareneoni.com/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Haley Joelle on Staying DIY With TikTok Fame and Spotify Love
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Haley Joelle is a 24-year-old songwriter and artist from outside of Portland, OR, currently based in LA. Haley is known for her unique and specific approach to storytelling in her songs that have resonated with millions of people around the world. Her lyrics touch on family dynamics, the complications of growing up, grief, and heartbreak - all lending themselves to help her listeners feel less alone.
Haley’s songs have been discovered on popular playlists including Spotify’s Chilled Hits, Chill Pop, Fresh & Chill, Sad Hour, Sad Songs, Today’s Singer-Songwriters, Morning Commute, Mellow Evening, and Apple Music’s Breaking Pop, In My Room, Acoustic Chill, Today’s Acoustic, Acoustic Memories, and New Music Daily. Her songs have been streamed more than 100 million times, and featured in Amazon Prime Video’s #1 most watched non-English language original movie, ‘Culpa Mía’ as well as the popular TV shows ‘Love Island USA’ and ‘Love Island Games.’
After a couple tour support slots, and with 450k+ engaged fans around the world, she embarked on her first mini headline tour in December 2023 after the release of her album ‘Me And My Past.’ Haley’s next album is due September 2024.
00:00 - Intro
03:55 - Haley’s songwriting and album process
15:52 - Alternative music programs and networking
21:50 - How did Haley find other collaborators?
29:29 - Haley on music videos
34:07 - On staying independent and talking to labels
43:07 - Pitching for playlist inclusions
55:23 - Where does the money go?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Haley Joelle :
Website: https://haley-joelle-merch.myshopify.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pZOG8ump4odtJJA4Cy7S8
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itshaleyjoelle/
X: https://x.com/itshaleyjoelle
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hip Hop for Kids? Snoop Dogg's TV show and Origin of the Viral Hit "Go Go Go, Who's Next"
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Claude Brooks started his career as an actor with notable success, having starred in a few series and acted in over 300 episodes. His production company has Executive Produced and created over 500 episodes of television across a vast range of genres.
In the children’s arena, Claude Brooks created and produced The Discovery Kids’ Emmy Nominated children’s show, “Hip Hop Harry”, for which new content is currently being produced for over 15 digital platforms, and has spawned a live touring show and successful merchandising program. Most recently, Claude co-created with Snoop Dogg “Doggyland,” an innovative music based 3D animated children’s show on YouTube, HappyKids.tv and Kidoodle. “Doggyland” is a NAACP Image Award winner for “Outstanding Best Short Form” 2024.
This week, Ari and Claude discuss his hit kids show co-created with Snoop Dogg, “Doggyland.” Claude discusses his journey of building a successful show and the importance of perseverance and consistency. They also touch on how he got to collaborate with Snoop Dogg on the show, as well as the impact of social media platforms and how it has grown the show. He also shares his insight on the virality of the song “Go Go Go, Who’s Next?” and how he leverages TikTok to build a fanbase.
Claude shares his experience working with DistroKid as a music distributor and the benefits of payment splitting. They conclude by discussing future plans for Doggyland, including potential collaborations and a movie.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
04:09 Success of Children's Music Shows
10:30 Building a Hit Kids Show
28:18 Business Model of YouTube Kids Shows
30:42 The Power of Persistence and Activity in Achieving Success
35:42 The Growth and Success of Doggyland
48:34 Challenges of Content Creation and Distribution
58:22 The Role of DistroKid in the Music Industry
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Claude Brooks:
Website: https://ctotheb.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doggyland_kids/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tom Hanks' Music Supervisor on the Evolution of Sync Licensing
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Deva Anderson is an award-winning Music Supervisor and Executive with unparalleled range and depth. Over the course of her career, she has worked on more than 40 feature films with some of the most esteemed filmmakers in the industry, as well as more than 30 original series for television. Deva excels at facilitating collaboration and envisioning music that brings a director’s vision to life.
She is the Head of Music for Tom Hanks's production company, Playtone, where she has overseen music for all their productions for 25+ years, including the Oscar-nominated film Greyhound, Band of Brothers, and The Pacific.
Outside of her work at Playtone, Deva has worked with some of Hollywood's most prolific directors, including Denis Villeneuve (Dune) and Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs). She's also a music consultant and music-supervised Columbia Pictures' Blade Runner 2049, and Netflix's upcoming 2024 film The Piano Lesson.
Ari and Deva discuss the role of supervisors in film and TV, her approach to finding and obtaining music for productions, the process of clearing said music, and discusses the variety of projects she has worked on at Playtone, Tom Hanks’ production company.
Deva Anderson also highlights the role of music representatives in ensuring that all rights are cleared and that the business side of music is properly understood. She touches on the changing landscape of streaming networks and the budgets and fees associated with music placements. Finally, she concludes by discussing the use of library music and the potential impact of AI on music creation and production.
Chapters
00:00 The Path to Becoming a Music Supervisor
08:02 Spotting Sessions: Collaborating with Composers and Directors
13:58 Public Domain Music: Using Historical Songs
28:41 The Role of Indie Artists in Music Licensing
34:19 Music Supervision and Playtone
48:20 The Value of Library Music
50:42 The Influence of AI in Music Creation and Production
54:26 Breaking into the Music Supervision Field
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Deva Anderson :
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0026620/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deva-anderson-b385a6283
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How a Sony JV Record Label Develops Artists
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This week, Ari is joined by David Rishty, the President of Palm Tree Records. They discuss Palm Tree’s partnership with Sony, the value of radio and satellite platforms like SiriusXM, and the many ways labels can help with artist development. Palm Tree Records is a joint venture with Sony Music, co-founded by Kygo and his manager, Miles. It operates as an indie label with major label resources, providing a small, tight-knit team and the support of a major label when needed.
David Rishty's journey in the music industry began as a writer, penning features for a variety of publications including Billboard. During his tenure there, he launched the Billboard Dance 100 artist ranking and partnered with top brands including SiriusXM and Apple Music. His passion for building a brand crossed over to artist development early on in his rise with the founding of Exchange Management. In the seven years since its inception, Rishty’s artist roster has collectively earned more than 600 million streams and performed at over 400 shows. He has since brought this management mindset to Palm Tree Records, providing a holistic approach to artist development and creating a boutique label experience. Palm Tree’s roster remains select at less than a dozen artists, yet has amassed over 750 million total streams to date.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of Dance Music and DJ Culture
05:14 The Role of Major Label Resources in Artist Development
09:04 The Importance of Radio Promotion and Other Revenue Verticals
11:24 Building a Brand and Fan Base with Palm Tree Records
24:00 Releasing Music and Establishing a Presence During the Pandemic
28:49 The Impact of SiriusXM and the Different Radio Landscape
35:18 The Power of Short-Form Video Content
47:21 The Importance of Trust in Label-Artist Relationships
55:28 Defining Success in the Music Industry
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Connect with David Rishty:
Website: https://www.palmtreerecords.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rishty/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daverishty/
X: https://twitter.com/DaveRishty
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Producer Manager on Points, Payment, Sessions and Publishing
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This week, Ari is joined by Laura Jones, a producer manager and founder of Little Underground Management. They discuss negotiating contracts, signing up and coming producers, and navigating royalty splits. Little Underground Management represents producers and helps connect them with artists, with her role being 50% creative and 50% business administration. On the creative side, she acts as a musical matchmaker, connecting producers with artists, songwriters, and engineers. On the business side, she negotiates fees, contracts, and schedules, and oversees the entire recording process. In this conversation, Ari and Laura discuss the complexities of songwriting and publishing splits in the music industry. They explore how songwriting credits are determined, the challenges of splitting royalties, and the politics involved in negotiating publishing deals. Laura shares insights into how deals are structured, the importance of contracts, and the challenges of getting paid in a timely manner.
Chapters
00:00 The Importance of Contracts for Producers
02:23 Understanding Master Royalties and Publishing
09:39 The Role of Producer Managers in Connecting Producers with Artists
23:33 How Producer Deals Work: Fees and Royalties
34:01 Navigating Different Genres and Deal Structures
36:28 The Complexities of Publishing Rights
49:40 Challenges of Getting Paid in the Music Industry
53:49 The Importance of Contracts for Producers and Songwriters
01:02:19 Finding a Manager as a Producer
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Connect with Laura Jones:
Website: https://www.littleundergroundmanagement.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_underground_mgmt/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-jones-876240a
X: https://twitter.com/LittleUmgmt
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Understanding How Digital & Physical Mechanical Royalties Work
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Serona Elton serves as Head of Educational Partnerships for The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC). In this role, Elton directs The MLC’s efforts to engage future members of the music industry currently studying music business and related subjects at colleges and universities across the country and around the world.
With extensive experience as a music industry professional and educator, Elton is also a professor and Director of the Music Industry Program at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. In 2023, she was named Music Business Educator of the Year by the Music Business Association. She is also a Yamaha Master Educator.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
07:30 Changes in Mechanical Licensing
21:21 Releasing Co-Written Songs
25:06 Introduction to the MLC
29:33 Calculating Royalties for Streams
40:40 Relationship Between the MLC and PROs
49:32 International Mechanical Royalties
54:21 The Role of Legislation in the Music Industry
01:00:41 Calculating Mechanical Royalties
01:07:38 Defining Success in the Music Business
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Connect with The MLC and Serona Elton:
Website: https://www.themlc.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMLC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mlc_us/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serona
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SLANDER, Deorro, NGHTMRE Manager on Selling 400K Tix In a Year, Building Electronic Artists & DJs
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Beginning his tenth year in the music industry today, Will Runzel is co-founder of Prodigy Artists. He got his start throwing Hip-Hop concerts (Big Sean, Jeremih, Mike Posner, Twista) in college towns in the midwest, Steve Aoki brought him to LA to head up Dim Mak Live for a year before heading up React Presents West Coast division and another year with LED Presents / Goldenvoice (booking Jamie XX, M83, Calvin Harris). Around that time he started what is now known as Collectiv Presents with Chris Den Uijl, as well as his management company Prodigy Artists alongside Steven Haddad. Today, Runzel is the CEO of Prodigy Artists who represent SLANDER, Deorro, NGHTMRE, Guy Gerber, Audien as well as Grammy-nominated producers Bekon & The Donuts.
This week, Ari and Will discuss various aspects of the dance music industry, including revenue streams, remixes, and the role of managers. He emphasizes the importance of touring for bass music artists and the unique nature of their merchandise sales. Will also explains the business model of remixes and additionally highlights the need for data collection and retargeting in the new music business.
Chapters
00:00 Remixes and Original Music
10:12 SLANDER, NGHTMRE, and Deorro
29:07 Revenue and Profitability of Shows
36:16 Revenue Breakdown for Bass Music Artists
41:53 Reselling Records
50:21 Managing Record Producers
57:43 The Challenges of Playing at the Sphere
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-runzel-884456112
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willrunzel/
X: https://www.prodigyartists.com/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We Can Learn A Lot From the Dance Music Industry
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Moody Jones is an entrepreneurial entertainment executive and artist who thrives on creating new rules and executing unique concepts. Currently, he’s the GM of Dance at EMPIRE – an independent distribution company and record label pioneering the future generation of the music business.
This week, Ari is joined by GM of Dance at EMPIRE, Moody Jones, to discuss Empire's business model, the dance music industry, and the role of an executive in supporting artists. They discuss various aspects of the music industry, including consumer behavior on social media, the impact of UMG on artists, advice for aspiring producers and DJs, the importance of art in everything you do, discovering and signing new artists, release frequency, and what it means to make it in the new music business.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview of Empire
05:09 The Dance Division and the Dance Market
15:02 Measuring Success and Revenue Streams
23:02 Consumer Behavior on Social Media
26:00 Advice for Aspiring Producers and DJs
30:23 Building Relationships with Artists
37:38 Release Frequency and Removing Songs from DSPs
44:30 What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business
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Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moodyjones/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodyjones/
X: https://twitter.com/moodyjones
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moodyjones
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Artist Manager on Release Strategy, Record Deals and the TikTok Ban
Enrollment closes soon for Ari's Take Academy! Save 10% with code NMB and enroll: https://aristakeacademy.com/
A Los Angeles native and UCLA alumni, Michele Harrison commenced her career as a legal assistant at the Law Offices of Fischbach, Perlstein and Lieberman. Following gigs at Virgin Records and Hollywood Records, she spent 15 years at Ian Montone’s Monotone, Inc., working with the likes of Broken Bells, The Shins, Vampire Weekend, and Academy® Award winner Jamie Foxx. In 2018, she became Co-Head of Management at Friends At Work, managing Alanis Morissette and Raphael Saadiq. 2021 saw her join Range Music as a Partner, overseeing the careers of Healy, KaiGoinKrazy, Tkay Maidza, Justin Tranter, and UMI. With MPH Collective, she has now built a haven for artists, visionaries, and storytellers to shine without compromise.
In this interview, Ari and Michele discuss the role of autonomy and control in management, the impact of TikTok on artists' careers, and the changing landscape of record deals. She shares insights into the profitability of different venue sizes and the revenue streams from touring, including VIP experiences and merchandise sales. Michele also discusses the role of producers and the process of creating beat packs to pitch to artists and songwriters. She highlights the importance of getting in the room with other producers and songwriters to create music.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background of MPH Collective
03:06 The Impact of TikTok and Challenges in the Music Industry
06:53 The Shifting Landscape of Record Deals
11:52 The Importance of Authenticity in Social Media
30:26 Building a Collaborative Team
35:15 The Importance of Booking Agents and Touring
41:09 Profitability and Revenue Streams
46:09 The Role of Producers
57:01 The Goal in the New Music Business
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-harrison-88315a18/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mphcollective/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Spotify's Algorithm Works (From Its Creator)
Enrollment closes soon for Ari's Take Academy! Save 10% with code NMB and enroll: https://aristakeacademy.com/
Glenn McDonald was Spotify’s data alchemist and the creator of the music exploration site Every Noise at Once. He writes things for people about how humanity and technology co-exist, and things for computers about how to cope with not being human. He wrote a weekly music review column called The War Against Silence for ten years, tabulated the Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop music critics’ poll for several years, and was part of the music-intelligence start-up The Echo Nest, which was eventually acquired by Spotify.
He believes that music is the thing humans do best, and that bringing all the world’s music together online is one of the greatest cultural achievements of his lifetime. His book explaining why is being published by Canbury Press in 2024.
This week, Ari and Glenn McDonald discuss his role as a data alchemist and his work on the Every Noise at Once genre map. McDonald shares insights into the creation and maintenance of the Every Noise genre map, which categorizes over 6,000 genres and subgenres. He also discusses the evolution of Spotify playlists, from editorial to personalized, and the impact of algorithmic programming. They explore the impact of algorithmic recommendations on artists and fans, as well as the challenges of detecting fraud and bot attacks.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
08:30 Creating the Every Noise Genre Map
19:54 Personalized Playlists and Algorithmic Programming
32:25 Fans Also Like and its Evolution
37:06 The Challenges of Algorithmic Recommendations
41:30 The Limitations of Detecting Fraud
47:56 The Mystery of Sudden Streaming Spikes
01:00:19 Glenn McDonald's Book and Future Plans
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Connect with Glenn McDonald :
Every Noise: everynoise.com
Furia: furia.com
X: https://twitter.com/glenn_mcdonald
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-mcdonald-ab3b36/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
All His Music Got Removed From Spotify for "Fraudulent Streaming Activity" Which He Didn't Do
Enrollment closes soon for Ari's Take Academy! Save 10% with code NMB and enroll: https://aristakeacademy.com/
This week, Ari is joined by Benn Jordan, musician, youtuber and entrepreneur, to discuss the many challenges of the modern streaming focused music industry. They discuss the recent issue around artists getting their music removed from streaming services due to fraudulent streaming activity and the impact on artists’ careers. The conversation also touches on the recent zero tolerance policy of distributors. The conversation covers topics such as the financial challenges of being an independent musician, the future of sustaining a music career, the ethics of AI in music, creating ethical AI models, and the role of artists in shaping the future of music and AI.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
05:35 Challenges of Streaming Platforms
11:10 The Problem with Subsidized Streaming
15:26 The Success Story of Independent Artists
22:43 Introduction to VoiceSwap
36:21 The financial challenges of being an independent musician
44:02 The future of sustaining a music career
49:43 The ethics of AI in music
01:00:02 The role of artists in shaping the future of music and AI
01:01:52 Defining success in the new music business
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BennJordan
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Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mixing SZA, Engineering Bob Dylan, Collaborating with Rick Rubin
Enrollment closes soon for Ari's Take Academy! Save 10% with code NMB and enroll: https://aristakeacademy.com/
Dana Nielsen is a Grammy-nominated mixer, engineer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for his work with SZA, Rihanna, Adele, Post Malone, The Smashing Pumpkins, Neil Young, Justin Timberlake, Weezer, The Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan, and Kanye West. A frequent collaborator with legendary producer, Rick Rubin, Nielsen has amassed credits that run the stylistic gamut from Neil Diamond to Slayer and just about everything in between.
In this episode, Ari and ATA student Dana Nielsen, a Grammy-nominated mixing and engineering master, discuss his home studio setup, career, and superstar collaborations. He shares insights into his career journey, from starting out in Chicago to working with legendary artists and producers like Rick Rubin, Bob Dylan, and SZA. Dana emphasizes the importance of networking and seizing opportunities to advance in the music industry, highlighting the freelance nature of the entertainment industry and the importance of developing relationships in a transactional environment. Finally, Dana provides insights into the business side of engineering in the music industry, discussing the various roles and rates in the recording studio.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Gear Setup
14:38 Early Career and Networking
27:26 Putting Yourself Out There
29:32 Meeting Rick Rubin
32:12 Learning from John Hanlon
33:11 Working with Rick Rubin
40:26 Working on Neil Diamond's Album
45:14 Understanding the Role of a Second Engineer
50:44 The Business of Engineering in the Music Industry
01:09:26 Making It in the New Music Business
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Connect with Dana Nielsen:
Website: https://www.mixprotege.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danafrio
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaproducer
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@danaproducer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDanaNielsen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaproducer/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids-Ergas
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Life & Beth Music Supervisor on Placing Music and Getting the Job
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Brittany Douziech is a film and TV music supervisor with 20 years of industry experience. She has a knack for supervising projects that become festival darlings including the feature film, The Long Game, which won the SXSW Audience Narrative Award in 2023; and the documentary, Body Parts, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca and AFI Film Festivals. Additionally, Brittany has worked alongside veteran music supervisors Frankie Pine and Joe Rudge on a variety of TV projects, including Netflix’s From Scratch, Hulu’s Life & Beth, Amazon’s A League of Their Own and Daisy Jones & the Six, which was Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Music Supervision.
In this episode, Ari and Brittany discuss the process of sync licensing and music supervision for TV shows. They discuss the role of a music supervisor and the creation of a sonic palette. Brittany explains the collaboration between music supervisors, directors, and editors, as well as the budgeting process for music licensing. She also shares insights into the trends in music placement and the negotiation of fees for indie artists.
00:00 Introduction and Overview
09:29 Trends in Music Placement
10:08 Choosing Music for TV Shows
13:19 Timeline and Process for Music Supervision
21:19 Negotiating Fees for Indie Artists
26:17 Challenges of Clearing Music for TV Shows
34:18 Advice for Artists Wanting to Get Music Synced
41:00 Payment for Synced Songs
44:00 Breaking into the Music Supervision Industry
48:47 What It Means to 'Make It' in the New Music Business
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Website: https://www.brittanydouziech.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanydouziech/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanydouziech/
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5987667/
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids-Ergas
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From Gamer to Billion Stream Club as a DIY Artist/Producer
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TheFatRat is known to be the world's most influential Gaming Music artist. His music ranges from euphoric progressive house to trap and melodic glitch-hop, with a heavy influence of video game music. The artist’s forward-thinking approach to lift copyright restrictions on his music has led to him having been featured in 30+ million videos from a range of different content creators-collectively accounting for over 29 billion views on YouTube.
Over the years he has become one of the most top-charting acts in dance music, having had multiple singles remain in the iTunes Top 50 for over 3 years straight. He has had his music sync-to-screen for advertising giants including Coca-Cola and popular video games like the top-grossing Dota 2, Rocket League, Rolling Sky and Game For Peace and he has planted himself as the go-to-artist for Esports brands like ESL and Dreamhack.
00:00 - Welcome
00:57 - Ari’s intro
04:19 - TheFatRat’s journey from music producer to viral sensation
10:03 - TheFatRat’s experience with remixing major artists
18:39 - Growing streaming numbers through others’ YouTube videos
24:34 - Monetizing music on YouTube
31:29 - Promoting music on YouTube and social media
41:40 - Picking the right distribution platform for you
52:24 - Dealing with royalties and how TheFatRat manages his career
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Connect with :
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefatratofficial/
Threads: https://threads.net/thefatratofficial
X: https://twitter.com/thisisthefatrat?lang=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefatrat
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Artists Get Paid From YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and the Rest
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Jamie Dee Hart is a music rights management advocate who’s passionate about giving back and educating creators at all levels of their career. She’s the Founder & CEO of Hart & Songs, an artist and rights management firm ensuring independent artists, producers, and songwriters properly register songs and effectively collect their royalties.
Jamie also manages Ryan Nealon, an LA-based pop singer-songwriter with a growing audience across TikTok and Instagram from several viral moments, as well as chill electronic producer Koresma who has over 100 million streams across all DSPs. Her past projects have encompassed a broad range of activities, from producing a live concert at Madison Square Garden for a Latin GRAMMY-nominated album to providing social media strategy guidance to breakout Clubhouse star Axel Mansoor during the app's explosive growth which was featured in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Jamie also received her Masters Degree in Music Entrepreneurial Studies from Azusa Pacific University and continually helps foster the next generation of young executives.
00:00 - Welcome
00:47 - Ari’s Intro
04:48 - Jamie Dee Hart and music rights management
06:52 - Copyrighting your music and making money from Youtube
20:44 - The publishing side on royalties
26:16 - Using a CMS to collect Youtube royalty money vs. a distributor
32:05 - Collecting money on other platforms
39:47 - UMG removing tracks from TikTok
51:36 - Jamie’s thoughts on building an artist’s career as an artist manager
01:05:09 - What does it mean to Jamie to make it in the New Music Business?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jamie Dee Hart:
Hart and Songs: https://www.hartandsongs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamiedeehart/
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jamiedeehart
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiedhart/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Booking Agents Negotiate
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
JJ Cassiere is the co-founder of 33 & West, an independent talent agency that specializes in the representation of established and emerging musicians, comedians, and film & television entertainment professionals. Utilizing his 20+ years of experience, Cassiere oversees the diverse Music Touring Department alongside his partners, and leads the agency’s Comedy Department, where he has worked closely with well-known, established headliners, while also nurturing emerging talent from the screen to the stage, transforming them into headlining sensations with robust ticket sales, selling out all types of venues around the globe.
00:00 - Welcome
04:44 - JJ Cassiere and how he started 33 & West
12:16 - The roots of 33 & West from the Florida punk metal scene
17:14 - When it comes to representation, what do you look for in a new artist?
21:15 - How important is ticket history when finding representation, and what is your approach with developing a new artist?
29:22 - Support tours and tour buy-ons
39:28 - JJ’s philosophy of picking up the phone
45:46 - How do you set up tours for guarantees vs door splits?
55:04 - Merch splits at venues
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with JJ Cassiere:
Website: https://www.33andwest.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjcassiere/
X: https://twitter.com/JJCassiere
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jj-cassiere-230036a9/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is AI Music Taking Royalties From Musicians and Composers?
Oleg Stavitsky is co-founder and CEO of Endel, a sound wellness company that utilizes generative AI and science-backed research.
00:00 - Welcome
05:40 - Using AI soundscapes for wellness
11:36 - AI-generated music and its impact on the industry
20:57 - AI-generated music and royalties
30:05 - Universal and Warner embracing functional music
35:08 - How are royalty deals structured with collaborations?
41:30 - AI as a tool in music creation
46:18 - Does AI-generated music deserve royalties?
53:40 - The new frontier of AI-generated music
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Oleg Stavitsky:
Website: https://endel.io/
X: https://twitter.com/stvtsk?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleg-stavitsky-a6159775/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is Music Marketing With TikTok Still Viable
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Named one of Business Insider's "Power Players Using TikTok to Shape Music", Suzy Yoder launched YO SUZY in 2022 after serving as Head of Digital Marketing at Elektra Music Group. While leading a major label team, Suzy watched the social media landscape shift to reward artists and brands for compelling short-form vertical content. However, many teams are unable to keep up with the demand for consistent content, and cannot keep up with how quickly trends shift. Her company, YO SUZY, stands apart in its deep understanding of the power of short-form video platforms, the mechanics of how they work, and the reason music & brand teams have been hesitant to embrace them.
00:00 - Welcome
07:43 - What has shifted in the music marketing landscape recently?
12:22 - TikTok music marketing for emerging artists
24:44 - Choosing the right parts of your song
31:26 - Where do you put your energy into marketing a new song?
40:57 - The burnout factor in a TikTok-driven music industry
50:11 - How do you determine success on the platform?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Suzy:
Website: https://www.yosuzy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosuzy/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanneyoder
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@suzyyoder?lang=en
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How TikTok Music Videos Go Viral
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
00:00 - Welcome
04:28 - Dr. Clips’ story in vertical content
13:45 - Actionable steps for creating vertical content
20:45 - Artists starting from square zero in vertical content
27:02 - Content shoots vs. video shoots
32:52 - What is working on TikTok for musicians
40:21 - Dance trends, using fan feedback for fresh creative
44:45 - Advice for artists who don’t want to create video content
Evan Blum is a director specializing in creating large batches of short form vertical content for musicians. He has worked with Demi Lovato, Flyana Boss, Tori Kelly, The Chainsmokers, Lay Bankz, Neoni, Bry , Sadie Jean, Lawrence, Braden Bales and more.
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Evan Blum:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanblummadeit/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@evanblummadeit
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why Spotify's New Payment Model Falls Short For Emerging Artists
Read the full article on Variety: https://aristake.io/spotify-variety
This week, Ari Herstand discusses his recent article on Variety entitled Why Spotify’s New Payment Model Falls Short For Emerging Artists.
Articles mentioned:
Spotify’s article (Modernizing Our Royalty System to Drive an Additional $1 Billion toward Emerging and Professional Artists): https://artists.spotify.com/blog/modernizing-our-royalty-system
Streaming Fraud is More Serious (and Inventive) than you Think, with Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk of Beatdapp: https://aristake.com/andrew-batey-morgan-hayduk/
Building a Fan Economy with Fan Powered Royalties from MiDiA Research: https://aristake.io/MiDiA-fan-powered-royalties
--
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nashville Venue Defends Merch Fees
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Brooklyn Bowl Nashville: https://www.brooklynbowl.com/nashville
Sara Barnett serves as General Manager of Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. A Nashville native who has been soaking up the local music scene since she was sixteen, Sara has a passion for hospitality and music. She brings her prior experience as the General Manager at Butchertown Hall and as the Assistant General Manager at ACME Feed & Seed for four years to her work at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville.
