#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation Podcast

It’s all about people and its all about network.

Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation is Alex Brees CEO and Founder of un:hurd music, a music tech company that uses proprietary technology to help artists reach their most valuable fans via data-led marketing campaigns. 

Throughout this conversation, Alex offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the music industry, the importance of data in crafting effective marketing strategies, and the challenges and opportunities for artists in the digital age. He emphasizes the need for artists to be adaptable, understand their audience deeply, and leverage data not just for short-term gains like playlist placements but for building a sustainable and engaged fan base.

The conversation begins with Alex detailing his educational path, studying psychology at university, which unexpectedly paved the way to a career in sales and marketing. Despite not having a formal education in sales, Alex highlights the crucial role that selling skills play in entrepreneurial success, a realization he came to understand during his university days. After university, he moved to London to tap into more significant opportunities in tech, driven by a fascination with data's power to influence marketing strategies as inspired by books like “Dataclysm: Who We Are (When We Think No One's Looking)” 

Transition to Tech and Data Analysis:

In London, Alex transitioned from basic sales roles to more complex positions where he could analyze data to drive marketing decisions. Then his tenure at a Global Investment firm, Carlyle, where he worked as a trading analyst. Here, Alex's role was pivotal in converting consumer behaviour data into actionable marketing insights, helping the company optimize its advertising spend and grow its market presence rapidly.

In the Music Industry:

Parallel to his tech career, Alex's love for music led him to organize music events, particularly in the UK rap scene, which was then burgeoning. His efforts not only provided a platform for emerging artists but also challenged the negative stereotypes often associated with the genre, thus opening more venues to these performers. This side venture eventually steered his career fully into the music industry.

Universal Music:

Alex's passion for music and data culminated in a role at Universal Music as a global analyst. Here, he was responsible for using data to optimize marketing campaigns for top-tier artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. His work involved a mix of quantitative analysis—looking at streaming and social media data—and qualitative research, such as market surveys to better understand fan desires and expectations.

un:hurd:

Drawing from his many experiences, Alex founded un:hurd, a platform designed to support underrepresented artists by using data-driven strategies to boost their careers. The platform helps artists understand their audience through detailed analysis and effective marketing strategies, mirroring the analytical approaches he honed in his previous roles but focusing on empowering smaller artists and indie labels.

un:hurd music is powerful, seamless music promotion at your fingertips. It offers you the ability to build effective promotional campaigns across all of your platforms that matter. Their technology creates a tailored list of marketing suggestions based on the user’s data and in just a few clicks, one can pitch to playlists, reach new fans on social media and launch a fan hub. Since launching, un:hurd has worked with over 65,000 artists from 129 countries, has raised over £2mil from some of the worlds most influential music investors, been featured as one of Music Ally’s start-ups to watch and has featured on BBC Dragons Den.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

un:hurd

00:10 - Byta.com

06:10 - London Drill and Trap promoting

08:14 - Being an analyst at Universal Music

10:17 - Major label resources, what that means

12:00 - The transition from Universal Music to un:hurd

12:50 - My Analyst superpowers

15:50 - Competitor analysis for music

17:30 - Wanting to scale up to help millions of musicians

20:45 - learn by doing

21:55 - What does un:hurd do for its clients

23:30 - Byta.com

24:00 - Playlisting is important, but just a part of the puzzle

26:30 - Playlist is NOT the answer

28:30 - know what your goal is as an artist 

32:00 - Spotify playlist pitching & third-party playlists

33:33 - Building momentum

35:00 - Be yourself?

36:00 - Be consistent & own your audience

39:00 - How do Majors do it and does it work for DIY?

42:00 - Create as much awareness as possible

43:15 - #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

44:45 - ABT (Always be testing) test your content types

45:50 - Always create what feels true to you,

48:30 - rasing capital for Tech.

52:42 - It's all about people, and it's all about network

54:30 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

I think PR today is more of a content coordinator or content facilitator because content right now is so fragmented across so many different mediums. Our job is really to generate awareness for what our clients are doing.

Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation  is Nancy Lu a seasoned New York-based publicist with over a decade of experience, she describes her journey from healthcare consulting and tech startups to establishing her own PR firm, Fancy PR. 

Nancy discusses her initial reluctance to pursue a career in the arts due to the instability perceived by her immigrant family background and societal expectations. However, her passion for music and involvement in the music scene in Washington D.C., where she made significant connections and wrote about music for pleasure, eventually led her to shift her career path toward her true passion.

Nancy explains the complexities of modern public relations, which has transcended traditional media to include various content platforms, making the role of a publicist more about content coordination and opportunity creation. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and personally connecting with artists to effectively communicate their stories and project visions. This approach not only enhances campaign strategies but also aligns with her belief that resonating with an artist's work can significantly improve a publicist's efficacy.

Throughout the conversation, Nancy discusses the strategic aspects of PR, such as managing expectations, defining the scope of work with clients, and the importance of strategic planning in campaign success. She touches on the challenges faced by independent artists and the role of publicists in amplifying their existing momentum rather than building it from scratch. Nancy also addresses the critical need for more inclusivity in the industry, praising initiatives like incubator programs aimed at underserved communities.

During their conversation Marc and Nancy also explore how the digital age has changed the expectations and methodologies in PR, requiring publicists to be more creative and integrated in their approach to media and content. They discuss the importance of data and analytics in shaping PR strategies and the continuous need for adaptation to the ever-evolving media landscape.

The conversation wraps up with Nancy advocating for a realistic and informed approach to PR, where understanding the artist's current standing and potential trajectory is crucial for effective publicity. She stresses that while AI may assist in streamlining processes, the creative and human aspects of public relations remain irreplaceable, underscoring the artistry behind crafting impactful public relations campaigns.

Fancy PR

The Fancy PR Story – Founded in 2013, Fancy PR is a boutique full-service public relations agency committed to storytelling. From crafting artists’ narratives to placing high-impact stories and driving cultural conversations, they love what they do. As an AAPI woman-owned Business, we’re moved by diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts and believe in the power of fans and building community.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Fancy PR

00:10 - Byta.com

02:44 - from Health Care to Tech to Music

04:24 - Wanting music but no one to look to

07:00 - DC and music connections getting started

10:15 - Moving to NYC and Girlie Action

11:36 - Post intern and Vitalic Noise

13:17 - move to Fancy PR and getting started

14:39 - Is PR today all about being a content coordinator or content facilitator

16:22 - Define the scope of work

17:30 - strategy for small vs bigger artists

20:37 - Onboarding a new client and transparency, goals

23:25 - PR usually works on retainer

24:39 - Live events are now key

26:00 - #1 set up foundation of awareness…

30:00 - Integrate your publicist into the team, share the stats

31:00 - Byta.com

32:00 - “The Report”, delivering good and bad news

36:00 - Timelines, when to pitch & when to go back

38:30 - The cold call

39:00 - Do not paste a press release into a DM

40:30 - Where do new artists need to start

42:55 - Make it personal, its not just about the music

46:00 - Don’t be a clown, unless you are a clown

48:00 - Timelines, scheduling 

50:00 - Too early, too late

50:30 - Do you need a PR?

54:30 - AI, Publicists are humans

56:00 - Byta.com

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

"When you create the conditions to be able to cultivate the work that you want, then that's what's going to allow you to thrive."

Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation, in Emily White. Host Marc Brown sits down with Emily White to discuss her inspiring journey from Wisconsin to New York, and how her educational and professional experiences have shaped her successful career in the music industry. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily recounts her time at Northeastern University in Boston, where she balanced her studies in the Music Industry program with being a Division I scholarship athlete. She shares how her internships at Powderfinger Promotions, Live Nation, and ones in New York, provided her with practical, hands-on experience and helped her build a strong network within the industry.

Emily highlights the importance of real-world experience, encouraging aspiring music professionals to immerse themselves in the field, make connections, and learn from their experiences. She also delves into her transition from internships to a full-time role as a tour manager for The Dresden Dolls, which ultimately led to her founding a successful music management company.

