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

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