Since opening its doors, the venue has hosted shows from top artists including Elvis Costello & Billy Gibbons, Phil Lesh, Leon Bridges, Lainey Wilson, Baby Keem and more, has been praised by the New York Times and was named “Best New Concert Venue” at the 2022 Pollstar Awards. With shows of all genres from country to rock to rap and more, as well as special events and benefit concerts, Brooklyn Bowl has one of the most eclectic lineups across Nashville’s saturated live music scene.
00:00 - Welcome
03:51 - Welcome Sara Barnett, Sara’s experience in Nashville, Brooklyn Bowl’s place in Nashville’s scene
13:20 - LiveNation’s involvement with Brooklyn Bowl
17:50 - Taking fees from artists’ merch sales, revenue sharing, more on ticketing fees
25:50 - The venue itself and its many activities
29:20 - Talent buying at the Brooklyn Bowl
31:00 - Showcases, how Brooklyn Bowl serves artists in the local Nashville scene
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Sara Barnett:
Website: https://www.brooklynbowl.com/nashville
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbowlnashville/
X: https://twitter.com/bbowlnashville
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrooklynBowlNashville
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-barnett-1129b729b/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How This Record Label Sells More Vinyl Than Streams
Learn more about Colemine Records: https://coleminerecords.com/
With a passion for everything related to records, Terry Cole operates a recording studio, a label (Colemine Records) and record store (Plaid Room Records). Terry started selling records at the age of 12, started his record label while attending college studying biology on the road to being a public school teacher, and then eventually quit teaching to open a record shop, Plaid Room Records, with his brother Bob Cole in 2015. Since then, Colemine Records has expanded and become a well respected label in the independent music industry launching artists such as Black Pumas, Say She She, Durand Jones & The Indications, Kelly Finnigan, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio and many more.
00:00 - Welcome, the importance of retail
04:49 - Microphone talk
08:06 - The story and inspiration behind Colemine Records
15:48 - Independent record label marketing strategies
21:34 - Music label management and artist development
26:58 - How Colemine works with Secretly and partnering with other labels
36:30 - How Colemine sold more physical music than digital music
43:40 - Promoting music in record stores
48:03 - Music industry’s reliance on algorithms vs physical record stores
52:51 - Music distribution and marketing strategies for independent labels
58:56 - Distribution deals and commission-based structure
01:02:40 - Distribution in physical stores
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Colemine Records :
Website: https://coleminerecords.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleminerecords
X: https://twitter.com/ColemineRecords
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleminerecords
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
BMG A&R on Pub Deals, Artist Development and Signing Frank Ocean
Get 25% off any Ari's Take Academy course with code ARISTAKE. Sale and enrollment both end on November 30th at 6pm PST. If you're ready to make 2024 the year for your music career, we're ready to give you the tools. Enroll today: https://aristakeacademy.com/
Over the last twenty years, Tab Nkhereanye, SVP of A&R (Artists & Repertoire) at BMG has been one of the driving forces behind hitmakers and top charting songs alike. Nkheranye’s success in the music industry is unlike many, providing him one of the most unique perspectives in the field and a resume that is hard to top. His path to BMG, was not a traditional one at all, as a songwriter in the first decade of his career, he was responsible for multiple #1 hits, writing with Justin Bieber, Madonna, Mary J. Blige and Brittany Spears. On the A&R side, during more than seven years at Island/Def Jam Records, Tab was responsible for the discovery and development of Frank Ocean, Alessia Cara and many others - showing that songwriters have a place in the corner office and paving a way for others like him. Tab’s mission is to be a voice and mentor for black songwriters and young executives who are looking to carve out their own path in the industry.
00:00 - Welcome
04:25 - Tab Nkhereanye and his story in music
12:05 - Publishing deal structures, ownership, royalties
16:23 - Co-publishing deals, what it looks like for a new songwriter
26:03 - What are you looking for when you are signing new songwriters?
30:05 - How involved are you in the creative process?
32:01 - Tab’s time at Def Jam Records and signing Alessia Cara, Frank Ocean
43:40 - Developing artists and major labels
47:05 - What are steps a songwriter should take when seeking a publishing deal?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Tab Nkhereanye:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tab-nkhereanye-a02b5625/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defjam_tab/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sync Agent Breaks Down TV, Film, Advertising Music Licensing
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Jen and Low Profile: https://www.lowprofilenyc.com/
Jen Pearce is the Founder of Low Profile, a music licensing & consulting agency based in Brooklyn, NY. After working in the music industry for years at companies like Warner Bros. Records & Downtown Records, Jen decided to open up her own shop after being fed up with the status quo. Low Profile was born out of a need for radical transparency in the music industry and a dedication to helping musicians build sustainable careers. Since launching in May of 2017, Low Profile has become the go-to source for innovative brands and content creators looking to partner with the most cutting-edge artists from all over the world. With their unparalleled access to artists, global reach, and early detection of new currents and trends, Low Profile is able to facilitate meaningful collaborations that are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. Some of the artists on Low Profile’s roster includes Solange, FKJ, Boy Harsher, Nation of Language, Empress Of, JR JR, YACHT and more.
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jen Pearce:
Website: https://www.lowprofilenyc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowprofilenyc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lowprofilenyc
X: https://twitter.com/lowprofilenyc
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Roc Nation Is Actually Developing Artists
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Shari Bryant and Omar Grant: https://www.rocnation.com/about/
Shari Bryant is Co-President of Roc Nation Label at Roc Nation. A fearless music industry veteran, Shari began her career as an intern at Roc-A-Fella Records at 16 years old. She would go to work with Def Jam, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros, Alamo Records, until she was appointed by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter to become Co-President of the Roc Nation Label. In her long and tenured career, she has worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Nas, Rick Ross, Cam’ron, Dipset, and more.
Omar Grant is currently the Co-President of Roc Nation Records. After graduating from Adelphi University, he took his first job as assistant tour manager working for Destiny’s Child, and then as tour manager for each of the three members individually including Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Beyonce. He would go on to with as an A&R for EMI Group Limited and Epic Records, before joining Roc Nation in 2011. Grant served as A&R on Rihanna’s first #1 debut album, Unapologetic, and would work with Rihanna on future releases. Grant has also worked with and/or introduced many other notable artists like Jay-Z, Big Sean, Shakira, David Guetta, Snoh Aalegra, Willow, Jaden Smith, Jay Electronica, Vic Mensa, and Buju Banton.
04:38 - Welcome
06:21 - Roc Nation - Shari and Omar’s roles at Roc Nation Label
15:12 - Strategies for developing artists in a crowded space
22:01 - Roc Nation’s legacy and long term vision for artists
28:00 - What does Roc Nation look for when they sign a new artist?
37:18 - Marketing strategies rollout for artists like Maeta
45:58 - Roc Nation’s track record with signing artists and philosophy
58:23 - What does it mean to you to make it in the new music business?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Roc Nation:
Website: https://rocnation.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rocnation/
X: https://twitter.com/RocNation
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rocnation
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Lawrence Got Live Nation To End Merch Fees
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
New York-born siblings, Clyde and Gracie Lawrence, founded Lawrence, an eight-piece soul-pop band. Their album "Hotel TV," released under Jon Bellion's label, achieved significant success with multiple viral moments and top chart positions. Lawrence has undergone extensive touring, including a Jonas Brothers tour, a 53-city tour across North America, and a headline tour across Europe, which has substantially boosted their popularity. In addition to their musical journey, Clyde Lawrence and Jordan Cohen have played a prominent role in advocating for artists, testifying against unfair practices in the live music industry before the U.S Senate Judiciary and influencing meaningful changes.
00:00 - Welcome
07:29 - Tour experience, setlists, and logistics
11:22 - Operating as an independent band, partnering with John Bellion, touring with a team
21:16 - The dynamic within the band, Lawrence, and maintaining a tight group of people
33:08 - The early years of the band
38:20 - On Live Nation eliminating merch fees for certain venues, the economics of the live music industry, and representing independent artists at a Congressional hearing
48:22 - Lawrence advocating for artists to Live Nation
01:01:50 - Songwriting and Lawrence’s new single coming out soon
01:11:13 - What does it mean to you to make it in the new music business?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Lawrence:
Website: https://lawrencetheband.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawrencetheband/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawrencetheband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr5v6l4EIKiImmJU-COJ0Sg
X: https://twitter.com/lawrencetheband
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Building an Artist Management Empire and Breaking Country Artists
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Bruce Kalmick, CEO of WHY&HOW, specializes in developing country music artists. Emphasizing the important role of marketing and a dedicated team, he seeks to ensure these artists can penetrate a genre he believes is often stuck in old trends. His work primarily involves artist management, but he has also launched a record label, Hazel Street Records; a joint venture with Sony/Orchard.
Bruce was a Billboard Power Player in 2018 and 2019 and has been featured in Billboard’s “40 Under 40.” Pollstar nominated Bruce for “Manager of the Year” in 2014. In addition to his music industry ventures, his company, WHY&HOW manages 15 clients and has a robust team situated in various US cities.
Learn more about Bruce and WHY&HOW here: https://whyandhow.com/
00:00 - Welcome
08:02 - WHY&HOW’s partnership with Red Light Management, Operations of WHY&HOW
14:17 - The current state of the country music industry according to Bruce, and thoughts about breaking country music artists
19:30 - Breaking a country artist, being where your audience is
29:30 - Why having an in-house marketing staff makes a difference vs. hiring an agency
34:10 - How artist management works within WHY&HOW
39:00 - The importance of mental health for artists and those in the industry
47:27 - Starting his own record label, Hazel Street Records, post Triple-8
54:00 - Working with independent labels vs working with major labels
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Bruce Kalmick :
Website: https://whyandhow.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyandhowmgmt/
X: https://twitter.com/B_Kalmick
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-kalmick-b876963/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Raye Zaragoza Makes a Living as a DIY Artist (Hint: Not Streaming)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Raye Zaragoza and her upcoming US tours: https://www.rayezaragoza.com/
LA-based singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza is called one of the most fresh and compelling voices in folk music today by NPR Music. She writes music for Netflix’s ‘Spirit Rangers’ and just released a new album Hold That Spirit on August 11, and has just announced that she has been cast as Tiger Lily in the Peter Pan National Tour.
0:00 - Welcome
07:20 - Raye casted a Tiger Lily in the Broadway tour of Peter Pan
17:01 - Raye’s new album and collaborating
26:23 - Deeply personal songwriting and songwriting as therapy
36:37 - Writing for sync licensing
41:16 - The business side of writing for a Netflix show
51:25 - self releasing as an artist and running her own indie record label
56:33 - How Raye uses Patreon like a record label
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Raye Zaragoza :
Website: https://www.rayezaragoza.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHAyiHSDajCsHBGtdaPA95g
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayezaragoza/
X: https://twitter.com/rayezaragoza
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Support Tours, Mental Health, the State of the Live Music Industry from a Booking Agent
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Daniel McCartney: https://www.outlastrecords.com/
00:59 - Welcome
04:47 - Daniel’s focus on mental health for musicians
11:06 - What can musicians in need of mental health care do?
18:29 - Daniel’s role as a booking agent and the state of touring in 2023
33:21 - Opening slots for bands in larger shows
44:46 - Tour buy-ons for bands
55:03 - How to get an agent as a band?
58:28 - Outlast Records
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Daniel McCartney :
Website: https://www.outlastrecords.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielmccartney/
X: https://twitter.com/mccartneydk
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danielkylemccartney
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Streaming Fraud is More Serious (and Inventive) Than You Think
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Beatdapp: https://beatdapp.com/
Andrew Batey the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Beatdapp. He is an accomplished entertainment & technology entrepreneur (5x founder) and early adopter of major industry transformations across music, social media, and web3.
Morgan Hayduk is the Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Beatdapp, an entertainment technology company. Prior to founding Beatdapp, Hayduk led enterprise growth and partnerships for ZipRecruiter (NYSE:ZIP), was the Director of Federal Government Relations for TELUS Communications, and served as a consultant for Canada's leading boutique government relations firm, Crestview Strategy.
00:00 - Welcome
04:56 - Intros, what are your origins before Beatdapp?
07:25 - What inspired launching Beatdapp?
11:14 - What is streaming fraud?
20:13 - How does Beatdapp catch streaming fraud?
30:08 - How streaming fraud affects indie artists vs. major labels differently
41:12 - When legitimate artists get taken down for fraud
58:51 - What does it mean to you to make it in the New Music Business?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Beatdapp:
Website: https://beatdapp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatdapp/
X: https://twitter.com/beatdapp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beatdapp/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
#StreamingFraud #Web3andMusic #DIYMusicians
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How To Hack Spotify (and TikTok)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Ryan Vaughn:
Backline Creative - https://www.backlinecreative.com/
Head Bitch Music - https://www.headbitchmusic.com/
Ryan works as a manager for independent artists at his company Backline Creative, and he is the Chief Financial Officer of Head Bitch Music.
00:00 - Welcome
07:14 - What does your day-to-day look like?
16:49 - “Fake” artists are actually real
20:45 - Breaking down “The Chillest” and his release strategy
28:00 - How to get your label verified through streaming platforms
30:00 - Spotify playlists and reporting
37:20 - Algorithmic strategies for independent artists, linear vs. exponential growth
52:00 - Hacking TikTok with the waterfall method, TikTok licensing, revenue share
1:00:00 - Discovery mode in Spotify
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Ryan Vaughn:
Website: https://www.backlinecreative.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backlinemgmt/
X: https://twitter.com/backlinemgmt
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@headbtchmusic
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandrummerboy/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Sync Licensing Music Executive is Changing the Game
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Learn more about Jessica Vaughn:
Venice Music - https://www.venicemusic.co/
Head Bitch Music - https://www.headbitchmusic.com/
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari is joined by Jessica Vaughn, Head of Sync at Venice Music and President of Head Bitch Music.
05:19 - Welcome
06:19 - What is your current day-to-day?
20:01 - The process of getting a song synced
23:00 - Representing the master rights of artists
31:00 - The current state of the sync industry
35:15 - How does an artist find music supervisors who are open to working with artists direct?
45:42 - AI music and sync
51:00 - On music libraries
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jessica Vaughn:
Website: https://www.headbitchmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headbtchmusic/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@venicemusic.co
X: https://twitter.com/headbtchmusic
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@headbtchmusic
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
#SyncLicensing #SyncAgency #MusicSupervision
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dance Music Record Labels Do It Differently
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari is joined by Deron Delgado, Label Manager at DIRTYBIRD, and Sam Sciarra, the Head of A&R and Brand Director for Higher Ground.
05:31 - Welcome and intros
11:28 - The ethos of dance labels and thinking label-focused vs. artist-focused
19:20 - The business model behind dance labels and progression of DJ technology
29:52 - Royalty streams from DJs
36:55 - Dance labels sometimes just represent singles, not entire artists
45:40 - What do dance labels look for in an artist/producer?
55:40 - Creative ways for artists to break out in the EDM world
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Deron Delgado
Website: https://dirtybirdrecords.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirtybirdrecords/
X: https://twitter.com/Dirtybird
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dirtybird
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deron-delgado-0189018/
Connect with Sam Sciarra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehigherground/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_higherground
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-sciarra-0958566b/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
AI Music Co. CEO on Future of Music Creation (and Streaming Fraud)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Join us on the New Music Business podcast this week with Alex Mitchell, founder and CEO of Boomy Corporation, an AI-powered music creation and distribution platform where over 500,000 creators make, publish, and monetize instant songs.
06:25 - Welcome
13:18 - What is AI Music?
22:00 - The traditional definition of a "musician" will be redefined
26:35 - The considerations of designing an AI music program
34:45 - The case studies of those using Boomy
41:27 - Distribution of AI music and commoditization
47:51 - How AI music may affect streaming payouts
57:24 - Boomy owns music made on the platform. Why?
01:05:30 - Laws and the legal future of AI music
01:21:35 - How would Ari build an AI music platform?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb/
Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
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Connect with Alex Mitchell:
Website: https://boomy.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/boomymusic
X: https://twitter.com/boomy.music
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@boomy.music
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexjaemitchell/
Edited and mixed by Mikey Evans
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
#BoomyMusic #AIMusic #IndieArtist
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
TikTok Music Marketing Grows Up
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Joining us this week on the New Music Business is Johnny Cloherty, the founder and CEO of Songfluencer. Songfluencer is a global, innovative creative marketing agency of music experts that turns followers into fans by strategically pairing songs, artists, and brands with key tastemaker influencers on music-forward social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They’ve worked with artists such as Lil Nas X, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.
04:47 Welcome
07:17 Music industry gatekeepers
10:48 Explosion of influencer marketing, working with every major label
12:43 How the TikTok platform has matured
17:03 Artists targeting the correct demographics
24:24 How Songfluencer runs campaigns and achieves artists' goals
32:33 Is it necessary for artists to have a presence on TikTok?
38:20 Advice for artists for don't understand the platform
42:44 Collaborating with both legacy and emerging artists
52:00 Social media posting schedule
56:11 What it means to make it in the new music business
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari’s Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off!): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Songfluencer:
Website: https://songfluencer.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadcry
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songfluencer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/songfluencer
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
SoundCloud is Allowing Artists To Contact Fans (and Get Paid More)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Joining us this week on the New Music Business are SoundCloud’s very own Tracy Chan (Chief Content Officer) and Emmy Lovell (Global Head of Music).
11:44 Welcome
14:58 History of SoundCloud and why they're different from the other DSPs
22:41 Where SoundCloud is moving, and how they're making the artist and fan relationship stronger
26:52 Resurgence of breakout stars and being a place where musicians get feedback
31:50 "Fan Powered Royalties"
37:31 'Fans' tool within SoundCloud for Artists
42:47 How DMing fans is beneficial for artists
49:21 How artists can access monetization through SoundCloud's new partnership with Merlin and Warner
57:43 What it means to make it in the New Music Business
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari’s Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off!): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with SoundCloud
Website: https://soundcloud.com/
For Artists: https://artists.soundcloud.com/
Fans: https://artists.soundcloud.com/fans
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Citizen Cope on Major Labels vs. Independence, Audience Connection and Having a Seat at the Table
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Citizen Cope, a.k.a Clarence Greenwood, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and performer. His music is commonly described as a mix of blues, soul, folk, and rock. Cope's compositions have been recorded by artists such as Carlos Santana, Dido, Pharoahe Monch, and Richie Havens. In his solo career, "Let the Drummer Kick" from his 2002 album, Citizen Cope, went RIAA-Certified Gold. In 2004, he produced and released The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, followed by Every Waking Moment in 2006.
In 2010, Cope founded his own record label, Rainwater Recordings, allowing him to exert full creative control. Free from the marketing entreaties of the major record labels, he released The Rainwater LP later that year. One Lovely Day followed in 2012. After taking a hiatus from his own record releases, Cope came back stronger than ever, releasing Heroin and Helicopters in 2019 and The Pull of Niagara Falls in 2021. He is currently slated to release another album in 2023.
05:45 Welcome
07:24 Communication with an audience performing solo vs. with a band
11:09 Post-pandemic reflection, music festival line-up experiences, career sustainability
16:55 Album achieving gold status, having a timeless sound
19:36 Breaking down Citizen Cope's new album’s sonic landscape
29:41 Releasing records independently with Rainwater Recordings
33:20 New artists establishing themselves before getting signed
36:51 Biggest difference working independently vs. with a major label
43:04 Is it worthwhile making records because of streaming?
48:02 Publishing deals, Sony licensing with Peloton, TikTok and Facebook
53:40 New album 'Victory March' release date
55:45 What it means to make it in the New Music Business
57:58 Artists having a seat at the table
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari’s Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off!): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Citizen Cope
Website: https://citizencope.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/citizencope
Twitter: https://twitter.com/citizencope
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@citizencope
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Music Publicist Has Upended the Entire PR Model
Enrollment for Ari’s Take Academy CLOSING SOON: https://aristakeacademy.com (use code NMB for 10% off!)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
This week on the New Music Business, Ari is joined by the founder of Purple Bite PR, Mikel Corrente. In the last few years Corrente adapted a “Zero-Risk” guaranteed or money back system that is very uncommon in the PR industry but it’s more transparent and fairer than the traditional PR system. Some examples of artists and companies that Corrente has worked with are: Sony Music, Kat Graham, Red Light Management, Mix Master Mike, Elohim, Jesse Jo Stark, Lauren Ruth Ward, BIIANCO, and many more.
05:52 Welcome / background
10:20 PR model ten years ago, shifting from publications to playlists
15:55 What PR is and what a publicist does
25:21 Evolution of press rates and artist feedback
31:24 Relationship with fashion and music publication Lady Gun
41:58 Pay-to-play PR model
47:03 What is the point of music press right now?
53:21 Purple Bite’s business model
01:05:03 How Purple Bite guarantees placements
01:09:50 What it means to make it in the New Music Business
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
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TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@aris.take
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Mikel Corrente:
Website: http://purplebite.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikelcorrente
TikTok: https://.tiktok.com/@mikelcorrente
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikelCorrente
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
#MusicPR #MusicPress #MusicMarketing
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Admin Publishing Works, Sync Deals, Social Media Marketing (Ari Q&A Part 7)
Enrollment for Ari’s Take Academy CLOSING SOON: https://aristakeacademy.com
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
This week Ari answers more of your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list: www.aristake.com
02:00 How admin publishing works (CD Baby, SOCAN, ASCAP, BMI)
18:03 The waterfall release strategy explained (Spotify, TikTok)
23:08 Streaming growth and special media marketing
28:39 Why does nobody talk about Pandora?
31:03 How licensing for social media works
34:00 At what point is it a good idea to have a lawyer on your team?
37:22 Breaking down pricing norms for sync licensing deals
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to Navigate the New Live Music Industry
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This week on the New Music Business podcast, we’re talking live music! Today’s episode compiles interviews from some of our favorite past guests in the touring industry. If you want to learn more about the performance side of the industry, this episode is for you! Tune in to hear insights from:
02:47 Brandon Pankey (VP, Live Nation Urban)
10:19 Tom Windish (Billie Eillish’s booking agent)
26:59 Jordan Anderson (Troubadour’s talent booker)
31:09 Bob Babisch (CEO of Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival)
34:52 Theo Katzman (of Vulfpeck)
39:59 Cory Wong (of Vulfpeck)
46:54 Kam Franklin (of The Suffers)
01:04:02 Carey Rayburn (of Good Co., $10k a gig playing PAC market)
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
#NewMusicBusiness #LiveMusicIndustry #TouringArtist
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How to Pitch Your Music for Sync
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
This week on the New Music Business podcast, we're talking all about sync licensing! Today's episode compiles interviews from our favorite past guests in the industry. If you want to learn more about pitching your music to sync, this episode is for you! Tune in to hear insights from Jen Malone, Lindsay Wolfington, Brian Vickers, Jenn Miller, Madonna Wade-Reed, Bank Robber Music, Blue Buddha Entertainment, and ATA's own Vo Williams.
03:55 Jen Malone (music supervisor: Euphoria, Wednesday, Atlanta)
21:03 Lindsay Wolfington (music supervisor: One Trill Here, The Royals, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before)
26:58 Brian Vickers (music supervisor: Disney, Keeping Up with the Kardashians)
38:38 Jenn Miller (CEO and co-founder, Audiosocket)
45:50 Madonna Wade-Reed (music supervisor: Smallville, Reign, All American)
54:04 Bank Robber Music (sync agency)
01:01:24 Blue Buddha Entertainment (sync agency)
01:13:32 Vo Williams (hip hop artist, 1500+ sync placements)
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
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Is Music PR Worth It Anymore? Can AI Replace Sync Music? (Ari Q&A Part 6)
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This week Ari answers more of your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list: www.aristake.com
01:37 Who is the first team member an artist should look for?
07:50 Is music PR worth it anymore?
27:15 What made the best music attorney you've worked with "the best"?
34:52 Do music libraries or sync agencies own your masters?
37:37 Do you think AI-generated music poses a risk for artists looking to make it in sync?
41:51 Conclusion
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Royalties Work for Producers, Songwriters, Artists, Labels; Release Strategy (Ari Q&A Part 5)
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This week Ari answers more of your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list: www.aristake.com
02:17 What's the best way to prepare for your first EP launch?
04:11 How should I split royalties with my producer and engineer?
11:36 How should my band roll out our forthcoming album's waterfall release?
17:26 How much do streaming services pay in mechanical and performance royalties for each stream?
20:56 What's the difference between owning the masters vs. owning the digital sound recordings and performance rights?
23:46 How do I break into the Special Events market with symphony and ochestral work?
25:44 If an artist plays your song in a concert, how will you be compensated?
27:34 How do I get in contact with music publishers?
38:14 Conclusion
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to Release an Album in 2023 (Live from SXSW)
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here.
Releasing music today is vastly different from releasing music even just 5 years ago. It's no longer about release week. It's now about release year. There are extremely important steps to take before *and after* the release of each single and album to make sure you have the biggest effect. Because every artist is unique, every release plan requires a unique approach. However, there are some proven strategies that every artist, manager and label can employ to make sure their release has the impact it deserves. Ari will break down these concrete strategies and give you a bulletproof release plan you can use for your next release.
You will walk away with detailed strategies, specific checklists, innovative ideas and a solid handle on what exactly needs to get done for your next release.
If you'd like to get the slides to this presentation, email slides@aristake.com and we'll send them to you to follow along!
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Video edited by Mikey "Spice" Evans
Post-editing and mixing by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
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UPSAHL on Pop Songwriting Sessions and the Economics of Touring
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UPSAHL has ignited a groundswell of fan adoration and tastemaker praise by way of numerous indie alternative gems. “Can You Hear Me Now” achieved a palpable viral buzz followed by the widely praised single “Drugs,” which has been used in nearly two million TikTok videos, reaching #6 on the Viral Chart and the #1 Sound on the Trends Chart. 2020 was a standout year where UPSAHL released her second EP Young Life Crisis, which Billboard crowned as one of the Top 25 Pop albums of the year. UPSAHL undertook her first co-write on “Good in Bed'' for Dua Lipa’s GRAMMY Award-winning blockbuster, Future Nostalgia. She has also collaborated with artists such as GAYLE, Renee Rapp, Madison Beer, Mike Shinoda, Jann Dior, Anne-Marie, Little Mix, Alan Walker and NGHTMRE.
The latest EP follows on the heels of UPSAHL’s highly successful debut headline tour, where she sold out venues across the US, and then continued on an expansive international tour, which included Australia, the UK and Europe. Her high-octane performance style has also earned her spots on major festival lineups, including Lollapalooza, and tour support for acts including Olivia O’Brien, Fletcher, Yungblud, PVRIS, BROODS, and K. Flay.
