Business Side of Music

Thinking about signing a record deal? Or wondering if you even need one anymore?

Sandy McGraw has worked full time in the music business since he was 15. He started in publishing doing archival work on his great grandfather’s songwriting catalog, worked at a boutique jazz label in high school, moved to Los Angeles at 19 to work with Michael Feinstein, and went on to tour manage and day to day manage for Liza Minnelli. Today he runs Melody Place, an independent record label in Nashville.

Sarah sits down with Sandy to talk about what a record deal really looks like now, and why the old “sign it, take the advance, see you later” model doesn’t hold up anymore. Sandy explains why his label structures deals as 50/50 net profit splits, why he thinks the master ownership fight will matter less over time, and why he treats streaming as a marketing expense instead of an income source.

If you’re an independent artist, artist manager or young music industry professional trying to figure out how labels, 360 deals and artist development work today, start here.

In this episode:

• How the modern record deal is different from deals 10 or 20 years ago
• Why indie labels do the artist development majors won’t
• 360 deals explained, and why aligned interests can mean bigger budgets for the artist
• What an A&R person actually looks for (hint: it’s still the song)
• Master ownership, net profit deals, and why your masters are your 401k
• Streaming royalties vs. real income: touring, superfans, merch, PROs and SoundExchange
• Why sync licensing is more crowded than people think
• What labels offer now beyond distribution: management help, booking, networking and time to develop
• Where record deals are headed in the next five years
• How labels and artists are using AI music tools, and why transparency matters
• Sandy’s one piece of advice: passion isn’t enough




The Business Side of Music helps independent artists and entertainment professionals understand the business so they can focus on the art.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

There's more advice for new artists than ever: TikTok tips, podcasts, books, platforms pitching a "must-have" tool every week. Most of it never gets acted on, and chasing all of it can keep independent artists from moving forward.

In this episode of the Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with Dave Rose, owner of Deep South Entertainment and an artist manager since 1995. They strip the noise away and walk through the ten basics every developing artist should focus on to build a music career with a real strategy.

You'll hear how to tell the difference between an opportunity and a strategy, and Dave's three-month notepad trick for testing shiny objects before you spend time or money on them. You'll also hear why the order of your steps matters (one artist showed up with an LLC, a website, and a checking account, but no songs), how to record without spending your life savings, and how to define your brand as a voice and values rather than a logo. They also cover why you should claim every social platform but only focus on the ones where your fans actually are, how to set six-month, one-year, and five-year goals, and how to release, measure, and adjust. Sarah also shares a fan campaign that tripled a young artist's pre-saves.

You'll also learn why an email address or phone number is the most valuable thing a fan can give you, and why social media is rented space you don't control.

If you're an independent artist, songwriter, or musician trying to figure out where to start, or an artist manager or music professional who wants to help clients cut through the noise, this one is for you. Dave also leaves you with the one question to answer before anything else: what does success mean to you?

The Business Side of Music helps independent artists and entertainment professionals understand the business so they can focus on the art.

To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

Uploading your song to Spotify is not the same as registering it, and that gap is costing artists real money. Every stream actually generates three separate royalties, but most artists only ever collect one.

In this episode, Sarah sits down with George Macias, founder of Lumoza and a music industry veteran from EMI Music Publishing and Universal Music Group, to break down what a royalty actually is, why your song has two halves (composition and sound recording) that both need separate registration, and what happens to royalty money that never gets claimed.

What you'll learn:

• The three royalty streams one stream can generate, and why distributors only cover one
• What "registering" a song actually means
• How long you have to claim unclaimed royalty money before it's gone for good
• The exact checklist: a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC), the MLC, and SoundExchange
• How Lumoza automates the whole process

Lumoza is a music rights platform that automatically registers your songs with the right organizations so you get paid everything you're owed. Register your first song for free at lumoza.io/bsom

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

Why do artists get busier than ever and still go broke? Because most musicians treat the paycheck as profit and forget the costs that consume it.

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Gary Arbuthnot and Craig Meyer, co-founders of GigLogic, a pricing and negotiation tool built for touring artists. Craig is a lifelong performer with Broadway, film, and Disney voice credits, and creator of the touring show Rocket Man: The Elton John Experience. Gary is a classical flutist turned booking agent who spent 20+ years headlining on cruise lines before moving to the agency side of the business.

