What if the biggest thing holding musicians back is not talent, but mindset?

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with DJ Bander, Zach Schnall, CEO of Bander Productions, to explore how artists can build real career momentum in today’s music business. From jazz roots to electronic dance music success, Zach shares how he transitioned genres, built a brand, invested in marketing, and developed the business skills most musicians ignore.

This is a deep dive into branding, social media strategy, financial literacy, EDM production standards, and why waiting to be discovered is no longer a viable strategy in the modern music industry. If you want to learn something about the music business that you never knew before, this conversation delivers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Musicians struggle because they are waiting to be discovered instead of building leverage
• Labels want to see that you are already basically on the 80 yard line
• Investing in your brand is essential, trying to find the cheapest way can hurt your career
• Dance music requires concise structure, professional edits, and release ready production
• Downtempo allows more compositional freedom, EDM demands technical precision and relevance
• Marketing success depends on long term commitment, not short timelines
• Bringing in an audience is only part of the equation, artists must actively engage
• Financial literacy is critical, advances are often debt and poor management can derail careers
• Mentorship accelerates growth in ways YouTube and AI alone cannot
• The best artists trust the love they have for their own sound while being their most honest critic

Chapters: 

00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:15 - From jazz piano to electronic music
00:03:15 - Becoming DJ Bander and learning to DJ
00:04:54 - Why EDM is technically harder than it sounds
00:06:52 - Release-ready production and commercial standards
00:08:56 - Edit justifications and structure in long tracks
00:11:24 - Staying relevant in a competitive EDM market
00:14:11 - Building capital, investing in brand and ads
00:16:58 - Waiting to be discovered vs building leverage
00:19:01 - Financial literacy and managing advances
00:22:40 - Branding your name with intention
00:25:08 - The mentorship mistake young artists make
00:26:53 - The best advice he ever received
00:28:28 - How to connect with DJ Bander

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

Is the gig economy really built to support musicians and freelancers, or is it setting them up to fail?

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby talks with Ben Ikwaugwu, CEO of SoundCheck Live, about why the freelance economy is growing faster than the tools designed to support it. Drawing from his background as a professional vocalist and supply chain professional, Ben explains why fragmented communication, lack of systems, and one time execution pressure make it harder than ever for musicians and gig operators to run a sustainable business.

Ben also shares how SoundCheck Live is being built as an operating system for the gig economy, and why understanding people, workflows, and relationships matters more than technology alone.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• “Companies are operating more and more with freelancers, but they want to act like they’re enterprises.”
• “The number one pain that we’re eliminating right now is the fragmentation of managing gigs and freelancers.”
• “You don’t get a performance review in the gig economy. You have one time maybe to just screw it up.”
• “Musicians turned business owners are some of the best negotiators, but some of the worst at building systems.”
• “We’re building an operating system for on demand teams.”
• “You have to be really good at your job to keep getting jobs.”
• “More than half of the US economy will be freelance.”
• “We don’t have infrastructure built for people who don’t operate nine to five.”
• “The world is built on relationships and how you treat people.”

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Coming up...
00:01:14 - Meet Ben Ikwaugwu and the gig economy problem
00:03:21 - Learning systems through supply chain
00:05:08 - The idea behind SoundCheck Live
00:07:37 - Fragmentation in gig management
00:11:50 - Why the gig economy gives you one shot
00:16:10 - Education, AI, and building your own tools
00:21:14 - Leadership lessons from supply chain
00:26:19 - Building teams and company culture
00:29:00 - Advice on balance and staying grounded

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What really matters in music production when AI can generate songs, demos, and arrangements almost instantly? 

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with legendary Nashville engineer and producer Ed Seay to unpack how AI, modern songwriting practices, and changing production tools are reshaping the music business. From demo studios being bypassed to why human instinct still cannot be replaced, this conversation offers an inside look at where music has been and where it is headed.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• “90% of the people in the world aren’t pros. It’s all about the song and the singer.”
• “You give it the prompts and then it spits it back at you in like five or six seconds for different versions.”
• “They’ve analyzed everything from Bach to now.”
• “They don’t know what you’re thinking of tomorrow or next week.”
• “If somebody can create a demo, you just eliminated the players that were going to play on it.”
• “The sum of all the stuff sounds great, but the individuals don’t.”
• “If it sounds good, it is good.”
• “I remain the boss. I don’t let it become the boss.”
• “Everything is moving really fast and interesting to watch.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

Why Do Musicians Still Struggle to Grow a Fanbase in 2026?