Throughout the conversation, Emily emphasizes the significance of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-evolving music industry. She discusses her work as an author, where she distilled her extensive knowledge into the Amazon bestseller "How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams," and her podcast, which is a top music business podcast globally.

Emily also touches on her advocacy work, particularly her efforts to increase voter turnout through the #IVoted initiative, showcasing her commitment to using her platform for social good. This episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice for anyone looking to navigate and succeed in the music industry.

Collective Entertainment is a 100% women-run & owned company based in New York, Miami, & North Carolina. Their clients & projects span the entertainment industries specializing in music, sports, content creation, activism, & production.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Collective Entertainment

How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams

#IVoted

00:10 - Byta.com

02:51 - Wisconsin to New York

06:00 - Internships / Amanda Palmer / Dresden Dolls

14:02 - The 2nd Book

How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams

16:35 - Get your art together & other tips to get started

21:00 - Understand what music publishing is & Performing Rights Organizations

23:17 - Publishing administrator 

30:30 - my next series of books….

31:50 - Byta.com

33:25 - Full night's sleep, daily movement, and then a short meditation

36:23 - #IVoted

38:28 - Taylor Vs Drake

40:00 - Elections are often decided by the size of a concert venue

46:31 - Voting, it's been a real problem in the USA

49:10 - Michelle Cable

52:48 - Things don’t always go the way you expect it to, that can be good too

56:25 - What is your WHY

58:00 - 

Byta.com

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

 “I run my band like a startup and I run my startup like a band”

Today's guest is Roman Rappak not only the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Ristband, but also the frontman for the touring band: Pivot. Roman shares his background, detailing his start in the music industry as a musician forming a band and making beats on a laptop, eventually signing record deals and touring the world. However, he realized that traditional revenue streams from touring and licensing were unsustainable. This realization led him to explore new ways to leverage technological advancements to support musicians.

Roman describes the inception of the world's first mixed-reality live concert, funded by a Dutch government grant in 2017. This innovative concept allowed audiences to experience a live band performance through augmented reality, blending the real and virtual worlds. This approach proved financially successful and highlighted the potential for integrating music with immersive technology.

The conversation shifts to Ristband's evolution, where Roman reflects on his initial reluctance to embrace the tech industry but ultimately recognizing the potential for music-tech convergence. He mentions the support from Epic Games, which enabled Ristband to develop tools and platforms to make immersive music experiences accessible to a broader audience. Roman emphasizes the importance of viewing musicians as startups, using technology to enhance their visibility and revenue.

Marc and Roman discuss the historical context of music and gaming, noting how advancements like the PlayStation One and licensing real music in games brought the two industries closer together. They explore the potential for dynamic, ever-changing music integration in games and the challenges of creating new contractual relationships for music use in gaming.

Roman highlights the shift in the music industry, where major labels now prioritize viral social media presence over traditional musical talent. He encourages artists to embrace new tools and technologies, leveraging the vast opportunities in the gaming world to reach wider audiences and sustain their careers.

The conversation concludes with Roman urging artists to explore new mediums and tools, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and innovation. He mentions the Voices of VR podcast as a valuable resource for understanding the intersection of VR, AI, and music. Roman and Marc agree that the future of the music industry will be shaped by unexpected, underground innovations rather than traditional major label strategies.

Overall, the discussion provides a comprehensive overview of Ristband's mission to revolutionize the music industry through technology, Roman's journey from musician to tech innovator, and the potential for artists to thrive by embracing new technological opportunities.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Ristband

Pivots

00:10 - Byta.com

04:25 - Roman’s background

06:00 - Pivots

08:10 - Ristband at SXSW

09:00 - Number of songs uploaded to Spotify

10:30 - Trent Reznor article 

13:45 - Roman realizes he is in the Tech biz

16:10 - Major labels are not forward acting

16:50 - Gaming & Music, the new way forward

20:10 - How did Gaming get so music-friendly

26:37 - Where are the opportunities for smaller artists

29:45 - How it became way more easy to build games

31:00 - Byta.com

32:19 - Roman’s band is making money

35:20 - Gaming is the new MTV for music discovery

37:30 - Things have changed, artists need to break new ground

41:45 - #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

43:15 - People used to think the internet was “never going to work” & was genius

43:40 - We are in the Wild West

60:00 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

“The first tip that I give all artists is to be organized and cohesive. You don't know what someone's entry point is going to be to you and your music”.