They break down the one cost almost every artist forgets (it's taxes, and it can catch you owing thousands), how merchandise sales trigger tax filings in every state you sell in, and how to choose between a flat guarantee, a straight door split, or a back-end deal depending on where you are in your career. They also get into what real negotiating leverage looks like for a new artist, why 100 true fans beat 10,000 passive followers, and the red flags in an offer sheet that mean it's time to walk away.

What you'll learn:

Why artists can be busier than ever and still be losing money on every gig

The most common cost musicians forget to factor into an offer

How merchandise sales create tax obligations most artists don't see coming

How to evaluate a flat guarantee, a door split, and a back-end deal

What real negotiating leverage looks like for a new or independent artist

Why organic, local fans matter more than a big but passive following

The red flags in a contract that signal a gig isn't worth taking

"Most artists think that the paycheck is the profit." — Gary Arbuthnot

"The sustained artist is the free artist." — Craig A. Meyer

Learn more about GigLogic at giglogic.com

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

Most artists sign with a manager and have no idea what they're actually agreeing to. In this episode, Sarah sits down with James Hodgin, an artist manager since 1995 who has worked with Thousand Foot Krutch, Chris August, Zane Williams, Kylie Rae Harris, and has managed Michael Martin Murphy since 2018 — taking his Spotify audience from 75,000 to 850,000 monthly listeners.

James breaks down what actually makes an artist-manager relationship work, why he compares it to a marriage, and why trust — not talent alone — is what determines whether that relationship survives. He also introduces the "grief to income ratio," the unspoken math every manager runs on whether an artist is worth the headache, and explains why he doesn't use contracts with his artists at all.

Sarah and James also get into what it actually takes to break a new artist in 2026, why viral moments don't always translate to ticket sales, and why relationships — not metrics — are still the thing that moves a career forward.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the artist-manager relationship is the closest thing to a marriage in the music industry
• The "grief to income ratio" and how it determines whether a manager stays or walks away
• Why James doesn't use contracts and what he does instead
• How to know when trust has broken down beyond repair
• What it actually takes to break a new artist in 2026 without a label
• Why viral views don't always translate to a paying audience
• How artists can build the kind of relationships that actually move their career forward
• The one piece of advice James gives every artist and manager starting out

If you're an independent artist, aspiring manager, or anyone trying to understand what a real artist-manager relationship should look like, this episode pulls back the curtain on a side of the business almost no one talks about honestly.

To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

Jorge Brea has spent 20 years watching songs succeed and fail at scale. As founder and CEO of Symphonic, he's distributed over two million songs, and in this episode he gets refreshingly honest about what actually separates the records that break through from the ones that disappear.

Sarah and Jorge dig into the three things breakthrough songs have in common, why release day is the start of your campaign and not the finish line, and the uncomfortable truth about the six-week lead time (spoiler: even the distributors don't love it). Jorge also explains why he tells independent artists to skip the album, how to know when it's time to stop pushing a single and move on, why collaborations are one of the most underrated algorithm plays available, and what major labels buying up distributors really means for independent artists.

Plus: the release planning tools Symphonic is building, a new feature that will show artists their skip rates and saves on Spotify, and the one piece of advice Jorge gives every artist about control, contracts, and staying in it for the long haul.

Whether you're releasing your first single or your fiftieth, this one will reset your expectations in the best way.

Connect with Jorge and Symphonic: symphonic.com

To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.Follow us:Facebook: @tbsompodcastInstagram: @bsompodcastTikTok: @bsompodcastwww.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

Music videos are no longer just promotional tools. In today's music industry, they are one of the most powerful ways to drive discovery, build fandom, and create new revenue streams.

In this episode of The Business Side of Music, Sarah Fleshner sits down with Jordan Glickson, Vice President of Music and Talent at VEVO, to discuss how artists can use visual content to grow their careers in 2026 and beyond.

