Music Tectonics

Episode 400! This week, we thought we'd do something a little different and talk about trade shows and whether or not they're still worth it in 2026.  Fresh from CES 2026, Dmitri shares why trade shows remain valuable for business development and lead generation in the music tech industry. He also discusses innovations at CES from companies like Crosley , Sleevenote , Vrch , and Vobble , along wit...

This week, we're kicking off 2026 with our opening keynote from last year's Music Tectonics conference: "Optimization is Not Enough: Are You Ready for Streaming's Reckoning?"  In this keynote, Tatiana Cirisano from MIDiA Research joins Dmitri to ask a provocative question: Is the music industry so focused on optimizing streaming revenue that it's missing what comes next?  Tatiana argues that strea...

This week, we're wrapping up 2025 with something special: three rapid-fire interviews from last month's conference with companies that represent some of the most fascinating developments happening at the intersection of music and tech First, we'll hear from Rachel Francine of SingFit , who's pioneering music as medicine by bringing therapeutic singing programs to senior living communities  Next, w...

As 2025 comes to a close, Dmitri and Tristra look back at the year's most significant music tech stories and what they mean for the industry ahead.    From AI music settlements and catalog securitization to sustainability initiatives at live music venues and the future of streaming royalty rates, this year-end roundup covers the trends that shaped music and technology in 2025  Dmitri and Tristra d...

This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Brands and Creators: Creative Collaborations Everyone Can Agree To." This panel covers all things brand partnerships, from what makes brands say yes to working with artists, as well as some stories about what not to do. This panel includes Ryan Roth from Pioneer DJ, Mario Ponce from Sh...

This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Betting on the Future: Where Investors See Creator Tools Thriving Alongside AI." In this panel, Andrew Kahn from Yamaha Music Innovation sits down with three venture investors who are actively shaping the future of creative technology: David Ma from Powerhouse Capital , Jason Yeh from...

This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Building to Scale: Founders on Building Defensible Companies in the AI Economy."   In this panel, Conor Healy from the Yamaha Music Innovation Fund sits down with Stanley Vergilis from Tone3000 , Mauhan Zonoozy from The Vinyl Bar in Shibuya ,, and Jessica Powell from AudioShake . The c...

This week on Music Tectonics, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series with highlights from the Music Tectonics Conference. Over the next several weeks, we'll be sharing our favorite discussions, interviews, and panels that capture what's happening right now in music innovation.   Today, we're featuring a conversation with Ethan Millman from the Hollywood Reporter. Ethan breaks down on...

This week on Music Tectonics, we're doing something different. We're kicking off a series of highlights from the Music Tectonics Conference that wrapped up just a couple of weeks ago. Over the next several weeks, we'll be sharing our favorite discussions, interviews, and panels that capture what's happening right now in music innovation. We start with a conversation recorded at the Shure podcast b...

This week as we have just wrapped up the Music Tectonics Conference in person in Santa Monica, I thought I'd do something a little bit different and release a clip from our pre-conference a couple of months ago by Mark Mulligan of MIDiA research called "Crossroads: Streaming's Time to Choose."    In this keynote, Mark talks about the pressures facing streaming from AI generated content flooding pl...

Our guest this week is Neil Sheehan, the president of Vocana, a streaming platform built for independent artists and fans using a user-centric payment model. We talk about how that's different from other streaming platforms, why social features haven't worked on streaming platforms since the days of MySpace, and whether there's room for indie-focused platforms in what feels like a Spotify-dominate...

Pack your bags, we're going to Tectonics! On this week's episode, our marketing director, Eleanor Rust, turns the tables on Dmitri to talk about the upcoming Music Tectonics conference next week from November 4th through 6th in Santa Monica. We talk about how the conference started, what to expect this year, and more. Whether you're on the fence about going or are planning on going and want the fu...