Today's guest is Brian “Z” Zisook is the Co-Founder & SVP of Operations & Artist Services at Audiomack. In this episode, Brian and Marc discuss preparing for online success as an artist by strategizing DSPs & Social Media. Zisook’s extensive experience in the music industry surprisingly includes conducting over 500 interviews with artists and industry professionals over 13 years. Artists include- J. Cole, Big Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nipsey Hussle, DJ Khaled, and Anderson.Paak, among others. Zisook was even selected to join the Recording Academy as part of their new member class in 2022. Brian’s main gig is co-founder of Audiomack. As SVP of Operations, Zisook leads a team of 10 across three continents, overseeing and managing relationships with over 180 record labels and distribution partners, including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and over 80 Merlin members. Before Audiomack, Zisook was the VP and EIC of DJBooth, a New York-based digital music publication and media house he co-founded with Audiomack co-founder David Macli. At its peak, DJBooth generated 8M page views monthly and annual revenue exceeding one million dollars. 

Audiomack is an on-demand music streaming and audio discovery platform that allows artists and creators to upload limitless music and podcasts for listeners through its mobile apps and website. In February 2021, Billboard announced Audiomack streaming data would begin informing some of its flagship charts, including the Hot 100, the Billboard 200, and the Global 200. In March 2021, Fast Company magazine named Audiomack one of the 10 most innovative companies in music.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Audiomack

DJbooth.net

00:10 - Byta.com

02:44 - Where Brian is from

03:14 - College Radio is where it all started / DJbooth.net

06:24 - Why we started Audiomack

08:28 - How the idea progressed

12:41 - Empowering creators is our jam

16:53 - How do we make money

19:48 - Advice and educational tips, pay attention to your fans

24:28 - There is a need now more than ever for connection.

29:35 - Artistic development is really like human development.

31:10 - If you're trying to appeal to everybody, you end up appealing to nobody.

33:36 - Present as organized

38:30 - A variety of ways that you can engage your audience 

45:26 - Ridiculous to paint a picture that this is not a lot of work

48:11 - What what might be obvious to one is not correct to another

50:27 - Create a spreadsheet

53:00 - Campaigns that are really engaging, innovative or inspiring

57:29 - Who is your target audience? The mainstream is too broad a target 

60:00 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

"So it's our job to get the best possible deal. So basically, there's no database, how long is a piece of string? Just make sure you're working with someone who knows the industry and who knows what music is worth?"

Today’s guest is Simon Pursehouse, Global Director of Music Services at Sentric Music, an “industry challenging” music publisher. Simon works within the Business Development and Creative Departments at Sentric and is the point person for their roster of signed songwriters.

Previously at Sentric, Simon headed up the sync division, which under his supervision was nominated as Best Indie Publisher at the Music Week Sync awards for six years running. Here he has developed relationships with global media organisations, broadcasters and advertising agencies which has resulted in Sentric’s catalogue being placed in adverts, films, games, TV shows worldwide.

Simon has been featured in Music Weeks’ ‘30 Under 30’ list and regularly speaks at various industry conferences worldwide such as Reeperbahn, The Great Escape, BBC Introducing Live and AIM’s Sync Day amongst many others. He has been invited to discuss Sentric on BBC 6Music on multiple occasions and has consulted on judging panels for awards/grants for BAFTA, PRS, BRITs, Music Week and more. He is a regular guest lecturer at LIPA and BIMM amongst other educational bodies.