Stream UPSAHL’s latest EP Sagittarius here: https://sagittarius.upsahlmusic.com
04:32 Welcome
05:25 Collaborative songwriting sessions, process of recording "Sagittarius" EP
07:36 Working with Dua Lipa and giving songs away other artists
11:21 Collaborative songwriting process (continued), knowing your place in the room
16:29 Moving from Phoenix to LA, management, getting into sessions
18:30 Blowing up on TikTok with her song “Drugs”
25:51 Approach to touring, balancing life as an artist and songwriter
28:05 Economics of touring, opening for artists, UPSAHL's team
33:30 Breaking down the Arista Records deal, artist management
43:56 Consistent release strategy
46:53 Working with Gayle and Blu DeTiger, the power of the DM
48:50 Philosophy behind VIP meet and greets
53:02 What it means to "make it" in the New Music Business
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Website: https://upsahl.com
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@upsahlmusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/upsahlmusic
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YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCRcL5nuXfXB_8k2ikExgCuw
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Madison McFerrin Stays "Fiercely Independent" With Her Nontraditional Team
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This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari is joined by the completely independent and incomparable neo-soul artist and producer, Madison McFerrin (recorded live at the Labelcoin x Roland House at SXSW last week). McFerrin has earned accolades from the New York Times, NPR, Fader as well as Pitchfork who named her a Rising Artist of 2018. Questlove himself even dubbed her early sound as “soul-appella.” She's been performing and touring for years with appearances from Central Park SummerStage to various jazz festivals and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s Show Me Music series. Stay tuned for McFerrin’s debut album, arriving May 12th!
04:47 Welcome
05:23 Debut DJ performance
06:09 Process of creating her debut album
10:32 Production and collaborative approach
12:28 Signature a cappella vocals
14:58 Production and collaborative approach (continued)
18:25 Audience reaction to new musical directions
24:02 Dynamics of her fiancée also being her manager
26:27 Staying "fiercely independent"
34:03 Breaking down the album release process
38:50 Navigating TikTok as an artist in their 30s
46:55 New single "God Herself"
50:56 Q&A: Balancing relationship with manager
53:50 Q&A: Hunger for quality over quantity content
57:02 Q&A: Positive environment for artist and fan relationship
59:44 What it means to "make it" in the New Music Business
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Website: https://madisonmcferrin.com
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/madmcferrin
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwg5XVgp0PKI08awh9km6qw
Recorded and filmed by Roland Team
Additional editing and mixing by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Explaining Sync Licensing From the Agents
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Learn more about Blue Buddha: https://bluebuddhaentertainment.com
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari chats with Charles Levan (co-founder/ president) and Chase Walker (music coordinator) of Blue Buddha Entertainment, a boutique music licensing firm.
Established in 2002, Blue Buddha Entertainment specializes in sync placement for independent artists and labels, serving as a premier conduit for contemporary groundbreaking artists and repertoire. Blue Buddha’s diverse catalog is current, hit-driven, and reflects the highest level of artistry and production, providing One Stop Rep. music with a global tastemaker appeal.
Past sync placements include: Shrinking, Found, All American, This Is Us, Supreme Models, Lost, Atlanta, 4400, All American Homecoming, Criminal Minds, Chicago P.D, Grey's Anatomy, New Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Dirt, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Party of Five, NCIS- Los Angeles, Californication, The Fosters, Pivoting, Good Trouble, The Sinner, Bull, Kung Fu, Vanderpump Rules, To All The Boys, Shameless, Charmed, Royal Pains & others.
With over 27 years of experience in the music industry, Charles' passion in the sync space is coupled with a focus on artist development, helping artists hone their musical craft in an ever-changing entertainment world. Learn more here.
05:11 Welcome
05:50 Sync licensing explained
10:06 Does Blue Buddha work with artists with co-writers?
14:06 What happens when a song has aired but was not legally cleared
19:28 How Blue Buddha services their artist roster and keeps relationship strong with music supervisions
21:17 The process of sync briefs and finding artists that'll fit the music request
26:46 Sync budgets in television now versus previous years
34:37 Sync agency business model and how Blue Buddha makes money
39:10 Retitling song agreements
45:21 Difference between sync agencies and music libraries
52:27 How often Blue Buddha signs new artists and how artists can manage their expectations
01:02:56 Advice for artists who want a sync placement
01:05:35 How a musician can balance creative authenticity while stills being syncable
01:13:51 Final question
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Promoting Shows and Engaging Fans with Bandsintown
Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Fabrice Sergent is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bandsintown Group (https://bandsintown.com). With 560,000 registered artists, Bandsintown is one of the largest artist services platforms in the world. 97% of the Top 500 artists in America are active on the platform. The company's advertising platform enables brands to reach 250M music fans worldwide each month, and its flagship live music discovery platform Bandsintown serves 75M registered music fans and 560,000 artists.
In 2021, Bandsintown was named to Variety's "10 Tech Innovators To Watch" and Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies." In 2018, Fabrice was named as a "Most Creative person in business" by Inc. Magazine. In 2022, Bandsintown launched its Fan Management Suite, a toolkit designed to help artists grow a fanbase that includes a robust tour date widget, smart links, analytics, a robust email program, and more - all 100% free to artists.
04:27 Welcome
06:33 What is Bandsintown?
10:13 How artists gain followers and how their fans are notified
21:08 Bandsintown discovery tools for emerging artists
28:19 How Bandsintown tracks ticket sales from Ticketmaster data
33:23 How an artist's Bandsintown follower count connects to ticket sales
37:41 Bandsintown discovery tools (continued)
40:42 Email marketing campaigns to reach more fans of similar sounding artists
43:08 Show promoters and the new norm of audience buying behavior
46:20 Advice for indie artists to increase their ticket sales and 2023 ticket buying trends
55:37 Ticketmaster hearing and the future of touring sustainability
01:03:05 Final question
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Website:https://bandsintown.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/laviateur
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fabricesergent?lang=en
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/fabricesergent
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Streaming, AI, Royalty Breakdown and Sync (Ari Q&A Part 4)
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This week Ari answers more of your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list: www.aristake.com
01:53 What should artists do if they write in different genres?
04:06 How do you switch membership from one Performing Rights Organization (PRO) to another?
11:42 How do I find bands to split show bills with?
13:12 Can I book festival appearances without a manager or publicist?
19:27 Do you foresee AI technology being an ally or foe for songwriters and producers? How do you think AI will impact the music industry in the coming years?
25:07 What should I put in my email subject line that will entice music industry professionals?
35:05 Does it matter where musicians live in the digital 21st century industry?
39:47 What is the process for officially releasing a cover song on streaming platforms?
41:44 My promotional budget is $7k, and I already spent $4k on a publicist. Is it better to spend my remaining promotional budget on social media optimization or on college and non-commercial radio promotion?
52:50 Conclusion
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Theo Katzman on Recording, Songwriting and Staying Independent
To celebrate the third edition of How to Make It In The New Music Business, the Ari’s Take team collaborated with Shuttershot Productions to capture Ari Herstand’s special interview and Q&A with the incomparable Theo Katzman. This episode was recorded live at The Grove’s Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles on January 17th.
Order the new book here: http://book.aristake.com
00:00 Welcome
03:23 Theo’s perfect press release, recording process, touring with Vulfpeck
11:39 What artists can learn The Beatles’ Get Back documentary
16:23 Recording process: one take and one take only
22:17 Recording a live album, playing in the “red zone” (Keith Jarrett, John Coltrane, Led Zeppelin)
32:45 Why artists should never compromise themselves and their career
37:04 Authentic creative process, embracing mistakes in the studio
49:26 How Vulfpeck became so successful
52:09 How the Wim Hof Method’s cold plunging experiences inspired Theo
01:00:02 Songwriting process for new album, Be The Wheel
01:12:02 Album release strategy, distributing independently through TuneCore
01:19:51 Listening engagement from Spotify editorial playlists vs. algorithmic playlists
01:24:03 Launching new label, 10 Good Songs
01:28:17 What “making it” in the New Music Business means
01:35:10 Q&A: How clubs can best set artists up for success
01:40:47 Q&A: Advice for independent artists who don’t have a big budget
01:43:35 Q&A: Emotional quality songwriting and harmonic settings within western music ("Good To Be Alone," Paul Simon, Bob Marley)
01:48:06 Q&A: Creative marketing campaigns (Seth Godin’s This Is Marketing, TikTok)
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Website: https://theokatzman.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/theokatzman
YouTube: https://youtube.com/theokatzman
Connect with Shuttershot Productions:
Website: https://weareshuttershot.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/shuttershot
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Live recording engineered by Maxim Adams
Mixed and mastered by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Video production by Shuttershot Productions
Directed by Brian Shutters
Photography directed by Kenzo Le
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Succeeding on Twitch as a Musician
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Danielle Allard is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Twitch Partner. She has been performing publicly for over 15 years and graced stages across Canada and Europe.
This Ottawa native has toured Germany, Portugal and much of Canada but also performs 3 times a week for an international audience as a music streamer. Her festival appearances include features at RBC Bluesfest, Marvest, Jazz Fest, Mountain Man Music Festival, and a main stage feature at Ottawa's CityFolk Festival. She has also been featured in showcases at Megaphono and Folk Music Ontario.
She has released three studio albums "INVADER," "Chameleon" and "Passing Notes" and is currently in the studio recording her fourth. INVADER is a 6 song concept album with 6 video series. She is known for her charity work in the nation’s capital, donating over 30 performances to various charities each year and raising over $18,000 for various charities on her stream. Apart from her music, she is a community builder, teaching public relations and stage performance at Algonquin College. She runs a variety of virtual community events on her Discord server weekly, creating a space for us all to exist.
04:30 Bowl of dinosaurs explained
08:19 Embracing Twitch during the pandemic
13:54 Livestreaming milestones and achieving Twitch partnerships
16:12 Inside Danielle’s home studio
18:03 Scheduling livestreams and keeping motivated to perform
25:32 Gamification of watching things: raid trains and channel points explained
30:38 Levels of community participation within a livestream
36:15 Bowl of dinosaurs (continued)
38:43 Broader Twitch community and artist accountability
51:22 Moderation and making listeners feel safe
56:16 Post-pandemic engagement and viewership
1:00:13 Does Twitch partnership accommodate illnesses or vacation?
1:05:26 How long the affiliate application process takes
1:06:27 Switching cameras while performing live
1:09:01 Final question
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Website: https://danielleallard.com
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/danielleallard
Instagram:https://instagram.com/daniellejallard
YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/daniellejallard
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What Happens After a Band Gets Signed (Then Dropped) from TikTok
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
The Rare Occasions are an LA-based, New England-bred indie rock band known for their explosive garage rock anthems with catchy vocal harmonies. Brian McLaughlin (singer) and Luke Imbusch (drummer) have been making music together since their early teenage years. They formed The Rare Occasions while attending college in Boston where they met Jeremy Cohen (bassist). Since then, the band have toured nationally, won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and released a vast catalog of music online. In 2021 the band released their first album as a trio, Big Whoop, which received significant press and radio play.
Around the same time, their 2016 track “Notion” went viral on TikTok and continues to make waves, topping Spotify’s viral chart in the US and several other countries, and later landing on Billboard’s alternative charts and top 100 singles charts in the UK, Ireland, and Canada. The Rare Occasions released their new EP, Attaboy, on November 4th, 2022. The first single off the EP “Seasick” has already garnered the attention of radio DJs across the country including SiriusXM’s Alt Nation with the second single “Not Afraid” being an explosive follow up. After sharing Attaboy’s hard-hitting riffs, danceable grooves, and ear-catching melodies with audiences across the nation on their Fall 2022 headline tour, the band has shifted its efforts towards new music in 2023.
04:18 Welcome
10:15 Leaving Boston, moving to California
13:08 Continuing the band, touring as a trio
17:47 Reaching new audience through gaming and anime communities
21:36 Going viral on TikTok
25:37 Gaining attention from major record labels
34:16 Breaking down the major label deal offers, signing with Elektra Records
48:23 Advances from the major label offers
52:59 Creating the music video for “Notion”
54:34 Headlining nationwide tour
59:14 Recording “Attaboy” EP, marketing their unique story
1:08:08 What’s next for the band
1:12:32 Final question
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Connect with The Rare Occasions:
Website: https://therareoccasions.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/therareoccasions
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@therareoccasions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rareoccasions
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is SubmitHub Good or Bad for Indie Musicians: Interview with the Founder
THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Jason Grishkoff started a music blog called Indie Shuffle back in 2007, when music blogs were still cool. After a 3-year stint at Google, he was lucky to take the blog full-time in 2013. From 2014 to 2015 digital advertising in the music industry changed rapidly, and a number of bloggers found themselves looking for alternative sources of income. Many gave up to focus on their day jobs, but Jason decided to double-down on his coding abilities and created a website called SubmitHub, where musicians, labels and publicists could submit their songs to blogs like Indie Shuffle. Flash forward to 2022 and nearly 30 million submissions have been submitted through the platform. Jason still runs the operation as the only developer, and the product is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the modern music promotion industry.
07:30 Welcome
09:42 Ari’s Take review of SubmitHub
15:50 SubmitHub business model / where the curators come from
22:46 Submitting playlist campaigns / navigating Spotify's algorithm
36:13 Inside Spotify for Artists' playlist data
41:39 EveryNoise.com (every genre ever)
45:10 Spotify’s personal, algorithmic and editorial playlists
56:05 'Hot or Not' feedback feature
1:06:40 Instagram / TikTok influencer marketing services
1:20:26 Current state of music blogs
1:31:50 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Jason Grishkoff
Website: https://www.submithub.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/submithub
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/submit_hub
LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/jasongrishkoff
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Variety Music Editor on the State of Music Journalism
THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
Shirley Halperin is an Executive Editor at Variety, where she spearheads music coverage for the print magazine and Variety.com. Through her 20-year career, she has held staff positions at Entertainment Weekly, Teen People and Us Weekly and was also a regular contributor to Rolling Stone. A two-time Los Angeles Press Club winner, Shirley joined the Hollywood Reporter as Music Editor in 2010, later adding sister magazine Billboard to her resume. Until 2017, she oversaw music news coverage for both publications. She is the author of three books: 2008’s “Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life,” 2010’s “Reefer Movie Madness” and 2011’s “American Idol: the Official Backstage Pass.”
04:00 Welcome
12:29 The focus of Variety Magazine’s music department
17:13 Is Variety covering the subculture?
21:08 Variety’s readership and purpose of music journalism
24:10 Interpolations explained
28:09 Challenges for journalists versus consumers
42:02 Who holds the most power, editors or algorithms?
45:54 Where the music industry is heading
47:25 Lyrics being used against rappers in criminal trials
50:18 Concert cancellations and navigating cultural outrage
54:35 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Shirley Halperin:
Website: https://variety.com/author/shirley-halperin
Instagram: https://instagram.com/shirleyhalperin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shirleyhalperin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirley-halperin
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How To Make It in the New Music Business - Chapter 1
THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business here: https://book.aristake.com
What's new in the third edition...
- Updated for the post-pandemic music environment
- How to use TikTok to propel your streams and fanbase
- Livestream concerts - both ticketed and free - and how to use all of the new platforms for the biggest impact
- NFTs, Metaverse concerts, and how the innovators in the music space are approaching crypto
- How to approach touring in 2023
- Updates in every section and on nearly every page
- All the new ways to obtain your royalties (following the MLC’s founding and international orgs evolution)
- A more global focus for artists living and touring outside the US
- 8-month, day by day release strategy and checklist for your next single and album
- Completely rewritten social media chapter
- An updated glossary including many new terms
- How new social, streaming and collections platforms have evolved strategy within the music industry and where this is all heading
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Billie Eilish Booking Agent Tom Windish on Touring, Opening Slots and Artist Development
This week on the New Music Business podcast, we are joined by Veteran booking agent Tom Windish. As Head of A&R and Business Development at Wasserman Music, Windish has developed the touring careers of some of the hottest names in music, including Billie Eilish, Lorde, alt-J and The xx. In this episode, Ari and Tom discuss the state of the live music industry, how booking agents operate, why tour buy-ins are unethical, the process of signing new artists, running a record label, and much more!
03:58 The State of the Live Music Industry
08:19 Advice for Emerging Artists Eager and Ready to Tour
13:14 How Booking Agents Operate
17:07 Communicating with Promoters, Talent Buyers and Collecting Money
21:04 Opening Tours and Slots
26:08 Unethical Tour Buy-Ins
30:03 Working with Billie Eillish and the Process of Signing New Artists
37:47 Artist Development, Management and Running an Indie Label
46:45 Why Tom Started a Record Label
54:33 Final Question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Tom Windish:
Website: https://artists.teamwass.com/music/m83
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomwindish
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tomwindishagent
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What the Touring Landscape Looks like Post-Pandemic
This is a special replay of a webinar held earlier this month breaking down the current state of the touring landscape of both the micro and macro touring industry. If you want to attend our future webinars, make sure to sign up for our mailing list!
02:47 The top 100 tours of 2022
05:29 How are small to mid size venues doing?
18:38 Big takeaways on the live music industry
21:09 What are talent buyers / venue bookers looking for?
26:25 Current club deals for small to mid size venues
37:04 How to get opening slots for touring artists
41:22 The 7 steps to sell out your next show
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Indie Touring and How To Build Your Team with The Suffers
Joining us this week on the New Music Business is The Suffers’ lead singer, Kam Franklin. The Houston-based soul band have performed nationally on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and Jimmy Kimmel Live in addition to speaking with Ailsa Chang and Ari Shapiro on NPR’s All Things Considered, Brené Brown’s “Dare To Lead” Podcast, Samantha Brown’s “Places To Love”, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and National Geographic’s “Texas: Spirit and Soul” short film. Both Forbes and Vice have also featured Kam for her activism and business ventures that seek to create a more equitable and inclusive environment in the arts for black, queer, and femme artists working in all mediums and from all backgrounds.
05:44 Welcome
07:22 Breaking down The Suffers' recent tour and state of the live music industry
20:43 How The Suffers maintain relationship with their fans
24:44 Addressing master and publishing deals in the "Yada Yada" music video
30:54 How a 10-piece band splits their royalties
38:08 Streaming algorithm and release strategies
44:01 Sync opportunity with Brene Brown's podcast, Dare To Lead
45:51 Philosophy about bringing on team members and guiding forces throughout career
56:40 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Kam Franklin:
Website: https://www.thesuffers.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamitskam
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kamfranklin
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thesufferstx
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Staying Inspired After Writing 22 Top 40 Hits with Sam Hollander
With 22 US Top 40 hits to his name, Sam Hollander is one of the most talented and diverse writers and producers in the game. He has had multi-platinum success writing and producing for major artists such as One Direction, Katy Perry, Fitz and the Tantrums, Train, Daughtry, The Fray, Carole King, Panic! At The Disco, Weezer, and Gym Class Heroes, among others, and has had his work featured in iconic films and television shows. In 2008 Rolling Stone honored him with the Hot List Producer of the Year award. In 2012, Sam produced the Emmy-nominated "Voice in a Dream" for NBC's Steven Spielberg-helmed series SMASH. This past fall, NBC tapped Hollander to write a Thursday Night Football theme based on his hit with Pentatonix, "Sing." Most recently, Hollander co-wrote Fitz and the Tantrum's smash single "HandClap," along with 4 songs on the new Grammy-nominated Panic at the Disco album, which was one of the top 5 selling albums of 2016. He is also a writer on Rebelution's 2016 Grammy-nominated album 'Falling Into Place.' Additionally, other recent releases include singles with Weezer, James TW, Olly Murs and more.
Pre-order 21-Hit Wonder: Flopping My Way to the Top of the Charts:
https://www.amazon.com/21-Hit-Wonder-Flopping-Way-Charts/dp/1637741863
05:17 Welcome
07:50 The life of a professional songwriter and collaborator
10:28 How the songwriting process has evolved
15:02 Understanding where your creative strengths are
23:08 The power of phonetics and melodic math
24:33 Advice for aspiring songwriters
29:50 The power of compliments and intellectual curiosity
33:47 The balance between the art and the craft
37:07 Do you know when you finish a song if it's good or not?
39:20 How recording and writing sessions work
47:18 Why Sam sold his entire catalog to Hipgnosis
52:32 Where you're getting paid and where you're not
58:54 Story behind Sam's forthcoming book '21 Hit Wonder'
1:05:17 Age Sam was when he had his first hit song and working with legendary artists
1:08:23 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Sam Hollander:
Website: https://www.samhollandersongs.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samhollander
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samiamhollander
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hip Hop Expert Discusses State of the Music Industry
Our guest this week on the New Music Business is the founder of Trapital, Dan Runcie. The podcast and research group have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, BBC World News, NPR, Axios, CNBC, and much more. Each week, Trapital shares insights on trends that matter for the artists, entrepreneurs, and investors who use the research to make decisions that will help their businesses grow.
03:04 Welcome
04:00 Innovations happening within the hip hop community
09:24 New licensing deals major labels are offering
18:55 Misconception of building a career off vanity metrics
28:56 TikTok-inspired record deals
39:26 Major vs. indie resources and connections
44:28 Artist discovery outside of Spotify playlists and release strategies
49:04 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Dan Runcie:
Website: https://trapital.co
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runciedan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/runciedan
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ep 100! Spotify Playlists, Sync Licensing, Release Strategy (Ari Q&A Part 3)
Enrollment for Ari’s Take Academy closes October 20th! Use code NMB for 10% off any of our courses: https://aristakeacademy.com
In honor of our 100th episode celebration, Ari will be answering more of your music industry questions! If you’d like to submit to our future round of questions, please sign up to our email list at www.ArisTake.com.
03:25 How do I approach releasing my new single so it gets more recognition?
12:49 How do I release the same single with multiple versions?
17:20 If I'm changing the lyrics of a previously released song, how do I go about re-releasing it?
19:32 What is the standard rate between an artist and a sync licensing agency?
22:03 Do my co-writers need to sign off on a sync deal?
26:58 How can I get direct contact to a music supervisor that is soliciting material?
30:08 What recording capability do I need for Ari's Take Academy?
31:40 What will Spotify do if you land on a botted playlist through no fault of your own?
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Troubadour Booker on the New Live Music Landscape
This week on the New Music Business, our guest is Jordan Anderson who is the new talent buyer for the legendary Troubadour in West Hollywood.
03:38 Why the Troubadour special and how Jordan got the gig
11:34 The role of a marketing manager and director
13:23 The significance of the Troubadour's size and philosophy of who to book
16:57 The state of the live music industry
21:45 Underplays and working directly with artists
26:37 Keeping your pitch emails short and sweet
31:41 Structuring shows deals
34:23 The reality of being an independent venue
36:55 Investigating emerging artists' streaming and social numbers
41:09 How the Troubadour markets their shows
45:52 Does the Troubadour have any outside promoters?
47:04 Predatory pay-to-play venues in LA
54:06 Band merch cuts
57:37 What's on the horizon
1:01:41 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jordan Anderson:
Website: https://troubadour.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instajands
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordancanderson
Instagram: https://twitter.com/thetroubadour
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thetroubadour
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Connecting Emerging Artists with Strategic Investors Without Retaining Ownership
Joining us on the New Music Business this week is Shav “prettyboyshav” Garg, the CEO and co-founder of Indify. This innovative company connects emerging independent artists with the funding they need to build bigger careers. Visit Indify here: https://www.indify.io.
03:05 Welcome
04:34 Why “artists are founders" within Indify's investment marketplace
07:28 How Indify is different from a record label
11:24 The relationship between investors and artists
16:50 How Indify discovers artists and investors
28:14 What happens after an artist gets funding
33:00 SEB's success with "seaside_demo" and TikTok influencer marketing
37:56 How Indify is different from a record label (continued)
43:11 The solution for talented artists fighting social media and streaming algorithms
49:42 How Indify discovers artists (continued)
51:16 Indify's partnership with new artists and the total investors involved
55:30 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Shav "prettyboyshav" Garg:
Indify: https://www.indify.io
Instagram: https://instagram.com/prettyboyshav
Twitter: https://twitter.com/prettyboyshav
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1HWOzNVECZuzwhpmQ36RvO
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Live Nation Urban VP on Festivals, Touring and Promoting Culture
This week on the New Music Business, our guest is Brandon Pankey, the Vice President of Business Development and Operations of Live Nation Urban.
03:45 Welcome
04:21 Live Nation Urban
06:12 Involvement with festivals and booking emerging artists
09:34 How emerging artists can get on Live Nation's radar
16:24 Black Tour Directory and embracing the term "Urban"
22:50 Educational initiatives with the DASH program
25:27 Launching the music-based video streaming service APEX
28:29 Breaking down the operations of a Live Nation promoter
33:13 Advice to indie artists wanting to go on tour
35:29 The importance of a live experience
40:56 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Connect with Brandon Pankey:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandon_pankey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bpank
Black Tour Directory: https://www.blacktourdirectory.com
DASH Program: https://dashprogram.org/
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
They Stole $23 Million in Royalties via YouTube Fraud
Joining us this week on the New Music Business is Billboard’s music copyright reporter, Kristin Robinson. In this episode, Ari and Kristin dive deep into one of her latest articles and why it's more important than ever for artists to protect their works. Read the full article here: How Did Two Unknown Latin Music Operators Make $23 Million From YouTube? The IRS Says They Stole It
04:20 Welcome
06:00 Breaking down the YouTube royalties scam
12:17 The AdRev model
19:26 How the two scammers were caught
30:36 The writing process
34:04 Reactions to the Billboard report being published
38:16 The importance of royalty collection and copyright management
50:31 The slow evolution of the U.S. copyright laws
56:49 Final question
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Connect with Kristin Robinson:
Website: https://www.kristinmichaelrobinson.com
Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/author/kristin-robinson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wordsbykristin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wordsbykristin
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Club Booking, Opening Slots, Deal Breakdowns with Brooklyn Bowl Talent Buyer
Our guest on the New Music Business this week is the talent buyer of the Brooklyn Bowl, Paul Bacher. In this episode, we dive into how the venue operates and books acts, how artists should be writing their booking emails, the current state of the live music industry, and much more!
05:26 Welcome
07:03 The Brooklyn Bowl
13:31 Paul's role and who he communicates with
17:14 Breakdown of the show deals and venue expenses
26:21 Local artists and support acts
35:15 How local artists should balance performance frequency
37:51 Difference between indie music venues vs. corporate partnership venues
42:02 How upcoming artists can prove themselves
45:47 Emailing the perfect booking request
51:30 Advice for artists who are seeking a booking agent
53:31 Emailing the perfect booking request (continued)
55:17 State of live music industry in a post-pandemic world
59:56 Final question
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Connect with Paul Bacher:
Website: https://www.brooklynbowl.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulbacher/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-bacher-30109539
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PR, Royalties, TikTok Strategy, NFTs, Multiple Project Names, Cover Songs (Ari Q&A Part 2)
Part two of Ari answering your music industry questions! If you’d like to submit to our future round of questions, please sign up to our email list at www.ArisTake.com.
