Podcasts by The Future of What
A weekly podcast & radio show about the music industry hosted by Music Business Association president, Portia Sabin. Listen to new episodes here, or wherever you get your podcasts!
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MusicBiz Live! w/ MLC from 2020-06-05T09:00:37
One of the more important pieces of the Music Modernization Act passed in 2018 was the establishment of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Similar to SoundExchange, the MLC (as it’s commonly refe...
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Episode #190 - MusicBiz Live! w/ Live Music Venues from 2020-05-29T18:01:56
With states opening up more and more spaces to the public, the question on some minds is “When will live music return, and what will it look like once it does?” Can venues enforce social distancing...
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MusicBiz Live! re: Music Consumption Metrics from 2020-05-22T09:00:33
Episode #189 : While the long term effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on the music business are yet to be known, there are lots of real-time metrics to be analyzed in the interim. With the postpone...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ Mental Health Professionals from 2020-05-15T09:00:33
While many have speculated about what the long term economic impacts of the COVID-19 quarantine might be, fewer have openly discussed what the long term psychological impacts on society might be. I...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ EU & UK Music Organizations from 2020-05-08T09:00:44
Over the past several episodes, Portia has had countless discussions with the heads of music business organizations who represent various facets of the industry within the United States. This week,...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ MusicBiz Board from 2020-05-01T09:00:49
Episode #186 : While the effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on live entertainment and brick and mortar retail are already apparent, other sectors of the music industry like publishing haven’t truly...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ Indepdenent Record Retailers from 2020-04-24T09:00:33
Episode #185 : It should come as no surprise that independent record stores have been particularly hard hit by the “shelter in place” orders established by many states around the country in the wak...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ NMPA, RIAA, CMA, A2IM & NSAI from 2020-04-17T09:00:33
Episode #184 : On this week’s episode, we’re revisiting another MusicBiz LIVE! event that features candid conversation about what music business trade associations are doing to help their specific ...
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MusicBiz Live! w/ Instagram and Facebook from 2020-04-10T09:00:33
Episode #183 : In the few weeks since our last episode, COVID19 has changed the world and how we interact with one another, and that has had many impacts upon the music business as a whole. With ve...
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Educating The Next Generation of Music Business Professionals from 2020-03-13T09:00:28
Episode #182 : While many people start their career in the music business by forming a band or record label, and learning the industry’s norms and quirks largely through trial and error, others cho...
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Consolidating Credits In The Cloud from 2020-03-06T10:00:30
Episode #181 : Music production has become increasingly fragmented thanks to the advent of affordable studio technology and high speed internet connections, which comes with both benefits and drawb...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Ninja Tune from 2020-02-28T10:00:20
Episode #180 : Matt Black and Jonathan Fine first joined forces in the late 1980’s, after a chance encounter at a local record shop. Now, some thirty-odd years later, the two are still working toge...
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New Tools For Booking Tours from 2020-02-21T10:00:20
Episode #179 : Touring has quickly become one of the most effective ways for bands and artists to earn money in the streaming era, despite the fact that getting around is more expensive than it’s e...
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Licensing Music For Podcasts from 2020-02-14T10:00:30
Episode #178 : While music consumption has pivoted away from piracy and downloads, the spectre of the past is once again looming over the industry, as podcasts become an even more dominant medium. ...
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Where Do Black Box Royalties Go? from 2020-02-07T10:00:20
When you hear people within the industry referring to “The Black Box,” they’re most likely referring to the growing sum of undistributed and/or undistributable royalties that have been collected on...
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New Tools For Songwriters from 2020-01-24T10:00:30
As we move into 2020, two things have become all the more apparent, artists have to view themselves as small businesses in order to survive, and income streams within the industry are increasingly ...
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Nashville's Project Music from 2020-01-17T10:00:20
Since 2015, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center has played host to Project Music, an accelerator program for tech start-ups whose focus is upon creating solutions for the music industry. This first o...
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Trends for 2020 from 2020-01-10T10:00:46
After several years of growth, the music business no longer feels like its in freefall, and some hopeful industry insiders are hinting that the best is yet to come in the 2020’s. As streaming goes ...
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The Evolution of Streaming from 2020-01-03T10:00:13
Today’s streaming market is a crowded arena that’s chock full of big brands, all of whom are vying for the same monthly subscribers, but none of them have truly distinguished themselves from the ot...
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Best of 2019 from 2019-12-27T17:47:09
With 2019 coming to an end, it feels like the right time to highlight a few of our audience’s most listened to episodes and of the year, so we’re doing a best of 2019 this week! We went through thi...
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New Tools For Developing Artists from 2019-12-20T10:00:33
While some artists are eschewing the traditional label route to market, there is no getting around the fact that artists simply can’t do everything they need to do in order to be successful on thei...
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Direct Shot's Ambigous Future from 2019-11-22T08:00:13
Episode #170 : At the beginning of the year, record stores big and small started noticing a difference between what they ordered and what they received in the mail. This became all the more noticea...
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New Ideas In The Digital Marketplace from 2019-11-15T09:00:13
In the past, digital start-ups frequently approached the music industry with tech solutions to problems that didn’t exist for most artists and labels. That paradigm has seemingly shifted in the pas...
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Indie Label Spotlight - Frenchkiss Records from 2019-11-08T11:00:24
Twenty years ago, Syd Butler started Frenchkiss Records, after his band Les Savy Fav couldn’t find a home at the prominent labels of the time. Fast forward up until today, Syd’s now part of Seth Me...
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Tracklib Brings Legal Sampling To The Masses from 2019-11-01T04:56:58
Episode #167 : Several high profile artists moved away from sampling in the late 90’s, after a smattering of lawsuits were brought against artists like De La Soul, Biz Markie, 2 Live Crew, etc. for...
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Converting Streams Into Liquid Assets Faster from 2019-09-27T10:00:36
Episode #166 : Under the current distribution model, labels and rights holders typically only get paid once a month by their distributor, and those payouts are often for streams and downloads that ...
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Unpacking The C.A.S.E. Act from 2019-09-20T10:00:35
The Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2019, or C.A.S.E. Act, is currently making its way through Congress, and it stands to have a significant impact on musicians and labels ...
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The Future of Artist Management from 2019-09-06T10:00:26
Episode #164 : Like every other role in the music industry, the face of management is changing to meet the current needs of artists. With fewer and fewer labels investing in artist development, the...
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Merlin Works Magic For Indies from 2019-08-02T10:00:25
Episode #163 : For the last eleven years, Merlin has been championing the independent music community in a variety of ways. During that time the organization has put over two billion dollars into t...
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The Current State of Music Journalism from 2019-07-19T10:00:24
In previous episodes, we’ve discussed the diminished role that music criticism plays in today’s market, and now we’re turning our focus towards music journalism at large. With more and more magazin...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Crunchy Frog from 2019-07-05T13:57:39
Episode #161 : Denmark’s Crunchy Frog has been releasing albums for a quarter century this year, and they are celebrating their anniversary with a new compilation of music from the label’s roster, ...
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How Streaming Royalties Are Calculated from 2019-06-21T09:00:09
Episode #160 : At this point, we all know that streaming royalties have become a larger and larger share of revenue within the music industry, but how those royalties are calculated by DSP’s is sti...
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House Shows & Non-Traditional Venues from 2019-06-13T23:45:33
With more and more venues shutting down due to rising costs in metropolitan areas, some musicians are looking towards non-traditional venues, and people’s homes, as a means to an end. On this episo...
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Team Dresch's Timely Return from 2019-06-07T09:00:15
Episode #158 : The world has changed quite a bit since the Pacific NW queercore outfit Team Dresch released their first full-length album 25 years ago. There was no internet, there weren’t any open...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Herø Records from 2019-05-31T09:00:17
Episode #157 : Given the success of films that have been adapted from comic books and graphic novels, it makes sense that other industries would start adopting them, too, and Herø Records is doing ...
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Digital Attribution For Musicians from 2019-05-24T09:00:17
Episode #156 : Thousands of hours of content are uploaded to sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, TikTok, Facebook, etc. every minute, and a fair amount of it contains unlicensed music. Technologies lik...
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Manage Your Music With DISCO from 2019-05-10T09:00:29
Episode 155 : Record labels, music supervisors, management companies, et. al. deal with high volumes of music submissions on a daily basis, and until recently, managing those files (and their requi...
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Article 13's Potential Impact On The Music Industry from 2019-05-03T09:00:19
Episode #154 : While little attention was given by the U.S. population at large, the creative class, and musicians in particular, paid close attention to the wars waged over the EU’s new copyright ...
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Demo Listening Roundtable w/ DJ Klyph, Public Display PR and McMenamins from 2019-04-26T09:00:19
Episode #153 : Perennially popular at music business conferences, “demo” listening roundtables can be extremely helpful and informative for artists, labels, and others, since you get direct and imm...
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Kids Music and Smart Speakers from 2019-04-19T09:00:14
Episode #152 : As smart speakers, like the Amazon Dot and Google Home, take up residence in more homes across the U.S., kids’ music has seen an unexpected uptick in its overall consumption, mostly ...
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Get Paid : Sync Licensing and Brand Partnerships from 2019-04-12T08:00:14
In the final installment of the Get Paid series (in collaboration with Vortex Music Magazine), Portia discusses sync licensing and brand partnerships with Brett Byrd of CD Baby, Marissa Hernandez o...
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Shaking Up Distribution from 2019-03-29T17:09:33
Episode #150: The landscape of independent distribution is rapidly changing. As more independent labels move toward truly independent distribution models, their market share becomes clearer. On thi...
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Making Good on Representation from 2019-03-22T10:00:29
Episode #149: Last year, the music industry came under fire for an ongoing lack of meaningful representation for women. What's different in 2019? On this episode we hear about efforts toward greate...
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Demystifying A&R with Katie Garcia, Tom Whalley, and Tunji Balogun from 2019-03-08T11:00:28
Episode #148: What is the role of A&R in 2019? We break down the ins and outs of signing new (and established) talent with Katie Garcia, who oversees A&R for Secretly Group (Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar...
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2019 Trends in Music from 2019-02-15T10:00:25
Episode #147: From AI to to the EP, we discuss trends and innovation in the music industry. First, journalist Cherie Hu shares a few music tech developments to look out for in 2019. Then, Jon Chatt...
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Copyright 101 from 2019-02-01T18:35:39
Episode #146: One of the least talked about and perhaps most important topics for musicians to understand is copyright. What is it, how do you copyright your music, and what’s the point of doing so...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Alligator Records from 2019-01-18T18:21:04
Episode #145: In 1971, Bruce Iglauer founded Chicago-based indie blues label Alligator Records. For the last 48 years, Bruce and his team have released hundreds of albums by some of the world’s mos...
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Get Paid: Booking, Touring, Promoting from 2019-01-11T11:00:16
In our latest installment of the Get Paid series (in collaboration with @vrtxmag), artists and business people share their real-life experiences and advice for booking, promoting and touring.
<...
Best of 2018 from 2019-01-04T11:00:16
Episode #143: From streaming to the inner-workings of indie labels, hear our most popular interviews of 2018 as determined by you, our listeners:
- Liz Pelly on Spotify and “The Problem wi...
Indie Label Spotlight: Fresh Selects from 2018-12-21T10:00:36
Episode #142: For our last episode of 2018, we spotlight independent record label Fresh Selects. Started as a blog in 2008, Fresh Selects celebrates its fifth anniversary as a label this year. Driv...
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What's Next for Industry Advocates? from 2018-12-18T22:41:49
Episode #141: Throughout 2018, we discussed the implications of the Music Modernization Act (MMA). Now that the historic bill has passed with the support of musicians, labels, and politicians, what...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Projekt Records from 2018-11-30T18:27:01
Established in 1983, Portland’s Projekt Records has released hundreds of albums across the realm of electronic, goth, and ambient music, helping to popularize the term “darkwave.” Founder Sam Rosen...
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Reshaping Live Music: HalfAccess / McMenamins / MusicPortland from 2018-11-23T18:34:14
We look at a few of the issues concert venues are working through to keep their spaces open and more inclusive. Learn all about HalfAccess, a nonprofit working with venues to make live music more a...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Jealous Butcher from 2018-11-02T16:30:25
A unique feature of many independent labels is that they’re closely intertwined with one person’s taste and vision. Instead of emphasizing a genre, these ventures often reflect a specific scene or ...
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Sell Your Merch from 2018-10-12T10:00:39
Seeing your band's name on a t-shirt for the first time is an exciting milestone, but how do you actually turn those tees into a viable revenue stream? For this episode, we partnered with Vortex Mu...
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Music Takes On the Midterms from 2018-10-05T10:00:29
Episode #136: How can artists, venues, and other music institutions use their platforms for social change? On this episode we hear from organizations who are connecting the music industry to voter ...
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Do I Need a Record Label? from 2018-09-28T17:29:38
Episode #135: One common question we hear all the time from musicians is “do I need a record label?”
On this episode, we talk to people who offer services traditionally taken care of by a...
Jen Cloher from 2018-08-31T16:58:23
Australian artist Jen Cloher joins us in studio to talk about her musical career, running Milk! Records (the indie label Cloher and Courtney Barnett started in 2012), and her approach to the music ...
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Spotlight on Molly Neuman (Songtrust, Bratmobile) from 2018-08-24T08:00:08
Molly Neuman is the Global Head of Business Development at Songtrust and you may know her from her time ar Kickstarter, A2IM, Rhapsody, or eMusic. Molly is best known as a creator of the riot grrrl...
