The Manager's Playbook

How is Spotify handling AI music, fake streams, and artist impersonation? In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify discuss how AI is changing the music business and what it means for artists, songwriters, rights holders, and listeners. Bryan breaks down Spotify’s approach to AI music, including spam filters, impersonation policies, AI credits, artific...

Spotify paid $11B to music rights holders in 2025 but who actually gets the money? In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify break down what the Loud & Clear report really means for artists, managers, songwriters, and the wider music business. They get into how Spotify royalties work, why payments go to rights holders first, what stream-share means...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Bryan Johnson, Spotify’s Head of Artist and Industry Partnerships, International , for a rare inside look at how Spotify is shaping the modern music business. Bryan breaks down Spotify’s 2025 Loud & Clear report , including the $11B paid to rights holders, the growth of independent artists, the rise of the artist middle c...

What does the future of artist development actually look like in a democratized music business? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why younger artists, managers, and executives are building their own systems, skipping old gatekeepers, and using new tools to break artists faster than previous generations. He also explains why superstar careers are still possible, why artist development now req...

What makes an artist worth backing before the data shows up? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why real artist development starts with belief, desire, point of view, and trust; not just streams, looks, or momentum. He also reflects on the Jessie Reyez story, what major labels often miss because of red tape, why disrespect can cost companies great artists, and how timing, leverage, and real r...

AI is already changing the music business, and artists can’t afford to ignore it. In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why AI is not a passing trend, how the industry may respond the same way it did with streaming, and why artists need to start paying closer attention to rights, royalties, and how their work could be used in the future. He also gets into why producers are quietly using tools li...

Why do artists still sign record deals if they don’t actually need them? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down the real value of record labels, why there’s no such thing as a universally “good” or “bad” deal, and what artists need to understand about rights, leverage, and ownership in today’s music business. He also explains why recouping even a small investment is harder than most people think,...

In the part II of this Manager’s Playbook convo, Mauricio Ruiz sits back down with former EPIC Records executive Chris Anokute to talk about what AI means for artists, how Suno is already being used in music, and why the future of the music business will belong to people who know how to adapt. Chris breaks down the truth about record deals, why no deal is simply “good” or “bad,” and how artists ca...

What does every producer need to know about the music business beyond making great records? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes gets into the side of the game a lot of creatives learn too late, publishing structures, deal terms, mentorship, discipline, and why studying the greats still matters. He also breaks down how an old MDRC publishing deal became difficult once the business shifted to streamin...

Why did Kehlani’s “Folded” work the way it did? I n this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down how the record came together, why it needed more emotional nuance than a standard breakup song, and how trusting the feeling of a record can lead to something bigger. He also gets into how to motivate artists without forcing them, why substance matters more than technique , how he knew “Folded” was speci...

Why do some artists last while others fade after one breakout moment? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down the mindset behind real music career longevity, from resilience and studying your wins to avoiding short-term money traps and building demand the right way. He gets into why you have to watch the tape after a hit, why touring still matters , and how artists, managers, and producers c...

Why do some songs fade fast while others last for years? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down why the song still comes first; not the trend, not the moment, not the hype. He gets into why lyrics, melody, and emotional truth are what give records real staying power, and why track-first songs often burn out fast. The conversation also covers how SZA’s “Snooze” came together, why mentorship...

Khris Riddick-Tynes, three-time Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and Kehlani’s executive producer, joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down what really makes hit songs last. This conversation gets into songwriting, artist development, A&R, executive production, mentorship, and music business strategy , with stories behind SZA’s “Snooze” , Kehlani’s “Folded” , and the long game behind bui...

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka and Mauricio Ruiz unpack why the music industry does not create stars the way it once did. They get into what separated artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole from the pack, how algorithms and personalized discovery have changed the way audiences connect with music, and why the business needs more fearless creatives in positions of leadershi...

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down why the music industry is really a people business. From working with labels and independent artists to building trust, collaboration, and long-term leverage, Hitmaka shares how real relationships create opportunities in music. He also reflects on developing an artist connected to Gillie, how that led to an Epic deal, why getting invited...

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down how producers really get paid in the music business. He reflects on his time during Atlantic’s high-powered A&R era, how he helped shape the sound of modern R&B and hip-hop, and why songwriters have historically been undervalued. From the making of A Boogie’s “Look Back At It” to the strategy behind producer credits, advances, and...

In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down how producers really get paid in the music business. From song deals and publishing to fair splits, leverage, and non-exclusive relationships across labels, Hitmaka shares real insight into the business mechanics behind a successful producer career. He also talks about why he stays rooted in hip hop and R&B, the gatekeeping that exist...

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Hitmaka, formerly Yung Berg, for a deep conversation on the real business behind hit songs. Hitmaka breaks down how hit records actually get made, from demo-first songwriting and producer collaboration to song deals, publishing, label politics, and artist development. He reflects on nearly three decades in music, the mindset t...

Mike Caren breaks down what actually makes a song feel like a hit. This clip explores the role of A&R, taste, replay value, emotional connection, melody, lyrics, and creative judgment in today’s music business.  Mike also talks about trusting your opinion, learning from missed calls, redefining what a hit means in the streaming era, and why great executives grow by focusing on their strengths...

Mike Caren breaks down why artists and managers need to have hard conversations early if they want to avoid bigger problems later. This clip is about artist-manager communication, label frustrations, project readiness, honest feedback, over-communication, and building stronger working relationships in the music business .  It’s a sharp reminder that many issues are not solved by blame. They’re sol...

Mike Caren breaks down why consistency, discipline, and adaptability matter more than occasional flashes of brilliance in the music business. This clip explores the traits that help artists and executives build lasting careers: embracing change, staying open to new ideas, avoiding nostalgia, protecting your focus, and developing the self-awareness to regularly reassess your strategy.  It’s a sharp...

Mike Caren breaks down what actually creates longevity in the music business. This clip is about building a career the right way: bringing value instead of extracting it, thinking long term, preparing before chasing opportunity, and developing the habits that lead to real greatness. Mike also touches on confidence, artist development, smart collaboration, and the importance of understanding music...

Mike Caren is one of the most respected music executives of his generation. From his early years at Atlantic Records to building Artist Publishing Group and Artist Partner Group , Mike has played a major role in the careers of artists, songwriters, producers, and executives across the modern music business. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook , Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Mike for a wide-ra...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Charlie Rocket breaks down how he would build an artist with no money, using speed, consistency, release strategy, and real-world fan-building . He talks through a no-budget artist development plan built around frequent releases, working with talented producers who believe in the vision, and staying always on so fans can build real habits around the music...

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook , Charlie Rocket reflects on how he and his partners ended up managing 2 Chainz by doing the work before anyone officially gave them the title. What began as music marketing, mixtape promotion, CD street-team strategy, and fan-building quickly turned into something bigger. Charlie explains how they kept showing up with value: bringing a 30/60/90-day artist...