01:39 How do I release cover songs?
04:57 What do artists do if their country doesn't have the same artist resources (i.e. Kickstarter, Instagram, TikTok)?
9:36 How should I approach multiple project names with different genres?
16:06 Is the best way to build an email list by running a squeeze page?
19:37 Do I have to pass on my personal music project if I submit it to an exclusive sync library?
21:57 Are there any resources that can help me decide what songs off my album should be singles?
23:45 What resources would you recommend on how to build a plan to publish my songs?
26:46 Should I hire session musicians to help make my songs sound better? (+Mechanical Royalties explained)
32:33 What are your thoughts on internships in the music industry?
35:32 As a music industry major, what 3 things should I be focusing on in college if I want to be a singer/songwriter?
38:03 How do I provide value as a songwriter through platforms like TikTok?
39:02 What is your take on being verified on social media vs. having solid connections in the industry?
40:51 Is paying for a publicist (PR) for my new song worth it?
45:35 For sync licensing, do I need industry quality music?
46:52 How much do Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) typically pay in music royalties from video streaming platforms (i.e. Netflix, HBO Max)?
49:09 What are the ways music NFTs can be sold?
51:56 How do you feel after interviewing Sam Duboff from Spotify?
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Streaming, Publishing, Playlist Pitching, Sync/Beat Licensing (Ari Q&A Part 1)
This week and next week, I’ll be answering your questions! If you’d like to submit to our next round of questions, please sign up to our email list at www.ArisTake.com.
01:52 What is the most important thing to drive streaming and social media followers?
05:48 When copyrighting a collaborative song, do you need signatures from each musician to complete the copyright form?
08:15 What distribution companies, physical or digital, include splits?
12:46 What is the function of a publishing company?
20:45 What's your best advice for artists who work full-time but want to pursue music full-time for sync licensing?
22:54 How should I find playlists to pitch to when I'm in a niche genre?
28:34 If you own the master and publishing, how is this revenue collected?
33:22 How much of my publishing should I be prepared to give up to a star producer and artist?
38:14 What else can new artists do to increase their streaming figures for new releases outside of social media posting, press and radio?
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Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Business of Hit Songwriting with Bonnie McKee
Joining us this week on the New Music Business is the Grammy nominated songwriter, actress, screenwriter, and director, Bonnie McKee. Since the early 2000s, McKee has written 10 singles that have reached #1 in the US and UK, which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide combined.
McKee is particularly known for collaborating with pop singer Katy Perry, and the duo have written hits such as "California Gurls,” "Teenage Dream", "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", "Part of Me,” "Wide Awake” and "Roar" together. She has also co-wrote "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, which became the second-best selling song by a British artist in the digital era. Additional artists who she has worked with include Britney Spears, Kesha, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert and Mike Tompkins.
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Connect with Bonnie McKee:
Website: https://www.bonniemckee.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonniemckee
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bonniemckee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bonniemckee
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/bonniemckeeofficial
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How a Major Label Markets an Artist Without TikTok
Our guest this week is Alex Ciccimarro, the Vice President of Marketing at RCA Records. In this episode, Ari and Alex dive deep into the digital marketing endeavors across Atlantic and RCA Records, why artists don’t need to be on all social media in order to be successful and how to embrace the future of music fans.
01:28 Alex’s creative journey
10:07 Working as Digital Marketing Director at Atlantic Records
12:33 Blog coverage: publicity vs. digital marketing
17:11 RCA Records and Joint Venture deals
26:11 Artists’ relationship with social media
50:31 Breaking down the marketing budget
53:44 Relationship between the artist team and the label
1:04:00 Final question
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Connect with Alex Ciccimarro:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebaldgod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebaldgod
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What Music Can Learn From The Comedy Industry
Joining us on the New Music Business is the CEO of Comedy Dynamics, Brian Volk-Weiss, who’s officially our first guest that does not exclusively work in the music industry. Given how parallel these two industries are, there are incredible revelations on how he operates the most successful independent comedy record label in the world.
04:20 Welcome
08:02 Breaking into the comedy industry
11:35 Managing comics
18:53 Retiring from management
22:25 Launching the Comedy Dynamics record label
28:35 Audio rights
30:56 Where is the money coming from?
32:22 Grammy nominations
36:34 Record deals within the comedy industry
50:26 How to write moral record contracts
59:47 What’s on the horizon?
1:02:55 Final question
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Connect with Brian Volk-Weiss:
Website: https://www.comedydynamics.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/brianvolkweiss
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Spotify Interview (Part 1)
Joining us this week is Sam Duboff, the Director and Head of Creator Brand & Product Marketing at Spotify! In this episode, Ari and Sam dive deep into everything about Spotify for Artists’ promotional tools, editorial vs. algorithmic playlists, production credits, payment structure, and much more.
Visit Spotify's resources here:
Spotify for Artists: https://artists.spotify.com/
Made to Be Found: https://found.byspotify.com
Loud & Clear: https://loudandclear.byspotify.com
03:40 Welcome
06:52 Using Spotify for Artists
09:08 Shopify integration
10:49 Canvas
16:23 Promotional tools and editorial playlists
25:48 Pitching to Spotify editorials
26:46 Is pre-saving worthwhile?
30:00 Turning a listener into a fan
34:54 Promotional tools and editorial playlists (continued)
38:28 Do major labels artists get guaranteed playlist inclusion?
42:37 How many songs get uploaded to Spotify everyday?
43:41 Algorithmic playlists and how to stay on them
49:37 User playlists and Low Volume Funk
52:13 Playlist inclusion vs. consideration
1:02:30 The royalty pool
1:06:33 User-centric payment model
1:10:36 Enhancing song credits
1:13:52 Marquee’s promotional tools and measuring ROI
1:23:17 Discovery Mode
1:28:21 Final question
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Connect with Sam Duboff:
Website: https://www.samduboff.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sduboff
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/samduboff
Twitter: https://twitter.com/duboff
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Music Supervisors Aren't Treated Fairly, Here's What's Going On.
Our guest this week on the New Music Business is music supervisor and Vice President of the Guild of Music Supervisors, Madonna Wade-Reed. Her credits include TV shows such as All American, Batwoman, American Crime, Reign, Blue Mountain State, Smallville, One Tree Hill, plus films such as 8-Bit Christmas, Lovesick, A Thousand Words and the documentary Let It Fall.
In this episode, Madonna breaks down her responsibilities within new projects, why it’s vital for artists to educate themselves on licensing, as well as a closer look into why the music supervisors’ movement is unionizing. Sign the petition and learn more about the cause: https://linktr.ee/musicneedssupervision
05:46 Welcome
10:11 Breaking down the role and timeline of a music supervisor
13:38 Spotting session and conversations with production team
16:38 Music clearance and placing process
19:36 Do music supervisors work directly with artists?
24:53 Hiring process and employment status
29:51 Why music supervisors are unionizing
37:34 How can people support the movement?
50:11 Rate earnings in 2006 vs. 2022
56:25 Final question
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Connect with Madonna Wade-Reed:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0905532/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whoopsiedaisymusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mwrdaisy
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How He Made $250K on his NFT Song After He Was Dropped From Sony
Our guest this week on the New Music Business is singer/songwriter Sammy Arriaga. Ari and Sammy dive deep into everything songwriting and his successful endeavors in the world of NFTs. To learn more about Sammy, visit https://sammynft.com.
2:34 Welcome
4:07 Upbringing and auditioning for American Idol
8:35 Life-changing move to Nashville
16:37 Writing 1000 songs, shopping on Music Row and signing to Sony
30:04 Aftermath of getting dropped from Sony
31:36 Journey into TikTok
37:06 Jumping into the NFT world
45:27 Busking in Twitter Spaces to avid NFT collectors
53:44 Primary sales price and what’s included
1:02:54 Reinvesting NFT income and breaking down the crypto ecosystem
1:18:16 Final question
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Connect with Sammy Arriaga:
Website: https://sammynft.com
OpenSea: https://opensea.io/collection/metagirldh
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammyarriaga
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammyarriaga
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/sammyarriaga
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sammyarriaga
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Explaining the Metaverse for Musicians
Our guest this week is Anne McKinnon, the co-founder and CEO of the web3 experience platform Ristband (ristband.co). In this episode, Ari and Anne break down everything musicians need to know about the ever-evolving metaverse and how exactly it’ll add value to artists’ careers.
To hear all of the most up to date news about Ristband, you can join their Discord community here: https://discord.com/invite/ce7jDJM9uA
4:10 Welcome
6:04 The story behind Ristband
14:06 Explaining the metaverse
18:22 How’s the metaverse different from a video game?
24:35 How’s the metaverse going to benefit artists?
31:19 Breaking down virtual concert experiences
46:01 Relationship with Epic Games
47:19 Ristband events showcasing NFT artists
52:42 Decentralized vs. centralized platforms
59:15 Final question
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Connect with Anne McKinnon:
Website: https://www.ristband.co
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/ce7jDJM9uA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ristbandinc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ristbandinc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ristband/
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How To Make $10K a Gig Playing Performing Arts Centers
This week on the New Music Business, our very own Ari’s Take Academy course instructor Carey Rayburn (Good Co. and Rayburn Entertainment) joins Ari to discuss Performing Arts Centers and how to best navigate your live career within the Special Events market.
3:07 Welcome
4:32 Breaking down the Performing Arts Center market
7:13 Benefits of a subscription model
8:41 The kind of acts that PACs book
16:06 Presenters, compensation and entertainment
23:21 Age demographic breakdown
26:10 Performing at conferences
35:48 Artist grants and community outreach
38:52 Advice for musicians interested in the Special Events market
46:10 Working with wedding and event planners
55:37 Good Co. music, Rayburn Entertainment and the ATA course
59:15 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Carey Rayburn:
Website: https://www.goodcomusic.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/goodcomusic
SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/goodcomusic
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/goodcomusic
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/goodcomusic
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sync Licensing Company Explains How Music Gets Placed
This week on the New Music Business, Ari is joined by Lyle Hysen and Kyra Wendel of the sync licensing agency, Bank Robber Music. They discuss everything from how they organize and pitch playlists, what today’s sync fees are looking like, negotiations with record labels and publishing companies, the best pitching methods, and much more! To learn more about Bank Robber, visit https://bankrobbermusic.com. And you can send streaming demos to info@bankrobbermusic.com
4:06 Welcome
5:47 Bank Robber Music and what defines a sync agency
10:39 Organizing playlists in response to briefs
12:39 Partnering with record labels and publishing companies
17:00 Clearing the master and publishing rights
18:51 Pitching playlists, individuals songs and prioritizing certain artists
23:19 Breaking down the sync fees
38:07 Why artists should work with a sync agency
39:15 Business models of sync agents
44:05 Difference between sync libraries and exclusive agencies
47:36 Do artists have a say in where their song may get placed?
49:26 How to work with Bank Robber
52:52 Crafting the ideal email pitch
57:03 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Connect with Bank Robber:
Website: https://bankrobbermusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bankrobbermusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BankRobberMusic
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How the World's Largest Music Festival Books Bands
This week on the New Music Business podcast features Bob Babisch, the Vice President of Entertainment for the glorious Summerfest. Following its 1968 debut, Summerfest has evolved into what is now recognized as “the World’s Largest Music Festival” and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration with approximately 800k people. Babisch manages tens of millions of dollars in the entertainment budget for Summerfest on an annual basis, and has worked with a plethora of artists over his 46 years in the music industry, from The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder to Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga and Kanye West. Learn more about Summerfest here: https://www.summerfest.com
5:05 Welcome
7:38 The history of Summerfest
9:42 How many people each stage holds
11:54 Structuring the festival lineup
13:27 Showcasing local Wisconsin artists
16:45 Keeping up with the times
18:30 When Summerfest starts booking acts
22:15 Fishing where the fish are
23:38 The finances behind Summerfest
30:17 The production crew
35:25 Change over times and standard line checks
38:46 Video screens on stage
39:51 Festival hospitality
41:39 Smaller ground stages
43:44 How to get booked at Summerfest
47:29 Final question
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Connect with Bob Babisch:
Website: https://www.milwaukeeworldfestival.com
Website: https://www.summerfest.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/summerfest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sfestbob
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Indie Band Played 50 States on $50 and Grossed $80K
This week on the New Music Business, the 4-piece Georgia band Walden breaks down their fully independent and successful Where’s Walden Tour that grossed $80k and carried them across the entire U.S. with only a $50 budget.
3:18 Welcome
3:53 The Where’s Walden Tour
9:03 Booking and outreach from start to finish
12:58 Breweries vs. traditional music venues
16:42 With a little help from Indie On The Move, Yelp and Facebook
22:32 No show close calls
31:27 Interactive website tour map
35:46 Inside the Where’s Walden Tour poster
38:06 Merch game
38:55 Cold pitch emails and negotiations
48:18 Merch game (continued)
55:18 What they would have done differently
1:05:47 How they grossed $80k
1:15:08 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Walden:
Website: https://whereswaldentour.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waldengrams
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whereswaldentour
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6riyJ3_-KFkZBDKYZ9t89Q
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
State of the Industry | ATA Instructor Round Table
Enrollment is NOW OPEN for Ari’s Take Academy! In this episode of the New Music Business, we’ve got all the ATA instructors together to discuss the current state of the music industry. We also invited our community to be a part of this special live round table discussion, so be sure to stick around for the Q&A at the end. To learn more about ATA, please visit: https://aristakeacademy.com and use code NMB for 10% off!
4:42 Welcome
6:52 Introducing Vo Williams (@thisisvo)
8:10 Vo on performing in the Tampa Bay Lightning arena for 20k people
9:42 How Vo got started in the sync licensing world
11:39 What are companies paying for the rights to place music for sync?
13:33 How sports teams got in touch with Vo
14:57 Can the same song be synced more than once?
15:41 Sync successes within the ATA community
––––––––––––
17:27 Introducing Lucidious (@lucidous) & Jenny Powers (@iamjennypowers)
19:38 What is the focus right now for promoting music?
25:59 Digital marketing campaigns within the ATA community
––––––––––––
28:40 Introducing Austin Georgas (@austingeorgas) & Jun Park (@junparka)
31:53 How TikTok is being used by artists and labels
34:49 Why TikTok is so powerful for your music career
37:42 Discovering new music through TikTok and its streaming conversion rate
––––––––––––
40:58 Introducing Clare Means (@claremeans)
42:54 The similarities between busking and livestreaming
44:33 Why Twitch and TikTok are the best for livestreaming in 2022
––––––––––––
49:12 Introducing Carey Rayburn (@goodcomusic)
50:37 Having a built-in audience within the Performing Arts Center (PAC) market
53:23 What your performances need to achieve recognition
54:11 ATA community successes within the PAC market
––––––––––––
56:03 How have FB/IG ads changed since TikTok came into the picture?
59:36 How can artists work with Flighthouse?
1:01:30 How can cinematic orchestral music best succeed in the sync licensing?
1:03:19 How can older musicians fit into the new music world?
1:05:07 The type of acts that works best within the PAC market
1:06:32 The power of using universal and timeless themes in your music
1:07:46 Working smarter (not harder) with the ATA community
1:10:28 Why there’s room for every genre and how to best navigate your audience
1:17:44 Farewell message
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
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Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Songwriters Get Publishing Deals and Hit Songs
Nonstop Management founder and principal Jaime Zeluck Hindlin has signed, shepherded, and spearheaded the success of numerous GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum songwriters and producers. In 2018, the roster ignited smashes such as Meghan Trainor’s “No Excuses” and “Let You Be Right,” XXXTentacion’s “Numb,” Jason Mraz’s “Have It All,” Young The Giant’s “Simplify,” and more as well as singles for Alesso, Bebe Rexha, Jack & Jack, Zara Larsson, and BTS.
3:00 Welcome
4:42 What does a music publisher do?
7:22 Pairing songwriters together and the purpose of songwriting sessions
14:35 The process of writing songs from movie briefs
15:28 To credit or not to credit
18:43 The Pact
22:33 Why you should negotiate the splits when the song is actually done
25:35 What it means to be a manager for songwriters and producers
26:58 From songs to the radio
29:19 Radio hits versus a big album cut
31:44 Songwriters asking for points on the master
34:17 The importance of your personality
39:15 The process of getting admin and co-publishing deals
43:06 Advice for aspiring songwriters
45:05 Does it matter where songwriters reside?
47:02 The downside of Zoom sessions
49:19 The stage of your pitched music and networking on social media
51:50 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jaime Zeluck Hindlin:
Website: https://nonstopmanagement.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nonstopmanagement
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jemaime
Twitter: https://twitter.com/missjemaime
The Pact: https://www.the-pact.org
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How HBO's Insecure Changed Music and the Launch of an Equitable Record Label
This week on the New Music Business, I interviewed the multi-faceted Benoni Tagoe. As the president of Issa Rae’s music label and supervision agency, Raedio, Tagoe breaks down the “audio everywhere” company, what it means to develop an artist, as well as his experiences supervising shows such as Insecure and The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. Learn more about Raedio here: https://theraedio.com.
3:37 Welcome
5:53 How Benoni became a music supervisor
13:40 How Raedio operates as a music supervision agency
14:56 Music as a driving force in a series
17:55 Writing camps
25:52 How artists can pitch to Raedio and get invited to a writing camp
28:23 Raedio’s record label
30:06 Turning Red on Disney+ and Billie Eilish
32:08 What it means to develop an artist
38:59 Raedio’s music library and how they use it
42:14 What’s next for Raedio
45:10 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Benoni Tagoe:
Website: https://theraedio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theraedio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRaedio
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nonibizz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benonitagoe
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Gamers Helped NEFFEX Get 4 Billion Streams Without a Label
In this week’s episode, I spoke with artist NEFFEX (Bryce Savage) and his manager Ryan Sullivan of ATG Group (Against The Grain). We breakdown NEFFEX’s impression release strategy in which he successfully released one copyright free song a week (yes, you read that right!) to eventually surpassing 4 billion DSP streams all independently. We also dive into his previous record deal with 12Tone Music, embracing TikTok’s open verse challenges as well as how he expanded his role as a songwriter and producer.
2:20 Welcome
3:45 NEFFEX’S backstory
6:56 Where NEFFEX’s songs were streaming
8:54 Royalty free beats and unauthorized remixes
10:17 Driving forces behind promoting a song a week
12:10 NEFFEX’s pricing model
13:06 To credit or not to credit…
14:00 The process behind releasing a song a week
15:33 What attributed to the growing streams
17:37 What followed after this release strategy
19:38 How Ryan began managing NEFFEX
26:21 Getting attention from different distributors and labels
28:14 Breakin down NEFFEX’s record deal with 12Tone Music
35:52 The harsh reality signing with a label
43:04 How NEFFEX’s model evolved by embracing TikTok
47:07 TikTok’s open verse challenges
48:54 TikTok followers translating to NEFFEX’s own music
53:58 Remastering and re-releasing old catalog
58:51 Designing artwork with a quick turnaround
1:00:36 Why spending money on music videos is a waste
1:03:05 Engaging with fans and what’s on the horizon for NEFFEX
1:12:05 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Bryce Savage:
NEFFEX Website: http://www.neffexmusic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neffex
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/neffex
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3z97WMRi731dCvKklIf2X6
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBefBxNTPoNCQBU_Lta6Nvg
Connect with Ryan Sullivan:
Against The Grain (ATG): https://www.againstgrain.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-sullivan-a31713b4/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsryansullivan
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Artist Management, Major vs. Indie Labels, Release Strategy with Brilliant Corners Manager
This week on the New Music Business, I spoke with the co-founder and partner at Brilliant Corners Artist Management, Jordan Kurland. Artists such as Death Cab for Cutie, Toro Y Moi, She & Him, Best Coast, Soccer Mommy, Real Estate, New Pornographers, and Pup are all amongst their diverse talent roster. We discussed what the role of an artist management entails, his history working with Death Cab, building career artists without relying on TikTok, as well as the best methods for artists who are seeking management.
3:18 Welcome
5:00 Brilliant Corners Artists Management
10:26 How artists communicate with management team
17:00 Artists specializing in a certain niche
21:29 What does it mean to manage talent?
27:55 Building career artists without relying on TikTok
35:12 Finding partnerships for newer artists
37:31 Inside the Atlantic Records recording deal
44:42 Death Cab's "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"
49:17 Kurland’s management approach
53:58 Artist release strategy
1:03:08 Major labels vs. indie labels
1:05:19 Advice for artists seeking management
1:11:53 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Jordan Kurland:
Brilliant Corners: https://brilliantcorners.com/
Website: https://www.jordankurland.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-kurland/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordan.kurland/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeitpop
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Tai Verdes Went from TikTok to Top 40
This week on the New Music Business, I spoke with the multi-faceted Ryan Chisholm. He is the General Manager of Work of Art Management, as well as the Senior Vice President of Arista Records’ West Coast division. At WoA, the company currently represents notable artists such as Mike Posner, Trevor Daniel, Verzache, Tai Verdes, Wes Period and MILCK. Prior to WoA and Arista Records, Chisholm worked with Nettwerk Music Group under their Artist MGMT and A&R department.
In this episode, we dove into Tai Verdes’ musical journey, the significance of TikTok, influencer marketing deals and gaining leverage with the major labels. To learn more about Work of Art, visit: https://workof-art.com
4:06 Welcome
6:12 Work of Art Management
12:11 The story behind Tai Verdes
16:11 Creating partnership with Tai Verdes
21:42 TikTok influencer marketing deals
28:50 Gaining leverage with the major labels
35:07 Preparing a tour for someone who’s never performed
38:02 Advice for independent artists
41:30 Should artists be embracing Snapchat?
43:03 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Ryan Chisholm:
Work Of Art (Website): https://workof-art.com/
Work Of Art (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/woa/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanchisholm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanchisholm
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanchisholm4/
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Handling Your Music Finances From a Business Manager and Accountant
This week on the New Music Business, I spoke with Pink Noise’s business manager Khloe Churko, alongside tax preparer and fellow podcaster Stephanie Belcher. We dive deep into the weeds of music industry finances including bookkeeping, 1099s, LLCs versus S Corps, DBAs, how PROs pay artists, and so much more!
4:00 Welcome
7:30 What does a business manager do?
9:00 Sirius XM and Sound Exchange
13:30 Bookkeeping process
17:45 Taxes
22:00 What is a tax return?
32:30 LLC Vs. S Corp
45:45 Payroll
49:00 AB5 Law
53:30 LLC Vs. S Corp (Continued)
1:02:30 Doing business as (DBA)
1:04:00 Working with your Performing Rights Organization (PRO)
1:06:30 What’s wrong with Legal Zoom
1:08:00 Alternative to Legal Zoom
1:11:20 Statewide tax rates
1:14:45 Thank yous and final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Connect with Khloe:
Pink Noise Management: https://www.pinknoisemgmt.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khloechurko/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinknoisemgmt/?hl=en
Connect with Stephanie:
Website: https://stephbelcher.com/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/wsmb
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniegbelcher/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whensongsmeanbusiness/
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Trousdale Went From 0 to 1M Listeners in 1 Year Independently
Trousdale is a pop-folk trio born out of the USC's popular music program, consisting of band members Quinn D'Andrea, Georgia Greene and Lauren Jones. In this episode of the New Music Business, we discussed what their creation process entails, self-producing their last releases, as well as how they stayed productive during the pandemic and successfully embraced TikTok.
4:00 Welcome
5:00 The story behind their single “Do Re Mi”
10:00 Self-producing their music
11:40 The creation process for arranging vocals
17:44 Engaging responses from listeners
20:35 Why no music was released before 2020
21:43 Overcoming the pandemic
28:39 The importance of self-care
32:29 Release strategy as independent artists
36:04 Creative partnership with their entire team
42:38 Navigating TikTok
56:45 TikTok trends
1:03:00 Content batching days
1:05:46 What’s next for Trousdale in 2022?
1:08:08 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Trousdale:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trousdalemusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trousdalemusic
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/trousdalemusicband
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trousdalemusic
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSDILgezaZWbAIyf2zqcnaQ
VoyageLA Interview: http://voyagela.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-trousdale/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trousdalemusic
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How & Why To Put Music Videos on Vevo
David McTiernan is the Head of Artist & Label Relations at Vevo. We discussed everything about how Vevo is generating higher revenues for artists than on YouTube, their emerging artist performance series Discover, other music-related content they allow on the platform and much more. Learn more about Vevo: https://www.hq.vevo.com/
2:51 Welcome
4:29 What Vevo is and how it is different from YouTube
6:46 Official music videos and linear programming
8:11 How do indie artists get their music videos on Vevo’s platform?
13:24 Merging official YouTube channel with Vevo
17:50 Vevo’s monetization and how they pay more than YouTube
23:44 Does Vevo pay the same amount to every distributor?
25:46 What other music-related content Vevo allows
26:47 Where else Vevo exists
29:54 Vevo and YouTube’s shared sales environment
30:41 Promotional editorial support behind the content
32:30 What is pre-roll social media?
35:22 Indie artist success stories within Vevo’s Discover series
43:43 How do artists become a part of Discover?
47:16 What’s the ideal artist pitch?
49:41 Do artists need to be present on TikTok?
52:27 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with David McTiernan (Vevo):
Website: https://www.hq.vevo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmctiernan/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidmctiernan/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidmctiernan
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RWXpStyUbqJer6lmvXmBA?si=MiByvKM9Rh69JPJbwREnjA&dl_branch=1&nd=1
Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
$50K in 2 Months Playing Backyards And How They Did It with More Fatter
More Fatter is an indie-funk pop band from San Francisco, California, currently based in Los Angeles. During the summer of 2021, they embarked on a fully-independent statewide tour performing primarily in backyards. On this episode, half of the band members Tommy and Théo join Ari to discuss exactly how they successfully pulled this off, and share some very insightful tour stories throughout. Find out where they're performing next: https://morefatter.live
2:36 Welcome
5:13 Backyard tour conception story
10:06 The challenge of pitching to the hosts
13:47 Eventbrite ticketing process and free donation-based shows
23:28 Who’s Big Booty Bertha?
24:25 Donation-based shows (continued)
27:38 Keeping merchandise separate
32:08 How the tour reintroduced people to society
33:10 Burning custom CDs of their new album
40:07 Last minute booking stories
48:36 Sleeping arrangements on tour
51:00 Take home gross revenue
55:11 Deciding what cities to tour
59:20 Advice on running your own PA system
1:05:13 How playlists can save the vibe
1:07:09 Different roles within the band
1:10:19 The growth of real fans
1:16:53 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
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Connect with More Fatter:
Website: https://morefatter.live
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morefatter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morefatterband
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/morefatter
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Because Labels Don't Develop Artists, godmode Steps In
Talya Elitzer is the co-founder of Godmode, a GRAMMY-nominated artist development company whose label and management clients include genre-breaking artists like Channel Tres, JPEGMAFIA, and Yaeji. Prior to Godmode, Elitzer was a Senior A&R at Capitol Records (Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Beck), and a previous booking agent for WME (Britney Spears, Grace Jones) and Mick Management (John Mayer, Sarah McLachlan).