Jordan shares how VEVO approaches artist development, why music videos remain at the center of successful release strategies, and how independent artists can compete without massive budgets. From short form content and YouTube algorithms to connected TV and fan engagement, this conversation is packed with practical advice artists can apply immediately.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why music videos are still essential for artist growth
• How visual content turns casual listeners into loyal fans
• The ideal content rollout strategy for a new release
• How often artists should be releasing video content
• Ways to create high impact visuals without spending a fortune
• What VEVO looks for when spotlighting emerging artists
• How to maximize discovery across YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, and connected TV
• The biggest mistake artists make with visual marketing

Whether you're an independent artist, manager, marketer, or music entrepreneur, this episode will help you build a smarter visual strategy that drives long term career growth.

To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

What does it really take to build power in the music industry?

In this episode of The Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with renowned entertainment attorney, activist, author, and artist advocate Dina LaPolt for a candid conversation about the evolving music business and what artists need to know to protect their careers.

From her unconventional journey as a musician-turned-lawyer to helping shape landmark legislation like the Music Modernization Act, Dina shares the experiences that made her one of the most influential voices in entertainment law. Together, Sarah and Dina discuss artist ownership, negotiating leverage, catalog sales, streaming royalties, the rise of artificial intelligence, and why business education is one of the most valuable investments any artist can make.

Whether you're an independent artist, manager, songwriter, or music industry professional, this episode offers practical insights on building a sustainable career and maintaining control of your creative future.

You'll also hear Dina's perspective on why artists should focus on creating great art before chasing deals, how to recognize when it's time to partner with a label, and what the next generation of creators needs to know about protecting their rights in an AI-driven world.

If you're serious about understanding the business behind the music, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Street Smart - Dina LaPlolt: https://linktr.ee/streetsmartlapolt

Watch the full episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/DSB7inGE08A

Topics Included:

Music industry attorney Dina LaPolt, artist rights, music business education, AI in the music industry, artificial intelligence and copyright law, artist ownership, music publishing, songwriter royalties, streaming royalties, Music Modernization Act (MMA), Music Licensing Collective (MLC), mechanical royalties, music copyright law, intellectual property rights, No Fakes Act, AI voice cloning, artist advocacy, independent artist success, record label deals, music industry contracts, entertainment law, music business strategy, catalog sales, music catalog acquisitions, artist leverage, negotiating record deals, music industry trends, creator rights, songwriter compensation, independent music careers, artist development, music management, women in the music industry, building a sustainable music career, protecting your music rights, music industry leadership, future of the music business, digital streaming, music licensing, entrepreneurship for artists, music industry news and insights.

In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association, for an in-depth conversation about the growing controversy surrounding concert industry monopolization, ticketing fees, artist touring control, and the future of independent music venues.

From rising ticket prices and restrictive tour routing to venue consolidation and the challenges facing independent artists, this episode breaks down how today’s live music ecosystem impacts musicians, managers, promoters, venues, and fans alike. Stephen explains the ongoing antitrust lawsuit making headlines across the music industry, why independent venues are struggling to survive, and what changes could reshape the future of concert touring.

Sarah and Stephen also discuss:

• How major concert companies control touring, ticketing, and venue access
• Why independent venues are critical for developing artists
• The impact of radius clauses and tour restrictions on musicians
• The future of concert ticket prices and resale markets
• How independent artists can build touring careers outside the major systems
• Why artist advocacy and industry transparency matter more than ever

If you’re an independent artist, artist manager, venue owner, promoter, music industry professional, or live music fan, this episode gives a behind-the-scenes look at the business of touring and the fight for the future of independent music.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with artist manager and branding expert Leigh Holt to break down what it really takes to build a sustainable career in today’s music industry. From artist management and tour chaos to leadership, team building, and execution over perfection, this conversation is packed with real-world insights for independent artists, managers, and music entrepreneurs.

Leigh shares hard-earned lessons from working with major artists, navigating live events, and surviving industry challenges like COVID—covering topics like how to grow a loyal team, why your word is your currency, and how indie artists can succeed without waiting on a record label. If you’re building a career in music, scaling your brand, or trying to stand out in the independent music scene, this episode delivers actionable strategies on leadership, communication, and long-term success in the music business.

To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.

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© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.