This week on Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Prospect Hill drummer and FanFlowy co-founder Mark Roberge reveals how the music industry still lacks the systems that every other business takes for granted. From cost-per-acquisition to automated fan engagement, Mark shares why most artists burn out - and how FanFlowy was built to fix that. If you're serious about building a music career that scales, this is a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• The music industry lacks core systems like cost-per-acquisition tracking
• Why so many talented artists give up before making it
• How FanFlowy automates fan engagement, growth, and nurturing
• The role of DMs, funnels, and targeted ads in fanbase building
• Why Spotify and YouTube followers are harder to grow than monthly listeners
• How conversation trees inside Instagram helped convert fans
• Why “real” content outperforms polished production in ad strategy
• The importance of mental toughness and staying power in music
• How Indie Artist Compass maps the path to real income from music
• The dangers of relying too much on AI-generated music

BEST MOMENTS
00:00:10. “That’s Mark Roberge, rock drummer and co-founder of FanFlowy.”
00:00:19. “They’re losing because the workload is so crushing.”
00:01:44. “It’s not just make your music and then go play live. It doesn’t work like that.”
00:03:01. “Every other industry has this and the music industry did not.”
00:05:14. “The hardest one to grow is the follower count on Spotify and the subscriber count on YouTube.”
00:06:02. “They went from a ghost town to hundreds of messages in their DMs.”
00:10:56. “The migration thing is a big deal. Do you have a way to do that?”
00:13:20. “I want all the marketing to happen as well.”
00:21:08. “I just gave you the foundation. Get the foundation laid, get it set up.”
00:30:23. “If you really want this bad, you have to be all in and you have to take the hits.”

Also, a video version of this podcast is now available on YouTube as well.

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What happens when a lifelong audio engineer suddenly can’t work in a studio anymore?

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Luke Delalio, engineer, educator, cognitive artist, photographer, and creative force at Korneff Audio. Luke shares the deeply personal story of how tinnitus changed everything, forcing him to step away from music production just as his career was thriving.

But what began as a devastating setback became the catalyst for an entirely new creative life. From theater to photography, plugin design to painting, Luke’s journey shows how curiosity, experimentation, and a refusal to follow the rules can lead to surprising breakthroughs.

If you’ve ever had to reinvent yourself, or are curious about the mindset behind some of the most innovative audio tools today, this is a must-listen.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• How tinnitus forced Luke to abruptly leave the music industry
• Why boredom can be a powerful driver of creativity
• How Luke helped shape Korneff Audio's unique plugin philosophy
• The engineering story behind Chocolate Milk and the Siemens W295 EQ
• How real studio problems inspired new plugin workflows
• Why Luke believes experimentation is central to audio innovation
• The hidden history of the Sound Techniques console
• How photography and theater helped rebuild Luke’s creative identity
• Why he’s skeptical about AI’s impact on the future of creativity
• The one piece of life advice Luke regrets not following sooner

BEST MOMENTS:

00:03:18. “It just never stopped. It's been my one true love.”
00:04:56. “Dan showed up at my mom's funeral and said, I'm setting up Cornford Audio. You want to come along?”
00:06:01. “That is pretty much mapped to Dan's thinking big because he was always a tinkerer.”
00:09:09. “That's like the real fun of being in a recording studio, was all the experimenting.”
00:17:09. “Tinnitus is audible anxiety.”
00:22:09. “I'm writing about that, and I'm trying to figure out what console was it mixed on... Sound Techniques.”
00:33:16. “The things that really get under my skin are the moments when I've been unkind.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

Can one sync placement change your entire music career?