Simon has been a core part of Sentric’s online identity; he is the author of Sentric’s Blog which offers advice to emerging artists and has received millions of hits

Sentric Music:

Sentric Music was formed in 2006 as the new age independent music publisher. Sentric disrupted traditional publishing by offering the fairest deal in the industry. We empower artists and songwriters to collect the royalties they’re owed.

Their friendly and knowledgeable team are dedicated to ensuring writers and artists get the most out of their music. They enjoy giving artists and songwriters opportunities to elevate their careers and fulfil their ambitions.

“To date we’ve put the power back in the hands of over 400,000 artists.”

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Sentric Music

Streaming Calculator

WTF is Music Publishing

00:10 - Byta.com

02:43 - The Beard

03:48 - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts 

04:14 - History of Sentric’s start

08:04 - Sentric’s growth and development

11:00 - The basics of music publishing

12:42 - Your local Performing Rights Organization

14:00 - The Sentric method

16:00 - The pie chart / AKA how publishing works

19:00 - Simon’s trip to Australia

22:26 - Democratization of Publishing

24:30 - Collecting royalties and new synchs

26:51 - Performance VS Mechanical income

28:53 - Marc’s recap

30:33 - Byta.com

31:05 - Neighbouring rights explained

34:51 - What the fuck is music publishing

The Life Cycle of a music publishing copyright

37:00 - Sentric Vs TuneCore VS Song Trust

41:30 - Pitching Syncs

44:00 - Picking partners: Be careful (aka - wait and they will find you)

48:00 - Lawyers

52:38 - Sarah Hamilton (Ditto)

54:24 - Just be nice to everyone (if you are good, they will find you)

59:27 - Make sure your whole team know about all your wins, helps the pitch.

1:01:00 - More on sync

1:04:00 - The goal is to make your music, not just "sinkable music…"

1:08:00 - email tips, making contact

1:09:000 - Be nice

1:12:00 - Work with experienced people 

1:14:30 - Finding the “Best people”

1:15:00 - How much do you charge for Synchs

1:16:48 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

" I think socioeconomic status and background is one of the key areas where the music industry isn’t diverse enough."

Today's guest is Lara Baker, General Manager at FUGA for the UK & Ireland. On top of being named in Billboard's International Power Players 2022, she was also honoured with Music Week’s Women in Music Roll of Honour and SheSaidSo's Alternative Power List. She is passionate about improving diversity, gender balance and inclusivity in the music business. She has sat on UK Music’s Diversity Taskforce, supported the Love Music Hate Racism campaign and organised regular women in music and diversity-focused events. Lara joined FUGA in early 2023. She came from Songtrust/Downtown Music Publishing, where Lara worked for 4 years as Director of Business Development for the UK, IE and Australia. Lara's background and passion have always been supporting independent labels and artists. Her music career began in 2004 at AIM (the UK trade association for independent labels), where Lara spent 14 years serving the independent community, ultimately as Marketing and Events Director. During this time she created the AIM Awards, the leading celebration of independent music, as well as AIM's year-round programme events including AIM Connected, AIM Sync conference and Indie-Con (now known as Future Independents). There is a lot to talk about and Marc and Lara definitely get into it.

FUGA is the world's leading B2B music distributor. FUGA is the number one choice for some of the world’s top labels, management companies and distributors, including Epitaph Records, Ultra, Curb, Mom + Pop, mTheory and Domino. As GM UK/IE, Lara's role leads new business and client relations for the territory.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

FUGA

AIM

WIN

Merlin

Songtrust/Downtown Music

Women in Music Awards

shesaid.so

Keychange

Black Music Coalition,

Women in CTRL, 

00:10 - Byta.com

03:52 - Getting started, school & first job

04:50 - Music business school 

07:57 - Socioeconomics and background 

09:00 - AIM getting its start

12:16 - Why indies needed help

15:52 - The Big wins at AIM when I was there, Spotify/MTV…

18:00 - Merlin and WIN explained

21:15 - Diversity in music not reflected in the organization

25:00 - Women in Music Awards, genesis

26:38 - Mentoring

28:50 - The gender pay gap, really bugs me!

