TAXI TV

What's the biggest mistake musicians make? It's not a lack of talent. It's not a lack of hard work. It's a lack of strategy. In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow sits down with one of TAXI's greatest success stories, Matt Vander Boegh, to discuss the one thing that transformed his music career—and why it has nothing to do with writing more songs. Matt went from knowing virtually nothing abou...

What separates professional musicians from hobbyists when it comes to sync licensing? In Part 2 of this TAXI TV conversation, Michael Laskow continues his discussion with Grammy-winning producer and mixer Rob Chiarelli and producer, songwriter, and film/TV music supervisor Michael Lloyd. This episode goes deeper into the sync side of the music business — including what music supervisors, producers...

What really separates music industry professionals from hobbyists? Is it talent? Connections? Expensive gear? Or is it something much deeper? In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow sits down with legendary producers, engineers, songwriters, and music industry veterans Rob Chiarelli and Michael Lloyd for an honest conversation about what they've learned from decades at the highest levels of the...

Why do some talented composers consistently land sync placements while others keep getting overlooked? In this episode of TAXI TV, music library owner, composer, and longtime TAXI member Chuck Henry shares the common mistakes he sees from the library side of the sync business—mistakes that can quietly cost composers valuable placements. After decades in the industry, Chuck has reviewed thousands o...

What makes one instrumental cue instantly more licensable than another? In this episode of TAXI TV, successful TAXI member, composer, and author Dean Krippaehne shares practical, real-world tips that can dramatically improve your chances of landing sync placements in TV, film, commercials, and production music libraries. Drawing from his book Cue Tips, Dean breaks down the small but critical detai...

Why do some music placements in commercials pay significantly more than TV and film, and how do you actually get them? On this episode of TAXI TV, we sit down with successful sync writer and producer John Pearson to break down exactly what changes when you shift from writing for film & TV to writing for advertising. John’s music has landed worldwide advertising placements with major brands like Ch...

Want to know how TV editors actually choose music for shows? In this TAXI TV episode, veteran TV editor and executive producer Biagio Messina breaks down the real-world TV editing process — from building scenes and shaping emotion to selecting, cutting, and using music in television. Learn: ✔ How TV editors find and use sync music ✔ What makes production music “usable” for editors ✔ Why some track...

Want to get more music placements in TV, film, trailers, and sync licensing? In this TAXI TV “Ask Michael Anything” episode, we answer real questions about music licensing, sync placements, production, AI music, contracts, developmental arcs, edit points, home studio production, and how to succeed in the music library world. Learn: ✔ Why some tracks never get placements ✔ The biggest mistakes in t...

Want to write music that actually gets placed in TV and film? In this TAXI TV episode, we break down a real production music track to show how developmental arcs, edit points, and structure make your music sync-ready. Learn how to: ✔ Build tracks for sync licensing ✔ Add clean edit points for editors ✔ Create dynamic arrangement and transitions Featuring TAXI member Steve Barden, author of Writing...

What does Nashville actually listen for when deciding whether a country song gets cut—or passed on? In this TAXI TV live stream, we’re joined by Steve Bloch, a veteran Nashville music publisher, song plugger, and A&R professional who’s been working in the Music Row community since 1993. Steve has had songs cut by major artists including Faith Hill, Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, and Cody Johnson,...

Why isn’t your music getting placed in film and TV, even when it sounds great? Most composers assume that high-quality production is enough to land sync placements, but in reality, music for film, TV, and media is chosen very differently. In many cases, it’s not the music supervisor making the initial call—it’s the video editor. And editors aren’t looking for the most impressive or complex track....

Why isn’t your music getting placed...even when it sounds good? In this episode of TAXI TV, I’m joined by sync agent Jim Thacker, who started out as a TAXI member and now represents music for placements in film, TV, and media. Having worked on both sides of the business, Jim shares what actually happens after you submit your music and why some tracks move forward while others don’t. We cover: • Wh...

Why isn’t your music getting sync placements? If you’ve been submitting for film & TV opportunities but not getting licensed, this episode of TAXI TV breaks down 20 common reasons your music isn’t getting placed and what you can do to fix it. TAXI CEO, Michael Laskow, is joined by special guest Greg Carrozza to talk about the real reasons songs don’t get licensed for film, TV, ads, and trailers. M...

Would YOU Forward This Song_ (Real A&R Decisions)[030926] by TAXI Independent A&R

Is there an age limit for success in sync licensing? For decades, the traditional music industry favored youth, image, and marketability — leaving many talented songwriters, composers, producers, and artists believing their window of opportunity had closed. But does age actually matter when creating music for film, TV, advertising, and streaming media? In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow —...

We’ve got a great show lined up for you today on TAXI TV! Joining me is six-time Grammy Award winner Rob Chiarelli, one of the most respected producers and mixers in the music industry. Rob has worked with countless major artists across multiple genres, and today he’s sharing real-world insight into what it takes to build a successful music career —creatively and professionally. We’ll be talking a...

Biagio Messina is a successful TV and documentary film producer, director, editor, and music composer! Those roles make him incredibly well-qualified to explain how and why music gets used in media. He’s been on the main stage at the 2023 and 2025 Road Rallies, and the audiences loved him and learned a lot! I’m still many time zones away from Pacific Standard Time, and not able to do live shows un...

Adonis Aletras is a long-time TAXI member and successful composer who lives on the island of Cyprus, several thousand miles away from the United States. But being thousands of miles away from the epicenter of the U.S. sync market hasn’t been an issue for him! As a matter of fact, he’s repeatedly told me, “If I can succeed at this from a tiny island nation in the Mediterranean, I think anybody from...

Michael Eames might be the smartest person I know in the music industry. We’ve been friends for 15 or 20 years, and I’m always amazed by his insights, depth of understanding, and wisdom. I feel enriched each time we speak about all things music industry-related, and this interview lives up to that promise. Read his bio, and I think you’ll see why you shouldn’t miss what he’s got to say about AI an...

I had a whole bunch of questions I didn't get to ask our Head Screener the last couple of times he joined me on TAXI TV. He's a consummate pro, and you guys seem to love his answers, so I pulled out the unasked questions from his last two appearances and got some great answers! I'm not going to hype this up, but I really think you'll learn how to use your TAXI membership more effectively if you wa...

There’s a reason Robin Frederick always packs the ballroom at our conference each year, and gets great reviews when she joins me on TAXI TV—she researches what the rest of us don’t have time to, and then gives advice that’s straightforward, easy-to-follow, and many would even say, life-changing. At least, songwriters and artists say that, lol. If you’re new to TAXI, new to our email list, or you’v...

There's so much information, disinformation, and countless opinions on the future of music in the shadow of generative AI that it's virtually impossible to keep up with it all. I try, but long-time TAXI member, indie musician, composer, and producer Paul Croteau does a far better job than I do. Paul has what some might call an "obsession" with gathering facts before he forms his opinions, so I lis...

I hope your holidays have been warm and inspiring. With 2026 right around the corner, now is the perfect time to reset, refocus, and talk about New Year’s resolutions for musicians that can actually move your music career forward. We'll break down practical ideas and habits for independent artists and songwriters navigating today’s music industry. It’s a long list, so don’t try to do everything. I...

It's been a while since we've done an "Ask Michael Anything" on TAXI TV, so that's exactly what we're going to do on today's show! Ask me anything about TAXI, engineering & production (from the mics and wires aspect), or the music licensing business, and I'll do my best to give straight-ahead, helpful answers. Btw, I was at a session at the Foo Fighters' private studio a few days ago and had my mi...

There are so many ways to get paid for your work in the age of digital music that I admit I’m confused as to who exactly pays what. One thing I do know is that the people who attended the presentation by the MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) at this year’s TAXI Road Rally were SO glad they went! They were so grateful that I’ve invited one of the MLC’s executives (Dae Bogan, Head of Third-Party...