On this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, I’m joined by Chris SD - producer, engineer, songwriter, and founder of Sync Songwriter. Chris has helped artists get $30,000 placements, land Billboard features, and book world tours through sync licensing. In this deep-dive conversation, he breaks down how sync really works today, why connections matter more than ever, and how indie artists can win big in film and TV without major label backing.

If you’ve ever dreamed of getting your music into movies, shows, or commercials, this episode is your ultimate roadmap.

You can find out more about Chris SD's Art Of The Song Pitch program here - https://www.syncsongwriterprograms.com/a/2148209546/o6RJ27FZ

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• What a music supervisor actually does
• Why sync licensing is the last place for massive music exposure
• Why indie music is often preferred over major label tracks
• Why you need to write authentically, not “for sync”
• How AI is affecting sync, and what it can’t do
• What supervisors look for in an ideal track
• Why relationships are more valuable than random pitches
• The difference between stems, masters, and what’s really required
• How The Art of the Song Pitch program works
• Why now is the time to act, not just learn


BEST MOMENTS:

00:01:32. “A music supervisor is someone who is hired by movie studios, TV studios, ad agencies to go and find music.”
00:02:57. “Indie music, that's exactly where indie music comes in.”
00:04:37. “Every single story I've heard, even the ones that look like people just went viral, there was someone involved who was connected in the industry.”
00:06:18. “Music supervisors are the new A&R.”
00:10:07. “Nora Ryder won five Oscars... the genres were jazz and Russian hip hop.”
00:14:06. “You can't legally place an AI song in TV and film right now.”
00:20:32. “You're certified. You're ready for me to introduce you to music supervisors.”
00:31:08. “It wasn't for the money. The money is amazing... but the reason I got into it was the exposure.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What does a life in music look like when you follow curiosity instead of chasing titles? In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, 7-time Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and songwriter Brent Maher shares a remarkable journey across genres, generations, and creative mediums. From recording legends like Elvis and Duke Ellington to discovering The Judds and inventing a new format - a musical novel - Brent’s stories reveal how passion and patience can outlast trends and change the industry from the inside.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Success is doing what you love, not chasing recognition
• Brent’s path from engineer to producer to songwriter was guided by curiosity
• How a surprise moment led to Tina Turner recording one of his songs
• The unique way he discovered and developed The Judds
• Recording Duke Ellington and how it fulfilled a lifelong dream
• Why he never actually met Elvis despite engineering his last #1 hit
• How Brent produced an entire Elvis track from Jungle Room rehearsal tapes
• Creating the world’s first musical audiobook, Night of the Orphan Train
• The untold story behind America’s Orphan Train movement
• A touching story of how a stranger helped him buy his first Gretsch guitar

BEST MOMENTS
00:02:43. “I couldn't really go to sleep... I wound up writing a song that evening.”
00:04:10. “Tina can't get that song out of her head. She wants to cut it.”
00:06:54. “Naomi Judd was a registered nurse... and Diana loved her.”
00:09:15. “We wound up with three songs that were quite different, but there was something that would weave them all together.”
00:13:16. “I engineered Duke Ellington’s... maybe his second or third last record before he passed away.”
00:20:10. “Every time he quit singing, you'd hear the other band. This was pre-automation.”
00:22:51. “It’s a musical novel... a fictional audiobook with songs woven in like a musical.”
00:35:35. “She said, I will co-sign this guitar as if I'm your mother. That woman changed my life.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

What does the future really hold for music in 2026?

In this solo episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby delivers a rapid-fire rundown of where the industry is headed, and what musicians, producers, and music pros need to prepare for right now. From AI-generated music to streaming platform shifts, gear market slowdowns, and major label controversies, these predictions cut through the hype and hit the heart of what’s changing.

