Sound Threads

Discuss Music: Last week I looked at how smaller musicians are impacted by streaming. Today I'll examine a "partner" element of the rise of indie musicians, the home studio. Play a Song: Today's song is titled Dixie, I Call it Home. I wrote it a while back, and since it's about the southern states, I had my friend from Nashville, and a great musician John Foster perform the song. Tell a Story: And...

Discuss Music: Last week, I looked at how revenues of the USA recorded music industry flow through DSP's today. Are there any other major industry components impacted by the streaming age? Today I will look at the rise of the indie musician, and how streaming has impacted them. Play a Song: And today's song is a song I wrote about my late mother, and also to celebrate all the moms out there. The s...

Discuss Music: Today, I look at the revenue picture of some of the largest streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and others. Play a Song: My song today is titled Seabird. It's a song I wrote while on the beach near San Diego. One gull that day was strutting around, and the other birds simply ignored him. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, the band...

Discuss Music: The shift away from hard copy albums and CD's and towards streaming is embodied by a corresponding shift from labels to digital service providers, or "gatekeepers vs algorithms". I look at that today. Play a Song: Today's song is Then, There Were None. I wrote it based on a true story about a train robbery. Tell a Story: And in our story about Freddie Spaghetti, he begins his second...

Discuss Music: Last week, I described how the top two clusters of music consumers combine to spend the majority $15.4 billion of (2026) streaming revenue.   But what is the share by genre? Today I'll look at that. Play a Song: The song this week is titled I Don't Brake for Squirrels. It's a song I wrote after nearly crashing into a ditch after turning to avoid one of these little monsters. Tell a...

Discuss Music: AC Nielsen provides insights into the "heavy" spenders on recorded music. By using the information along with separate information, its possible to get a glimpse regarding clusters of music consumers and how much each spends on recorded music. Play a Song: My song this morning is about a troubled friend, and is titled How Brightly You Shine. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of...

Discuss Music: I n last week's show, I identified important parameters which will allow us to zero-in on the multiple revenue tributaries within the USA recorded music industry. Play a Song: Today's song is titled Make it Monday. I wrote the song in order to provide a counter viewpoint of the first day of the work week, and its lead in serves as Sound Threads entry theme song. Tell a Story: In our...

Discuss Music: With 254 million Americans purchasing recorded music, and $18.3 billion from streaming, is it possible to dig deeper into how that money is spent? Today I will begin to take a look at that. Play a Song: My song today is an instrumental, the beautiful Ave Maria. T ell a Story: And in today's Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, the tour is going very well, as he heads to Erie Pennsylva...

Discuss Music: Its interesting to compare the USA recorded music industry to other industries. Music is purchased by 75% of consumers, and this rates slightly below fragrance products, and above the purchase of white bread. Play a Song: Today's song is about an office crush and is titled The Matter of a Heart. Tell a Story: Meanwhile in our story, Freddie calls Rob Del Roy at the record label to r...

Discuss Music: The recorded music industry in the USA is big. How big? By projecting RIAA data, the industry in 2026 will be at about $18 billion with most (84%) from streaming. Play a Song: Today's song Big Red Don't Win is about a gambler who bets on a long-shot horse that pays big. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie has been driving for hours, checks into his mo...

Discuss Music: What is the size and scope of the recorded music industry in the USA? There is a lot of information out there, but trying to connect dots between revenue, consumption and platforms can be difficult. I'll look at a few key questions to begin knitting everything together. Play a Song: My song this morning is titled " I Was There" . It is a personal favorite, due to the subject matter....

Discuss Music: Today in the music industry section of Sound Threads, I'll move away from the world of streaming, and begin to look at the USA recorded music industry, and its 250-plus million " active music consumers ". Play a Song : Hey, Cabbie is a song I wrote and recorded about a lovesick guy who has just landed at an airport and after some machinations has the cab driver drop him off at a hot...

Discuss Music: Last week, I looked at the world of music streaming from the consumer perspective. But how about from the perspective of the artist? And specifically, a smaller or "indie" artist? Play a Song : Have you ever been so busy that every minute of the day seems like you are falling behind?   We've all been there and Scattered is a song I wrote from a humorous perspective about that state....

