The Future of What

When people talk about “making it” in the music industry, it’s usually in reference to making a living writing or playing original songs in a popular band or as a solo artist. Today we explore alternative career paths playing music. We’re joined by Phil Hernandez and Chris Maxwell, who make up production duo The Elegant Too. They’re also the composers of some of your favorite musical moments on Bo...

Episode #37: When recording engineer Larry Crane started Tape Op Magazine in 1996, he printed the first issue on legal paper and Xeroxed 500 copies to send to his friends. Branded as “the creative music recording magazine,” that first issue set Tape Op up to be one of the best resources for new and established engineers, gaining a readership of over 60,000. On this episode of The Future of What, w...

Larry Crane runs Jackpot! Recording Studio and Tape Op Magazine. He's also the archivist of Elliott Smith's catalog. Larry talks with Portia about his time working with Elliott and putting together the upcoming 'Either/Or: Expanded Edition.' Subscribe to The Future of What on iTunes: http://apple.co/1P4Apk0 Follow us: Twitter: http://bit.ly/2gOYMYM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefutureofwha...

Episode #68: From Prince to Sharon Jones, too many musicians have passed away in the last year. What will happen to their music, and who will control their legacies? These losses remind us that, while difficult, planning for the inevitable is vital as a musician of any level. On this episode, we look at recent cases of musicians’ estate planning gone awry with attorney Andy Mayoras. We also hear f...

Episode #67: Over the last decade, the music industry has become increasingly difficult to navigate -- especially for emerging artists. As the Internet has developed, it’s introduced a slew of new issues for creators, but has also provided valuable tools. Some artists are taking things into their own hands by using crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter to launch albums and more. We discuss the trend...

What does it take to progress as a performer? Chanticleer Tru (Chanti Darling), Travis Labbe (True West) and Peter Clark (What The Festival) discuss. 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 #66: You probably remember the best concert you’ve ever been to -- and the worst. Live shows have always been a core component of a musician’s job, and as the music industry’s economy has changed over the last decade, touring has become essential. Performing live isn’t for everyone though, so we’re joined by an experienced group who walk us through turning a concert into an engaging experi...

Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) talks candidly about what the Trump presidency could mean for musicians and America. 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 Find out more about Lower Dens: lowerdens.com

Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) explains why the Affordable Care Act is important and how it changed Hunter's life. 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 Find out more about Lower Dens: lowerdens.com

Secretly Canadian's Jon Coombs talks about the development of 'Our First 100 Days,' a new compilation which benefits different causes in light of our changing political landscape. 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 Find out more about 'Our F...

Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what Trump the GOP's policy plans could mean for the music community. 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 Find out more about The Future of Music Coalition: futureofmusic.org

Kevin Erickson of The Future of Music Coalition talks about what a Trump presidency could mean for musicians. 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 Find out more about The Future of Music Coalition: futureofmusic.org

Episode #65: A presidency doesn’t usually hold so many unknowns for the music community, but the election of Donald Trump will affect a range of issues important to musicians and music industry professionals. On this episode of The Future of What, we have a frank discussion about how Trump’s presidency could influence issues like healthcare, net neutrality, free expression and more. We’re joined b...

Episode #64: Last year, we released 37 episodes on a wide variety of topics in music. From rights to royalties, we covered subjects important to artists and those who support them. On this episode, we look back at the major issues we reported on in 2016 and those who they impacted most. We hear from musician Melissa Ferrick about the Spotify lawsuits that started the year, then A2IM’s Richard Burg...

Episode #63: 2016 has been an unforgettable year. We lost legendary musicians and witnessed a huge political shift. Today on the show, we recap the year by talking about some of its best -- and most notable -- songs. First, we hear from Kill Rock Stars' Ben Parrish and James Reling about their favorite songs of the year, from Cate Le Bon to Jackie Lynn. Then we’re joined by songwriter Charlie Hard...

Happy holidays! Here's another one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter. 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

Happy holidays! Here's one of our favorite moments from our recent live panel on music marketing with record labels Warp, Break World, Don Giovanni and Father/Daughter. 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 #62: We took The Future of What to North Carolina for this year’s Redeye Label Hang. Every year, labels, industry partners and customers associated with Redeye Distribution gather for panels and discussions about the business. On this live show, we’re joined by record labels Warp, Break World, Father/Daughter and Don Giovanni to talk innovative marketing strategies, social media, and more....

We ask Russ Crupnick of MusicWatch Inc. to explain recent trends in paid downloads and what they might mean for the future of 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

Episode #61: With the launch of Apple Music in 2015, the music industry saw a steep decline in digital downloads, and rumors flew about whether iTunes downloads would be phased out completely -- one publication even wrote an obituary for the service. Streaming services are here to stay, but what will that mean for music downloads? We ask MusicWatch Inc.’s Russ Crupnick about trends in music downlo...

Episode #60: The ASCAP and BMI consent decree issue has put songwriters in the news this year, but we don’t hear a lot about how the profession has changed as a whole in recent years. To help us get a sense of what modern songwriting looks like, we talked to Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) and Michelle Lewis, founders of Songwriters of North America (SONA). SONA filed a lawsuit against the Department...

Episode #59: When you think of video game music, you might hear Koji Kondo’s Super Mario Bros. original score, or maybe FlyLo FM from Grand Theft Auto’s licensed soundtrack. Either way, video games have long held promise for composers and musicians. Like movies, video games are naturally a broad medium with room for different musical experiences. Games also provide a lucrative revenue stream for s...

Episode #58: Without technological development, the music industry would be in a very different place. From the modulated grooves of analog records to the first iPod, innovation has permanently shaped the music business, but it's not always an easy process. In recent years, technology seems to be advancing faster and faster, with more companies popping up than ever, many of which are focused on mu...

Episode #57: Music has the power to inspire people and change lives. On this episode we spotlight one organization using music education to empower and amplify the voices of young women and girls. Portland’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls was founded in 2001 and provides tools and education for girls interested in music. Along with the camp’s director, Kristi Balzer, we talk to some of the women who...

Episode #56: A band has recorded some music -- they’ve even set a date for their album release -- but how do they get people to listen to it? Making press contacts and getting the right information to the right people can be difficult when you’re not a public relations expert. We’re joined by PR pros Sierra Haager (Public Display PR, bed.) and Chris Hnat (Grandstand Media & Management) who break d...