If you care about the music business, you can’t afford to miss this one.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Streaming prices are rising as subscriber growth plateaus
• YouTube is quickly becoming the #1 music streaming destination
• AI slop is clogging platforms and turning off listeners
• Major labels are cutting deals with AI music generators, often at artists’ expense
• Human musicianship is making a comeback
• Another round of venue closures is coming
• Big music gear consolidation and fewer product releases ahead
• Social media fatigue is real, artists are quietly pulling back
• A Grammy nomination for an AI music designer is highly likely
• NAMM and other major industry shows continue to shrink

BEST MOMENTS:

00:01:02. “There will be a revolt against AI, yes and no.”
00:02:07. “I predicted a new artificial reality experience... that didn’t happen at all.”
00:04:28. “In 2025, I predicted the TikTok ban in the US would hold.”
00:08:39. “Private equity investment in record labels, yes, this did come to pass.”
00:11:08. “Fintech for musicians takes off.”
00:15:23. “Let’s get to 2026 predictions.”
00:16:45. “I predict AI slop becomes intolerable.”
00:18:13. “Artists will leave major labels over Suno and Udio deals.”
00:29:10. “I predict an AI music designer will be nominated for a Grammy.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
https://apodcastgeek.com/

2025 was wild. Is the music business finally changing for good?

In this solo edition of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby breaks down the most important developments across music, audio, and tech in 2025. From AI-generated hits to Spotify insiders cashing out, this episode is packed with sharp insights that every music creator, producer, or business insider needs to hear. Whether you're trying to keep up or stay ahead, this annual year-in-review will leave you better informed and ready to thrive in 2026.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• AI-generated artists like Velvet Sundown gained massive traction - before the truth unraveled
• Major labels settled lawsuits with AI platforms instead of protecting artists
• Streaming growth has stalled, and Spotify execs are quietly cashing out
• Gen Z is consuming less music, with a shift toward video platforms like YouTube Shorts
• Copyright rulings now require human authorship to qualify for protection
• Touring is becoming unaffordable for 82% of independent artists
• Live venues face financial collapse, despite the boom in live music revenue
• New immersive audio format “Eclipse” launches from Samsung and Google
• The DAW Project exchange format could finally fix cross-platform session sharing
• TikTok’s fate remains uncertain, and its music influence is fading fast

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:13. “This was a big year for AI and especially AI music.”
00:02:00. “We’re trying to show the flaws in the streaming distribution system.”
00:03:00. “It underscores the importance of authenticity.”
00:04:00. “They settled - because they want more money in their pockets.”
00:07:07. “If there’s no human author, there is no copyright.”
00:08:06. “You are now an AI music designer.”
00:10:29. “Now your mailing list and brand matter more than SEO.”
00:13:05. “Daniel Ek is a founder of a European AI military company.”
00:21:01. “The state of live music is indeed fragile.”

Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://sholink.to/themixingengineershandbook

Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.

📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskibooks

🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinskieqcourse

🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.
Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://sholink.to/vocalmixingcourse

🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:
https://sholink.to/bobbyowsinski

📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social

🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.

Produced by APodcastGeek
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Is your music really yours in the age of AI?

In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Marc Gray, CEO of SonicOrigin, dives into the future of audio verification. From watermarking that survives TikTok filters to tracking AI-generated content, Marc shares why authentication is becoming essential in today’s music and media industries. If you’re a creator, label, engineer or just curious about where music tech is heading, this episode will open your eyes to the tools that may soon become standard.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Why people no longer trust what they see or hear online
• What makes content “copyrightable” when using AI tools
• How SonicOrigin’s watermarking survives pitch, speed, and format changes
• Why mastering engineers are ideal for embedding watermark tech
• How new California laws will impact AI content labeling
• Differences between watermarking, signal injection, and fingerprinting
• How multiple payloads allow metadata to be private or public
• The role of distributed ledgers in proving content provenance
• Why industry-wide buy-in is essential for adoption
• How watermarking could extend into advertising, podcasts, and deepfake detection

BEST MOMENTS

00:02:23. “We have created the most resilient watermarking technology ever created.”
00:03:03. “It survives pitch changes, speed adjustments, stem separations.”
00:03:55. “Most AI-generated content will soon be required to carry a watermark.”
00:04:49. “The minute one artist hears one artifact, you’ve lost all credibility.”
00:08:47. “You cannot escape the underlying code.”
00:10:15. “Only works if there are maybe one or two watermarks, not 85.”
00:12:22. “Nobody trusts what they see on the Internet anymore.”
00:14:04. “The commercial aspect is stopping piracy. The other is deepfake detection.”

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