Andrew Southworth, Dustin Boyer, Matt Bacon, and Jesse Cannon kick off the new year by diving into the controversial subject of Drake's alleged involvement in a RICO case, touching on issues of illegal gambling, money laundering, and the ethics of stream manipulation. The conversation then shifts to predictive insights for music marketing strategies in 2026, exploring potential shifts in content trends towards more authentic and raw video formats. Behind a membership barrier, an exclusive discussion unfolds, covering Spotify's Discovery Mode and its new video feature's implications for artists. Excitingly, they announce their upcoming tour, emphasizing the community-building aspect of their live events, where musicians can connect, share experiences, and foster collaborations. Additionally, the panelists delve into the socio-economic impacts on the festival industry, AI music's rising influence, and the ongoing debate surrounding Spotify's role and reputation in the music streaming landscape. A lively discussion resonates with thoughts on the evolving dynamics of the music world, hinting at both challenges and opportunities in the ever-changing industry.

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In this candid interview, Blasko, formerly associated with iconic acts like Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Zombie, shares his dynamic journey through the music industry, beginning with his early inspiration from Kiss. Starting in 1985, he transitioned from aspiring drummer to bassist, joining bands like Cryptic Slaughter in his teenage years, and later making significant strides with Rob Zombie and Ozzy Osbourne. Beyond performing, Blasko delves into the business side of music, co-founding a management company handling artists such as Black Veil Brides and Zakk Wylde. His career highlights the importance of authenticity, audience connection, and adaptability in navigating the ever-evolving music landscape. Blasko also recounts how his involvement with Liquid Death water brand parallels his music ethos, emphasizing that both endeavors are driven by authenticity and resonating with audiences. His perspective underscores the necessity for bands to cultivate a genuine connection with their audience, viewing fans as part of a community rather than mere consumers.

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In this interview, Luke Mansell, the creator of Music Stacks—a platform known for being a vital resource for musicians—dives into the intricacies of his creation. Music Stacks presents Spotify data in a user-friendly manner, providing insights like the key, tempo, and energy levels of songs, and tracking the popular Spotify popularity score. Luke explains his initial motivation behind the platform's creation, citing the lack of ads and quality user experience as key differentiators. Over time, the platform evolved to include Music Stacks Metrics, allowing users to track their music's popularity score history and examine the impact of marketing efforts. A notable feature is its ability to integrate across various social and music platforms, which helps artists understand their reach across different audiences. The conversation also touches on usage trends and how artists are harnessing social media to amplify their Spotify presence. Through Music Stacks, users can access invaluable data to strategize their music releases effectively and stay agile in the fast-paced music industry.

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In this podcast episode, music marketing experts Jesse Cannon, Dustin Boyer, Matt Bacon, and Andrew Southworth dive into the challenges artists face when attempting to make a profit in the music industry. They analyze the effectiveness of various strategies, such as streaming, direct-to-fan sales, and the use of social media, while emphasizing the importance of consistency and experimentation. The conversation highlights the necessity for artists to understand their audience, adapt to rapidly changing algorithms, and find creative ways to promote their music without relying solely on traditional methods. With input from music marketing platform founder Giovanni Bottan, the discussion underscores the complexities of achieving financial success in music and the importance of evaluating return on investment for marketing efforts.

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Andrew Southworth, Dustin Boyer, Jesse Cannon, and Matt Bacon discuss artist branding and the influence of Spotify Wrapped's new features. The conversation unfolds around vintage music marketer Rob Gross, who shares insights from his extensive experience working with legendary artists like Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones. The hosts explore the significance of artist individuality, authenticity, and innovative brand positioning, using examples such as Addison Rae's development from a run-of-the-mill pop star to a unique musical persona. By highlighting the intersection of marketing strategies, audience engagement, and personal growth, the episode dives deep into cultivating a distinct presence in the music industry. Plus, the group discusses Spotify's recent updates and their implications for users, touching upon the platform's annual Wrapped feature and its role in connecting listeners with their musical interests.

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In this episode, Jesse Cannon, Andrew Southworth, Dustin Boyer, and guest host Olivia Pierce discuss Patreon and the resurgence of artists cultivating communities through apps, emphasizing how these platforms can offer authentic engagement and sustainable income. Then, Dustin Boyer interviews Nashville-based independent artist Ben Schuller, who has successfully built his career on his own terms. Schuller shares insights into how he capitalizes on unconventional routes such as YouTube covers and Nerdcore to make music his full-time occupation. The conversation then shifts to exploring the tactics some groups use to game the Billboard charts, exemplified by a campaign aimed at rallying people to collaboratively create an album and propel it to the top spot, highlighting flaws in chart metrics. Finally, the episode discusses the advantages of artist independence and the evolving music business landscape, questioning traditional industry methods and advocating for innovative approaches for musicians to connect with their audiences.

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Hosts Andrew Southworth, Dustin Boyer, and Matt Bacon, alongside guest co-host Ryan Schutte, talk about the evolving landscape of the music industry. They begin with insights from Ryan Schutte, a booking agent at Forthright Booking, focusing on the challenges and strategies surrounding DIY tour booking and fostering local and regional music scenes to capture the attention of bigger agents. The episode then shifts to an enlightening interview with Jeff Betton and Matt Dowling from Hellbender Vinyl, who discuss the enduring relevance of vinyl records as a tangible connection to music, emphasizing their role despite the dominance of digital streams. A spirited debate follows on the implications of the UK's legislative move to cap ticket resale prices—a step seen as a necessary measure to curb exploitative practices in ticketing markets. The hosts dive into the broader impacts of digital versus traditional music formats and underscore the importance of data-driven strategies for artists aiming to grow their presence in the increasingly interconnected music ecosystem.

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Andrew Southworth, Matt Bacon, Jesse Cannon, and Dustin Boyer tackle various shifts and trends in the music industry, particularly focusing on Spotify's recent introduction of video features in the American market and alterations to the Shuffle function. Highlighting the skepticism among American users accustomed to more static interfaces, the hosts humorously delve into their experiences with video availability on platforms like YouTube Music. The conversation pivots to the implications of adding videos to Spotify and how it might transform user engagement. The team discusses the challenges Spotify faces, such as maintaining an authentic shuffle experience amid accusations of biased algorithms favoring major labels. Simultaneously, the podcast brings attention to a chat with Ryan Slone, a veteran booking agent, providing artists insights into securing effective representation in the industry. The show navigates through evolving content strategies on TikTok and Instagram, illustrating the shifting paradigms in digital consumption and the necessity for artists to recalibrate their approaches in an ever-dynamic digital realm.

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In this episode, hosts Dustin Boyer, Andrew Southworth, Matt Bacon, and Jesse Cannon discuss innovative strategies for music promotion and the implications of AI in the music industry. They dive into the effectiveness of utilizing multiple social media accounts to maintain a professional image while engaging in aggressive promotion and fan interaction. An interview with IDM-electronic artist RamonPang explores his approach to blending music creation with educational content and the unique experience of performing at a no-phone DJ set. The conversation also touches on an AI artist's controversial rise in the country music charts, sparking debate about the ethics and future of AI-generated content in music. Additionally, the hosts examine the credibility of bot-driven success and its potential degradation of artistry, alongside insights on successful influencer marketing tactics and the importance of community in establishing a musician's reputation.

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Hosts Jesse Cannon, Dustin Boyer, Andrew Southworth, and Matt Bacon engage in a deep dive discussion on optimizing an artist's reach, aiming to significantly increase their audience in just 30 days. They explore strategies for building a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences and the importance of leveraging collaborations to gain visibility in the music industry. The conversation also touches on the challenges hip-hop artists face in breaking through a saturated market, emphasizing the importance of originality. Additionally, Matt Bacon interviews Rod Yancy from Bootleg, highlighting the innovative service that allows fans to purchase live concert recordings, thereby creating a unique collectible and revenue stream for artists. This integration of technology and music fandom presents a modern approach to enhancing fan experience by allowing them to relive concert memories. The episode concludes with discussions on shifting music chart dynamics, reflecting cultural trends and the evolution of genre perceptions.

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