36:45 - The Socioeconomic barriers

41:00 - Byta.com

43:00 - Things have changed, what artists need to do and how FUGA helps

46:00 - The Hives.

52:00 - More initiatives

54:10 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

" If you’re passionate you should be able to find the hustle because it’s what you love to do. Most people in the music industry are passionate, so if you’re not then it’ll be hard to get to the hustle. My main piece of advice: Find what you’re passionate about and the hustle will follow."

Today's guest is Daniel Seligman who has been active in the Montreal and international music scene since 2000. He has managed Stars, The Unicorns, Socalled and Yves Jarvis through the company he co-owns called Danagement. In 2002 Seligman co-founded the multidisciplinary festival POP Montreal and remains the festival's creative director. An annual not-for-profit cultural event, POP Montreal champions independence in the arts by presenting emerging and celebrated talents. The 5-day festival showcases more than 400 performances to audiences of over 60,000. Founded in 2002, POP Montreal helped break countless emerging artists to the world while providing a dizzying and diverse array of headliners like RZA, Fever Ray, Bonobo, The Orb, Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, Godflesh, David Byrne, St Vincent, Butthole Surfers, John Cale, Beck, Franz Ferdinand, Regina Spektor, Queens of the Stone Age etc. 

Danagement Artist Management oversees music management, business management, tour production and grant writing for a wide variety of artists including;  Basia Bulat, Braids, Jean-Michel Blais, Le Ren, Owen Pallett, Sarah Neufeld, Socalled, God Speed You Black Emperor, Wolf Parade, The Besnard Lakes and more. In 20 years POP Montreal has produced thousands of shows and events throughout Montreal and around the world. On a festival landscape that’s persistently male and Euro-centric, POP succeeds in offering attendees respite. This year the festival takes place in Montreal, from September 27th to October 1st, 2023. The 5-day festival showcases more than 400 performances to audiences of over 60,000.

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Pop Montreal

Danagment

00:10 - Byta.com

02:26 - Ursa Pop Montreal HQ & Great venue

05:00 - Montreal is unique, Montreal was super cheap

07:08 - I started off managing Stars

08:51 - Music Management is not rocket science, if you have a driver’s license, you have a usable skill

10:15 - The basics skills required to manage a band

11:00 - How did Pop Montreal get started/Peter Rowan

13:20 - The importance of alternative weeklies

14:37 - Posters were cool

16:20 - Montreal’s moment in the sun (when it comes to indie rock)

20:15 - Why did you start Pop Montreal?

25:30 - Pop Montreal was for the artists

28:20 - Byta.com

29:35 - You can not just go and play at a festival, you need to do more

32:10 - Booking agents are now key

36:00 - Opinions on Social media

38:20 - there are more gatekeepers

41:20 - Michelle Cable artist manager

43:10 - Daniel’s work as an artist manager

45:42 - Have to have the passion, and do your homework

50:56 - You have to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty - Chris Blackwell

52:44 - Find the passion & the hustle will follow.

54:25 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

"If you really, really love an artist, reach out and buy their record, buy their T-shirt, send them money, and appreciate how much blood sweat and tears go into that song that you listen to every day."

Our guest on today’s episode is Andee Connors,  Pandora’s Senior Manager of Catalog & Creator Services. Pandora is only accessible in the USA, but it has over 60 million subscribers. The streaming service has a great history of human-led curation. Andee’s background is steeped in the DIY music ethos. His band bought a van, toured pre-cell phone and circled the USA, with stops in Europe, many times even before a record deal was on the table. He is an anomaly, both old school and very much a part of the modern music ecosystem. He brings to this conversation a great many insights, perhaps the most important being, to make sure you know what success means to you and then go after it. 

Andee discusses how a Black Metal drummer with DIY coursing through his veins ended up working with Pandora at a job that no one wanted. He also explains what makes Pandora different from other streaming services, one thing is AMP, which stands for Artist Marketing Platform. This discussion also goes in the direction of modern-day music discovery. Is it better today? How have things changed, and how can people take advantage of those changes? When should you send your music to Pandora to get playlisted? Pandora has 60 million subscribers!! What about Radio VS streaming services, what role do they each play today? Why is Bandcamp awesome, because streaming your favourite artists is really not enough to support  an them if you really love the music and they make you happy, you need to buy merch too, so says Andee. 

