Billboard On The Record

Global music has expanded far beyond its borders, with genres like Latin and Afrobeats reaching audiences around the world at a rate like never before. Live from Billboard Latin Music Week, Billboard On the Record host Kristin Robinson is joined by Ghazi, CEO/founder of EMPIRE, to discuss how he has grown the label from a hip-hop-focused company into a global music powerhouse with signings ranging from Latin America, Southeast Asia and North Africa. They explore why Ghazi invested in certain genres before they were fully monetized, and how visa and immigration issues in the U.S. are affecting Latin artists’ touring schedules.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are more independent artists than ever today — but does that actually mean being independent has gotten easier? Molly Neuman, president of CD Baby, sits down with Billboard On The Record host Kristin Robinson for an episode about the evolution of being an independent artist, from the ’90s, when Neuman started her punk band Bratmobile, to today. They chat through how Napster, digital distribution and streaming transformed the industry, while diving into how artists have more leverage and options now than ever before. With that leverage, though, come new challenges, from an overwhelming volume of songs to rising marketing costs.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the music industry faces a new era of AI, the fight over artists’ rights is playing out in Washington D.C. On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, host Kristin Robinson is joined by Mitch Glazier, Chairman/CEO of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), to discuss the intersection of music and politics, the importance of keeping the music industry top of mind in a crowded political climate and the introduction of the NO FAKES Act, which is making its way through Congress. From AI transparency and standardized labeling to whether AI is the next Napster, Glazier and Robinson take a look at the RIAA’s work to protect the recorded music industry.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by BMI.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Warner Music executive shakeups to Dolly Parton’s inheritance, streaming fraud and big AI news from Suno Music and Eleven Labs, September 2026 shaped up to be a busy month in the music industry. On this special bonus episode of Billboard On The Record, host Kristin Robinson sits down with Billboard executive editor of business Dan Rys to break down some of the month’s biggest headlines.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sampling has shaped some of the most influential music of the last 50 years — and Questlove has been there for much of its evolution. The musician and music historian joins Billboard’s Kristin Robinson on Billboard On The Record for a conversation about his Earth, Wind & Fire documentary — Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) — the history of sampling and his work as a music historian. From the lawsuit against Biz Markie, which made sampling more difficult and expensive, to AI-generated crate digging and the surge of catalog sales, Questlove shares his insight into sampling’s evolution and how it changed the music business.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Taylor Swift to Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams, Aaron Dessner is one of the industry’s most sought-after collaborators. The musician, producer and record label owner has built a career across many different corners of the music industry, from his work with The National to producing and writing with some of today’s biggest artists to launching a studio, record label and a number of music festivals. Dessner joins Billboard’s Kristin Robinson on this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record to talk through his music industry journey, the art of collaboration, and how his experimentation with founding record labels and music festivals fed his artistic drive. 

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

Kristin’s episode glam is sponsored by Booka, the new and easiest way to book LA’s most sought-after beauty and wellness professionals—all vetted, curated, and bookable in one place. For a limited time, use code BILLBOARD30 at checkout for $30 off your first booking when you go to Booka.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nostalgia is shaping what listeners stream. On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, Luminate CEO Rob Jonas sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson to unpack the data behind the resurgence of catalog music and what it says about the way people discover and engage with their favorite songs today. From the rise of ’90s and 2000s hits to the growing influence of film and television placements, Jonas explains how streaming has transformed the music business into a data-driven industry where catalog listening continues to climb and algorithms are shaping the way artists and songs break through. Jonas also talks about the challenges facing new music in a world where 150,000 songs are uploaded to streaming platforms every day, the resurgence of CDs and the ways in which superfans are adapting to a rapidly changing music landscape.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

 This episode is sponsored by RIAA.

Kristin’s episode glam is sponsored by Booka, the new and easiest way to book LA’s most sought-after beauty and wellness professionals—all vetted, curated, and bookable in one place. For a limited time, use code BILLBOARD30 at checkout for $30 off your first booking when you go to Booka.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind television’s biggest live moments is a music director meticulously planning every detail from start to finish, and for many of today’s biggest live broadcasts, that man is Ray Chew. As he enters his 17th season as music director of “Dancing with the Stars,” Chew sits down with host Kristin Robinson for a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into bringing the show’s weekly live performances to life. From collaborating with choreographers and his 14-person band to navigating the last-minute changes that come with live television, Chew shares what it truly takes to make the show a success. Chew also shares stories from some of his other career highlights, including Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, “Saturday Night Live” and conducting a 64-piece orchestra for “A Night of Inspiration” at Carnegie Hall, while reflecting on the musical inspirations and experiences that have shaped his decades-long career as a music director.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Breaking news in the AI music world: Suno CEO and co-founder Mikey Shulman sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson for the launch of Suno’s new V6 models, which he says were made “in partnership with the industry” for the first time. Though Suno is actively being sued by a number of music companies, like Universal, Sony, SOCAN, Koda and more, for copyright infringement, the AI music company has also announced three partnerships in the music biz — Warner Music Group, Believe and BMG — and V6 marks the first time Suno is sharing its revenue with industry partners. Shulman also shares that, later on, he believes these partnerships are laying the groundwork for future Suno products that let fans remix, sample and interact with artists’ music that choose to participate.  

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a bad way for songs to go viral? Fifteen years after the release of “Friday,” singer-songwriter Rebecca Black sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson to explore whether artists can go viral before they’re able to capitalize on it — a question Black knows better than almost anyone after becoming an internet phenomenon at just 13 years old. With today’s TikTok algorithms creating more opportunities for virality, Black and Robinson discuss how the internet has evolved from a more unified “monoculture” to a hyper-personalized algorithmic experience. Black walks listeners through the aftermath of her viral moment, how she reclaimed “Friday” as her own and how she built an independent career beyond the song that first made her famous. Plus, Black discusses her new album, Age of the Exhibitionist, and what she’s learned about navigating the music industry over the past 15 years.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices