The Future of What

Democratization in our industry has broken down the barriers set by gatekeepers; however it brings with it more supply than demand, and does not solve the many issues surrounding artist education. One area specifically that artists lack a comprehensive understanding of is publishing, which is where KOSIGN creates opportunity by providing the infrastructure of Kobalt – the largest independent publi...

Creativity is what drives our industry forward, both in musical works and innovative industry products. ZATAP combines these ideas with their NFC and QR code-powered tech that allows exclusive artist content to be accessed with a single tap to nearly any item you can think of, including CDs, posters, and even t-shirts. In this interview, ZATAP CEO David Geisser discusses versatile uses for QR code...

Only half of the states in the U.S have a codified right of publicity, creating a conundrum that not only raises concern for impersonation in the era of AI, but also complicates what action can be taken when content mimicking one's likeness crosses state borders. To discuss these complexities and how the NO FAKES Act looks to unite us on the federal level, we spoke with Dani Deahl, VP of Creator P...

Setlist submission is not often top of mind for artists and DJs when they perform. Whether it's due to a lack of awareness or not having the time or resources during busy performance cycles, failing to report setlists leaves valuable live royalties on the table. To keep these artist earnings from entering the black box, Vollou automates setlist reporting using music recognition technology, creatin...

The music industry is constantly evolving and integrating new technologies, bringing with them both opportunities and challenges. But when it comes to metadata management, DDEX has seen our industry greatly improve since its inception in 2006. In this episode, DDEX Secretariat Mark Isherwood shares his observations over the years as the organization 20th anniversary approaches, addressing current...

The jukebox has existed as a catalyst for communal music discovery for nearly a century, with the anniversary of AMI Entertainment's production of the first coin-operated jukebox coming up in 2027. To celebrate, we spoke with AMI CEO Tommy Moreno about the company's rich history & innovations, as well as the pros & cons of the jukebox's evolution into a digital format. Tommy also spotlights how AM...

To be a successful artist management team means to be willing to think outside the box, which is just what mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson and team have done with artist Mickey Guyton, a Country singer who did not have traditional revenue lines in place like touring or radio. In this episode, Cameo recounts the story of how a C2C Festival appearance in London led to Mickey placing second on China's The...

PLUS1 has raised just about $40 million for over 1,200 nonprofits, with their keystone project being a small add-on of $1 per concert ticket to be donated to a charitable organization of an artist's choice. The idea grew out of founder Marika Anthony-Shaw reading a book about Paul Farmer – founder of the organization Partners in Health – while touring with Arcade Fire, leading the band to support...

The artist-fan relationship is arguably one of the most important in our industry, yet it is often undermined – management of each different aspect is often spread across platforms, and artist websites & channels are usually underutilized as connection points. Rob Sealy noticed this discrepancy and, with no prior experience in the music industry, co-founded Openstage to pull fans into owned channe...

Fostering equity and inclusion is a collective effort — and though DEI roles have taken a hit in our industry, the experts and community leaders are still out there. During Music Biz 2026, Naledi Nyahuma Seck, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at The Orchard, joined us to discuss this tumultuous stage and potential for the future, zoning in on the importance of supporting diversity in the music...

Secretly has seen the industry go through many changes, and with it so has Shelly Worcel, who went from intern to Director of Global Physical Account Strategy during her 14 years at their distribution arm. Though the company has grown exponentially over the years, they still maintain their independent mindset – remaining flexible and willing to experiment without jumping ship during times of chang...

Dmitri Vietze describes working in PR & marketing in the music industry as a rollercoaster on top of another rollercoaster, given the constant transition in both industries. In this podcast episode, we gain insight into this experience from Dmitri, who runs Rock Paper Scissors, Inc., a PR firm representing music tech companies and organizes the Music Tectonics Conference every year. Throughout the...

Dmitri Vietze describes working in PR & marketing in the music industry as a rollercoaster on top of another rollercoaster, given the constant transition in both industries. In this podcast episode, we gain insight into this experience from Dmitri, who runs Rock Paper Scissors, Inc., a PR firm representing music tech companies and organizes the Music Tectonics Conference every year. Throughout the...

Precedent shapes legislation. In our industry’s current era of change – defined by issues ranging from AI usage to increased artist autonomy – these precedents are challenged to pave the way for the potential of new rulings. During Music Biz 2026, Cynthia Katz & Heidy Vaquerano of Fox Rothschild LLP gave us a glimpse beyond the glamorous exterior of music law, starting with how they got into the f...

Precedent shapes legislation. In our industry's current era of change – defined by issues ranging from AI usage to increased artist autonomy – these precedents are challenged to pave the way for the potential of new rulings. During Music Biz 2026, Cynthia Katz & Heidy Vaquerano of Fox Rothschild LLP gave us a glimpse beyond the glamorous exterior of music law, starting with how they got into the f...

Music can be discovered anywhere – and for today’s youth, gamified experiences on platforms like Roblox have opened doors for discovering and engaging with a wide range of new music. Splash Music’s Roblox game draws in 2-3 million monthly users, establishing itself as the biggest Roblox stage. This episode recorded at Music Biz 2026 features Splash’s Allison Moore, who speaks on the power of virtu...

Before her start at Revelator four years ago, Ahuvah Berger-Burcat spent two decades in the tech & cybersecurity space. With this, she brings a unique perspective to the music industry and how it compares – from her perspective, we foster an interconnected community but lack regulations on the tech front. In this chat recorded at Music Biz 2026, Ahuvah touches on the importance of the MFFA, the ev...

This episode features Simon Tam of The Slants and Prof. Erik Nielson, co-author of “Rap on Trial,” who both have been instrumental in combating First Amendment right violations against minority musicians. Simon’s fight to get his all-Asian band the right to their name saw thousands of pages of evidence denied, along with a footnote stating that – had they been Caucasian – there’d be no issue. Erik...

When listening to music brings so much joy, working with it every day should feel just as rewarding. In an industry that reflects our broader world, fear-based, ego-driven leadership is slowly being replaced with a culture of empowerment, seeing women and POC in more supervisory roles – though we still have a ways to go. Companies like Downtown drive this change with women holding a variety of lea...

When Music Ally COO Patrick Ross was looking for hotspots to show a Nordic delegation he was hosting in his hometown of Atlanta, the name Patchwerk Studios – a Black-founded studio with more than 30 years worth of gold & platinum records under its belt – came up often. From there, he met Studio Manager Osman Bangura. With Music Biz 2026 taking place in Patchwerk’s home of Atlanta next month, the d...

In an age where musicians are expected to meticulously audit their music data themselves to ensure money isn’t being left on the table, it is inevitable that something will get missed. Notes. FM is designed to lift this weight off of artists’ shoulders, having already found missing money for a total of 94% of their users – with the first artist that they claimed money for receiving $75,000 from Th...

In an age where listeners can access any track at their fingertips, finding ways for artists to connect with superfans requires a creative approach – and Musicow has delivered exactly that. Originating in Korea, with the K-pop market already known for cultivating successful fan engagement strategies, the platform allows for fans to financially invest in the music they love. In this episode, Musico...

Having noticed how difficult it was to obtain catalog info during his time at Hipgnosis Songs, Björn Lindvall set out to create a solution with MusicInfra, providing a scaled infrastructure that ensures works are accurately matched to recordings. Now, in an age where AI is generating more data than ever, such infrastructure has become even more crucial for rights management. In this episode, Björn...

Music rights company Chordal has achieved a major licensing milestone, clearing 51,000 songs in the first six months of their InstantClear technology being live. In their TikTok’s commercial library integration alone, over 15% of those tracks already saw sync revenue. To achieve this success, they’ve leveraged the collaborative nature of the music industry to create a single environment where stak...

Global artists and genres are no longer region-locked, having seen astronomical growth in recent years thanks to the age of digital connectivity. Recently, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl appearance – combined with the rise of other Latin artists from all different regions such as Chris MJ and Groupo Frontera – have further bolstered the visibility of Latin genres. This special episode features interviews...