The Wholesome Music Podcast

No one thought you could have a festival in the desert! Did you know that Coachella, arguably America's most famous music festival, was not originally conceived as a glamorous cash-grab? We track its origins, including how the 90's yarlers Pearl Jam were instrumental in the festival's origins. Links Coachella Was Born from a Boycott by IG: pop__economy   Send us Fan Mail Subscribe o...

Your super fans are on Instagram! A new report from music Luminate details how Instagram users are different from all other social media groups. Why do they buy more, spend more time with artists off-site, and engage with more music content? And how can you use that to connect your music to more people than ever before? Links Instagram Impact Study by Luminate  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe on YouTub...

What working musicians need to know about AI music.  We share the unexpected acquisitions, under-the-radar features, latest lawsuits and even unexpected academic research behind the headlines. Subscribe for more AI music news without the hype. Links Suno has acquired Songkick: What it means for Artists by Bruce Houghton for Hypebot  Udio admits to scraping YouTube audio for AI training in answer t...

Is the concert industry cooked? Lackluster sales are causing artists to cancel shows—and even entire tours! What's behind the trend, what does it say about the music industry, and what does the data REALLY say? Links ‘Blue dot fever’: the real reason pop stars are cancelling tours by Keiran Southern for The Times  What ‘blue dot fever’? Live Nation CFO says ‘There is absolutely no data that s...

Indie musicians NEED to do this! Your songs aren't just content — they're your catalog! How can you protect your catalog from bad deals, and use your assets to your maximum advantage? We break it down. Links 8 Ways Independent Artists Can Protect Their Masters in 2026 by Buzz Music LA  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe on YouTube Recorded ourselves at Secret Spot DTLA Cameron Ljungkull  Augustu...

Your content needs to go further! We've all been there: your music is great, but how do you get people to listen and care? That's where STRATEGY comes in. Whether you are a reluctant poster or a screentime junkie, you need a plan to turn your songs into evergreen content. Links How To Turn One Release Into an Evergreen Content Strategy by Randi Zimmerman for Symphonic Blog  Send us Fan M...

Inside the AI music scams targeting indie musicians!   Why are indie musicians particularly vulnerable to AI scams? We learn from some of the most recent scams to and look at why AI impersonation scams are impacting more artists than ever before. Links ‘This Is Not Me’: Inside the AI Scams Driving Musicians Crazy by Jon Blistein for Rolling Stone  Curtiss King YouTube   Send us Fan Mail Subscribe...

London police break up a fake vinyl operation! Inside a recent bust in London where police seized over $350,000 worth of fake merchandise. Links The Vinyl Comeback Has a Dark Side: London Police Shut Down Major Counterfeit Vinyl Operation—Over $350,000 in Dupe Discs Seized by Ashley King for Digital Music News  Send us Fan Mail Subscribe on YouTube Recorded ourselves at Secret Spot DTLA Cameron Lj...

Is ANYTHING real on the Internet? How did a small-time musician's observations about music promotion blow up the entire world of social media marketing? We trace a story that begins with the band Geese, travels to a little-known SXSW talk, and ends with us rethinking the entire landscape of social media marketing.  This story contains a ton of helpful tips for how to get your music to more pe...

Don't make these mistakes! What's it take to stay safe and still have a good time during festival season? Our friends at No Creeps Movement and Gritty In Pink share some tips on how to get the most out of your festival tickets by ensuring the safety of everyone you came with. Links No Creeps Movement https://instagram.com/nocreepsmvmt Gritty In Pink https://instagram.com/grittyinpinklife...

The end of ticket gouging?   Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has been found guilty of operating an illegal monopoly and overcharging fans. Could the company be broken apart? Will this decision make it easier for musicians to operate successful tours? Will concert prices get cheaper? Links Ticketmaster-owner Live Nation ran a monopoly and overcharged fans, jury finds by Archie Mitchell and Ka...

CW: Murder, Child Abuse  Reports and online speculation have been circulating around singer D4vd following alleged developments tied to an investigation in the Hollywood Hills. We break down everything currently being reported — what’s been confirmed, what remains unclear, and how this story has evolved over time. We also take a closer look at the potential legal implications. This is a developing...