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Independent Together from 2018-08-17T09:00:18
Artistic communities are integral to the livability and desirability of many cities, but are often left without defense against these cities’ rapid growth. Uniting the artists, venues, labels, and ...
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Update on the Music Modernization Act from 2018-08-10T18:54:11
Episode #131: The Music Modernization Act may have unanimously passed the House and garnered support from songwriters, publishers, and DSPs, but the bill has faced a few obstacles ahead of Novembe...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Compass Records from 2018-07-27T10:00:24
#130: Compass Records was founded in 1994 by artists Garry West and Alison Brown. Called “one of the greatest independent labels of the last decade” by Billboard, Compass specializes in roots, blue...
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Using Music in Podcasts... the Right Way! from 2018-07-20T17:28:48
Episode #129: Despite being over a decade old, podcasting is still a new frontier for music licensing. As podcasts gain millions of listeners and big budgets, it's more important than ever for arti...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Light in the Attic with Ishmael Butler (Digable Planets, Shabazz Palaces) from 2018-07-13T10:00:14
Episode #128: Light in the Attic founder Matt Sullivan joins us to talk about the inspiration behind the Seattle label, their emphasis on reissues as well as their distribution service and more. We...
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How the Game is Played: LIVE in Portland from 2018-07-06T17:52:30
Episode #127: On June 30th, we hosted a live panel in Portland with DJ Klyph. Panelists included local hip hop veterans Vursatyl and DJ OG ONE, along with promising newcomers Rasheed Jamal, Mic Cap...
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Creative Accounting from 2018-06-29T17:02:58
Episode #126: When should a band become an LLC? What can musicians write off? How can creatives safeguard against an audit? We answer these questions and more with accountants who work with artists...
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Unpacking Music's "Black Box" from 2018-06-15T18:50:01
Episode #125: Called “music’s monetization mystery” by Forbes, on today’s episode we shed light on the “black box” -- a complicated phenomenon in the music industry where small and large sums of mo...
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Music Cities (LIVE from Seattle) from 2018-06-08T08:00:14
Episode #124: How do local music ecosystems affect the economic and cultural health of a city? Portia went to Upstream Music Fest to discuss with leaders from the regional music hubs of Seattle (Ka...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Merge Records from 2018-06-01T18:33:32
Episode #123: Merge Records has been behind some of the independent world’s most popular releases from bands like Spoon, Arcade Fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, Waxahatchee, and of course, Superchunk sinc...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Numero Group from 2018-05-18T19:00:49
Episode #122: Since 2003, Chicago-based independent record label Numero Group has been celebrating the obscure, the rare, and the long-forgotten through their meticulously crafted reissues and comp...
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Spotlight on Horse Feathers: Justin Ringle / Skyler Norwood from 2018-05-04T11:00:16
Episode #121: Establishing a reputation and fan base is vital as a musician, but how can a band evolve once they’re known for a sound? On this episode, Portia sits down with Justin Ringle, whose ba...
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LIVE in Portland: The Aesthetics of Album Art from 2018-04-27T19:46:14
Episode #120: Album artwork is often a listener’s first impression of a record, so how does an artist successfully represent their music visually? We brought together graphic designers and music pe...
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Gear Makers: Philip Graham (Ear Trumpet) / Saul Koll (Koll Guitar Co.) / Chris Benson (Benson Amps) from 2018-04-20T17:25:27
Episode #119: Portland, OR is one of many cities that have become known as hubs of creativity. The city's "maker culture" includes a large community of creators of music gear. In fact, you could pu...
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"The Truth Behind the Supposed Decline of the Guitar": She Shreds Magazine / Bully / Trade Up Music from 2018-04-13T09:00:04
Episode #118: Last year, outlets like the Washington Post lamented the decline of the electric guitar and the supposed absence of American guitar heroes. In September of 2017, She Shreds Magazine p...
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Inclusivity in Recording: Madeleine Campbell (Women in Sound) / Terri Winston (WAM) / Andrew Jones from 2018-04-06T06:00
Episode #117: “Where Are All the Female Producers?” “Why Aren’t There More Women Working in Audio?” Why don’t more women “step up” in music? These are just some of the questions that continue to ba...
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Data! What is it good for? (LIVE at Treefort) from 2018-03-30T17:35:03
Episode #116: These days there’s nothing but data out there — social media statistics, Spotify artist insights, info about who your fans are, where they are, and when they listen to your music. But...
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We'll be right back! from 2018-03-16T18:25:21
Portia is off to SXSW and Treefort! We'll be back with a new episode on March 30th!
In the meantime, check out some of our past episodes, like last week's conversation about recovery and a...
Addiction & Recovery: Gene Bowen (Road Recovery) / Slim Moon / Rob Crow (Pinback) from 2018-03-09T19:26:55
This episode contains discussions of addiction and suicide.
Episode #115: The stereotype of “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” is pervasive in music. The music business often fosters an envir...
Understanding Contracts with Gandhar Savur and Horse Feathers from 2018-02-23T18:12:37
Episode #114: When people start a band, they’re entering relationships that will hopefully last for years. Contracts can be helpful in remembering what you agreed to years later. We talk to lawyer ...
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Unpacking the Music Modernization Act: David Israelite (NMPA) / Mitch Glazier (RIAA) / Blake Morgan from 2018-02-16T19:16:41
Episode #113: What is the Music Modernization Act and how could it impact songwriters? On this episode we hear from people who have worked on this new bill and those whose livelihoods will be affec...
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Mastering Social Media: GLASYS / CD Baby / Bozyk Media from 2018-02-08T21:49:19
Episode #112: Social media has become a vital tool for artists to connect with their fans, but knowing where to invest your time, energy, and even money can be difficult. After all, you probably di...
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BONUS: Dewey Halpaus (Peer Pleasure Podcast) from 2018-01-31T21:37:01
BONUS: Dewey Halpaus is a musician and founding member of Anatomy of a Ghost and The Burning Room. He's also toured as a guitarist for Portugal. The Man. Now, Dewey hosts The Peer Pleasure Podcast,...
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The Women of Pearl Jam's Crew / Mike McCready from 2018-01-26T19:41:17
Episode #111: Last year, we recorded a conversation with the many women who hold positions in Pearl Jam's road crew, like sound engineer and production manager. The women discussed life on the road...
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Apollo Playlists Curator Walt Lilly from 2018-01-26T19:26:05
Single: Walt Lilly is a playlist curator for Apollo Playlists. He walks us through the curation process and what factors he considers when creating a playlist.
Subscribe to The Future of W...
Music-Tech Journalist Cherie Hu from 2018-01-25T04:57:49
Single: Cherie Hu is a music-tech journalist who has written for publications like Billboard and Forbes. We talk to her about her recent article in Forbes on the push to get playlist curators paid:...