Discuss Music: Following up on last week's show, I'll look deeper into how music today is being consumed and paid for. In the song segment today, Play a Song: I'll play a song that I wrote based upon a true story that took place at Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. My song is titled Who's That Knockin'. Tell a Story: Freddie Spaghetti pays a visit to Buffalo New York, to meet face to face wi...

Discuss Music: What has the streaming of recorded music meant to its consumption? A number of changes from the old album and record label days have occurred, and the result is a more fragmented audience. Play a Song: My song today is the Lineman's Song. I wrote it about football, and particularly those players on the offensive line. Tell a Story: In the Musical World of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie...

Discuss Music: In last week's show, I briefly covered the entry of Napster into the music business and its immediate impact on recorded music revenues. Today, I'll look a little deeper into the role and era of Napster. Play a Song: Today, I'll play a song I wrote about a couple making up titled Second Time. Tell a Story: And in our story, Freddie opens and replies to all the messages he received o...

Discuss Music: Once Napster entered the industry in 1999, the recorded music industry changed forever. From year 2000 on, the revenue foundations of the industry, and role of record labels would change forever. Play a Song: The song I'll play this week is about a sports-fan who gets caught up in his team's season. It's called Full-Silly. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti,...

Discuss Music: The "salad" days of record labels were during the 20 th century. Once music could be recorded and sold, labels became increasingly popular. Play a Song: My song today is titled  The Trade. It's a song I wrote about a man who wishes to sell his soul to the devil to play guitar. In order to capture the feel of the swampy, dank surroundings of the Mississippi River delta, I used a 12-s...

Discuss Music: During the New year, I'll move away from the history of music, acoustic country and bluegrass. And to start off today, I will talk about the history of Record Labels, specifically how it all began. When was the very first recording of music? Who did it? How were the signals captured? Play a Song: My song today is titled  Solitary Star . It's a loose autobiography of sorts. Tell a St...

Happy and safe New Year!! Hoping 2026 is a great year for you and yours. And hope you join me for Sound Threads as we begin the New Year next week. Discuss Music: Another instrument that gained traction after the Bristol Sessions was the acoustic guitar. And today, I'll look at three builders that have stood the test of time, and become iconic for acoustic flattops and other models. Play a Song: M...

Merry Christmas!! Have a safe, blessed, and wonderful day tomorrow. Discuss Music: Last week, I looked at a boom in the banjo. But to really bring it into the public's consciousness, a player of exceptional talent was required. Enter Earl Scruggs and Gibson Mastertone banjos. Play a Song: My instrumental seasonal song today is one of the most beautiful hymns ever-the  Ave Maria. Tell a Story: Fred...

Discuss Music: If the Bristol Sessions which I looked at last week were at the roots of certain musical genres, did they also have an impact on musical instruments? Today, I'll look at that.  Play a Song: My song today is Angels We Have Heard on High, a song that is very, very old. Tell a Story: After performing live, Freddie Spaghetti thinks his next step should be to do a video. Check me out onl...

Discuss Music: A landmark event in the world of bluegrass, folk, and acoustic country music occurred July 25 th to August 5 th , 1927. I will talk about that, and how it changed the landscape of these forms of music. Play a Song: And my song of the day is an instrumental, the classic Jingle Bells . Tell a Story: In the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie plays his very first live gig. Will...

Discuss Music: One of the great "later" advances in music I believe was Beethoven's 9 th Symphony. It was first heard way back a century ago in 1824, and is easy to think of as being ancient history. However within the context of music's overall historical timeline, it's much nearer to the modern day, than the early music I discussed last week. Play a Song: My song this morning is about nostalgia....

Discuss Music: Last week looked at the very beginnings of music. And today, I take the history from that time, look at various eras and bring it right up to today. Play a Song: My song this week is titled  Another Wine . I wrote it about a lady who is a career climber but during her rise to the top, she leaves friends behind. Tell a Story: And in the Musical Life of Freddie Spaghetti, Freddie has...