The Future of What

Episode #88: Last year, we went to Oregon’s Pickathon music festival and caught up with some promising acts in Pickathon’s interview video series. With this year’s festival around the corner, we bring you extended interviews with some of our favorite artists. We talk with rapper and host of Comedy Central’s The New Negroes, Open Mike Eagle. Then we discuss everything from Avril Lavigne to anxiety...

SoundExchange president Mike Huppe joins us to discuss the organizations acquisition of the Canadian music licensing collective CMRRA. "Together," they say, "the two agencies will integrate and streamline the administration and distribution of sound recording and music publishing royalties." Subscribe to The Future of What on iTunes: http://apple.co/1P4Apk0 Follow us: Twitter: http://bit.ly/2gOYMY...

Gray Gannaway, founder of video strategy firm Quarterlab, discusses the recent "adpocalypse" on YouTube which has dramatically cut revenue for many channels. So how has this affected the music industry? Subscribe to The Future of What on iTunes: http://apple.co/1P4Apk0 Follow us: Twitter: http://bit.ly/2gOYMYM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefutureofwhat/ Instagram: http://bit.ly/1L6T8fl

The music industry is constantly changing, so today we shine a light on a few important topics developing in the business. First we discuss the recent YouTube “adpocalypse” and how it affects artists’ revenues with Gray Gannaway of Quarterlab Consultancy. Then we hear from Mike Huppe, President of SoundExchange about their recent acquisition of CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency)....

Episode #86: In the early 90’s, Chapel Hill was dubbed “the next Seattle” after producing acts that got noticed beyond its state lines. Twenty-five years later, a lot has changed in the local and national music landscape but the core ingredients that comprise any music scene remain the same: venues, record stores, press, and radio. While in North Carolina, Portia spoke with local mainstays Chaz Ma...

Episode #85: A lot of money is spent in the music industry developing new tools and platforms, but today we spotlight a nonprofit committed to providing artists with educational and professional resources -- all for free. In 2008, CASH Music started out of a desire to create a sustainable music industry. Since then, the platform has offered everything from download code generation and redemption t...

Episode #84: Making great music is only one part of the equation; equally important is making sure you reach an audience and cultivate them as fans. As more and more musicians release their own music, the onus is on the musician to also navigate the marketing process. Almost every musician has access to the same marketing resources….and knowing your options and utilizing them effectively can make...

Episode #83: Most indie label owners didn’t go to business school, and never expected to get interest from venture capitalists. What are the steps they can take to grow their business smartly using investment tools? This live discussion from A2IM’s Indie Week focuses on the fundamentals of investing – the basics, the intricacies, the best partnerships, and the pitfalls. When should you look for in...

Episode #82: Since talking with Portland’s new record pressing plant, Cascade, in 2015, more and more vinyl pressing plants have opened up. New manufacturers can mean more opportunities for small labels, job creation and better quality products and customer service. We revisit the ups and downs of pressing records with Third Man Records’ Ben Blackwell, Cash Carter and Ryan Lewis of Athens, GA base...

Episode #81: How many "likes" did you get today, and does it even matter? On this episode, Portia leads an Upstream Summit keynote panel talking with Run The Jewels manager Amaechi Uzoigwe and RCA Records’ Tunji Balogun, two industry insiders who have effectively mined the vast quantities of data and analytics available. Artists, managers and labels have all begun using data to amplify albums, sel...

Episode #80: On this episode we spotlight two people making change in the music industry. You might know Meredith Graves from her band Perfect Pussy, or from her work as a full time MTV News host. She also freelances and runs her own label. Meredith discusses her various jobs, the state journalism, hot takes and PWR BTTM. We also hear from musician Simon Tam about his groundbreaking Supreme Court...

Episode #20: On the front page of Pandora’s website, there’s a statement that says “It’s a new kind of radio — stations that play only music you like.” How can it be that Pandora knows what you’ll enjoy? Isn’t liking music purely up to personal taste? Pandora, like many other digital music platforms, uses a complex algorithm to predict what their listeners want to hear. Other services employ human...

Episode #79: Music supervisors aren’t just responsible for picking great songs for movies, TV shows, ads and video games, they also have to be savvy negotiators and know the ins and outs of music licensing. So how does someone become a music supervisor? And how can artists better connect with music supervisors when the opportunity arises? We discuss these questions and more with supervisors Jen Ma...

