The Future of What

Episode #102: The rise of streaming has bestowed the music industry with a wealth of data, but how can labels and artists leverage that data to sustain themselves in this brave new world? On this episode, recorded live from Indie-Con in Adelaide, Australia, Portia moderates a panel on streaming and data with Amy Dietz (INGrooves), Henry Compton (The Orchard), Maya Janeska (UNFD), Jane Slingo (Youn...

Episode #101: In the second part of our 100th episode celebration and live taping, we spoke with organizations who strive to help musicians grow and take charge of their businesses. Maggie Vail (CASH Music), Ben Hubbird (CD Baby), Wade Metzler (SoundExchange), and Sierra Haager (Public Display PR) weigh in. We also hear from the new movement documenting and advocating for local musicians, MusicPor...

Lifelong musicians Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney Filthy Friends), Peter Buck (REM), Laura Veirs and Cool Nutz join us at our 100th episode celebration to discuss being career musicians.

Episode #100: On October 25th, we celebrated our 100th episode with a live taping in Portland, OR. On this episode, you'll hear from the amazing staff at Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls, Kristi Balzer and Caley Murray, as well as former camper Katherine Paul (Black Belt Eagle Scout). Then, get insight from legendary musicians Corin Tucker, Peter Buck, Laura Veirs, and Cool Nutz. Special thanks to XRA...

Episode #99: Melissa Locker is a culture writer who has contributed to Elle, Rolling Stone, Fast Company, and more. She joins Portia to talk about trends in music writing, what Mick Jagger smells like, and how everyone should try to meet Enya.

Episode #98: Whether you do everything yourself or have some professional help, being resourceful is an important skill as an independent artist. On this episode, we talk with people who've established themselves and built their businesses -- doing everything from album recording to promotion -- outside of the mainstream. We're joined by the band Listener, Krist Krueger of Self Group, and Cool Nut...

Teen-Beat Records founder Mark Robinson discusses running the label, highlighting local music, and more.

Episode #97: How global are the issues that affect the U.S. music industry? On this episode, Portia sits on a panel moderated by Jay Mogis (QUT/Nightlife) with Lynne Small (PPCA), Richard Burgess (A2IM), Paul Pacifico (AIM), Dylan Pellett (IMNZ) and Matt Rogers (UNFD) to discuss key developments in the copyright environment affecting the indies both here and in international markets. The group exp...

Ian MacKaye joins us to talk D.C., Dischord, and fellow indie label Teen-Beat Records.

Health insurance, a 401K… employment benefits in general? Not so easy to find working in the music industry. Luckily, in 1989 the Recording Academy created the MusiCares Foundation, providing a safety net of critical services and resources for industry people in need. On this episode, Recording Academy president Neil Portnow gives us some background on the foundation and, while the service is conf...

Episode #96: In 1985, Mark Robinson sent a letter to Ian MacKaye asking about how to press vinyl records. The year earlier, he founded Teen-Beat Records in Arlington, Virginia. Initially, only one copy of each release existed. Now, the label has over 200 releases under its belt and has shaped the D.C. independent music scene alongside MacKaye’s punk label Dischord. Both Mark and Ian join us on thi...

Episode #95: We talk a lot on this show about issues that affect musicians and the creative community, so how can people get involved and actually make a difference? For the last three years, the Recording Academy has led a grassroots campaign to mobilize the music community. Through their District Advocate day (formerly GRAMMYs in My District), artists have an opportunity to make an impact on mus...

Episode #94: Recently, a bill was introduced by Republican congressman Jim Sensenbrenner which calls for the creation of a comprehensive database of compositions and recordings. The “Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act” claims to make things easier for coffee shops, bars and restaurants who want to license music to play in their establishments. To many in the music industry, the bill...

Public Display PR's Sierra Haager returns to the show to discuss how people listen to music and what success means for independent 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

Bandcamp managing editor Jes Skolnik joins us to discuss the myth of good music rising to the "top." 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 #93: People often say that if you make good music, the fans will follow. So does good music rise to the top? And what is the top? On this episode, we talk with Jes Skolnik, managing editor at Bandcamp. Through Bandcamp Daily, Jes makes a point to highlight lesser-known artists who might be overlooked by outlets like Pitchfork or Rolling Stone. We also hear from Public Display PR’s Sierra H...

Thirsty Ear Recordings' Peter Gordon joins us to discuss how net neutrality affects musicians and the creative 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

Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier joins us to talk about streaming rates, big tech companies, and surviving as an indie artist. Hear more on episode 92. 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 #92: The internet is a vital tool for artists, but without the protections that ensure a level playing field, creators’ ability to earn a living comes under threat. On today's episode, we dive into the murky waters of net neutrality, copyright, and tech giants. We hear from Thirsty Ear Recordings Peter Gordon about why musicians should care about net neutrality. This point is echoed by Eva...

Episode #91: What if there were an IMDB for music? Not only would fans be able to dig deeper into their favorite albums, but producers, artists, and other collaborators could catalog their contributions, labels could track data more easily, and businesses would have all of the information they need to license a song right at their fingertips. On this episode, we talk with a new service called Jaxs...

What does it mean when an artist or label calls itself independent? Instead of defining independence as "not major," this episode discusses what independence in music really means. Portia travels to Australia for an Indie-Con panel with Matthew Rogers (UNFD/WIN Council Member), Sebastian Chase (MGM), Chris Maund (Mushroom Group of Labels), Merida Sussex (Stolen Recordings), and Guy Blackman (Chapt...

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 #89: The music industry has recently seen its largest sales increase since the days of Napster. Streaming, while still in its infancy has shown that making a fraction of a penny from a lot of listeners could be a long term sustainable model for many. But just as we began to get comfortable, Pandora started a premium streaming service, YouTube is still running the show and Spotify is having...

Palehound's Ellen Kempner joins us at Pickathon to talk about how she got into music and what it takes to navigate today's 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

We caught up with "comedy-adjacent" rapper and fellow podcaster Open Mike Eagle at Pickathon last year. 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