Do YOU want to play Coachella? It takes more than luck to play the big festivals. We discuss how to think strategically about your goals and approach your career with intention. Links So You Want a Set at Coachella? by IG: @beatcave.ca https://www.instagram.com/p/DXEy0uYjUck/ Send us Fan Mail Subscribe on YouTube Recorded ourselves at Secret Spot DTLA Cameron Ljungkull  Augustus Watkins  Cocaine O...

$10M to surf YouTube! Justin Bieber promised his Coachella performance would be an exciting comeback, then stunned audiences and critics with his laidback set, whose highlights included watching memes on YouTube. What does the Canadian superstar's new era of laidback stagecraft have to say about culture, stardom, and the passage of time? Links Justin Bieber negotiated $10M fee without an agen...

We react to Kanye's comeback, his $33M SoFi Stadium performance, Anthony Fantano's reaction to "Ye's" new album "Bully" and updates on the backlash and evolving situation with cancelation of prominent UK "Wireless Festival" Send us Fan Mail Subscribe on YouTube Recorded ourselves at Secret Spot DTLA Cameron Ljungkull  Augustus Watkins  Cocaine Opera - M...

We talk boundaries! Cameron shares the reason why he says "no" first, and we talk about how establishing boundaries in your personal and professional life and help your creative career flourish. Next, TikTok and iHeartMedia are forming an unholy alliance, and generating some decent promo ideas in the process. What can you learn from their new partnership? In news, we discuss ElevenLabs&a...

A recent SXSW panel has lifted the veil on Spotify playlist pitching, and we have the details. Then we talk about Afroman’s vindication in court over the cops who raided his house in ‘22. What can Chance The Rapper’s ongoing courtroom drama with his manager teach us about contracts? Finally, why is HYBE losing money despite BTS’s record-breaking album release? Along the way, we drop hot takes abou...

We close out our History of Music Production series on a high note with a fascinating discussion on the weird history of delay: from hijacking telephone wires to oil cans, it just keeps getting more bizarre. Next, pundits have been saying for a long time that rock music is dead and the future of music is country. But not so fast! Rock music seems to be having a cultural resurgence and we get into...

Our History of Music Production series rolls on with the history of reverb. Just think: they used to dig underground chambers to get the sound that now comes free with every DAW. Next, we discuss a great post by the music marketer Finch Bergling about some things more important than Spotify, which turned into an extended chat on the power of PR. In AI news: you still can't copyright generated...

We continue our History of Music Production series (the name for which we can not remember during our recording session!) with a look at the history of equalizers, aka EQ. After that, industry leaders are taking aim at Suno. We look at a couple open letters written by some prominent industry watchers. Don't let the AI bros fool you into thinking AI music is inevitable! Speaking of AI, Sony ha...

Our History of Music Production series carries on with the history of compressors and limiters—from the early radio days to today's exciting plugins and everything in between. This series is not a tutorial, but a bit of background and context so you really know what you're talking about in your next session. Next, Jeffrey Epstein's unrealized plans for the music industry have been r...

We continue our History of Music Production series with the history of microphones. Then we take a look at some prominent hip hop music college programs, and discuss what the state of hip hop in higher education says about the times we live in (also, Cameron reveals some more of his lore). In news, we discuss Casey Wasserman selling his namesake agency, Spotify's next "AI Derivatives&quo...

We kick off our "History of Music Production" series with The History of Mixing and Mastering: what is mixing, how does it differ from mastering? Then, Casey Wasserman, founder and CEO of Wasserman agency, who represents a huge swath of the music industry, is in the Epstein files, and his clients and employees are speaking out. Udio and Suno have differing visions for the future of AI mu...

Plus, how can you keep your venue safe from ICE? We have a checklist that will help you prepare. Also, Spotify and the major labels are suing activist and archive group Anna's Archive for 13 trillion dollars (that's "trillion" with a "T"). Then, which musicians are in the Epstein files so far? Finally, this week's Take It Or Leave It advice helps your songs get m...

It's a new year and many of us are thinking about how to plan out our music drops. How should you plan your year? And what about your music video strategy? We look at how music videos remain relevant—and how they don't. Next, a major shift has taken place in the social media landscape with the transfer of TikTok to its new (rightwing billionaire) American owners. What does this mean for...