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Pandora

SiriusXM

00:10 - Byta.com

05:09 - Running Aquarius Records

07:15 - I also had a label:  tUMULt Records

08:13 - What is Pandora AMP

09:52 - Listing to thousands of demos

11:35 - The early days at Pandora

13:10 - The effect of things going digital

15:50 - Touring & recording back in the day

17:20 - How Pandora got its start

22:00 - Pandora is only in the USA but you can still use it to find fans

23:00 - Mike Warner - Book: Work Hard Playlist Harder

25:00 - Send your art to those that inspired you

29:00 - Community was your only connection before the internet

32:00 - What are your expectations, your barometer of success?

38:00 - Being a musician in 2023 is a lot of work

40:00 - Houston Pandora has a problem with submissions

45:00 - Timelines to get your music to Pandora

48:00 - Metadata

50:00 - AMP (stands for Artist Marketing Platform)

52:30 - Radio VS streaming

57:40 - How to better support the artists you love

59:30 - Are there too many platforms?

102:00 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

"Sometimes I feel like smaller labels are often better because they can help you without you having to do things you don’t want to do. When you sign to a big label, you need to play the game if you want to get the max benefit."

Our guest on this episode is May Mahmoudi, A&R at Ninja Tune’s Big Dada Records, as well as working in the sync department of Ninja Tune’s Just Isn’t Music. This episode is an insightful introduction to publishing and record label deals. How to get your music synched and what are the expectations from artists at the various levels of the music ecosystem? May was brought on to do A&R when Big Dada decided to do a big relaunch in early 2021. The label put a new focus on where they wanted to go and who was going to take them there. They are now actively working to amplify Black, POC and racialised voices. Big Dada Records looks to shift the narrative around this music, bypassing stereotypes to allow and encourage the freedom to express oneself for who they are and want to be. The goal: supporting and offering resources to a new generation of artists. May approaches music first by relating the vibe and the artist’s community. Then it is the nitty-gritty of how the music might be properly promoted and what the artist’s vision is, who they are and what they want. Having someone who works both the publishing side as well as the label side of the music ecosystem in for a conversation brought up a lot of new strategies. May is also very interested in having artists develop their music and career, being ready for their next step, whatever level that might be. 

Show Notes:

#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

Ninja Tune

Big Dada Records

May Mahmoudi reviewed by Pitchfork

00:10 - Byta.com

03:36 - Virginia Tech, Beach Fossils, Wild Nothings

05:00 - Me and my friends all moved to LA, I got a job at Universal Music

06:23 - How  got my job at Ninja Tune

08:36 - The difference between the publishing world and the record label world

10:00 - What don’t artists know about publishing

10:35 - Just DM Beck…

11:24 - What does May’s day-to-day look like

12:51 - What are publishers looking for in an artist

14:42 - Chicken and Egg, how do artists get synchs?

15:28 - What does synch-able mean exactly?

17:03 - Bid Dada is looking for people pushing boundaries

18:11 - How do most indie labels approach new signings these days?

19:18 - The luxury of being Big Dada Records, under Ninja Tune.

20:42 - What are publishers looking for in an artist

21:10 - Why would anyone sign a record deal?

23:25 - Bandcamp is your best option

25:22 - May’s back story and her music career

27:50 - Byta.com

29:00 - You need to be ready for the level of label you sign to

31:16 - Music pollution

34:45 - Technology has changed everything & made music more accessible

38:09 - The importance of giving back to your community

40:00 - HowWeListen Live: In Conversation

41:18 - How does May find new music and artists

43:41 - How does A&R work inside the label

46:12 - What makes a great songwriter

47:30 - Byta.com

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu

Artwork by Jen Pmphrey

Hosted by Marc Brown

Series coordinated by Jamie Ford

Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie

Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu