Music Tectonics

Today we bring you the recording from our latest on-line Seismic Event, "Artist Careers in a Parallel Universe." It was an exploration into the livelihood of three working artists; Clara Venice, Vivek Agrawal, and The Phronetic. RPS Chief Creative Officer, Adam McHeffey talks with them about how they are using new technology to fuel their creative visions, how they've built brand relationships, and importantly, how they're monetizing their networks. Great insight into how they make it work. Also! stick around for the news.

Seismic Activity Guests

Vivek Agrawal

The Cassette Speaker

The Oasis

Clara Venice

Locket

The Phronetic

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Links to the News

What Is Going On With the Chaos At the Copyright Office?

Fake Podcasts

EU artists generated more than $1.8 billion on Spotify in 2024, up 15% YoY

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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On today's news roundup show Dmitri and Eleanor tackle the week's music tech news. They discuss Spotify's app store changes, Apple Music's new transfer tool, and so many AI music industry developments, including the $10 million AI music fraud case.

News you might want to read:

Spotify says App Store changes have boosted its subscriptions

Apple Music's new transfer tool simplifies switching from other streaming services

Martina McBride Speaks Out Against AI Deepfakes at Senate Hearing: 'It's Just Terrifying'

Udio launches mobile app using Apple's in-app purchases system

OpenAI has hardware ambitions – and a $6.5bn deal to ignite them

'A Billion Streams and No Fans': Inside a $10 Million AI Music Fraud Case

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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In today's episode we welcome pioneering innovator Ty Roberts, founder of Gracenote, and former CTO of Universal Music Group. We talk about some of the pivotal moments in his career including Gracenote's role in the development of iTunes, and working with David Bowie on generative music. We discuss the future of visual music experiences, the rise of AI in music creation, and the possibilities for personalized live events using advanced technologies.

Shoutouts from the News

Are Tech Bros Hijacking the Music Industry? An Urgent Look at the Latest AI Developments

SoundCloud Says Users' Music Isn't Being Used for AI Training Following Backlash

Licensing AI music: the industry is focusing on the wrong problem

U.S. Copyright Office Releases New Report on Legality of AI Training, Suggesting Law Is With Rightsholders on Key Issues

Taco Bell launches record club with 2025 Feed The Beat class

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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On today's episode, Dmitri and Tristra discuss the news of the week. They review recent acquisitions like Monstercat and BANDS, and discuss the economic confidence of the music sector despite economic downturns. They also talk about the evolving role of AI and the implications of recent legal copyright cases on AI training data. It's a lot of news to round up!

Shoutouts

Create Music Group acquires again, swooping for indie electronic label Monstercat

Jay Penske Takes Control of SXSW: Will Profits, Politics Overtake Festival?

Trump signals willingness to extend TikTok ban deadline again

Arts agency terminates dozens of grants after Trump proposes eliminating NEA

Are Music Companies Seeing Consumer Pullback? This Week's Earnings Calls Offered an Answer

Live Nation predicts 'historic year' despite revenue decline

Judge in Meta case warns AI could 'obliterate' market for original works

Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Report

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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Today we are talking with Valeska Pederson Hinz, partner at Perkins Coie, about what's happening in the world of music tech investment. Valeska has extensive experience in guiding companies and investors from Series A to IPO and has an indispensable vantage point. Our conversation includes the current state of venture capital funding, the impact of generative AI on the industry and the ongoing legal debates surrounding fair use versus licensing in AI training data. She also has practical advice for startup founders from the legal standpoint of someone who guides growth stage companies.

News Shoutouts

UMG generated $3bn+ in Q1

Spotify posts record-high operating profit for Q1

Splice acquires Spitfire Audio

Epidemic Sound acquires AI startup Song Sleuth

NMPA says Spotify's Q1 growth due to 'undercutting of songwriters' via audiobook bundling

Jack Dorsey's 'Delete All IP Law' post highlights the hypocrisy of Big Tech Billionaires

Hearing Things

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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Today Dmitri talks with Cherie Hu, music industry analyst and founder of Water and Music. We start by discussing the Ouroboros project which maps the complicated and intertwined stakes in the music industry held by various entities, including private equity firms, media conglomerates, and tech companies like Tencent. We also talk about shifting power dynamics between the majors and the independents, the impact of AI – particularly generative AI, and trends in rights management and live music.

Shoutouts

Water and Music

Ouroboros Map

Water and Music Soundcloud

Reverb Sold By Etsy to Fender Parent and Firm Led By SoundCloud Alum

A24 Makes Its Move Into the Music Scene

'You Are Somehow a Villain If You Use It'

JPMorgan CEO Says Something Everyone Can Agree On: "Kill Meetings" and Corporate Jargon

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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In this episode, Dmitri speaks with Mark Mulligan, veteran tech analyst and leading digital thinker from MIDiA Research. Topics include the slowing growth of streaming revenue, shifts in market share among major and independent labels, the rise of the global south in subscriber numbers, and the impact of super-premium subscriptions on monetization. We also talk about the future potential disruptions from AI and legal challenges and how the music industry might adapt and innovate in the face of these changes.

News Shoutouts!

The Music Industry Wants Solutions. But Do Listeners See Problems?

Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt: AI That is 'as smart as the smartest artist' Will Be Here in 3 to 5 Years

​​Tariff-Proof, Recession-Proof Music Industry Will Thrive Despite Global Uncertainty

AI Music Invasion Doubles on Deezer: 20,000 Bot-Created Tracks Now Uploaded Each DAY to Streaming Platform

Record Scratch: How Tariffs and Uncertainty Are Hurting Vinyl Manufacturing in America

China Halts Critical Exports as Trade War Intensifies

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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Today we have Glen Peoples from Billboard to discuss the major trends within the music industry. Our conversation covers a lot! Including the rise of rollups and acquisitions to build label services, the increasing importance of music licensing, the role of AI in the music tech investment landscape, and the cyclical nature of consolidation and its broader impacts on the future of the industry.

News Shoutouts

Startup oMoo Gets Hands-On With its Haptics-based music App

MCP: The New "USB-C for AI" That's Bringing Fierce Rivals Together

NMPA CEO Talks Spotify Podcast Takedowns and AI Strategy, Warns Against Government-Led PRO Reform

Eternal Celebrities: The Multi-Billion Opportunity Coming

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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Ian Henderson, founder of MashApp and former Spotify executive, talks with Dmitri about how MashApp enables non-musicians to remix tracks without production experience, and the broader context of technological disruptions in the music industry driven by AI. He explains the challenges in securing licenses from major record labels and his vision for the future of music interactivity. We also hear the news from Dmitri and Tristra.

News Roundup!

50 Million More Americans Are Buying Music Than a Decade Ago

Amazon Makes Last-Minute Bid for TikTok as US Ban Deadline Looms

5 Million Songs and $288m Spent on Catalogs: 8 Things We Learned from Universal Music Group's 2024 Annual Report

Udio, the Startup Sued by Record Companies Last Year, Unveils Tool to Clone 'sonic identity' of Existing Songs

Inside YouTube's Weird World Of Fake Movie Trailers

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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Today Dmitri talks with the winners of the 2024 Music Tectonics Swimming with Narwals Competition, DAWn Audio. They discuss their innovative platform for music producers and artists as well as the recent pivot from a cross-DAW collaboration plugin, to a gamified network that rewards artists for their creative work. But first, Dmitri and Tristra share a quick take on the news headlines of the week.

News from Rock Paper Scanner:

Beats and Bytes: Essential Trend Report

Apple Music Integration is now Available on More DJ Platforms

Will $1 on Your Ticket Help Save Australian Live Music? Napster? Is it 1999?

Sam Ash Music Returns Online

The Cost of Banning TikTok: Implications for Digital Advertising

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.