At Godmode, Elitzer takes an unorthodox approach to artist development and marketing, with an unusually high track record for breaking artists who don't quite fit into pre-existing formats. She focuses on building sustainable operations for her artists, so they can maintain an uncompromising approach to their work. Learn more about Godmode: http://www.godmodemusic.com/
03:44 Welcome
04:43 Godmode’s inception story
08:47 The harsh reality of getting a record deal
11:17 How Godmode operates
15:42 Are 360 deals still common?
17:24 Licensing deal with a major label
20:54 Channel Trace’s artist development
23:54 Creating an artist world
28:08 Evolution of Godmode’s release strategy
33:21 Godmode’s marketing budget
35:15 Social media and online campaigns
41:39 Self-funding as an independent company
43:30 The Godmode team
44:26 Advice for independent artists
46:50 Is there still a place for major labels?
48:04 Godmode’s fanbase development
53:38 The most effective communication avenue
55:05 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
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Connect with Tayla Elitzer (Godmode):
Website: http://www.godmodemusic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godmode_music
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talyagodmode
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GODMODE_MUSIC
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talyagodmode
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House Concerts and Ticketed Livestreams with Side Door's Dan Mangan
Dan Mangan is a two-time JUNO award winning and two-time Polaris Music Prize listed musician and songwriter, based out of Vancouver, Canada. Mangan has released 5 studio LPs and has embarked on various worldwide tours, most notably performing at Glastonbury, Jimmy Kimmel Live and selling out Massey Hall. Additionally, Mangan has scored for feature film, as well as television for Netflix and AMC. As of 2017, Mangan co-founded the Side Door alongside Laura Simpson. The “any space is a venue” marketplace platform ultimately matches creatives with spaces to host shows anytime and anywhere they choose. To learn more visit: https://sidedooraccess.com
04:56 Welcome
06:26 How Side Door started
15:05 Connecting with your audience
17:45 How Side Door benefits artists
24:58 Tier ticketing integration
28:08 How artists are using Side Door
38:10 The state of performance venues post-pandemic
42:36 Protecting artists with an automatic pro-remittance
46:34 Average ticket prices and artist earnings
50:46 The future of Side Door: in-person or online?
57:07 Building artist communities by becoming hosts themselves
1:00:09 Dan Mangan’s music career
1:04:24 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
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Connect with Dan Mangan (Side Door):
Website: https://sidedooraccess.com/home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sidedooraccess
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidedoor.access
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmanganmusic
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How Vo Williams Got Over 1,500 Sync Placements
As we continue to honor Black History Month, we are re-airing one of our favorite NMB episodes with Vo Williams, an incredibly talented hip-hop artist based in Los Angeles. Vo is originally from Sarasota, Florida, and has been extremely successful in getting his music synced in film, commercials, TV shows, and video games. He has thousands of sync placements and makes a lot of money from them. He is also the beloved instructor for 'Ari's Take Academy's Advanced Sync Strategies' course.
We go in deep to discuss practical, tangible, actionable steps you can take to get your music synced. Break out your notepad because you’re going to learn a lot.
Quick links:
2:00 - About Vo Williams
7:40 - When Vo thought he could pursue music professionally
11:41 - Vo’s focuses at his performing arts high school
14:27 - Vo’s next steps after he won a number of rap battles
23:47 - Vo’s ghost writing and first time seeing music get synced
28:15 - When Vo moved out of Florida and to Los Angeles
30:55 - When Vo started getting into sync licensing
35:06 - Vo’s first sync
38:24 - Breaking down Vo’s first sync deal, payment, and royalties
44:43 - The difference between a sync licensing company and a music library
49:54 - There’s a lot of money in the backend royalties for sync licensing
57:47 - How Vo went direct to various brands independently
1:02:10 - Thinking about emotions when writing music and how they can be placed in sync
1:03:43 - The production techniques that work really well in picture and why it works so well
1:11:53 - More on how Vo got syncs independently
1:14:14 - How to contact music supervisors and get started in sync licensing
--
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Connect with Vo Williams:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/18KIg6ST1nUjVUvAlEB6ak?si=Uw72k5GzRKGrLYQx07mJ5w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisvo/
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Should Artists Boycott Spotify?
On this episode, Ari breaks down the whole Spotify issue of the moment and why the music industry seems to be up in arms. He discusses the discrepancy between streams and sales, why the per-stream rate is the wrong conversation to be having, how songwriters can get paid more from streaming, why everyone’s anger is misguided, how indie artists can monetize their audience, how many artists are actually earning $10,000+ from Spotify royalties.
Read the article, Should Artists Boycott Spotify Like Neil Young: https://aristake.com/neil-young-spotify/
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Disney Music Supervisor, Brian Vickers, on Placing Music for Trailers
In honor of Black History Month, we’re re-airing one of our favorite NMB episodes with Brian Vickers. He is a music supervisor at Disney. He works in the in-house trailer department where he developed a number of trailers including The Avengers, Star Wars: The Last Jedi & The Rise of Skywalker, Black Panther, Soul, Hamilton, Frozen II, Black is King, and many, many more.
Ari and Brian dig into all things sync licensing. They spend a significant amount of time on how to become a music supervisor. And they touch on how independent artists can get their music synced in trailers.
3:11 - Working as a music supervisor for Disney since COVID-19 hit and quarantine started
12:38 - "Custom spots" and what the conversations look like between music supervisors and musicians
17:41 - How to find reputable trailer music production companies
20:13 - Do these trailer houses have in-house composers or producers that they work with?
23:10 - Clearing tracks / staying away from samples and making supervisors' jobs easier
25:35 - Placing a song because it is perfect and then it doesn't work out when it 'goes up the chain'
28:39 - Breaking down the song placement process
33:59 - Brian's musical background
42:28 - Music supervisor and sync licensing community
45:40 - How to reach out to music supervisors
50:30 - How to become a music supervisor
58:00 - What it means to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Brian Vickers:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvickers318/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadTheCoolcat
IMDb: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvickers318/
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Addressing Mental Health in the Music Industry with Backline
Hilary Gleason is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Backline, a non-profit that provides free mental health and wellness resources to music industry professionals and their families. In this episode, Hilary breaks down Backline’s positive impact within the industry, and the various programs they offer such as weekly support groups over Zoom as well as therapy through their Case Management Program. Learn more about Backline: http://backline.care
3:55 What is Backline?
6:25 Programs offered by Backline
7:11 Music industry culture
13:23 Other mental health initiatives and programs in the industry
15:04 Touring resources
15:36 Practical advice for artists
20:46 Social media comparison
24:33 Black Mental Health Alliance, Asian and LGBTQ+ communities
32:04 Therapy within Backline’s Case Management Program
36:54 How Backline is funded
39:09 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
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Connect with Hilary Gleason (Backline):
Website: http://www.backline.care/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/backline.care
Twitter: https://twitter.com/backline_care
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backline.care
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How Glass Animals Went Viral on TikTok
Griffin Haddrill is the co-founder and CEO of the leading viral marketing agency, VRTCL. Alongside business partner Sean Young, VRTCL was founded in 2019 providing marketing services for some of today’s most popular artists and record labels such as Universal Music, Warner Records, Sony Music, showing them how to best utilize TikTok and execute campaigns to optimize records performance and brand activity among its global user base.
Prior to VRTCL, Haddrill was a talent manager, signing songwriters and producers who worked with the likes of Karol G, Kevinho, Travis Porter, Riff Raff, among others. Haddrill also represented world-class DJs such as ATLiens and Tisoki who perform at major global music festivals, including Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Bonnaroo.
In this episode, Griffin breaks down how Glass Animals, Adele, Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, and The Weeknd leveraged TikTok to crack the Billboard 100 with their new songs.
He also discusses the importance of indie musicians embracing TikTok, VRTCL’s approach to getting TikTok trends to catch, and how to get your music to go viral on the platform.
02:43 VRTCL's charting songs on Billboard
06:27 Influencers and viral marketing
09:23 Where VRTCL comes in
10:27 Working with Glass Animals
12:28 Business relationship with influencers
16:37 Influencers within VRTCL's network and rates
20:09 Micro vs. macro influencers
21:51 User generated content (UGC)
23:18 TikTok's hook
25:49 Choreographic trends
29:10 Working with Labels vs. Management vs. Artists
31:00 How to inspire artists to embrace TikTok
35:11 How to get your music to go viral
38:23 Audio recognition, unauthorized "original sound" remixes and DSPs
44:32 Tech vs. music's intellectual property
46:41 Marketing investment and bridging success
48:59 Booking agents and touring artists
52:36 Geo-targeting vs. Ads
53:26 Tips for artist getting started on TikTok
55:45 Final question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Griffin Haddrill:
Website: http://vrtcl.video/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-haddrill-a2a3a6101
Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-music-marketers-explain-pay-rates-for-influencer-campaigns-2020-12
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How This Vibraphonist Became a TikTok Influencer and Hit Songwriter with Justin Vibes
Justin Vibes is a multi-platinum songwriter, producer, vocalist, and vibraphonist. Over recent years, the Baltimore born and Trinidadian musician found success in Los Angeles writing songs for Eminem, Chris Brown, Tyga, and Kodak Black. With the alternative pop duo, Capital Cities, he has performed at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as different world tours under his belt.
In this episode, Vibes discusses how he went viral on TikTok, the uniqueness of incorporating the vibraphone into mainstream music, his career as both a solo artist and collaborator, and much more. Welcome to season 3!
05:25 Justin’s Story
08:04 Taking Song Requests
13:18 Going Viral on TikTok (Nickelodeon and ESPN)
19:52 The Result of Going Viral
26:45 Brand Deals and Partnerships
30:09 How Much Justin Makes
35:05 Writing Jingles
36:43 Brand Deals and Partnerships (Continued)
40:53 If a Brand Video Flops
44:57 Ari’s Acting Career
46:42 Advice for Musicians on TikTok
1:00:46 Justin’s Career As a Songwriter and Producer
1:10:00 Ghost Writing and Publishing Deals
1:15:32 What’s Next for Justin
1:18:58 Final Question
Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb
Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com
Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Justin Vibes:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjustinvibe
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamjustinvibes
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn7G9Ui8xI41mpqgDajLAdA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamjustinvibes
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Primary Wave Publishing on Sync Licensing Cover Songs and Legacy Recordings with Marty Silverstone
Marty is Head of Sync at Primary Wave, overseeing licensing activity for Primary Wave’s music publishing and management clients. With staff in Los Angeles and New York, the dynamic Primary Wave Sync team is a key part of Primary Wave’s proactive marketing approach, constantly creating new opportunities and driving big ideas for music in film/TV, advertising, video games, and other visual media.
In 17 years in music publishing, Marty has worked with and secured placements in film, TV and advertising campaigns for artists such as Kurt Cobain, Smokey Robinson, Def Leppard, Hall & Oates, Aerosmith, Collective Soul, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny Loggins, L.P. and Foy Vance.He was recognized as one of Billboard Magazine’s Top Branding Power Players in both 2018 and 2019.
Ari and Marty discuss how cover songs work in sync licensing along with how legacy acts get their music licensed. They also touch on what kinds of music brands are looking for at the moment. The two are joined by Ari’s Take Academy students for a Q&A at the end.
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Primary Wave
Website: https://primarywave.com/
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Afrobeat Artist Fiokee on Nigerian Music Scene and Staying Independent
Ifiok Effanga, professionally known as Fiokee, dubbed as Africa’s No1 sensational Guitarist is a Nigerian talent who hails from Akwa Ibom. He is known for his treble guitar solos infused with highlife steeped guitar lines. Fiokee is associated with acts such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Reekado Banks, Adekunle Gold, Flavour, Simi, and Kiss Daniel, among others.
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Fiokee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiokee/?hl=en
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Imogen Heap is Building a More Equitable Future for Musicians
Self-produced British composer and recording artist for over 20 years, Imogen Heap has released five solo albums, another as one half of Frou Frou and collaborated with countless and varied artists including Taylor Swift, Nitin Sawhney, Deadmau5, Eric Whitacre, Jeff Beck and Jon Hopkins. Her compositions and songs pop up in blockbuster and indie films as well as countless TV shows, are featured in underground rap and dance music and covered by the likes of Ariana Grande. As composer and arranger for one of the biggest hits in theatrical history, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Imogen won the Drama Desk Outstanding Music in a Play award. As a sought-after speaker and performer, Heap hosted 2020’s Grammys Premiere Ceremony. Heap’s collaborative and multi-dimensional workflow attracts companies for commissioned works, leading to songs such as Tiny Human, the first song to distribute payments via a Smart Contract, and The Happy Song, a highly successful song for children in their early-years. Heap, recognized as an artist's artist, has won two Grammys and an Ivor Novello award. In recognition of her pioneering work at the intersection of music and tech, Heap has a hat trick of three honorary doctorates for the gestural music-ware 'MI.MU gloves' system and recently for ’The Creative Passport’, an integrated digital ID solution, empowering music makers to be the change toward a fair and flourishing music ecosystem.
In this episode, Ari and Imogen discuss NFTs, metadata and payment transparency and how to properly credit (and pay) creators using the blockchain. Overall, how to make the future of music more equitable for musicians.
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Imogen Heap
Website: http://www.imogenheap.com/
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Andy Grammer on Songwriting, Fear and Persistence
This interview with Andy Grammer was recorded live during Ari's book signing event at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles on January 16, 2020. Andy dropped gem after gem after gem for artists, songwriters, and managers on how to approach songwriting, a music career, and just life in general.
Multi-platinum selling pop artist Andy Grammer is all about inspiring and empowering the world by communicating his truths through his music. Grammer is the first male pop star in a decade since John Mayer to reach the Top 10 at adult pop radio on his first two singles. His discography includes a succession of anthemic pop hits, including "Keep Your Head Up," "Fine By Me," "Honey, I'm Good.," "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)," and "Fresh Eyes." His most recent album Naive is home to his latest single, "Don't Give Up On Me," which quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes and is already certified gold.
4:34 - Andy's journey from before his first album came out
7:27 - How long Andy was performing on the Promenade
11:17 - The importance of giving; it's about the audience
12:10 - What kept Andy going through the soul-crushing gigs
14:57 - Was there a shift in perception that enabled Andy to leap to the next stage in his career
19:12 - How Andy transitioned from playing the Promenade to doing radio tours
20:52 - Manager as a partner
24:00 - How to know when you've reached your threshold
26:57 - Andy's routine that enables him to crush fear regularly; has the fear ever gotten to be so much that he can't handle it?
30:27 - Does Andy's fear ever prevent him from writing new tracks, especially since he's already written so many hits
32:07 - How Andy knows if he's written a good song after a session
35:05 - Andy's co-writing process
41:29 - When he first went into a top-level writing session; what was that like?
42:42 - How he remains humble with all of his success
47:45 - What is branding?
53:47 - Andy's way of processing songs that he's written
55:33 - How Andy makes it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Andy Grammer:
Website: https://andygrammer.com/
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Euphoria Music Supervisor Jen Malone Gives a Sh*t
This is a re-run episode from last year with music supervisor Jen Malone. She has placed music and worked on Euphoria, Atlanta, Creed 2, The Resident, Boomerang, Baskets, Shelter, Lady Dynamite, and Step Up. That's just scratching the surface. She has worked in sync licensing now for over a decade and is so well established respected.
We dug in deep on sync licensing. We talk about what a music supervisor does. She also gave advice and tips on how independent artists can get their music synced and things to look out for in the contracts, quote requests, and things you should strike from the deals. We also discussed how to setup your music to pitch to supervisors effectively and have the best chance of having your music synced.
11:43 - What is a music coordinator?
13:06 - How pitching music has changed over the years
17:03 - How do you like to be contacted when?
19:03 - Are there any tools that you use for audio clearance and recognition?
23:19 - How do you find new music?
24:43 - What's your process like when coming into a new project?
25:45 - Who created the sonic vibe of Euphoria?
26:40 - What is the process on working with the director?
30:20 - When did you come into Creed 2?
34:05 - Can you work on multiple shows at once?
35:25 - How much does your personal taste influence your selections for the projects you're working on?
37:55 - How do you pick music for scenes that are difficult? How do you create such a juxtaposition?
42:30 - Are there any standout independent musicians that you've seen get a "break" from one of their placements?
45:55 - What are the music discovery trends you've seen over the past years?
49:20 - Do you curate any playlists?
50:25 - How do you stay organized when you're working on so many projects at once?
52:00 - What are the differences working with the different platforms? Is there a standard placement rate?
53:55 - The Discovery channel devaluing music and screwing over musicians
59:35 - Jen Malone sides with musicians and helps them negotiate licenses
1:02:55 - How much negotiation is allowed with the contracts you're working with? What advice would you give to someone who wants to have their music synced?
1:09:55 - How do you define making it in the new music business?
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Ritt Momney on TikTok Fame and Numbers Perspective
Ritt Momney (real name Jack Rutter) is a 21-year-old musician who went viral on TikTok at the end of 2020 for his song "Put The Records On." This virality propelled him into a favorable deal with Disruptor Records under Columbia Records.
Jack talks about how he distributed "Put The Records On" via TuneCore and why he signed it over to Disruptor Records. We also discuss perspective, numbers, approaching social media.
3:55 - Living in Los Angeles and how Ritt Momney met his manager
8:00 - Prior to getting a manager, was there traction with Ritt Momney?
9:45 - Perspective when achieving your goals
12:50 - Not having human connection after releasing "Put The Records On" and getting the reactions on social media
19:05 - How "Put The Records On" went viral on TikTok
22:17 - When Disruptor Records approached Ritt Momney and why he signed with them
36:10 - What the next phase of Ritt Momney looks like
44:17 - Tour and festival plans for Ritt Momney
49:58 - What it means to Ritt Momney to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ritt Momney:
Website: https://www.rittmom.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rittmomney/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rittmomney
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7OtTy4s4swX4891VbF3Hg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rittmomney/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rittmomney
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Stand Atlantic on Pop Punk Resurgence, Building a Fanbase Live
Today my guest is David Potter of the band Stand Atlantic out of Sydney, Australia. This is the first guest on the show from the pop punk music scene. The band typically does 200 shows a year, and we talk about what it's been like going from 200 shows to 0 shows.
We dig into how they got started, found their manager, and booking agents. We discuss tour buy-ons and what he thinks of the whole pay-to-play system.
3:22 - How Australia's been during the pandemic
9:38 - Touring and the pop punk scene in Australia
13:59 - Music being cyclical and Stand Atlantic becoming accepted in the Australian music scene
17:30 - How most of Stand Atlantic's fans discovered them
21:06 - Using social media to build a following and splitting up band members' responsibilities
25:30 - Reckoning with streaming numbers
30:28 - David switching from the bassist to guitarist
38:04 - Stand Atlantic's sponsorship with Fender
39:44 - Don't fall for scams or pay-to-play situations
47:02 - Experimenting with livestream shows
51:48 - The process in creating "deathwish"
57:09 - How David defines success
1:00:49 - What it means to David to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Stand Atlantic:
Website: https://www.standatlantic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standatlantic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StandAtlantic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StandAtlantic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1W2Fv4YUnjC8hx2qQd6fGh?si=WNqYxGhQT1i4kbAPRsj4mw&dl_branch=1
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Cory Wong on Vulfpeck, Freelancing and Band Leading
Most know this week's guest, Cory Wong, as the guitar player for Vulfpeck, but he's also played in Jon Batiste's band for Stephen Colbert's late night show as well as Blake Shelton and others. He currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
I encourage you to spend time with this episode, especially if you're a session player, band leader, or studio cat. We talk about payment models, ethics, and etiquette when you're in the studio. He also shares some interesting stories about playing with Vulfpeck.
7:35 - What it's been like for Cory not being able to tour or play live
21:37 - Real world value vs. vanity metrics
28:07 - Cory and the Wongnotes
56:10 - What is the etiquette when working with other musicians in the studio or on set?
1:03:52 - How Cory dictates what sessions he takes
1:09:00 - Pay structure for Cory's hired musicians and Vulfpeck
1:25:00 - What it means to Cory to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Cory Wong:
Website: https://www.corywongmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coryjwong/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/corywong
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corywongmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqC08JWnJGJIgw43XJ0GXw
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Micro Sync Licensing with Musicbed CEO
Daniel McCarthy is the CEO of FM, which includes the music platform Musicbed. It's one of the more popular sync hybrid platforms. It includes the typical sync agency but also acts as a music library. Musicbed works with indie filmmakers, wedding video filmmakers, and photographers. Their clients go all the way up to brands that place commercials in the Super Bowl and everyone in between.
We talk about how all of the smaller placements work and how artists get paid. We discuss how big sync licensing placements work and how artists are making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some of their artists have made millions of dollars.
5:54 - How Musicbed got started and Daniel's story
13:12 - Musicbed's business model and definition of one stop
23:25 - What is micro licensing and content ID?
31:23 - How Musicbed subscriptions and the various levels of clearance work
35:45 - Getting screwed on a licensing deal and how to prevent it
43:21 - Fees for TV, film, and ad campaigns
49:09 - What Musicbed's artists are making annually
53:17 - Musicbed user interface
59:21 - How does an artist work with Musicbed?
1:01:36 - What it means to Daniel McCarthy to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Publishing Deals, Songwriting Camps from Beyoncé Collaborators Noble
My guests today are Noble, a production duo originally from South Africa now residing in Los Angeles. They recently signed a publishing deal with Campfire Songs.
They talk about their story and are most known for their cut of Beyoncé's Lion King soundtrack. They have tons of other cuts with artists from all over the world, but they're just getting started. We nerd out a little bit on gear, analog and digital plugins, and they give some really good advice on how to get a publishing deal.
3:35 - How Noble met
7:30 - Noble's production process and how they work a session
15:09 - MIDI vs. acoustic instruments vs. plugins
23:18 - How Noble went from kids hustling to working with Beyoncé
31:18 - Attending a writing camp for Lion King and why it was such a humbling experience
35:00 - How Noble met their manager Seth Kallen
38:51 - How Noble's publishing deal is structured
45:00 - The difference between record deals and publishing deals
49:00 - Advice to upcoming songwriters and producers looking to get a publishing deal
55:26 - Next steps for Noble
58:45 - Why Los Angeles
1:04:00 - What it means to Noble to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Noble:
Website: https://www.noblemakesongs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noblemakesongs/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/noblemakesongs
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Album Release Strategy, Hot 100 Hit, from Create Music Group
My guest is Alexandre Williams, the co-founder and COO of Create Music Group. They're a distribution, publisher, YouTube royalty collection, rights management, influencer, and TikTok (through Flighthouse) marketing company. Inc Magazine named them the second fastest growing company in America in 2020.
Create Music Group has over 25,000 artists and 5,000 label clients. They distributed Tekashi 6ix9ine's track "Trollz" with Nicki Minaj, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's the first time that a completely independent, distributed single has ever reached the No. 1 slot in the Billboard Hot 100.
We discuss playlist pitching, release strategy, and how Create Music Group approaches working with their artists.
6:20 - What is the core mission of Create Music Group?
10:53 - Create Music Group's business model
12:27 - How CMG allocates their resources for their 25,000 artists
18:15 - Advances and CMG's proprietary algorithm to determine them
19:59 - Devoting time and resources into the 'middle class musicians'
24:52 - How CMG decides which artists to work with
28:18 - Building strategies for and with artists
31:55 - The secret to pitching to official Spotify playlists
38:18 - How much goes into the release plan before and after a track comes out
41:07 - How important is release day?
45:35 - How relevant is press today? Is it worth it?
48:36 - Breakdown of a marketing budget
54:16 - Advice to artists who don't get the response they're hoping for after their release
59:16 - What it means to Alexandre to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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They Hacked Their Way on Tour With their Favorite Band by Selling CDs to Fans in Line
Michael Walker is a keyboardist for the band Paradise Fears, who made headlines years ago for a thing they called "tour hacking." What they did was sold 24,000 CDs at around $10 in just a few months to fans standing in line for concerts. Not their concerts. This is the DIY method of DIY'ers.
Obviously this tactic doesn't really work anymore, so we talk about the evolution and what that turned into, what his ideas are now, and how you can turn those tour hacking ideas into something that works today. We went deep into marketing concepts, tactics, and human psychology.
4:15 - Selling CDs to people in line at other bands' shows and making more than $100k
13:12 - Going on tour with All Time Low
18:12 - Selling merchandise and building fans through social media
33:24 - Making money and just to make money + the super fan concept
39:10 - What has Michael learned by working with this grassroots band over the past few years?
47:55 - Facebook Messenger and paid traffic and goals
56:40 - Building effective funnels
1:07:45 - What it means to Michael Walker to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Connect with Michael Walker:
Website: https://www.modern-musician.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themodernmusician/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjwalker0
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelmodernmusician/
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How to Go Viral on TikTok from Flighthouse
Today's guest is Austin Georgas. He is the senior account manager at Flighthouse Media. They are a full on influencer and media agency that help break songs on TikTok. They've worked on previous campaigns like Doja Cat's "Say So," Internet Money's "Lemonade," Surfaces' "Sunday Best," and Arizona Zervas' "Roxanne." They are one of the best at what they do.
Austin breaks down exactly how going viral on TikTok works and what the process is behind it and how micro and macro influencer campaigns are run at this moment. The influencer campaigns change all of the time, so he talks about how they change. If you're new to influencer marketing and TikTok, you're going to get a ton of valuable information out of this conversation.
6:00 - Background on Flighthouse and Austin Georgas
9:52 - The "Roxanne" campaign on TikTok
12:24 - Who is considered a "micro influencer"?
14:27 - TikTok's algorithm works much differently than Instagram's
18:45 - What it's like engaging micro influencers for a campaign
20:55 - Macro influencers and running campaigns with them
25:44 - What does viral and "number of videos" mean on TikTok?
29:29 - Using sounds on TikTok
39:36 - Does Flighthouse give creative guidance to influencers they're working with?
42:03 - How Flighthouse decides on influencers' compensation
48:10 - Working with labels' artists
51:19 - How many influencers does Flighthouse have in their roster?
52:17 - Why doesn't money go as far anymore on TikTok?
54:11 - How does an independent artist find micro influencers on TikTok?
1:00:42 - What it means to Austin to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Environmentally Friendly NFTs with Crypto.com's EVP
Joe Conyers III is the EVP and Global Head of NFTs at Crypto.com. He's also the co-founder of Songtrust, the largest admin music publisher. Songtrust is owned by Downtown Music Holdings, and when Joe was the chief strategy officer at Downtown they purchased CD Baby.
He was named a digital power-player four years in a row by Billboard magazine. The real headline of this episode is that Crypto.com hosts their NFTs on a much more environmentally friendly blockchain. It is not on the Ethereum blockchain, which has a massive impact on the environment.
4:48 - Joe Conyers III being the co-founder of Songtrust and explaining what an NFT is
9:35 - How NFTs relate to music right now
10:50 - The most popular NFTs, why people are spending so much money on them, and authenticity
18:46 - Tracking resells of an NFT
21:47 - The difference between a sale and an auction
28:15 - Blockchain technology and how a transaction works
31:25 - What happens if a place you purchase an NFT goes down or gets hacked?
35:03 - Buying and reselling on different platforms
36:50 - How does Crypto.com work?
45:17 - Environmental impact of NFTs and the blockchain
55:09 - What it means to Joe to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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The MLC is Sitting On $423 Million, How Songwriters Can Claim It
Kris Ahrend is the CEO of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC). This is the organization that was set up and appointed by Congress by the Copyright Office after the Music Modernization Act was signed into law. They officially went into effect in January of 2021. What the MLC does is collect mechanical royalties from streaming services in the United States. These are just royalties for songwriters. The DSPs pay the MLC and the MLC pays the rights holders.
Article: https://aristake.com/songwriters-claim-mlc-money/
MLC's website: https://www.themlc.com/
4:35 - What is the MLC and what do they do?
8:00 - Mechanical royalties and PROs, and where does the Harry Fox Agency play into everything?
14:50 - What is the statutory rate?
17:03 - How to find how much you've earned in mechanical royalties through the MLC
18:50 - Why you don't need the MLC if you have an admin publisher
21:08 - Why BMI, SESAC, ASCAP, or GMR is not enough to collect all of your royalties
24:30 - International mechanical royalties
26:47 - How much money is being lost to ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC's commissions?
32:30 - The MLC and admin publishers
34:58 - Where does the data in the public search feature come from?
39:20 - The MLC has $430 million in unpaid royalties
46:47 - Additional sources where the MLC gets its data
50:10 - How much it costs to register with the MLC
51:43 - Who calculates the data and royalty amounts?
54:30 - Historical royalties from the DSPs
57:58 - Different types of publishers the MLC lists in their database
1:03:45 - How to search MLC's database by song title
1:07:11 - How long you have to collect your royalties from the MLC
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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VÉRITÉ on NFTs and 350 Million Streams Without a Label
VÉRITÉ is an incredible artist who has had over 350 million streams all independently. She has never signed to a label. She discusses why she stayed independent her entire career.
We also dig into NFTs. She's, to date, dropped 3 NFTs and made 10s of thousands of dollars on them. She explained what they are, how she got started, what the future of them is, why they're important, and their challenges. If this is your first introduction into NFTs, get ready. We go deep. But she also breaks it down really well.
She's also the host of the podcast, Anatomy of an Artist, which I was a guest on: https://spoti.fi/3npAAMH
Quick links:
3:00 - Discussing "voice social" and how it's changed
6:15 - VÉRITÉ's Anatomy of an Artist podcast and her episode with 3LAU
9:58 - The process and approach of "by now"
14:26 - How VÉRITÉ feels before and after releases
17:07 - Setting expectations for releasing music and getting feedback from fans
21:15 - NFTs and fans investing in VÉRITÉ's sound recordings
24:32 - Explaining NFTs as if we were five-year-olds
32:20 - How the blockchain can revolutionize metadata in music
35:15 - VÉRITÉ being an independent artist
38:34 - Was it a conscious decision to remain an independent artist?
42:30 - HypeMachine and being covered by blogs to propel VÉRITÉ's career
45:30 - VÉRITÉ's five strategies for every release
51:28 - What is next for VÉRITÉ?
54:22 - Taking into account the environmental impact of NFTs
59:00 - What it means to VÉRITÉ to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Connect with VÉRITÉ:
Website: https://www.veriteofficial.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veritemusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Verite
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Sync Agent Explains the Game
Today's guest is the CEO and co-founder of Audiosocket, Jenn Miller. Audiosocket is a sync licensing company. They have an agency side, ASX, and a micro licensing section, which we get all into the nitty gritty and depths of what that actually means. They're the inventors of mass music as a service, which deals with the micro licenses that we talk about. They invented the platform. So if you need a song for a wedding, mom and pop local shop, ad for your YouTube, then you can use Audiosocket for that at very affordable rates.
We talk about what it's like running a sync agency and the kinds of briefs Jenn is seeing these days, the price ranges, and what Audiosocket is doing specifically. She also gives great advice on how to be successful in sync licensing.
Quick links:
3:50 - Background on Audiosocket and what they do
7:07 - What is ASX? What is micro licensing and how does it work?
9:23 - How do you clear a micro license?
14:06 - How does an artist make money on a company licensing an entire catalog for $500/year subscription?
19:27 - Leaving the retitling era and how exclusive/non-exclusive tracks work
23:33 - How does Audiosocket ensure that artists in their catalog are not devalued?
25:51 - Does Audiosocket have artists that do micro licensing and in ASX?
27:27 - About the placements Audiosocket has placed
29:27 - How do deals with composers work?
30:20 - Jenn's tips to artists for getting more sync placements
35:14 - Should artists spend time building relationships with music supervisors or work with a sync agent/agency?
39:18 - How Audiosocket negotiates credits for artists
41:11 - Ari's Take Academy student questions
51:58 - How to get your music into Audiosocket's catalog
53:39 - What it means to Jenn Miller to make it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Connect with Audiosocket:
Website: https://www.audiosocket.com/
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Ricky Montgomery From Viral on TikTok to Major Label Bidding War
You may know Ricky Montgomery from his Vine days. You may know him from his band The Honey Sticks. Or you may know him because a few of his songs went viral on TikTok in 2020. This led to a massive bidding war amongst 50 major labels. He ended up signing a deal with Warner Records.
This is a very interesting deal he signed. We get all into the weeds of this, so I encourage you to listen to the very end if you want to hear what major label deals look like for artists these days. He shares some really interesting anecdotes on how the bidding wars went down.
Quick links:
2:45 - Ricky Montgomery's Los Angeles space and where he calls home
7:51 - About The Honey Sticks' tour before the pandemic cancelled
11:15 - Ricky Montgomery's success on TikTok and how it happened
17:14 - What inspired Ricky's love for the digital world
22:27 - What it looks like running an indie career for The Honey Sticks
26:27 - How Ricky figured out and navigated the digital world
30:46 - How did Ricky convert his Vine fans over to other platforms when Vine died?
39:00 - Social media platforms have no regard for the creators that make their platforms thrive
41:44 - Why Ricky signed a major record deal and the details of his deal
54:20 - What's the difference between a licensing deal and master ownership?
57:02 - The stories behind the re-releases of "Line Without a Hook" and "Mr. Loverman"
1:03:28 - What's the next step for Ricky now that he's signed a record deal?
1:09:50 - How are remote writing sessions working for Ricky? Does he like them?
1:14:48 - What it means to Ricky Montgomery to make it in the new music business
--
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Connect with Ricky Montgomery:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rickymontgomery
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ZUvK7zGdXLd78mQr3t1Tw?si=R9jUhEZ2TuuCp9RY087jrA
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How To Tell Your Artist Story and Connect With Your Audience from Marketing Experts
My guests today are Livia Tortella and Brian Popowitz of Blackbox, a marketing agency that has worked with artists like JP Saxe, Christina Perri, Jesse McCartney, and many others. Before Livia started this marketing agency, she was the co-president and CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of Warner Brothers Records. Before that, she was the SVP of Marketing at Atlantic Records. And before Atlantic Records she worked at Island/Def Jam. And before Island/Def Jam, she was at PolyGram. She's been in the major label system for many years, but just under a decade ago she broke out and started Blackbox.
Blackbox is a marketing agency that has worked with Andra Day, JP Saxe, Best Coast, Christina Perri, Dirty Honey, Jesse McCartney. They even worked on Kid Rock's faux Senate run. With JP Saxe specifically, they worked with him before his record and publishing deal and when he was completely independent. They helped take one of his first songs, "The Few Things," to over 20 million streams. They also helped Andra Day to acquire more than 250,000 social media fans.
Brian and Livia break down their process, what they do, and how they help an artist tell their story effectively. They also give some really great strategies on how to tell that story.
Quick links:
5:08 - What is Blackbox?
10:38 - What is a narrative? Why is it important?
12:15 - Does Blackbox function as a manager for artists?
15:40 - How Blackbox developed JP Saxe and helped him tell his story
21:22 - What does the onboarding process look like? How does an artist tell their story?
35:36 - How do you get an artist to communicate their story visually?
39:38 - When does paid media advertising come into play in a marketing strategy?
43:38 - Where are we at with paid media? What platforms is Blackbox using for its clients?
46:40 - What is influencer marketing? How is it working in the space today?
48:05 - How's TikTok marketing functioning right now? Is it effective?
51:15 - Ari's Take Academy student questions
1:05:11 - How Brian and Livia define making it in the new music business
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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How To Create an Artist Brand from Scooter Braun's Creative Director
Today's guest is Jessica Severn. She, for 7 years, worked at Scooter Braun's company, SB Projects, doing creative direction. She spearheaded the campaigns for Justin Bieber's stuff over the past decade. She also worked with Yungblud and Ariana Grande. If you look at Scooter Braun's roster you will see the kinds of campaigns she's worked on.
Don't worry! We didn't talk about how to run a superstar campaign. We talk about artist branding. What does that mean? What is a design aesthetic, the importance of it, and why you should think about branding. How do you put together album, single, and music video campaigns? I think you're going to enjoy this conversation.
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Quick links:
3:31 - When and how an artist should think about branding
9:29 - The next steps after an artist fills out Jessica's "brand therapy" form and how to create a mood board
13:20 - Why does someone do a mood board? What's the point?
17:39 - Why does anybody need to care about the brand aesthetic from a philosophical view?
20:54 - The importance of visuals and sonic branding remaining similar
23:05 - How Jessica's packages have changed since marketing has become less "glossy"
24:54 - It seems like the more money that is spent on social media campaigns, the worse it's going to do
27:14 - Is it necessary for someone like Jessica to be involved in a project?
30:32 - Which platforms are catching and doing well for artists and brands?
33:18 - Does Jessica and her team help with TikTok strategy?
36:24 - How do you refocus an artist or brand that doesn't think a project is "on brand" for them (TikTok, for example)
38:22 - What platform is the artist "hub" or "calling card" these days? The website? Instagram?
45:03 - The "why" is the most important question when working on projects
47:00 - Should you waste money on a high priced photo from a shoot or save them for a high profile press outlet that wants exclusive photos?
53:11 - Jessica's company Deadhappy and how the creative direction business works
1:00:31 - What does a licensing agreement look like for the work that Jessica's company creates?
1:04:42 - What it means to Jessica Severn to make it in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
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How Music Gets in Commercials from Music Supervisor/Actor Winslow Bright
Winslow Bright is a music supervisor and music producer at Search Party Music. They primarily put music in commercials. They do really big campaigns like Sephora, Beyond Burger, Calvin Klein (the one that featured Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X), Mini Cooper, and many more.
We talk about what that job is all about and how they decide what songs are going to get placed. Winslow shares information on what goes on behind the scenes when a song is placed. She also talks about how cover songs get placed. We also talk about how original music gets composed and scored for commercials, who those people are, and where they come from.
Winslow has an interesting background. She's an actress and musician. She's currently working as both. She's in a Shonda Rhimes show called Inventing Anna. She discusses all of the hats she's wearing as a music professional and what it's like.
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Quick links:
4:45 - What Winslow Bright does at Search Party Music
7:27 - When does Search Party Music get involved in a project?
10:33 - What does a budget for original music look like?
19:30 - Is a 50/50 split between master and publishing common these days?
22:08 - Are most favored nations clauses (MFNs) common?
24:23 - What's the process for placing cover songs?
31:29 - Is an existing cover used?
34:33 - How does Search Party Music approach lesser known artists? What's the process like?
41:22 - How Winslow Bright got into music supervision
58:44 - How does Winslow balance and bounce between everything she does?
1:03:52 - What it means to Winslow to make it in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Music Supervisor for To All The Boys, Virgin River, One Tree Hill, Lindsay Wolfington on How She Places Music
I'm so excited to have Lindsay Wolfington on the show today! She is a music supervisor and initially broke into the music supervisor world when supervising for One Tree Hill. I feel very closely connected to this show because it was one of my first massive, massive placements. It changed the trajectory of my career once my song got placed. I tell the story of how it all went down and what came from that placement.
She also works on Virgin River, Fear Street, and Warrior Nun on Netflix. She won awards for the music she placed in To All the Boys I've Loved Before and To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You. Her music supervision list is long, and she is a superstar in the music supervision world. We had such a great conversation.
At the end of this episode we brought in students from the Ari's Take Academy course Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV and Video Games to ask their questions.
Learn more about Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV and Video Games: https://aristakeacademy.teachable.com/p/advanced-sync-strategies-film-tv-video-games
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Quick links:
3:45 - Music supervision being recognized in mainstream media and what the Guild of Music Supervisors is
7:30 - What music supervision is according to Lindsay Wolfington
11:00 - When and how Lindsay was brought into working on Virgin River
13:12 - The process of clearing the sound recording and publishing
16:43 - Lindsay's advice to independent artists when pitching music to make music supervisors' jobs easier
21:34 - How Lindsay prefers to listen and receive music
23:08 - Ari's story of getting placed in One Tree Hill
25:45 - How Lindsay works with budgets for independent artists and major label artists
34:14 - Netflix's sleazy contracts on artists giving up their publishing rights
41:23 - How Lindsay keeps her music library organized
44:02 - What're the differences between a sync agent and a music library?
48:23 - Advice from Lindsay for people who want to become music supervisors
54:13 - Questions from Ari's Take Academy students
1:04:03 - What it means to Lindsay to make it in the New Music Business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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How To Become a Grammy Winning Producer from BTS and Beyonce's DJ Swivel
Today my guest is DJ Swivel. He is a producer, engineer, songwriter, most notably for BTS, Beyonce, The Chainsmokers, Mary J Blige, Kanye West, Fabolous, Bow Wow, Redman, Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, Mariah Carey. The list goes on.
We talked a lot about getting started in the industry as a producer and engineer, and what it takes and what it means. He discusses diversifying your business and what it means to make it in the new music business, of course the final question I ask everybody. His answer was really interesting.
We also go deep into the LA vs. New York vs. Atlanta vs. Nashville vs. Miami discussion. He gave some really great insight as to what the scenes are shaping up to look like and why he moved from New York to LA. I really enjoyed our conversation. I learned a lot. I think you're going to dig this conversation.
DJ Swivel's Story Time on The Chainsmokers: https://youtu.be/XcYtTuHzv6Q
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Quick links:
3:16 - Working remotely and how DJ Swivel has accommodated
9:26 - Co-founding SKIO Music and where his entrepreneurial spirit came from
16:55 - Winning a Grammy does not mean you're set for life: advice for making sacrifices in your music career
23:00 - Getting started as a producer in 2021 and being raised to treat money with respect
34:20 - The ethics of unpaid internships
46:18 - DJ Swivel's plugin business
54:32 - How DJ Swivel has sought out feedback and criticism over the years
57:35 - Why DJ Swivel left New York and what his thoughts are on the various music hubs around the US
1:06:17 - What it means to DJ Swivel to make it in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
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Connect with DJ Swivel:
Website: https://djswivel.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djswivel/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuhOAJMCXD7BviDIWkPWHHw
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Tanerélle's Manager on Playboy, Livestreaming and Breaking Out Independently
Today my guest is Felicia Bennett. She is an artist manager and formerly a tour manager. She now manages Tanerélle, the breakout R&B artist. This last year they've had an incredible year. Tanerélle toured with Ari Lennox over Europe. She had a massive sync in Insecure, which propelled her song to No. 1 on the Shazam charts. She was the December 2020 playmate of Playboy. She's also an actress and starred in Victoria Monet's latest music video.
At the start of the pandemic, they did an amazing virtual live concert for Trillerfest. Tanerélle was also part Rihanna's Savage X Fenty lingerie line as a model. She has a very diverse career with many different facets, and I dig in with Felicia on how all of that happened, how they're making it work, and how they're planning out the trajectory for this interesting and diverse career.
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Quick links:
3:43 - How Felicia and Tanerélle's relationship started and what they've accomplished in the last year
9:48 - Felicia's jump from a tour manager to an artist manager
12:40 - Were Felicia and Tanerélle aligned when they first started working together?
15:40 - What was Felicia's first things to do when she was brought on as the manager?
17:22 - Discussing the various headline moments that Tanerélle has had recently
19:46 - Felicia's experience in what is 'moving the needle' - is it social media presence or music?
23:04 - How women are reclaiming the Playboy brand and how Tanerélle landed the December 2020 playmate
27:58 - How Tanerélle got a sync placement in Insecure and how it changed her career
35:02 - Getting funding without a label (or giving up ownership)
38:48 - Savage X Fenty and how the relationship came to be
42:24 - Trillerfest and Galactica livestreams
51:52 - What it means to Felicia Bennett to 'make it' in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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College Booking and When Touring Is Coming Back
Today's guest is Ari Nisman. He is the founder and president of Degy Entertainment. They are one of the largest booking agencies for colleges and military. They have hundreds of artists on their roster and book thousands and thousands of shows every year.
But in today's conversation we talk about how the college entertainment market works; how the military booking market works; how much they pay for all of that; and how much each booking earns. Surprisingly they're paying guarantees. You're not having to worry about promoting those shows. So we break all of that down.
We also talk about how Degy Entertainment pivoted once live music was shut down and what the virtual space looks like, even ticketed ones they've been executing within the Degy market. We discuss Degy World, which is an avatar-based, virtual, interactive world that they've built. It's proprietary. This is how they're able to host festivals, conferences, concerts, and dating events.
Ari also talks about the live entertainment world and what it's going to look like when it returns.
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Quick links:
4:32 - What has attracted Ari Nisman to social media app Clubhouse
5:58 - When is live entertainment going to return? What is it going to look like?
11:30 - What is a middle man?
13:54 - Why will college buying come back before anything else?
16:55 - How does the college market work?
19:54 - Talking about the music and artists that work in the college market
23:16 - Why do campuses push back against hip-hop music?
27:18 - Is Degy Entertainment booking more independent artists or bigger artists these days?
29:09 - What can an independent artist expect for a guarantee on a military base?
30:30 - What are the buying opportunities for independent artists in the college market?
32:49 - What are NAPCA and APCA?
39:18 - How Degy Entertainment pivoted into the digital realm and what they're doing with Degy World
44:58 - Working with FanFX to create a unique livestreaming experience and proprietary system
48:45 - Has there been any work for artists livestreaming recently?
50:52 - Is the college market spending what they were spending pre-COVID?
53:17 - What is Degy World? Where did the idea come from?
1:05:38 - What it means to Ari Nisman to make it in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Repairing Racial Inequities in the Music Industry with Artist Manager Jonathan Azu
Today we are re-running an episode. This is the first time we've ever done this. It's an episode that initially premiered last July with artist manager Jonathan Azu. This is in honor of Black History Month this month because Jonathan and I had a really illuminating conversation about how to repair racial inequities in the music business. We also discuss how our industry, at the executive level, is so white. Specifically in Billboard Power 100, there's only one black person in the top 50. Jonathan has some ideas as to why and how we can help repair those disparities.
Jonathan Azu is also a member of the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), which I spoke about last week with Dina LaPolt who is one of the founding members. Jonathan also recently launched the Diversity in Music. It is the first ever employment talent directory for underrepresented women and minorities in music.
Jonathan Azu is an artist manager for artists like Cory Henry, Luke James, Emily King, and Michelle Williams among others. He used to be the executive vice president and general manager of Red Light Management. He is also a two-time Billboard magazine 40 Under 40 power player. Over a year ago, he launched his own management company called Culture Collective.
A Forbes 2017 article outlined that hip-hop and R&B genres are responsible for 25% of all music consumption and over 29% of all on-demand streams across the United States. However, executives of color are still relatively scarce atop major music companies. The top 10 out of 10 on the Billboard Power 100 list are all white, and there's only two people of color in the top 50. Azu breaks this down on why he thinks this is and how to fix it because it's a problem.
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Diversity in Music: https://diversityinmusic.org
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Quick links:
3:14 - How Jonathan Azu and his artists have been doing since touring has been shut down
11:44 - What Azu's artists are doing in quarantine - how they are staying busy
14:59 - Artists doing live streaming events
17:47 - About Culture Collective and Azu's journey to get to where he's at today
28:01 - Advice to white colleagues asking for advice on curbing systemic racism in the music industry
34:27 - About The Black Music Coalition
38:09 - Lack of racial diversification in the Billboard Power 100 list
40:29 - Shifting internships to paid internships and going outside typical recruiting tactics - should there be mentorship programs?
42:12 - Would reparations be the correct route to approach racial injustices in the music industry?
53:02 - Are people losing interest in the black lives matter movement?
58:04 - Was having an all black roster for Culture Collective intentional?
1:03:59 - Azu's artist Emily King two Grammy nominations
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Connect with Ari...
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Music Attorney Dina LaPolt on Getting Laws Passed and Fighting for Songwriters
Wow! Today my guest is superstar music attorney Dina LaPolt. If you don't know who she is, she is one of the most well respected, well known music attorneys in the world. The amount of awards she has is unfathomable: Hollywood Reporter, Billboard's Power 100, Variety, MIDEM, Recording Academy, GRAMMYs. She's also been the attorney for 2Pac's estate, deadmau5, 21 Savage, Britney Spears, and Steven Tyler.
She co-founded Songwriters of North America (SONA) in 2015. They're an advocacy organization representing songwriters. She was also instrumental in getting the Music Modernization Act passed in 2018, which has done wonders for songwriters and artists across the board. The Music Modernization Act was the first major update to copyright law in decades. She regularly advocates for artists, musicians, and songwriters on Capitol Hill.
This conversation was fiery. We got into it. I told the challenges that independent artists and songwriters are dealing with and how we rarely get a seat at the table. When drafting new laws, independent musicians need a seat at the table. Dina also talked about what she did with the CARES Act. She made sure musicians and songwriters were included in the CARES Act and HEROES Act. Additionally, she made sure that a mixed earners stipulation was added in the follow-up bill. She described what she's working on right now with the new Administration to make sure that musicians and songwriters don't get left behind.
Dina is an absolute rockstar on the business and overall. It was such a pleasure and honor to have her on the show. I know you're gonna love this conversation. She does not hold back!
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Quick links:
4:57 - About the CARES Act
10:55 - Dina breaks down the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and where it's at now
21:35 - Major music publishers like UMPG always get the best deal while smaller independent artists get screwed
26:58 - What is the solution from the Copyright Office? What is the ask from the music industry?
39:45 - About the Music Licensing Collective (MLC) and how it functions
43:56 - How politics gets involved in music activism (and how to communicate with Republicans and Democrats)
49:06 - What it means to Dina LaPolt to make it in the new music business
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Get involved:
Songwriters of North America (SONA): https://www.wearesona.com/
Music Artists Coalition (MAC): https://www.musicartistscoalition.com/
Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC): https://www.bmacoalition.org/
American Association of Independent Music (A2IM): https://a2im.org/
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Disney Music Supervisor on Placing Music for Trailers
My guest today is Brian Vickers. He is a music supervisor at Disney. Yes, thee Disney; Walt Disney Studios. He works on the in-house trailer department, which they call "The Hive." He's going to talk more about that. He's worked on a number of Disney films, including The Avengers, Star Wars: The Last Jedi & The Rise of Skywalker, Black Panther, Soul, Hamilton, Frozen II, Black is King, and many, many more.
He has worked at other trailer house and music supervision companies. He actually got a start as a performer. He performed on The Sing Off, believe it or not.
We dig into all things sync licensing, specifically in the trailer department because that is Brian's current specialty. But we talk about getting the sync licensing on both sides, so as an artist of course (always my angle). We spend a significant amount of time on how to become a music supervisor yourself. Brian gives some great tips for how to do that.
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Quick links:
3:11 - Working as a music supervisor for Disney since COVID-19 hit and quarantine started
12:38 - "Custom spots" and what the conversations look like between music supervisors and musicians
17:41 - How to find reputable trailer music production companies
20:13 - Do these trailer houses have in-house composers or producers that they work with?
23:10 - Clearing tracks / staying away from samples and making supervisors' jobs easier
25:35 - Placing a song because it is perfect and then it doesn't work out when it 'goes up the chain'
28:39 - Breaking down the song placement process
33:59 - Brian's musical background
42:28 - Music supervisor and sync licensing community
45:40 - How to reach out to music supervisors
50:30 - How to become a music supervisor
58:00 - What it means to make it in the new music business
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Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
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Connect with Brian Vickers:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvickers318/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadTheCoolcat
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Twitch VP of Music: $50K+/yr Only Takes 183 Fans
My guest today is Tracy Patrick Chan. He is currently the Head of Music at Twitch. He is the top honcho; the dude; he's the guy in charge of the direction of all things music at Twitch. He started at Twitch at the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.
He has a very impressive resume. He was the guy that created Spotify for Artists. Before that, he was at YouTube and created the artist tools like YouTube analytics. And depending on when you're listening to this episode, things may have changed and evolved quite a bit because we talk about specific programs and features, but the bulk of what we discuss is how to be successful on Twitch.
Should you start Twitch? Who's Twitch for? Is it good for everyone or just a select few? Do you need millions of followers to make a living on Twitch (you don't)? He talks about a really interesting stat about making a living on the platform. It's astounding on what you actually need to make a living on the platform.
Today's a special episode. It's a live podcast episode in the spirit of what we're talking about, which is livestreaming on Twitch. We invited Ari's Take Academy students to be a part of the conversation, and you'll hear a few of their questions at the end.
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Twitch for Artists: https://www.twitch.tv/p/en/artists/
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Quick links:
4:50 - About Tracy Patrick Chan
10:23 - Challenges with musicians streaming on Twitch
13:12 - Subsidizing lost income from touring with livestreaming on Twitch
21:55 - Making a living on Twitch takes fewer fans than you think - here's how to do it
41:42 - What are musicians allowed to stream on Twitch? Can they stream cover songs?
44:15 - How much of Twitch is live and how much is replays?
46:40 - What is Soundtrack?
49:07 - How to get your music on Soundtrack
52:00 - Ari's Take Academy student questions
1:03:40 - What it means to Tracy Patrick Chan to 'make it' in the New Music Business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
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Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mothica Went Viral on TikTok at Just the Right Time
Welcome to season two of the New Music Business podcast! This first episode of the new season is with Mothica. She is an incredible artist in the pop realm. She kind of blew up in 2020 from TikTok and is one of those crazy TikTok success stories. After her song went viral on TikTok, she gained a lot of traction on streaming platforms. Just in 2020 alone she garnered more than 25 million streams on Spotify.
Mothica has been releasing music for about six years now and released her debut album in 2020. We talk all about that. The pandemic and quarantining got her to try out TikTok, and she exploded from there. I'll let her tell you how that all happened.
We recorded this outside in-person in December socially distanced. We were very careful. We were wearing masks as we were setting up and tearing down. We only took them off during the interview. We sat probably 10-15 feet away from each other. We made sure we were being very safe.
--
Articles/Links mentioned:
Teespring vs. Printify vs. Gooten vs. Printful vs. Teelaunch: Best Print On-Demand Merch Companies for Musicians: https://aristake.com/print-on-demand-comparison/
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Quick links:
3:52 - How quarantine has been for Mothica
7:10 - Advising musicians to join TikTok and what to do on the platform
10:03 - Going viral on TikTok and other factors that attribute to Mothica's success
13:50 - Getting sober and releasing a debut album
17:58 - How the Mothica brand and world was created
25:11 - Mothica's music video "Blackout" and how it came to be and funding the video from merch sales
31:55 - Has Mothica been approached by major labels and will she remain independent?
35:03 - Working with AWAL for music distribution
39:15 - Being open with her suicide attempt, drugs/alcohol, and being sexually assaulted
45:25 - Writing "VICES" and the process behind it
50:03 - The release strategy for Mothica's album 'Blue Hour'
59:10 - How to build a TikTok strategy into your release strategy
1:04:31 - What it means to Mothica to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Audrey Nuna's Path to a Major Label Deal with Her Manager/Producer Anwar Sawyer
Today's guest is Anwar Sawyer. He started as (and still is) a songwriter and producer. He's based in New York and is a classically trained pianist. He studied classical piano and composition at Westminster Choir College and New York Institute of Technology. He's signed to Roc Nation Publishing and has now started a management company, SMG Entertainment, where his breakout artist is Audrey Nuna. She's currently signed to Sony Arista Records.
Anwar and I talk about being a producer/songwriter and writing thousands of songs and even how he got his publishing deal. We also talk about developing this young artist and what the process is behind that. She has millions and millions of streams and has collaborated with DJ Snake and Jack Harlow. And by the time you're listening to this episode, she might be taking over the world because she's a pop star on the rise.
This was a live podcast in front of Ari's Take Academy students. They were able to ask questions at the end. We included a few of their questions at the end, and I know you're not going to want to miss them.
If you want to check out Ari's Take Academy head over to the website: https://www.aristakeacademy.com/
--
Quick links:
3:35 - About Anwar Sawyer
8:35 - How Anwar landed his Roc Nation Publishing deal
17:44 - What's it like being a songwriter/producer signed to a publishing deal?
19:25 - How Anwar and Audrey Nuna started working together
24:00 - How do you promote an artist with 0 fans? What's the release strategy look like?
28:33 - Once Audrey's following and stream counts begin growing, what were your next steps?
33:18 - When "Soufflé" was released, where was Audrey Nuna at in her career? What were her numbers like?
35:22 - A simple compliment can be your 'in' with a music professional
41:42 - What made Anwar and Audrey Nuna sign with Sony Arista Records over other labels?
45:53 - Ari's Take Academy student questions
52:31 - What it means to Anwar Sawyer to 'make it' in the New Music Business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Anwar Sawyer:
Website: https://www.smgent.com/
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Nu Deco Ensemble Orchestra is Changing the Classical World
Today's guests are Sam Hyken and Jacomo Bairos of the Nu Deco Ensemble based in Miami, Florida. This episode is for all of you orchestra nerds out there. I'm guilty of that. I played in an orchestra for most of my life. For those of you who don't know, I'm a trumpet player. I love going to the LA Phil and love orchestra music.
The Nu Deco Ensemble does something quite different. They were formed in 2015 and are an eclectic orchestra with members from all over the country. They're known for doing collaborations with pretty big artists like Ben Folds, Jacob Collier, Wyclef Jean, and Emily King to name a few. Their upcoming season starts October 29th, 2020, and this year is going to be quite different due to COVID-19. They're going to be livestreaming all of their performances.
Nu Deco Ensemble's manager is Andrew Leib from Red Light Management. He was on a previous episode of the show: https://aristake.com/red-light-manager-andrew-leib/
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Quick links:
4:10 - About Nu Deco Ensemble & how they uniquely collaborate with artists
8:30 - Every instrument is mic'd in the Nu Deco Ensemble
10:10 - The drummer's pocket is so deep; building a good repertoire with ensemble members
13:55 - Have all of the members been with the ensemble since the beginning?
17:20 - How far in advance does Nu Deco Ensemble prepare before they collaborate with a guest?
25:04 - What other things does Sam factor into his arrangement of a piece?
28:33 - What is the identity for Nu Deco Ensemble?
31:07 - Why Miami?
37:16 - How do you go about starting an orchestra in Miami?
45:05 - What is the future of Nu Deco Ensemble? Have they always featured artists?
51:10 - How much of Miami's cultural influence is integrated within the Nu Deco Ensemble arrangements?
1:00:07 - Nu Deco Ensemble's community involvement
1:06:40 - What it means to Sam and Jacamo to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Nu Deco Ensemble:
Website: https://nu-deco.org/
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to Livestream for Musicians with the #1 Musician on Periscope - Clare Means
Today's guest is Clare Means. She's a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter. She got her start performing on the Santa Monica Pier. Now she's known for her success on the livestreaming platforms, specifically Twitch, Facebook, YouTube Live, and Periscope. She's actually one of the most watched musicians on Periscope. Since quarantine started, she went all in on livestreaming.
Clare talks all about her journey livestreaming, how she built up to be the most successful livestreamer on Periscope, and what it's looked like since she started livestreaming on all of the other platforms. She breaks each of them down and explains how you can make money on them. She makes her full living exclusively livestreaming.
I've been so intrigued by her journey livestreaming, which is why I asked her to be an instructor for an Ari's Take Academy course to teach it. Use code NMB for 10% off: https://aristakeacademy.teachable.com/p/livestreaming-for-musicians
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Quick links:
2:55 - About Clare Means and her setup
7:14 - Clare's livestreaming story and how she got started
11:23 - Stories from Clare street performing
17:07 - How Clare got people to stop and listen to her street performing
22:25 - What about street performing has made Clare a better livestreamer?
27:20 - The platforms Clare livestreams to and why
31:24 - Monetization possibilities on each livestreaming platform
39:07 - Which platform Clare makes the most money on and where her engagement is the best
47:58 - Clare's advice to musicians who want to get started livestreaming
55:12 - What it means to Clare Means to 'make it' in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Clare Means:
Website: https://www.claremeansmusic.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5gc2EPzFCpY9xxn1BGqjET?si=3UdTcG_-TsS1bu0-9Zprtw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClareMeans
Twitter: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Paradigm Fired Them So They Started a New Booking Agency With an Impressive Roster
Today on the show is Marshall Betts. He is an agent formerly of Paradigm, but after Paradigm dissolved its entire music division and laid off hundreds of employees Marshall Betts along with a few of his co-workers at Paradigm launched a new agency... TBA Agency. Get it?
They got a lot of press when they came out of the gates, but they launched on September 1st of 2020. They took their roster with them, and it currently includes Courtney Barnett, CHVRCHES, Madame Gandhi (who was previously on the show), The War On Drugs, Hot Chip, and many more.
Marshall and I talk about everything in the live concert market, from when he thinks it's going to come back in the traditional sense to everything that's happening right now and what agents' jobs are. He talks about ticketed livestreams and drive-in concerts. He also talks about what he looks for when he's signing artists, and I was encouraged to hear what he said when he signs new artists.
--
Oprah’s Drummer Madame Gandhi on Feminism, Activism, Music Video Budgets as an Indie Artist: https://aristake.com/madame-gandhi/
--
Quick links:
5:10 - Is New York still a music industry hub?
7:44 - Shifting out of Paradigm and starting TBA
18:38 - How many people work at TBA? Is it expanding? How are you funding TBA?
22:58 - How are ticketing livestreams working for TBA's artists?
24:50 - What are some of the deals for the ticketed livestreams? Is there a favorite platform?
27:20 - What are the production costs for the livestreams? How big are the crews?
29:32 - How do you keep the livestreams interesting and fun? What are the interesting tactics artists are doing to justify the ticket price?
32:33 - What is the range for ticket prices? What are the attendance numbers? Can you anticipate the livestream attendees based on the tickets they sell when performing live?
37:25 - How is the livestreaming space evolving? Is it going to go away?
39:25 - Has TBA done any drive-in concerts?
42:48 - What's TBA's day to day look like now?
45:45 - Recommendations on what artists can do while they wait for live music to return
49:15 - What does Marshall look for when signing a new artist?
55:38 - What it means to Marshall to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Former Major Label Executive is Creating a New Investment Model
Today's guest is Nick Gatfield. He has been in the music industry for decades. He was a major label executive for 25 years, most recently Sony Music UK, which he left in 2014. He's worked at various majors over the years, including Universal and EMI. He was there when they signed Radiohead and was also part of Amy Winehouse's team.
But now he's out of the major label game and runs an investment company called Twin Music. They invest in artists, recordings, and various artists' assets. I will let Nick explain how it all works because he is so knowledgeable on this due to his decades worth of experience in the industry. It's clear that he cares about artists and this new model. One of the first artists he signed to this new deal was Allie X, who was on the show about a month ago. I encourage you to check out her episode to learn how this deal works from an artist's perspective.
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Allie X on Creating Her Artist Package, Breaking Into LA and Staying Independent: https://aristake.com/allie-x/
--
Quick links:
3:53 - How London is doing amidst the pandemic and how the industry is shifting
10:55 - What is Twin Music and what's the business model?
22:22 - What does the exit strategy look like for Twin Music / the artist?
25:03 - Does Twin Music just put up the money or is there a team that helps the artists?
27:18 - Who are Twin Music's distribution and publishing partners?
29:54 - Is Nick's business model scalable or is it just a wave that will eventually pass?
35:42 - Will major labels always have their place in being the driving force behind popular culture or is the industry shifting away from them?
37:50 - What percentage of artists that Nick signed when working at the major labels made their advance back on their first album?
46:38 - What does an investment look like? How does someone invest in an artist?
53:42 - What can an artist expect from an investment deal? Does it work like an advance?
56:25 - What does it mean to Nick to make it in the new music business?
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Nick Gatfield:
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Victoria Canal on Releasing Music During COVID and Staying Inspired
My guest today is a my good friend Victoria Canal. She is a 22-year-old artist, singer, songwriter, and now producer based all over the world. She was based in Los Angeles, but when the coronavirus shutdown hit, she moved to Amsterdam where her parents live.
Victoria and I discuss how she's been handling the last six months. This was supposed to be her breakout year. She had two massive tours scheduled. She had just finished one supporting the band Tall Heights. Then she leveled up to an even bigger tour supporting Leslie Odom Jr. She also just came out with her EP, 'Victoria,' and as you can imagine, the release strategy changed quite a bit. So we talked about that.
I had Victoria's manager, Andrew Leib, on the show a few months back. You can get the other side of Victoria's career. He talks about why he wanted to sign Victoria and what it has been like working her so far. Listen to Andrew's episode here: https://aristake.com/red-light-manager-andrew-leib/
--
Victoria's interview on The Third Story Podcast with Leo Sidran: https://aristake.com/victoria-canal-instagram-engagement/
--
Quick links:
3:23 - About Victoria and what it's like living in Amsterdam during the pandemic
8:40 - Victoria's manager discovering her and her journey as an evolving artist
15:28 - What was it like working with a different producer than the one that helped write the songs?
23:05 - Learning production and potentially producing for other artists
24:38 - Victoria's daily routine
26:30 - Victoria's creative and songwriting phases and mental health
31:30 - How Victoria is handling not being able to perform and having her life shut off
39:35 - What's it like releasing a body of work during this time? What are the expectations?
49:41 - Do find yourself being more pressured to create and release content?
52:32 - The relationship between artist/fans/humans is important
55:50 - What it means to Victoria to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
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Connect with Victoria Canal:
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How California Musicians Got F'd (and Now Relief) Under AB5
I don't have a guest today, but I'm going to talk about the new law that was signed, AB2257, in California that amended AB5. AB5 is a California law but has implications all over the states. If you haven't heard about AB5 I'm going to talk all about it.
--
Referenced articles:
California's Music Economy is About to Crash: https://aristake.com/ab5/
I Met with AB5 Author Assemblywoman Gonzalez. Here's How It Went: https://aristake.com/gonzalez-meeting/
I Met with Senate Majority Leader of CA About AB5. Here's How It Went: https://aristake.com/senator-hertzberg-ab5/
Finally, The California Music Industry Gets Relief Under AB5: https://aristake.com/ab5-musician-relief/
--
Quick links:
1:30 - What are AB5 and AB2257?
7:49 - What was AB5's purpose?
9:20 - AB5 is very pro-union
11:42 - Implications of AB5 and meeting with Lorena Gonzalez for "clean up" bill language
18:42 - Putting public pressure on lawmakers
23:55 - Coming to an agreement with language with AFM for Assemblywoman Gonzalez
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Platinum Selling Producer / Songwriter for Drake, Travis Scott, Halsey, Khalid - Rogét Chahayed
Today's episode was a live podcast episode for Ari's Take Academy students with guests Rogét Chahayed and his manager Greg Katz. Rogét is a Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter whose songs have sold over 30 million copies. He's worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including Halsey, Travis Scott, Drake, Miguel, G-Eazy, Ke$ha, Calvin Harris, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more.
We got into both the production and business sides. We discussed producer points, splits, songwriter credits, publishing, and how to get a publishing deal. Rogét also gives great advice to aspiring songwriters and producers on how to get started.
This podcast was live for Ari's Take Academy students. At the end of the conversation, they were able to ask Rogét and Greg questions.
--
Quick links:
2:45 - How Rogét went from studying classical music to working with Dr Dre
8:04 - About Rogét's first production
11:00 - How Greg started managing Rogét
13:45 - Being under credited and what that was like
16:35 - Advice to artists and producers on how to protect themselves from being under credited and screwed
21:25 - What's the difference between a songwriter and producer?
24:04 - When do you discuss splits?
27:50 - Breaking down the producer point system
30:08 - Is it more common to get an upfront producer fee or a backend royalty at Rogét's level?
35:20 - Breaking down Rogét's publishing deal with Kobalt
40:11 - Pointers to songwriters when looking for a publisher/publishing deal
44:30 - Student questions
58:28 - What it means to Rogét and Greg to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
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YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Rogét Chahayed:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogetChahayed
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogetchahayed/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#1 Malaysian Artist Yuna and Her Managers on Being Independent Again
Today my guests are Malaysian singer Yuna, Ben Willis, and Carlo Fox, the founders of indie-pop!, a management company based out of Los Angeles. This is the first time I've had a conversation with three people at once for the show. Yuna was coming to us from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Ben and Carlo tuned in from Los Angeles.
Yuna is an incredibly talented artist. She's done collaborations with Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell, Usher, G-Eazy, and the list goes on. We dig into how she got her start on Myspace to now being an independent artist in 2020, what it looks like, release strategy, and who the new gatekeepers are. Ben and Carlo have been in the industry for decades, and they talk about what radio looked like and what it looks like now. Yuna was signed to a major label and now she's independent. We also discuss how they approach music videos, playlist promotion, and who handles what.
--
Quick links:
2:50 - Being in Malaysia during quarantine and what it's like
10:25 - How Ben and Carlo connected and discovered Yuna
15:25 - indie-pop!'s first client Dev and The Cataracs
18:30 - What was the focus when setting up songwriting sessions and getting a label deal?
21:02 - Transitioning away from the Verve Records label and working with Tyler, the Creator and G-Eazy
27:53 - Setting up writing sessions when Yuna first moved to Los Angeles
32:05 - What Yuna thought of the writing sessions when she first moved to Los Angeles
34:36 - Who's handling what the label typically handles (promotion, release strategy, etc) now that Yuna's independent?
44:20 - How important is radio nowadays?
44:25 - What does the release strategy look like in 2020?
54:00 - Who are the gatekeepers in 2020?
59:40 - When you're releasing a new single, what are the conversations about the story like? How do you tell the story?
1:00:41 - The story behind "Stay Where You Are"
1:05:45 - What does it mean to make it in the new music business?
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Yuna:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yunamusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yunamusic
Instagram: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Emily Kinney on the Art and Business of Acting and Music
Today my guest is the multi-talented Emily Kinney. Most people know her as an actress. She starred in The Walking Dead from 2011-2015. She's also been on Masters of Sex, The Flash, Arrow, Law & Order: SVU, and many others. She was also in Spring Awakening on Broadway.
She just launched a podcast of her own called My Caffeine Withdrawal where she interviews musicians, actors, and other friends like Josh Radnor, Local Natives, K.Flay, and many others. She's also a very talented musician.
We go in a different direction than other episodes. We touch on the business, but we straddle the line on how acting relates to music and how music relates to acting. We talk about the differences in both and the learning curves in both. She has a lot of releases under her name, so she has experience in the business of music and movies.
--
Quick links:
3:15 - Emily's podcast, how she's recording them, and what inspired her to launch it
8:45 - Enjoying music vs. listening music for a purpose
12:05 - Emily's recording process behind her song "Easy"
15:25 - What happens if you're not easy to work with in the acting world?
20:40 - Are there similarities between the different artistic mediums?
28:45 - Do you ever ask yourself if you question whether you're the best fit for the role you're playing?
31:06 - Playing in Spring Awakening on Broadway in New York and auditioning for film and TV
38:33 - How did you learn the acting and music business worlds?
43:09 - Defining success is extremely personal
55:15 - Is Emily business-minded or does she bring on a team to handle everything?
1:01:45 - What it means to Emily to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Emily Kinney:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKinneyMusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emmykinney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmykinney/
My Caffeine Withdrawal: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spotify's Payment Model and Your Release Timeline
In today’s episode I discuss the controversy surrounding the CEO of Spotify, Daniel Ek’s comment: “you can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough.”
I also go into how Spotify’s payment model actually works and if it’s fair or not.
--
Quick links:
1:56 - What Daniel Ek said
3:20 - How the music industry reacted to Ek's statement
9:10 - Art creation and new music business release strategy
13:15 - Making a living on Spotify streams and playing the playlisting game
23:35 - Breaking down the Spotify payment system
33:20 - Being successful without playing the Spotify playlisting game
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Allie X on Creating Her Artist Package, Breaking Into LA and Staying Independent
Today my guest is Allie X. She's a Canadian singer-songwriter and artist who's been living in LA for the last few years. She is an incredibly talented artist and has over 100 million streams and 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
We talk about what her journey has been like the last few months and how she's shifted her plans and release strategies. Then we go into her background, how she became Allie X, and how she's been so successful without the support of a major label. She has a very interesting story and cool ways of doing things.
--
Quick links:
2:45 - Moving back to Canada and changing schedule
9:30 - Allie X's work schedule now
11:18 - What Allie X's team looks like
13:00 - Unique business model and the profit share
25:19 - Getting into a publishing deal after moving to Los Angeles
29:49 - Finding the Allie X aesthetic and visual brand
35:30 - Finding the right people to work with and how to reach out to them
38:25 - What does an Allie X promo strategy look like?
47:50 - How the Canadian government has supported Allie X's career and what it takes to apply for these grants
57:00 - What it means to Allie X to make it in the new music business
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Allie X:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alliexxxxandra
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliex/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alliex
Website: https://alliex.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0wnYgCeP013HkKoOyC5V32
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How Artists Can Get Advances Without Signing To a Label
Today my guest is John Funge. He's the CEO and co-founder of The Music Fund, a startup company that issues advances to artists for their streaming revenue. They're not a record label even though labels are typically the ones offering advances to artists. They are innovating and disrupting in the music industry, and John goes over their business model.
As I dug deeper and interviewed artists who're using them, it seemed like a very cool company. Now they're partnered with Ari's Take.
Quick links:
3:25 - About The Music Fund and what they do
10:00 - Does The Music Fund's business model work?
20:00 - How the algorithms account for massive playlist adds and spikes/drops in royalty revenue
23:17 - Success stories from artists who've used The Music Fund
25:20 - Should I apply for The Music Fund? What data should you be looking at before you apply?
31:10 - How investors are involved
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: http://aristake.com
Academy: http://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: http://ariherstand.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: http://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with The Music Fund:
Website: https://themusic.fund/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/themusicfund/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/themusicfund/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Repairing Racial Inequities in the Music Industry with Artist Manager Jonathan Azu
Today's episode was recorded live in Los Angeles in my guest's, Jonathan Azu, backyard. This was the first in-person interview I've done since the coronavirus shutdown and we've all been locked in quarantine. But Jonathan has a beautiful backyard where we could safely social distance, so we set up there. It was nice to be in the physical presence of somebody for once. I've missed that so dearly.
Jonathan Azu is an artist manager for artists like Cory Henry, Luke James, Emily King, and Michelle Williams among others. He used to be the executive vice president and general manager of Red Light Management. He is also a two-time Billboard magazine 40 Under 40 power player. Over a year ago, he launched his own management company called Culture Collective.
We talk about how he shifted his business model now that live touring is shut down. We also talk about how the music industry can be more racially diverse and equitable, specifically how music companies can address the racial inequalities that exist at an executive level but really all levels.
A Forbes 2017 article outlined that hip-hop and R&B genres are responsible for 25% of all music consumption and over 29% of all on-demand streams across the United States. However, executives of color are still relatively scarce atop major music companies. The top 10 out of 10 on the Billboard Power 100 list are all white, and there's only two people of color in the top 50. Azu breaks this down on why he thinks this is and how to fix it because it's a problem.
--
Quick links:
4:20 - How Jonathan Azu and his artists have been doing since touring has been shut down
12:50 - What Azu's artists are doing in quarantine - how they are staying busy
16:05 - Artists doing live streaming events
18:53 - About Culture Collective and Azu's journey to get to where he's at today
29:07 - Advice to white colleagues asking for advice on curbing systemic racism in the music industry
35:33 - About The Black Music Coalition
39:15 - Lack of racial diversification in the Billboard Power 100 list
41:35 - Shifting internships to paid internships and going outside typical recruiting tactics - should there be mentorship programs?
43:18 - Would reparations be the correct route to approach racial injustices in the music industry?
54:08 - Are people losing interest in the black lives matter movement?
59:10 - Was having an all black roster for Culture Collective intentional?
1:05:05 - Azu's artist Emily King two Grammy nominations
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kanye, American Idol, Grammys, Herbie Hancock, Miguel, Cirque du Soleil’s Ableton Programmer on Making It Work
Today on the show is Laura Escudé. She is a fantastic violinist, producer, and Ableton's first ever official certified trainer. She was hired by Ableton to teach people how to use Ableton Live. She then went on to tour with artists like Kanye West, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey, Logic, Herbie Hancock, and Jay-Z to name a few.
Now she teaches people how to do what she did for those shows: program huge arena shows.
We also chat about how she's making it work with the entire touring industry shut down and what you can do as well. We've known each other for a few years, so I loved catching up with her.
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Laura's 'Hustle Healthier' article: https://medium.com/@lauraescude/hustle-healthier-a-manifesto-on-how-touring-artists-and-professionals-can-put-their-health-first-62505f588f66
Check out Laura's course: https://bit.ly/laura-escude
Use code ARISTAKE for 10% off
--
Quick links:
2:55 - Where Laura's quarantining from, what she's been up to, and her studio gear
5:05 - Being the first ever Ableton certified trainer and what it means
6:23 - Landing bigger gigs because of the Ableton certification
9:14 - What was expected of Laura when she became an Ableton programmer
13:40 - Where Laura is set up during a live set for an artist she's working with
14:45 - Laura's extensive touring schedule and her health crisis
18:12 - About Laura's company, Electronic Creatives
22:25 - California's gig worker law AB5
30:10 - Laura's advice to artists who want to tour with big artists
35:00 - About Transmute
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: http://aristake.com
Academy: http://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: http://ariherstand.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: http://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Laura Escudé:
Website: https://lauraescude.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thelauraescude
Instagram: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jamestown Revival's Bassist on Shady Managers, Thousands of Shows, Playing Conan, Tracking to Tape - Nick Bearden
I recorded this week's podcast guest Nick Bearden live from his studio, Retro Lab Studios, in Nashville, Tennessee. He's a sideman, bassist, guitar player, producer, and sound engineer.
Nick Bearden has played thousands of shows with Jamestown Revival, but we go heavy on the business side of managers, where he shares a story on one of the shadiest managers I've ever heard of. We also discuss how freelancers operate.
---
Quick links:
3:15 - Nick Bearden, Jamestown Revival, and his instruments
8:05 - How not to do business in the music industry + sync licensing boom of 2009
18:45 - Tour managing
22:05 - Shady managers and getting ripped off
31:48 - How to know when someone is ripping you off
34:07 - How Nick finds gigs as a freelancer and who he's performing with
39:41 - The story of meeting and working with Jamestown Revival
1:12:58 - The music industry is always paying attention, whether you realize it or not
1:18:38 - Jamestown Revival's experience being signed to a major label
1:28:05 - Nick's advice for freelance musicians who want to be a "session cat" and touring musician
1:33:50 - How Nick defines making it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Nick Bearden:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickbearden
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbearden/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nick-Bearden-84750813293/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
TikTok and Instagram Influencers with Ultra Records Marketing Director
This week's guest is Bina Fronda. She's the marketing director for Ultra Records. Ultra Records has released artists like Steve Aoki, Alexandra Stan, Alan Walker, Lost Frequencies, and more. This was recorded live from Bina's apartment in Brooklyn, NY. She had just gotten back from a concert and festival.
We talk about a bunch of stuff, but specifically we dig into influencer marketing. The thing that I was interested to learn about was how they get in touch with TikTok "influencers" (people with huge followings on the platform, or social media in general). If you ever wondered how those influencers choose which song(s) to dance to, well, oftentimes it's labels paying them to do those dances, skits, or anything like that.
--
Quick links:
3:54 - Who distributes Ultra Records, and how long Bina has been at the label
9:50 - Amazon Music's official playlists and getting support from Amazon
11:57 - About Ultra Records and a background of the label
15:05 - Bina's role as a marketing director at Ultra Records
17:20 - Bina walking us through the the single release process
31:07 - The rollout strategies for each release and when the planning and rollout begins
37:15 - Who are dance influencers and how do you get in contact with them?
41:15 - What is a Latin influencer?
48:23 - How TikTok influencer marketing works and how to connect with them
54:45 - How to gauge effectiveness of a TikTok campaign
1:00:00 - Gamer artists on Twitch and how to connect with them
1:06:45 - Ultra Records' advertising campaigns with Facebook, Google, YouTube, etc
1:17:20 - Where Ultra Records puts most of its ad spend
1:19:15 - Does Ultra Records run the ads for the releases or do the artists and their managers do them?
1:20:40 - What does it mean to Bina to make it in the new music business?
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: http://ariherstand.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: http://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: http://facebook.com/ariherstand
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Manager for JP Saxe, X Ambassadors, Jukebox The Ghost is Persistent
This is a live episode, virtually, on Zoom, and we invited Ari's Take Academy students to be part of it. They were able to ask questions at the end of the episode.
The episode is with Seth Kallen. He's an artist manager for JP Saxe, X Ambassadors, Jukebox The Ghost, and many others. He talks about how to get opening slots on tours and how he was relentless early on. We discussed creating during quarantine, sync licensing, and touring. Stick around to the end of the episode. We had some great questions from the students. We even had someone from Moscow, Russia ask a question. Seth gave very knowledge answers to them and was super generous with his knowledge and wisdom.
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Seth's article on Medium: https://medium.com/@SethKallenThisFiction/what-do-i-miss-i-miss-live-music-the-fight-to-save-the-concert-business-during-a-global-pandemic-b91d64d1b26b
--
Quick links:
3:28 - Where Seth is quarantining from and how his life as a manager has shifted since quarantine started
5:56 - How it's been for Seth now that he's established himself as a manager - does he go to all of his artist's events?
8:20 - Finding a balance between work and passions
10:40 - Livestreamed shows are not a replacement for live shows
13:40 - What is an artist manager and what do they do?
17:30 - What parts of his artists' career is he involved in?
20:50 - How Seth got started managing Jukebox The Ghost
24:13 - Did Seth finish college?
26:18 - What is a day-to-day manager?
28:20 - How Seth discovered X Ambassadors
34:10 - How X Ambassadors went from drawing 5 people to a venue in New York to billions of streams, playing numerous venues, and being one of the biggest bands in the world at one point
40:20 - The pitch to get opening slots on bigger tours for artists
43:35 - Being relentless, persistent, and showing your worth; Ari's story about opening for Ben Folds
55:20 - JP Saxe's rise to fame and how Seth connected with him
1:09:20 - How JP Saxe pays it forward and why he remembers those who've helped him in his career
1:12:09 - ATA student questions
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Making Music During COVID-19: Ari's Take Academy Roundtable Discussion
We are in very interesting times. Last week's episode was all about musicians for black lives and what this movement is all about and what we can do as allies. It has been a challenge for me personally to understand where I fit in with this movement. I've been using my platform to encourage other musicians and people with influence, namely white people, to stand up and support our black brothers and sisters through this movement.
I've been getting a lot of questions about releasing music right now. I've thought a lot about that because it's not just about releasing music but what we should be posting on social media. Should we be promoting anything other than the movement? There's really not a right or wrong answer. I think everyone needs to do what makes sense for them.
If you have more money than time, then donate to organizations that are supporting the movement. If you have more time than money, then spend time educating yourself.
We recorded this episode about a week before George Floyd's death. So we're not going to be mentioning this uprising. We talk about what it's like running our careers and writing music during COVID-10 and quarantine. We hear from all of the Ari's Take Academy instructors, including Lucidious (Streaming & Instagram Growth), Vo Williams (Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV and Video Games), Kristen Mathe (Cracking Colleges), Andrew Spalter (Breaking China), and Allyson Toy (Breaking China).
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
White Musicians for Black Lives
My thoughts on what this moment and movement surrounding Black Lives Matter, #DefundThePolice and the death of George Floyd requires of white people. Namely musicians.
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Quick links:
1:20 - About the Black Lives Matter movement and the system that has been setup to strongly favor white people
3:30 - Attending the Black Lives Matter protest in Hollywood, California and the work the black America needs us to do
10:45 - What does defunding the police actually mean?
14:00 - Alicia Garza's interview on Meet The Press about defunding the police
15:24 - Patrisse Cullors on defunding the police
17:09 - "But all lives matter!"
20:18 - Trevor Noah on the right way to handle things
24:06 - This not a time to tune out and why the show had to be paused on June 2nd
30:00 - Two actionable things you can do to educate yourself
31:18 - Ta-Nehisi Coates testifying in Congress about reparations for HR-40
--
Resources mentioned:
Who in Music is Supporting the Black Community (spreadsheet): https://aristake.com/post/music-supporting-black-community
The Case for Reparations: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
13th: https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741
Rolling Stone: The Music Industry Was Built on Racism: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/music-industry-racism-1010001/
Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.instagram.com/sonyareneetaylor/
The Show Must Be Paused: https://www.theshowmustbepaused.com/
Trevor Noah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c
Ta-Nehisi Coates testimony on reparations at House hearing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcCnQ3iRkys
Meet the Press interview with BLM’s Alicia Garza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxwFJIQUWfg&t=1424s
BLM’s Patrisse Cullors on Defunding the Police: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYa1WjHtzKc&t=119s
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kevin Garrett on Writing for Beyonce and Recording as an Independent Artist
My guest today is singer-songwriter Kevin Garrett. He is an extremely talented R&B, Neo-soul, and soul songwriter. It was such a treat to speak with him. Famously, he's Grammy-nominated for writing Beyonce's track "Pray You Catch Me" from her 'Lemonade' album.
In this episode we discuss his music publishing deal with Roc Nation and his distribution strategies, his music creation process, and remaining independent.
Note: We recorded this call over Zoom, and the technical gods were not in our favor during this interview. If you're hearing glitches and sentences being cut off, that's what's going on. We edited it as best we could so you can understand him, and it's still an incredible conversation.
---
Quick links:
3:14 - Staying busy during the quarantine
6:14 - Kevin playing UnCancelled Music Festival + keeping the local music community venues alive
8:21 - Growing up in Pittsburgh and going to New York University
10:54 - Kevin's first release, 'Mellow Drama,' and how it was made
12:09 - Is the home studio just for demos or do those recordings make the album?
13:22 - About the music creation process and using samples
16:14 - Kevin Garrett's unique sound
20:34 - Remaining independent and the behind the scenes to a growing career
27:54 - Kevin's publishing deal and how everything gets set into motion
33:44 - When Kevin found out he made the cut on Beyonce's 'Lemonade' album
37:06 - Kevin's writing process when he's collaborating with others in the studio
41:14 - Protecting yourself with agreements and contracts
44:34 - The conversation nobody wants to have: splits, ownership, money
48:49 - Kevin's deal when he's the producer
54:06 - What it means to Kevin to 'make it' in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Kevin Garrett:
Website: https://kevingarrettmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinogarrett/
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Red Light Manager on When and How to Get Management with Andrew Leib
Today's guest is my good friend, Andrew Leib. He's an artist manager at Red Light Management. He's worked on the teams of Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Counting Crows, Three Doors Down, Emily King, Lecrae, Luke James, Cory Henry, Victoria Canal, Nu Deco Ensemble. He's worked with a lot of artists.
Andrew and I get into his story and what he looks for in artists that he wants to work with and how artists can reach out to managers. We dig into artist branding and his process on how to put a package together.
This was a fun episode for me to be able to catch up with one of my best friends.
---
Quick links:
2:04 - Andrew going to China for a nine city tour
7:20 - Being a hands-on manager and 'being in the band without being on stage with them.'
9:30 - Things Andrew's learned about being a manager from his years of experience in the music business
17:05 - Creating an authentic artist brand so fans can connect to them
25:51 - The Nu Deco Ensemble project, an orchestra for the 21st century
37:12 - Do you need a manager? What Andrew looks for in clients before bringing them onboard.
44:30 - Getting a manger doesn't happen from the first meeting. It takes time.
55:00 - How do you reach out to a manager after you've built up your business?
1:00:31 - How Andrew defines making it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Andrew Leib:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leib/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/grandwazoo4u
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oprah's Drummer Madame Gandhi on Feminism, Activism, Music Video Budgets as an Indie Artist
Today's guest is with Madame Gandhi (birth name Kiran Gandhi). She's an incredibly inspiring person, an activist, and feminist. She started her career drumming for M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, and embarked on Oprah Winfrey's Vision 2020 tour before the COVID-19 pandemic. Gandhi is also a recording artist and speaker. She also holds an MBA from Harvard University.
We talk about release strategy, how she creates her music and high production value music videos as an independent artist.
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2:25 - Madame Gandhi's tour with Oprah Winfrey
7:00 - Kiran getting her MBA and how she did it with her touring schedule
8:50 - Kiran's Indian heritage and culture
15:12 - When Kiran Gandhi came up with the name and project Madame Gandhi
18:04 - What Madame Gandhi thinks an activist is
19:30 - How Kiran chooses which companies/brands to work with
27:15 - Switching sides: Going from employee to employer and what the responsibilities are like
31:10 - How often Madame Gandhi does high production music videos
31:46 - Staying healthy on the road and when you're away from home
33:28 - Madame Gandhi's viral moment running the London Marathon
36:27 - The 'Visions' EP's story
38:04 - Madame Gandhi's creation process - is there a lot of collaboration? What DAW Madame Gandhi uses
41:50 - Maintaining Gandhi's sound and why her drumming skills are vital when writing music
43:33 - Gandhi's independent career and why she hasn't signed to a major label
47:20 - How many shows Gandhi has performed as Madame Gandhi
48:20 - The independent musician hustle - Gandhi's Instagram strategy and understanding your brand
56:40 - The release strategy for Madame Gandhi and the thought process behind her methods
59:30 - Remaining close to the original message of the song when creating music videos and visuals
1:01:38 - What it means to Madame Gandhi to make it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Madame Gandhi:
Website: https://www.madamegandhi.com/
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sexual Harassment, Sexism and Life as a Female DJ in a Male Dominated Field with Dani Deahl
Today's guest is Dani Deahl. She's the music and technology writer for The Verge. In addition to being a journalist, she's a DJ and the Vice President of the Recording Academy, Chicago Division.
Dani and I dig into what it's like being a woman in a male-dominated industry. She also gives some tips on how to break in and become a professional DJ. We also discuss artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry.
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Quick links:
2:27 - Getting started as a DJ and how the industry has evolved
4:40 - Growing up in Chicago and realizing there weren't many role models
6:11 - Having a lot of male peers
8:20 - Who Dani went to when these derogatory actions happened
11:38 - How to be an ally to women in the music + advice to guys to know when they're crossing the line
19:06 - Is harassment becoming less prevalent? How has it changed over the years? Has your treatment being a DJ changed?
24:40 - How often Dani DJs
25:20 - Tips and tricks on breaking into the DJ/producer world
27:32 - Is there a digital calling card to send to promoters for DJs?
28:53 - The importance of Instagram
33:38 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) in music
43:50 - Will AI take over the live DJ space?
49:15 - "Context listening"
54:22 - Spotify playlist editors too powerful
1:06:55 - What is the Recording Academy? Dani's role as Vice President, Chicago Division
1:11:53 - How to get into the Recording Academy
1:19:10 - Who owns the copyright in a co-created song with artificial intelligence?
1:34:15 - How Dani defines making it in the new music business
---
Playlist Push review: https://aristake.com/post/playlist-push-review
150+ Female Producers You Need to Know: https://aristake.com/post/150-female-producers-you-need-to-know
---
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Dani Deahl:
Instagram: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Zaytoven, 'Godfather of Trap' on Production in the Age of Coronavirus
This episode is with superstar Grammy-winning producer and "Godfather of Trap," Zaytoven. He is one of the most influential producers in hip-hop right now. He's a Grammy winner and has worked with artists like Future, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Usher, T.I., Pusha T, and 21 Savage, to name a few.
There are a lot of interviews with Zaytoven out there. He's an interesting guy with a cool workflow. I didn't want him to tell the same stories and answers he's told before. So we dug into what you're most interested. We talk about his processes, manager, music community, and much more.
If you're a hip-hop producer this is a must-listen episode. Zaytoven dropped endless gems throughout this episode, giving advice to emerging up-and-coming producers on how they can develop their sound. He shares the stories of how he did it and how you can do it as well.
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Quick links:
4:46 - About Zaytoven and how he got started making beats
8:16 - Was Zaytoven selling his beats to artists early on?
10:28 - How Zaytoven got acclimated to the music community in Atlanta, Georgia
11:49 - Zaytoven's advice to young producers to know when they're ready to start sharing their music
13:17 - How producers can find their own sound
17:00 - How Zaytoven's workflow has shifted since he initially started
18:30 - Does Zaytoven create beats himself or does he collaborate?
20:13 - What Zaytoven does with his finished beats
21:00 - The pressure Zaytoven feels to innovate his iconic sound
23:33 - Producers who are 'chasing' a sound that's already established and not creating their own sound
26:17 - Releasing music under his own name and the strategies in releasing so much music
30:18 - Is Zaytoven on TikTok?
31:40 - How Atlanta, Georgia has evolved over the years and why it's Zaytoven's favorite place to live
35:50 - How Zaytoven manages all of his projects and keeps everything organized
39:00 - Zaytoven's music release strategy and his involvement in Familiar Territory Records
48:22 - What it means to Zaytoven to make it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Zaytoven:
Website: https://www.zaytovenbeatz.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaytovenbeatz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitaldope
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zaytovenbeatz
YouTube: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
100 Million Streams Doesn't Come Without Some Pain - Lucidious
Today's guest is Lucidious, a hip-hop artist originally from Virginia now living in Los Angeles. I’ve covered him in the book and on the website quite a bit. He has an interesting story from the business perspective. He has over 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify without any official playlist inclusion, label, or manager. This translates to more than $20,000 per month from streaming revenue.
I brought him onto the show so we could go deeper into his story. We talk about digital marketing and all aspects of his business. We talk about his family. We discuss mental health because a lot of his fans connect with him on a deep level due to their own struggles with mental health. This was a very enriching and inspiring conversation for me to have, and I think you’ll get a lot out of this as well.
Ari's Take Academy: Streaming & Instagram Growth with Lucidious (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.teachable.com/p/streaming-instagram-growth
---
Quick links:
4:10 - About Lucidious
11:39 - What inspired Lucidious to write lyrics? What was the beginning of the journey like?
17:50 - When did Lucidious begin rapping?
25:48 - How much say Lucidious has in his productions because of his diverse musical tastes
34:46 - What are the marketplaces artists can purchase cleared tracks?
38:03 - Was Lucidious' first album officially released or just through SoundCloud? How the Lucidious name came to be
54:15 - Gaining popularity through video ad campaigns
1:02:00 - When does Lucidious decide to point the ad campaigns directly to Spotify?
1:04:50 - Messages that Lucidious receives and how he helps those who are struggling
1:15:40 - Where Lucidious draws the line when responding to fans
1:21:47 - Advice for artists who are receiving dark messages from fans - and how to emotionally protect themselves
1:28:47 - Lucidious heading out on his first headline tour
1:42:48 - How Lucidious defines making it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Lucidious:
Website: https://www.lucidiousmusic.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0S8NV7XoWi7arXWSRqI3dS?si=JOwNzVHkT_2m1xkGZsx1LQ
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA0jmO32RNZBXHXvb34yBrg
SoundCloud: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Patreon CEO on the Problems (and Solutions) of Digital Art
Patreon co-founder and CEO, Pomplamoose and Scary Pockets co-founder, Jack Conte, believes in digital art. He believes in artists and he believes in fans to support artists. So much so that his company Patreon is setup to facilitate a symbiotic artist/fan relationship. He is the founding member of (and still active in) Scary Pockets, but doesn't tour with them and discusses how they're able to get millions of streams and views. Jack is an inspiring dude and this episode will no doubt, brighten your day.
---
Quick links:
5:04 - When Patreon got started and when it moved out of Jack's house
7:08 - Why Jack continued with Patreon in addition to being a musician and where he's at now with it
13:35 - How the artist-fan relationship has evolved and where it's going
16:27 - Is it required for artists to be community leaders and managers?
21:15 - How Jack has seen Pomplamoose fans engage with them and the difference between a budget and a beacon
24:07 - The unique ways that communities are engaging each other
27:14 - How Discord is different than private Facebook groups
28:35 - When is it a good time to start a Patreon?
31:17 - Where are you seeing communities form prior to joining Patreon?
32:20 - How are musicians transitioning from doing a bunch of hands-on labor to services like Patreon?
39:00 - About Scary Pockets project
48:04 - What's next for Jack Conte?
51:10 - What it means to Jack to make it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Jack Conte:
Facebook (Pomplamoose): https://www.facebook.com/musicpomplamoose
Facebook (Scary Pockets): https://www.facebook.com/scarypockets
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackconte
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackconte/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hip Hop Artist with Over 1,000 TV, Film and Video Game Placements with Vo Williams
Today's episode features Vo Williams, an incredibly successful hip-hop artist based in Los Angeles. Vo is originally from Sarasota, Florida and has been very successful in getting his music synced in film, commercials, TV shows, and video games. He has thousands of sync placements and makes a lot of money from them.
We go in deep to discuss practical, tangible, actionable steps you can take to get your music synced. Break out your notepad because you're going to learn a lot.
Ari's Take Academy: Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV and Video Games with Vo Williams (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.teachable.com/p/advanced-sync-strategies-film-tv-video-games
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Quick links:
2:00 - About Vo Williams
7:40 - When Vo thought he could pursue music professionally
11:41 - Vo’s focuses at his performing arts high school
14:27 - Vo’s next steps after he won a number of rap battles
23:47 - Vo’s ghost writing and first time seeing music get synced
28:15 - When Vo moved out of Florida and to Los Angeles
30:55 - When Vo started getting into sync licensing
35:06 - Vo’s first sync
38:24 - Breaking down Vo’s first sync deal, payment, and royalties
44:43 - The difference between a sync licensing company and a music library
49:54 - There’s a lot of money in the backend royalties for sync licensing
57:47 - How Vo went direct to various brands independently
1:02:10 - Thinking about emotions when writing music and how they can be placed in sync
1:03:43 - The production techniques that work really well in picture and why it works so well
1:11:53 - More on how Vo got syncs independently
1:14:14 - How to contact music supervisors and get started in sync licensing
--
Connect with Ari’s Take:
Website: https://aristake.com
Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://ariherstand.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand
Connect with Vo Williams:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/18KIg6ST1nUjVUvAlEB6ak?si=Uw72k5GzRKGrLYQx07mJ5w
Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Austin Powers Music Supervisor and KCRW DJ Chris Douridas
You probably know Chris Douridas from Los Angeles' iconic, trend-setting radio station KCRW. He was the host of Morning Becomes Eclectic in the '90s. He has been at the station for about 30 years. Chris is someone who has hired most of the staff that we know at KCRW and is an extremely influential figure in the Los Angeles music scene. Chris also started the premiere music showcase, School Night. He is also a music supervisor and was nominated for a Grammy award for his work on American Beauty and has music supervised a number of films, including the Austin Powers trilogy and Shrek 2.
Chris and I discuss how he listens music and what it takes for what it takes for him to play a new song on his radio show. We also talk about how he puts together the music for films he's working on. Chris also shares a hilarious story about his first time on air as a radio DJ.
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Quick links:
2:59 - Chris Douridas's first experience with radio
6:00 - Switching from doing news to music
20:14 - How do you know how much time to talk before the lyrics start?
26:40 - What emails do you choose to open?
31:15 - How Chris searches through SoundCloud
32:30 - What percentage of music you play is from other means vs. being pitched?
34:40 - Have you received any packages that stood out to you?
35:20 - Every artist has the same tools as the labels.
37:42 - Do you still discover music live?
39:20 - What is School Night?
52:12 - How do you answer the question of, "What kind of music are you into?"
59:20 - Music supervisors' job is to help find the sonic boundaries of a movie.
1:04:10 - Chris's Grammy nomination for American Beauty
1:12:12 - What project that you are working on are you most excited about?
1:16:40 - Where do you see the podcast medium headed?
1:18:00 - What do you think it means to make it in the new music business?
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Chris Douridas:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisdouridas
KCRW: https://www.kcrw.com/music/shows/chris-douridas
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lauv's 4 Billion Streams, Top 40 Hit, Without a Label
This episode comes to you from Foundation Management's offices in Brooklyn, New York, which is Lauv's management company. I sat down with Emma MacDonald, Lauv's label manager. Lauv is an independent artist, and I profiled him the second edition of How to Make It in the New Music Business. He is one of those incredibly successful artists without a label. In fact, he was the most spun artist in 2019 and has, to date, more than 4 billion streams.
Emma is employed directly by Lauv through his A5B label. She runs all of his label operations, including radio and marketing campaigns. We discuss what their release strategy looks like, how they worked the rollout for his most recent album, and the waterfall effect.
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Quick links:
2:35 - About Emma MacDonald and Lauv's A5B label
4:25 - Lauv being fully independent and his publishing deal with Kobalt
6:15 - What Emma's role as label manager is
11:31 - Why Lauv is so heavily involved in the process
14:00 - What are the label services that AWAL provides Lauv?
15:50 - Is Emma working with AWAL's radio marketing company In2une?
17:30 - How does anyone make the decision to pursue an expensive radio campaign? Why Lauv's story wouldn't be a success on a major label
21:42 - Spending tons of money on a radio campaign for your first song isn't a good idea.
30:00 - What is Lauv's release strategy? Is there a formula?
32:33 - What does waterfall mean?
41:59 - When the album is out, is there more of a campaign?
44:00 - What are all of the assets that you like to have for a full on release campaign?
51:04 - What are the budgets for visualizers and music videos?
54:58 - How do you choose where to put the videos: YouTube, Vimeo?
1:09:39 - What it means to Emma to make it in the new music business
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Andy Grammer on Songwriting, Fear and Persistence
Welcome to episode number one of the New Music Business podcast! This interview with Andy Grammer was recorded live during my book signing event at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles on January 16th, 2020. I've conducted hundreds of interviews over the years. Most of them were private, one-on-one just for me to write about. This was by far one of my favorite interviews I've ever conducted. Seriously. Andy dropped gem after gem after gem for artists, songwriters, and managers on how to approach songwriting, a music career, and just life in general.
Multi-platinum selling pop artist Andy Grammer is all about inspiring and empowering the world by communicating his truths through his music. Grammer is the first male pop star in a decade since John Mayer to reach the Top 10 at adult pop radio on his first two singles. His discography includes a succession of anthemic pop hits, including "Keep Your Head Up," "Fine By Me," "Honey, I'm Good.," "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)," and "Fresh Eyes." His most recent album Naive is home to his latest single, "Don't Give Up On Me," which quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes and is already certified gold.
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Quick links:
2:37 - Andy's journey from before his first album came out
5:30 - How longer were you on the Promenade performing?
9:20 - The importance of giving. It's about the audience.
10:10 - What kept you going through the soul-crushing gigs?
13:00 - Was there a shift in your perception that enabled you to leap to the next stage in your career?
17:15 - How did you transition from playing the Promenade to doing radio tours?\
18:55 - Manager as a partner
22:03 - How do you know when you've reached the bar?
25:00 - Do you have a practice or routine that enables you to crush your fear regularly? Has the fear ever gotten to be so much that you can't handle it?
28:30 - Does your fear ever prevent you from writing new tracks, especially since you've already written so many hits?
30:10 - How don't you know if you've written a good song after a session?
33:15 - Andy's co-writing process
39:32 - Can you remember when you first went into a top-level writing session? What was that like?
40:45 - How do you remain humble with all of your success?
47:10 - What is branding?
51:50 - Do you have a way to process songs that are just for you?
54:50 - How do you make it in the new music business?
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Connect with Andy Grammer:
Website: https://andygrammer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andygrammer/
Twitter: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Euphoria Music Supervisor Jen Malone Gives a Sh*t
Today's episode is with superstar music supervisor Jen Malone. She has placed music and worked on Euphoria, Atlanta, Creed 2, The Resident, Boomerang, Baskets, Shelter, Lady Dynamite, and Step Up. That's just scratching the surface. She has worked in sync licensing now for over a decade. She is so well established and so well respected. I was so happy to finally get to talk to her.
We dug in deep on sync licensing. We talk about what a music supervisor does. She also gave advice and tips on how independent artists can get their music synced and things to look out for in the contracts, quote requests, and things you should strike from the deals. We also discussed how to setup your music to pitch to supervisors effectively and have the best chance of having your music synced.
---
Resources mentioned:
Your Music, Your Future: https://yourmusicyourfuture.com/
Discovery Networks Corners Composers in Music Royalties Battle: https://variety.com/2019/music/news/discovery-networks-composers-music-royalties-1203434924/
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Quick links:
10:18 - What is a music coordinator?
11:41 - How pitching music has changed over the years
15:38 - How do you like to be contacted when?
17:38 - Are there any tools that you use for audio clearance and recognition?
21:54 - How do you find new music?
23:18 - What's your process like when coming into a new project?
24:20 - Who created the sonic vibe of Euphoria?
25:15 - What is the process on working with the director?
28:55 - When did you come into Creed 2?
32:40 - Can you work on multiple shows at once?
34:00 - How much does your personal taste influence your selections for the projects you're working on?
36:30 - How do you pick music for scenes that are difficult? How do you create such a juxtaposition?
41:05 - Are there any standout independent musicians that you've seen get a "break" from one of their placements?
44:30 - What are the music discovery trends you've seen over the past years?
47:55 - Do you curate any playlists?
49:00 - How do you stay organized when you're working on so many projects at once?
50:35 - What are the differences working with the different platforms? Is there a standard placement rate?
52:30 - The Discovery channel devaluing music and screwing over musicians
58:10 - Jen Malone sides with musicians and helps them negotiate licenses
1:01:20 - How much negotiation is allowed with the contracts you're working with? What advice would you give to someone who wants to have their music synced?
1:08:30 - How do you define making it in the new music business?
---
Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The New Music Business w/ Ari Herstand
Welcome to the New Music Business Podcast! This is my first podcast I've ever hosted and I'm excited that you've decided to join me here. I have conducted hundreds of interviews over the years writing for Ari's Take and other music publications, but most of the interviews weren't ever released publicly. I love interviewing people and some of these conversations are too valuable not to share in their entirety. So, here we go...
This podcast will focus on people who are innovating in the new music business. I will dissect their stories of success and pull out practical tips and inspiring anecdotes that will hopefully help you succeed as well. You're going to hear from artists, managers, music supervisors, radio DJs, agents, label heads, publishers and everyone else who Is kicking butt in the new music business.
There isn't just one way to succeed in the new music business. There are a hundred ways to succeed. And we will explore those ways with some of the brightest minds of the industry.
Join us!
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Connect with Ari Herstand:
Website: https://www.aristake.com
Instagram (personal): https://www.instagram.com/ariherstand/
Instagram (Ari's Take): https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/
Twitter (personal): https://twitter.com/ariherstand
Twitter (Ari's Take): https://twitter.com/ArisTake
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fler poddar
Podcasten The New Music Business with Ari Herstand är skapad av Ari's Take. Podcastens innehåll och bilderna på den här sidan hämtas med hjälp av det offentliga podcastflödet (RSS).
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.