Episode #78: People have been declaring the end of radio for years, yet stations continue to pop up and even thrive today. While many stations have been swept up by corporations, community and college low-power FM and internet stations still serve their communities. On this episode, we sit down with LPFM and college stations to discuss the role of community radio today, how college stations serve...

Episode #77: With more and more music flooding the internet, artists, labels, and entrepreneurs are looking for new ways to engage fans. Many look to a subscription model as a way to provide listeners with a unique, niche experience. On this episode we hear from Patreon's Jack Conte, Vinyl Me, Please founder Matthew Fiedler, Kevin Duquette (Topshelf Records) and Karl Hofstetter (Joyful Noise Recor...

Episode #33: “Young people [are an] underserved population when it comes to the music industry.” That’s the point our guest Andre Middleton drives home on this episode of The Future of What. In our discussion with Middleton (Friends of Noise) and Todd Fadel (The Meow Meow), we look at the logistics and pitfalls of starting and sustaining an all ages venue. Like many cities with rising rents and st...

Episode #76: Licensing a song may have once come with accusations of selling out, but today, getting a song on a movie, TV show or commercial can be one of the most lucrative moves for a musician. It can make paying for a tour or album that much more feasible, and can even break a band to a new audience. So how does licensing work, and how can an artist up their chances of making a deal? On this e...

Episode #75: On this episode we’re sharing interviews with three of our favorite artists from Treefort Music Fest! First, Portia talks with Catherine Harris-White of SassyBlack and THEESatisfaction about turning music into a living, then joins Seattle band Thunderpussy to talk about their upcoming album and collaboration with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. We also hear from Luz Elena Mendoza, the core...

Episode #74: The Future of What looks deeper at recent immigration issues surrounding SXSW and Trump's travel ban with Matthew Covey of international musicians' group Tamizdat and Kevin Erickson of artist advocacy organization the Future of Music Coalition. Cherine Amr of Massive Scar Era shares her story of being turned away at the border, and Baltimore musician Ami Dang discusses her concerns ov...

Episode #73: Treefort Music Fest is a 5-day music and arts festival in Boise, Idaho. This year’s festival was one of the most successful yet, and bolstered Treefort as a great alternative to SXSW. We headed to Boise to talk with performers and host a panel on the current state of the music industry. Hear the panel with Sharlese Metcalf (KEXP), Jess Caragliano (Terrorbird Media), Zeke Howard (The B...

Episode #24: Independent labels have long been at the forefront of bringing great music to the public, especially lost gems and overlooked greats that went out of print or were never pressed on any other format than vinyl. Today we talk reissues with the labels Yep Roc and Light in the Attic, as well as talking to one of the bands whose output is receiving the reissue treatment: seminal pub rock b...

Episode #72: As long as there’s been music, there have been music critics. Like many professions, music review has been indelibly changed by the Internet. For a while, a numerical rating on Pitchfork could make or break a band. Blogs and social media emerged, and suddenly, truly everyone was a critic. On this episode, we hear from music critics about their role today and more. We’re joined by Soun...

Shane Told (Silverstein, River Oaks), joins us to talk about his podcast, Lead Singer Syndrome, making it in the music business and more. Subscribe to The Future of What on iTunes: http://apple.co/1P4Apk0 Follow us: Twitter: http://bit.ly/2gOYMYM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefutureofwhat/ Instagram: http://bit.ly/1L6T8fl

Episode #71: Podcasts have surged in popularity over the last few years, and have proved to be a great way to connect with your audience — so why don’t more musicians take advantage of the format? Today we talk with three musicians making their mark on the podcast charts, Hrishikesh Hirway, creator of Song Exploder, Joe Pug, host of The Working Songwriter, and Silverstein’s Shane Told, host of Lea...

Like many creative cities, Portland is growing rapidly, but is the vibrant music scene that bolstered its reputation benefiting? The city is known as one of the nation’s hottest music spots, so how can we make sure that its beloved music industry thrives as Portland changes? On this episode we delve into these questions and more with local industry leaders, Pat Rice (Old Town Music), Larry Crane (...