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Crosshair Music Founder Garrison Snell from 2018-01-24T00:18:48
Single: Crosshair Music is a new company that helps independent artists pitch their music to playlist curators. We spoke with founder Garrison Snell.
www.crosshairmusic.com
Subscr...
Crosshair / Cherie Hu / Walt Lilly from 2018-01-19T18:32:04
Episode #109: Playlists have been a huge driver in the growth of streaming music, and platforms like Spotify are pushing their curated playlists more than ever. Securing a coveted placement on one ...
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Liz Pelly on "The Problem with Muzak" / Resonate from 2018-01-12T21:37:13
Episode #109: Writer Liz Pelly has spent the last year discussing how streaming services like Spotify and the rise of playlisting affect our the health of our music industry. She joins us on the sh...
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Indie Label Spotlight: EYRST with Neill Von Tally and Blossom from 2018-01-05T21:23:26
Episode #108: One of the most exciting labels in the Pacific Northwest is also one of its youngest. EYRST Records was founded in 2014 by artist Neill Von Tally and Martell Webster. Since then, the ...
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Looking Back at 2017 from 2017-12-22T17:59:04
Episode #107: We talked to so many remarkable people this year, so we're looking back on some of our favorite interviews of 2017. Including: Jack Stratton (Vulfpeck), Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis (So...
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Indie Label Spotlight: Father/Daughter Records with Jessi Frick and Shamir from 2017-12-15T19:06:04
Episode #106: 2010 was arguably one of the hardest years for the music industry, but that didn’t stop manager and publicist Jessi Frick from starting an independent record label with her father, Ke...
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#IRespectMusic's Blake Morgan from 2017-12-08T13:35:39
Episode #105: On this episode we hear from musician Blake Morgan about starting the largest grassroots movement in music history. The #IRespectMusic campaign has been supported by creators from Dav...
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Bonus: Cindy Wilson (The B-52s) from 2017-12-01T22:00:39
Episode #104: 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of iconic band The B-52s. It's also the year founding member Cindy Wilson embarked on her solo career, releasing her debut, 'Change,' on December 1st t...
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Portland's Thriving Hip Hop Scene and Beyond from 2017-12-01T18:35:55
Episode #103: Portland, OR has been home to a unique hip hop and rap community for decades, with veteran artists like Vursatyl, Cool Nutz, and Libretto paving the way. Now, up and comers like Amine...
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Leveraging Your Data: LIVE from Indie-Con from 2017-11-17T21:23:49
Episode #102: The rise of streaming has bestowed the music industry with a wealth of data, but how can labels and artists leverage that data to sustain themselves in this brave new world? On this e...
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CASH Music, CD Baby, SoundExchange, Public Display PR and the MusicPortland Movement from 2017-11-10T17:21:04
Episode #101: In the second part of our 100th episode celebration and live taping, we spoke with organizations who strive to help musicians grow and take charge of their businesses. Maggie Vail (CA...
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Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney Filthy Friends), Peter Buck (REM), Laura Veirs, Cool Nutz from 2017-11-09T23:18:11
Lifelong musicians Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney Filthy Friends), Peter Buck (REM), Laura Veirs and Cool Nutz join us at our 100th episode celebration to discuss being career musicians.
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100th Episode LIVE with Corin Tucker, Peter Buck, Laura Veirs and more from 2017-11-03T17:40:36
Episode #100: On October 25th, we celebrated our 100th episode with a live taping in Portland, OR. On this episode, you'll hear from the amazing staff at Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, Kristi Balzer...
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Culture Writer Melissa Locker from 2017-10-27T19:44:15
Episode #99: Melissa Locker is a culture writer who has contributed to Elle, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, and more. She joins Portia to talk about trends in music writing, what Mick Jagger smells l...
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Do It Yourself from 2017-10-20T20:45:44
Episode #98: Whether you do everything yourself or have some professional help, being resourceful is an important skill as an independent artist. On this episode, we talk with people who've establi...
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Mark Robinson (Teen-Beat, Unrest) from 2017-10-16T19:35:34
Teen-Beat Records founder Mark Robinson discusses running the label, highlighting local music, and more.
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State of the Nations (Live from Indie-Con) from 2017-10-13T18:16:28
Episode #97: How global are the issues that affect the U.S. music industry? On this episode, Portia sits on a panel moderated by Jay Mogis (QUT/Nightlife) with Lynne Small (PPCA), Richard Burgess (...
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Ian MacKaye (Dischord, Fugazi, Minor Threat) from 2017-10-09T21:01:49
Ian MacKaye joins us to talk D.C., Dischord, and fellow indie label Teen-Beat Records.
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Indie Label Spotlight: Teen-Beat with Mark Robinson and Ian MacKaye (Dischord) from 2017-09-29T16:03:25
Episode #96: In 1985, Mark Robinson sent a letter to Ian MacKaye asking about how to press vinyl records. The year earlier, he founded Teen-Beat Records in Arlington, Virginia. Initially, only one ...
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District Advocate Day from 2017-09-22T17:11:21
Episode #95: We talk a lot on this show about issues that affect musicians and the creative community, so how can people get involved and actually make a difference? For the last three years, the R...
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Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act from 2017-09-15T09:12:24
Episode #94: Recently, a bill was introduced by Republican congressman Jim Sensenbrenner which calls for the creation of a comprehensive database of compositions and recordings. The “Transparency i...
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Public Display PR's Sierra Haager from 2017-09-14T23:33:26
Public Display PR's Sierra Haager returns to the show to discuss how people listen to music and what success means for independent musicians.
Subscribe to The Future of What on iTunes: htt...
Bandcamp's Jes Skolnik from 2017-09-13T20:51:09
Bandcamp managing editor Jes Skolnik joins us to discuss the myth of good music rising to the "top."
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Does Good Music Prevail? from 2017-09-08T17:36:09
Episode #93: People often say that if you make good music, the fans will follow. So does good music rise to the top? And what is the top? On this episode, we talk with Jes Skolnik, managing editor ...
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Peter Gordon on Net Neutrality from 2017-09-07T23:23:09
Thirsty Ear Recordings' Peter Gordon joins us to discuss how net neutrality affects musicians and the creative community.
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Deerhoof's Greg Saunier from 2017-09-06T23:15:10
Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier joins us to talk about streaming rates, big tech companies, and surviving as an indie artist. Hear more on episode 92.
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Net Neutrality from 2017-09-01T16:59:01
Episode #92: The internet is a vital tool for artists, but without the protections that ensure a level playing field, creators’ ability to earn a living comes under threat. On today's episode, we d...
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Jaxsta / Discogs from 2017-08-25T18:23:24
Episode #91: What if there were an IMDB for music? Not only would fans be able to dig deeper into their favorite albums, but producers, artists, and other collaborators could catalog their contribu...
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LIVE from Indie-Con: Understanding Independence from 2017-08-18T18:17:20
What does it mean when an artist or label calls itself independent? Instead of defining independence as "not major," this episode discusses what independence in music really means. Portia travels t...
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Video Games: The Next Artistic Super-Medium from 2017-08-11T15:24:28
Episode #59: When you think of video game music, you might hear Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. original score, or maybe FlyLo FM from Grand Theft Auto’s licensed soundtrack. Either way, video games...
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LIVE in Durham: The Evolution of Streaming from 2017-08-04T17:09:14
Episode #89: The music industry has recently seen its largest sales increase since the days of Napster. Streaming, while still in its infancy has shown that making a fraction of a penny from a lot ...
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Ellen Kempner (Palehound) from 2017-08-01T20:00:46
Palehound's Ellen Kempner joins us at Pickathon to talk about how she got into music and what it takes to navigate today's industry.
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Open Mike Eagle from 2017-08-01T05:21:21
We caught up with "comedy-adjacent" rapper and fellow podcaster Open Mike Eagle at Pickathon last year.
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Open Mike Eagle / Palehound / Thao & the Get Down Stay Down / La Luz from 2017-07-28T17:36:49
Episode #88: Last year, we went to Oregon’s Pickathon music festival and caught up with some promising acts in Pickathon’s interview video series. With this year’s festival around the corner, we br...
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Mike Huppe of SoundExchange from 2017-07-26T20:29:07
SoundExchange president Mike Huppe joins us to discuss the organizations acquisition of the Canadian music licensing collective CMRRA. "Together," they say, "the two agencies will integrate and str...
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Gray Gannaway on YouTube's "Adpocalypse" from 2017-07-25T19:08:28
Gray Gannaway, founder of video strategy firm Quarterlab, discusses the recent "adpocalypse" on YouTube which has dramatically cut revenue for many channels. So how has this affected the music indu...
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Industry Update: Quarterlab / SoundExchange / The Recording Academy from 2017-07-21T17:12:36
The music industry is constantly changing, so today we shine a light on a few important topics developing in the business. First we discuss the recent YouTube “adpocalypse” and how it affects artis...
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Local Spotlight: The Triangle from 2017-07-14T16:57:30
Episode #86: In the early 90’s, Chapel Hill was dubbed “the next Seattle” after producing acts that got noticed beyond its state lines. Twenty-five years later, a lot has changed in the local and n...
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Spotlight on CASH Music from 2017-07-07T19:21:05
Episode #85: A lot of money is spent in the music industry developing new tools and platforms, but today we spotlight a nonprofit committed to providing artists with educational and professional re...
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LIVE in Durham: Marketing Resources from 2017-06-30T16:53:19
Episode #84: Making great music is only one part of the equation; equally important is making sure you reach an audience and cultivate them as fans. As more and more musicians release their own mus...
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LIVE in New York: Investment Options for Your Independent Future from 2017-06-23T17:49:15
Episode #83: Most indie label owners didn’t go to business school, and never expected to get interest from venture capitalists. What are the steps they can take to grow their business smartly using...
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Record Pressing: Third Man Records / Cascade / Kindercore / Independent from 2017-06-16T17:08:23
Episode #82: Since talking with Portland’s new record pressing plant, Cascade, in 2015, more and more vinyl pressing plants have opened up. New manufacturers can mean more opportunities for small l...
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LIVE in Seattle: Tunji Balogun (RCA Records) and Amaechi Uzoigwe (Run the Jewels) from 2017-06-09T17:38:14
Episode #81: How many "likes" did you get today, and does it even matter? On this episode, Portia leads an Upstream Summit keynote panel talking with Run The Jewels manager Amaechi Uzoigwe and RCA ...
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Meredith Graves (Perfect Pussy) / Simon Tam (The Slants) from 2017-06-02T17:27:54
Episode #80: On this episode we spotlight two people making change in the music industry. You might know Meredith Graves from her band Perfect Pussy, or from her work as a full time MTV News host. ...
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Jim McDermott / Rumblefish / Marmoset from 2017-05-26T17:27:22
Episode #20: On the front page of Pandora’s website, there’s a statement that says “It’s a new kind of radio — stations that play only music you like.” How can it be that Pandora knows what you’ll ...
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Music Supervision with Jen Malone, Sue Jacobs and Bryan Turcotte from 2017-05-19T20:19:32
Episode #79: Music supervisors aren’t just responsible for picking great songs for movies, TV shows, ads and video games, they also have to be savvy negotiators and know the ins and outs of music l...
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Does Radio Still Matter? from 2017-05-12T17:55:47
Episode #78: People have been declaring the end of radio for years, yet stations continue to pop up and even thrive today. While many stations have been swept up by corporations, community and coll...
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Patreon / Vinyl Me, Please / Topshelf Records / Joyful Noise Recordings from 2017-05-05T18:30:28
Episode #77: With more and more music flooding the internet, artists, labels, and entrepreneurs are looking for new ways to engage fans. Many look to a subscription model as a way to provide listen...
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All-Ages Revival: Friends of Noise / Vera Project / Semi-Ok Collective / Sabonis from 2017-04-28T17:27
Episode #33: “Young people [are an] underserved population when it comes to the music industry.” That’s the point our guest Andre Middleton drives home on this episode of The Future of What. In our...
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Music Licensing with Marmoset Music and Loch Lomond from 2017-04-21T17:24:06
Episode #76: Licensing a song may have once come with accusations of selling out, but today, getting a song on a movie, TV show or commercial can be one of the most lucrative moves for a musician. ...
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SassyBlack / Thunderpussy / Y La Bamba from 2017-04-14T20:33:54
Episode #75: On this episode we’re sharing interviews with three of our favorite artists from Treefort Music Fest! First, Portia talks with Catherine Harris-White of SassyBlack and THEESatisfaction...
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Turned Away at the Border: Tamizdat / Future of Music Coalition / Massive Scar Era / Ami Dang from 2017-04-07T17:23:34
Episode #74: The Future of What looks deeper at recent immigration issues surrounding SXSW and Trump's travel ban with Matthew Covey of international musicians' group Tamizdat and Kevin Erickson of...
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Treefort: Terrorbird Media / KEXP / Joyful Noise / The Brigade from 2017-03-31T16:52:33
Episode #73: Treefort Music Fest is a 5-day music and arts festival in Boise, Idaho. This year’s festival was one of the most successful yet, and bolstered Treefort as a great alternative to SXSW. ...
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Reissue Revolution: Yep Roc Records / Eggs Over Easy / Light In The Attic Records from 2017-03-24T19:30:28
Episode #24: Independent labels have long been at the forefront of bringing great music to the public, especially lost gems and overlooked greats that went out of print or were never pressed on any...
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Greg Kot & Jim DeRogatis / Julianne Escobedo Shepherd / Bob Ham / Ben Ratliff from 2017-03-17T18:31:47
Episode #72: As long as there’s been music, there have been music critics. Like many professions, music review has been indelibly changed by the Internet. For a while, a numerical rating on Pitchfo...
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Shane Told (Silverstein, River Oaks, Lead Singer Syndrome) from 2017-03-14T22:51:19
Shane Told (Silverstein, River Oaks), joins us to talk about his podcast, Lead Singer Syndrome, making it in the music business and more.
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Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) / Joe Pug (Working Songwriter) / Shane Told (Lead Singer Syndrome) from 2017-03-10T17:22:59
Episode #71: Podcasts have surged in popularity over the last few years, and have proved to be a great way to connect with your audience — so why don’t more musicians take advantage of the format? ...
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LIVE in Portland: Music Millennium / Jackpot! / Public Display / Old Town Music / Friends of Noise from 2017-03-03T18:47:42
Like many creative cities, Portland is growing rapidly, but is the vibrant music scene that bolstered its reputation benefiting? The city is known as one of the nation’s hottest music spots, so how...
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The Elegant Too (Bob's Burgers) / The Not-Its! / Chris Huff from 2017-02-24T16:23
When people talk about “making it” in the music industry, it’s usually in reference to making a living writing or playing original songs in a popular band or as a solo artist. Today we explore alte...
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Tucker Martine / Larry Crane / Tyler Stone from 2017-02-17T21:05:19
Episode #37: When recording engineer Larry Crane started Tape Op Magazine in 1996, he printed the first issue on legal paper and Xeroxed 500 copies to send to his friends. Branded as “the creative ...
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Larry Crane Remembers Elliott Smith from 2017-02-16T00:25:53
Larry Crane runs Jackpot! Recording Studio and Tape Op Magazine. He's also the archivist of Elliott Smith's catalog. Larry talks with Portia about his time working with Elliott and putting together...
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Andy Mayoras / Conrad Rippy / Larry Crane from 2017-02-10T19:46:03
Episode #68: From Prince to Sharon Jones, too many musicians have passed away in the last year. What will happen to their music, and who will control their legacies? These losses remind us that, wh...
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Molly Neuman (Kickstarter) / Vulfpeck from 2017-02-05T02:00:51
Episode #67: Over the last decade, the music industry has become increasingly difficult to navigate -- especially for emerging artists. As the Internet has developed, it’s introduced a slew of new ...
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Advice for Developing Artists - Live Shows from 2017-02-03T17:43:26
What does it take to progress as a performer? Chanticleer Tru (Chanti Darling), Travis Labbe (True West) and Peter Clark (What The Festival) discuss.
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Chanti Darling / What the Festival / True West from 2017-01-27T21:14:17
Episode #66: You probably remember the best concert you’ve ever been to -- and the worst. Live shows have always been a core component of a musician’s job, and as the music industry’s economy has c...
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Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) On Trump's Presidency from 2017-01-27T00:52:34
Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) talks candidly about what the Trump presidency could mean for musicians and America.
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Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) on Healthcare from 2017-01-27T00:39:57
Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) explains why the Affordable Care Act is important and how it changed Hunter's life.
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Jon Coombs on 'Our First 100 Days' (Secretly Group) from 2017-01-26T01:29:46
Secretly Canadian's Jon Coombs talks about the development of 'Our First 100 Days,' a new compilation which benefits different causes in light of our changing political landscape.
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Kevin Erickson on the GOP's Policies from 2017-01-24T22:43:57
Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what Trump the GOP's policy plans could mean for the music community.
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Kevin Erickson on Trump's Presidency from 2017-01-24T22:38:41
Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what a Trump presidency could mean for musicians.
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What Trump's Presidency Means for Music: Lower Dens / Future of Music Coalition / Secretly Group from 2017-01-20T18:54:23
Episode #65: A presidency doesn’t usually hold so many unknowns for the music community, but the election of Donald Trump will affect a range of issues important to musicians and music industry pro...
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A2IM / Melissa Ferrick / NMPA from 2017-01-06T22:08:09
Episode #64: Last year, we released 37 episodes on a wide variety of topics in music. From rights to royalties, we covered subjects important to artists and those who support them. On this episode,...
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2016 In Review: Kill Rock Stars / Switched on Pop from 2016-12-30T19:08:03
Episode #63: 2016 has been an unforgettable year. We lost legendary musicians and witnessed a huge political shift. Today on the show, we recap the year by talking about some of its best -- and mos...
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Best of Innovative Music Marketing - Part 2 from 2016-12-29T23:16:59
Happy holidays! Here's another one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter.
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Best of Innovative Music Marketing (Part 1) from 2016-12-28T00:57:02
Happy holidays! Here's one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter.
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Warp / Break World / Don Giovanni / Father/Daughter / Redeye (LIVE at the Redeye Label Hang) from 2016-12-16T17:52:58
Episode #62: We took The Future of What to North Carolina for this year’s Redeye Label Hang. Every year, labels, industry partners and customers associated with Redeye Distribution gather for panel...
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Are digital downloads on their way out? from 2016-12-05T22:55:30
We ask Russ Crupnick of MusicWatch Inc. to explain recent trends in paid downloads and what they might mean for the future of the music industry.
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Numero Group / Bandcamp / MusicWatch Inc from 2016-12-02T18:31:22
Episode #61: With the launch of Apple Music in 2015, the music industry saw a steep decline in digital downloads, and rumors flew about whether iTunes downloads would be phased out completely -- on...
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SONA / Sue Ennis from 2016-11-18T20:46:34
Episode #60: The ASCAP and BMI consent decree issue has put songwriters in the news this year, but we don’t hear a lot about how the profession has changed as a whole in recent years. To help us ge...
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Kotaku / Fullbright Company / Chris Remo / The Advantage from 2016-11-11T17:23:29
Episode #59: When you think of video game music, you might hear Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. original score, or maybe FlyLo FM from Grand Theft Auto’s licensed soundtrack. Either way, video games...
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QRATES / 8Stem / Patti Silverman / Kyle Bylin from 2016-11-04T05:35:47
Episode #58: Without technological development, the music industry would be in a very different place. From the modulated grooves of analog records to the first iPod, innovation has permanently sha...
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Corin Tucker / Jenny Conlee / Fabi Reyna / Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls from 2016-10-28T20:49:39
Episode #57: Music has the power to inspire people and change lives. On this episode we spotlight one organization using music education to empower and amplify the voices of young women and girls. ...
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Public Display PR / Grandstand Media & Management / Vortex Magazine / Casey Jarman from 2016-10-22T02:01:51
Episode #56: A band has recorded some music -- they’ve even set a date for their album release -- but how do they get people to listen to it? Making press contacts and getting the right information...
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Green Noise / Discogs / Redeye from 2016-10-14T17:20:48
Episode #55: Record stores have long been an integral part of the music industry -- not only as a place to purchase albums, but as a symbolic gathering space for music fans. While the development o...
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Blake Babies (Juliana Hatfield / John Strohm / Freda Love) from 2016-10-07T19:46:16
Episode #54: In 1986, iconic alt-rock band Blake Babies was born at Berklee School of Music. John Strohm, Freda Love and Juliana Hatfield released a few albums and toured before breaking up in 1991...
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Kiran Gandhi / A2IM / Resonate from 2016-09-30T19:27:53
Episode #53: The idea of large companies collecting information about you for free feels shady, especially when they use that data for profit. Most big tech businesses collect personal information ...
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The Thermals / Portugal. The Man / Ultimate Painting / The Slants from 2016-09-23T21:36:38
Episode #52: Whether you love it or hate it, if you’re in a band, touring is something you’ve got to do. Touring has long been important for building a fanbase, gaining experience and making money....
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Dan Deacon / Merchbar / Merchtable from 2016-09-09T20:22:43
Episode #51: As other revenue streams have weakened, merch has become integral to many musicians’ incomes. Some artists take things beyond the traditional band tee, selling everything from cologne ...
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NMPA / David Lowery / Chris Castle from 2016-08-26T20:30:59
Episode #50: Think the music industry is confusing? Here’s where things get really hairy for songwriters. The Department of Justice recently issued a statement upholding consent decrees that regula...
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Rough Trade / Look Out Kid / Amelia Artists from 2016-08-19T18:05:55
Episode #49: Chances are, at least one of your favorite artists is not from the United States. It’s hard enough to break into the music industry as an American artist, so how are these acts from ab...
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Kiran Gandhi on Shock Art from 2016-08-16T00:37:57
Activist, musician and industry thinker Kiran Gandhi tells us why shock art is valuable.
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Laura Veirs / Valerie Day / Christiane Kinney / David Lowery from 2016-08-12T20:38:57
Episode #48: We’ve brought you expertise from businesspeople, gatekeepers and analysts, and today we’re highlighting a few of the many savvy artists we’ve had on the show. On this episode, musician...
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Pearl Jam / PWR BTTM / Tune-Yards / Zac Brown Band from 2016-07-29T21:23:28
Episode #47: We talk a lot about how musicians can make a living in today’s music industry, but on this episode we look at the selfless ways artists use their influence. Our guests show that musici...
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Fluff & Gravy / Tender Loving Empire / Good Cheer from 2016-07-22T18:56:50
Episode #46: In anticipation of Vortex Magazine's upcoming issue regarding the role of record labels in today's music economy, we sat down with three label heads from Portland to talk about what la...
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Pickathon / Rifflandia / Summerfest from 2016-07-08T19:27:58
Episode #45: Despite the music industry’s economic downturn, more and more music festivals have popped up and many continue to thrive. Because of the booming demand for tickets, live performances h...
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40 Watt Club / Doug Fir Lounge / Monterey International from 2016-07-02T02:09:13
Episode #44: Whether it’s your first show or your dream venue, one of the most daunting tasks as a musician can be booking a gig. From the outside, it’s hard to know just how much planning goes int...
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Mute / ABKCO / Concord / Omnian from 2016-06-22T00:00
Episode #43: Each year, independent labels converge in New York to talk trade at A2IM’s annual Indie Week conference. On this episode bring you some insight into the event with a panel moderated by...
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Loma Vista / Hopeless Records / Matador Records from 2016-06-10T21:10:55
Episode #34: The term “A&R guy” is tossed around casually in the music biz — but what does the A&R division of a label do? A&R teams are traditionally charged with finding new talent, guiding artis...
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Bridgetown Comedy Festival / Shane Torres from 2016-06-03T19:34:11
Episode #42: Touring, playing festivals, meeting loyal fans. Sounds like life as a successful musician, right? On this episode we look at a different audio and performance-driven art form: stand-up...
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Sylvia Massy / Tucker Martine from 2016-05-26T00:00
Episode #41: We know that producers are integral to the recording process, but even some in the industry are still confused as to exactly what producers do. While the scope of their role can vary, ...
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Tommy Boy Ent. / MusicWatch / BuzzAngle from 2016-05-19T00:00
Episode #40: In 2016, the way people are consuming music is changing, but it might not be how you’d expect. Between ad-based and on-demand streaming, digital downloads, vinyl, and yes, CDs and cass...
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The Syndicate / Warp / Sub Pop / Mass Appeal from 2016-05-05T00:00
Episode #39: A band is ready to release new music, but how can they grab people’s attention in such a crowded market? Promoting a song or album effectively is a multi-step process that can be daunt...
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A2IM / RIAA / Perry Resnick / John Strohm from 2016-04-28T21:17:38
Episode #38: What do artists like Katy Perry, Debbie Harry, Lionel Richie and hundreds of others have against one piece of legislation? Along with many in the creative community, they’re calling fo...
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Tape Op's 20th Anniversary: Larry Crane / Tucker Martine / Tyler Stone / Dave Gross from 2016-04-15T18:06:41
When recording engineer Larry Crane started Tape Op Magazine in 1996, he printed the first issue on legal paper and Xeroxed 500 copies to send to his friends. Branded as “the creative music recordi...
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They Might Be Giants / Girlie Action from 2016-04-08T18:44:39
Episode #36: Felice Ecker started music marketing agency Girlie Action Media in 1994. Since then, their clients have included everyone from Bikini Kill to Morrissey. Today on The Future of What, we...
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Portugal. The Man / !!! / Prince Rama from 2016-04-01T17:21:42
Episode #35: Every kid dreams of being a rock star, but what does the job actually take? While touring can be fun, the realities of life on the road can be difficult to sustain. How do working arti...
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All Ages Revival: The Vera Project / Friends of Noise / Meow Meow / Semi Ok Collective / Sabonis from 2016-03-17T22:09:06
Episode #33: “Young people [are an] underserved population when it comes to the music industry.” That’s the point our guest Andre Middleton drives home on this week’s episode of The Future of What...
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Slim Moon / Ingrid Renan / Louie Bandak from 2016-03-04T20:01:24
Episode #32: You’ve put your music out there and built a solid fan base, but you may still be missing an integral part of your team -- a person who could help bring your career to the next level. B...
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Bitch Media / Tom Tom Magazine / She Shreds Magazine from 2016-02-20T05:22:03
Episode #31: If women and girls are one of the fastest growing markets in the music industry, shouldn’t they be better represented in media? That’s what some, like our guests this week, are strivin...
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Spotify's Unpaid Royalties: Melissa Ferrick / Howell O'Rear / Chris Castle / Christiane Kinney from 2016-02-13T18:21:40
Episode #30: Could two multi-million dollar lawsuits be the downfall of one of music’s most popular streaming services? Earlier this year, two class-actions were brought against streaming giant Spo...
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Pitchfork / KEXP / Riot Act Media from 2016-02-05T21:51:40
Episode #29: How do you get your music on the “it” blog or radio station? When should you hire a publicist? What does a publicist even do? These questions are common among young musicians looking f...
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The Slants / Charmaine Clamor / Mississippi Records from 2016-01-29T20:00:24
Episode #28: In an industry where it’s difficult to make a living, musicians have had to become more and more creative to survive, especially with shrinking royalties in their pockets. One way some...
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MusiCares: Neil Portnow / Andrew Joslyn / Jennifer Wit / Michael Farr / Scott Patterson from 2016-01-22T20:00:21
Episode #27: Health insurance, a 401K… employment benefits in general? Not so easy to find working in the music industry. Luckily, in 1989 the Recording Academy created the MusiCares Foundation, pr...
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2015 In Review: Kill Rock Stars / Kiran Gandhi from 2016-01-15T00:23:17
Episode #25: What do Justin Bieber and weird punk have in common? Well, not much, but we cover both on our last show of the year, where we celebrate the year in music. We also get into 2015 trends ...
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Freeform Development / Bandago / Dick Huey from 2016-01-15T00:14:08
Episode #23: Subscribers pay about $10 a month for most streaming services -- with that kind of cash, shouldn’t musicians be making more from these platforms? For their short history, music streami...
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The Future of Indies: Molly Neuman / Bruce Pavitt / Christiane Kinney / Kevin Breuner / Amy Dietz from 2016-01-15T00:01:19
Episode #22: In this episode, Portia moderates a SF Music Tech panel entitled "The Future of Indies," that was chock full of laughs and indie stalwarts of the past, present and future. Her panelist...
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tUnE-yArDs / Freeform Development Inc. from 2016-01-14T23:16:47
Episode #21: For the 15th annual Future of Music Summit, we headed to Washington DC for a special taping of The Future What. Portia talked with musician and innovator Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs a...
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Grammys In My District: Kris Orlowski / Daryl Friedman / Brandon Bush from 2016-01-14T22:32:49
Episode #19: When people hear about the Recording Academy, some scratch their heads in wonder, while others immediately recognize them as the organization that puts on the Grammy Awards every year....
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Bandcamp / Frankie Cosmos / Laura Veirs / Sahel Sounds from 2016-01-14T22:12:23
Episode #18: Some music services are more "artist friendly" than others, and some might say that Bandcamp is the ultimate in that regard. Unlike other services that charge artists a per year fee fo...
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Poly-Graph / AdShare / Jeff Slate / Mark Mulligan from 2016-01-14T21:58:19
Episode #17: As the music industry continues to shrink, investors have begun to circle around record labels and holders of large back catalogs, likely in the hopes of acquiring large amounts of pub...
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The Billions Corporation / Innovative Leisure / Onto Entertainment from 2016-01-14T21:39:14
Episode #16: In the second installment of our "Gatekeeper's Roundtable," we speak with Ali Hedrick of The Billions Corporation about some of the new acts that she's working with, and how they've co...
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Pomplamoose / Alicia J. Rose / Courtney Smith / Wind-Up Records from 2016-01-14T21:19:48
Episode #15: In this episode, we explore the historical impact of musical videos by looking at the advent and evolution of MTV, and the explosion of YouTube as a format for music, and music videos....
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ASCAP / CD Baby / SoundExchange from 2016-01-13T21:38:07
Episode #26: You've recorded a song, now you want people to hear it. What's next? Our guests this week guide us through the basics of PROs and song distribution.
ASCAP's Marc Emert-Hutner...
Slim Moon / Ken Cheppaikode / Theo Craig from 2015-08-25T22:00:33
Episode #14: In this episode, we speak with three different musical gatekeepers about what gets them to lower their guard long enough to allow a band safe passage to the next level in their career....
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Secretly Canadian / Here We Go Magic / Rhapsody from 2015-08-18T18:57:52
Episode #13: Brooklyn band Here We Go Magic is set to release their fourth album with indie label Secretly Canadian on October 15th, and we wanted to explore the process that the album went through...
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BerkleeICE / David Lowery / SoundExchange / Temporary Residence Ltd. from 2015-08-11T14:24:58
Episode #12: In this episode, we dig deep into the "Fair Music: Transparency and Money Flows in the Music Industry” report recently presented by the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship ...
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Record Store Day / Cascade Record Pressing / Darius Van Arman from 2015-07-26T00:00
Episode #10: At the height of the vinyl industry, over a billion units were being pressed per year in the United States. But, after the advent of the cassette and compact disc, vinyl production num...
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Hari Kondabolu / Amy Miller / Nathan Brannon / Adam Triplett from 2015-07-13T22:04:31
Episode #9: Is Comedy The New Punk Rock? With Hari Kondabolu, Amy Miller, Nathan Brannon, and Adam Triplett from Helium Comedy Club!
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Rough Trade / Burger Records / Not Not Fun Records / Creative Loafing from 2015-06-21T00:00
Episode #8: A lot of discussion has been had recently about the resurgence of vinyl, but there are other formats that are also increasing in market share within the industry. In this episode, we ta...
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The "Fair Play, Fair Pay" Act from 2015-06-06T00:00
Episode #6: If you're a baker, you get paid for the bread you make. If you're a driver, you get paid for the road you travel. But if you're a singer, you DON'T get paid for the songs you sing that ...
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Marnie Stern / Explode Into Colors / Jon Fine from 2015-05-29T00:00
Episode #5: In this episode, Portia discusses the changing nature of scenes with Jon Fine (the author of "Your Band Sucks"), Marnie Stern (8G Band), and Claudia Meza (Explode Into Colors). In the a...
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Pandora's Move To Terrestrial Radio from 2015-05-14T00:00
Episode #4:This month, the FCC ruled internet radio company Pandora could buy a small radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota. So why does Pandora want to run a small, top-40 station in one of th...
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Summer Cannibals / Kill Rock Stars / CD Baby / Pearl Jam's Ten Club / Pledge Music from 2015-05-07T00:00
Episode #3: This episode of the Future of What focuses on "Direct To Fan" sales, which have exploded in recent years thanks to the internet. Jessica Boudreaux and Marc Swart of Summer Cannibals and...
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Matt FX (Broad City) / Warner Bros. / SONGS Music Publishing from 2015-05-01T00:00
Episode #2: This episode of the Future of What focuses on sync licensing, which is the process by which music is sync'd to picture, as is the case in advertising, movie trailers, etc. Justin Ringle...
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The Thermals / SoundExchange / NARAS / Dualtone Records / The Daily Journal from 2015-04-23T00:00
Episode #1: How are artists making money in the new economy? Some artists are fighting the corporations and winning: The Turtles and the pre-1972 copyright debate. What is SoundExchange and why doe...
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