This week, we're exploring the future of direct-to-fan commerce with Joshua Stone, the CEO and Co-Founder of Stuff.io and book.io . Josh has some serious backing, including names like Mark Cuban, Snoop Dogg, and Charles Hoskinson, the co-founder of Ethereum just to name a few, and has been working on building Web3 infrastructure that lets artists sell media directly to fans that fans can own and n...

This week, Darryl Ballantyne, CEO and Co-founder of LyricFind, discusses the complexities of the music business model and how LyricFind has managed to create new revenue streams by licensing lyrics and developing products like Lyric IQ. We also discuss how they've overcome challenges such as price competition and maintaining product market fit.  This is a great conversation for Startups!   The New...

This week we dive deep into all things music publishing with Monica Corton of Go to Eleven Entertainment . With over 30 years of experience in music publishing, Monica lays a great foundation of how exactly music publishing works, and then we talk about what it looks like today with AI, streaming, legislation, and in some cases, suing major platforms. Whether you're in music publishing or know not...

On this week's episode, Dmitri sits down with Dot Bustelo, a former Apple Logic Pro team member and the innovative mind behind Loupe Art . We talk about everything from a post-it from another innovator that changed everything to the age of creative abundance. It's a blast.    News! Gen Z social habits spell trouble for music discovery   Is Music's Mainstream Getting Smaller? A Streaming Analysis  ...

Today, a conversation with Tristra and Mansoor Rahimat Khan, the founder and CEO of Beatoven.ai . an ethically trained music generator that was built in partnership with hundreds of artists. They talk about the inspiration behind Beatoven and dive into the nitty gritty of how and why Beatoven works in collaboration with musicians to secure fully licensed content.   News! How Visa Issues Are Threat...

Today, I chat with Drew Thurlow, a strategist focused on how AI might be democratizing the music industry, rather than destroying it. We talk about how AI is changing everything from the creative process to copyright law, whether or not we should be worried about AI-generated music like the Velvet Sundown, and how AI is being used to surface the most popular songs made by whales in the sea. We als...

AI models can truly capture the essence of musical creativity. (Wait. Really?). Join us as Tristra interviews Dr. Christopher White from UMass Amherst about his new book The AI Music Problem: Why Machine Learning Conflicts with Musical Creativity . The two of them get into a really interesting question – Is AI redefining music, or is music reshaping AI? It's a great conversion about the future of...

What makes an artist-brand partnership meaningful, beyond a simple shoutout on social media? Today I talk with Dave Godowsky, a musician who's also worked the other side of the street – in Artist Relations, A&R and with brands that musicians know and love. We talk about how brands can foster authentic artist relationships, the value of word-of-mouth marketing, and how artist feedback can be best u...

We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August and today we have our own Chief Creative Officer from way back when he was the creative force at Artiphon. Adam McHeffey , CMO of Artiphon , joins us to talk about the state of musical instrument innovation. Instruments like the Orba put music creation at the fingertips of hobbyists, allowing them to focus on...

We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Join Dmitri and Tracy Maddux the former CEO, of AVL Digital and CD Baby as they talk through the fundamentals of what it takes to really start up. We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll have a clear understanding of the critical decisions that shape the future of your business. Whether you intend...

We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Today we have a great conversation with the CEO and co-founder of LyricFind. Listen in to find out how Darryl got his first investor, and what Microsoft, childhood bedrooms, outdated websites, and roller coasters have to do with anything. The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music indus...

We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Starting with…. The great debate! It's been five years since Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research gave the keynote at the first Music Tectonics Conference. This year we had him, along with Tatiana Cirisano, back to Music Tectonics. Instead of the standard conference keynote (because why would we do standard?) we h...

Join the Music Tectonics team for the June Seismic Activity with special guest Andrew Kahn, Managing Partner of Yamaha Music Innovation Fund. Hear Andrews best practices for pitching him (or not) at a conference, and what he feels is the most important aspect of any pitch deck. Hint: It's not a great power point. We also hear queries specific to founders in attendance. Among them are questions abo...