Why IRL meetings beat endless Zooms

Episode 400! This week, we thought we'd do something a little different and talk about trade shows and whether or not they're still worth it in 2026.

Fresh from CES 2026, Dmitri shares why trade shows remain valuable for business development and lead generation in the music tech industry. He also discusses innovations at CES from companies like Crosley, Sleevenote, Vrch, and Vobble, along with what the team is looking forward to at NAMM next week.

Whether you're considering NAMM, SXSW, or the Music Tectonics Conference in October for your 2026 strategy, this episode makes the case for why IRL experiences still drive real business results in an increasingly digital world.

The news

• Spotify expands messaging feature with live friend activity and 'Request to Jam'

• Spotify Is Now Sunsetting the 'Basic' Music-Only Subscription Tier — And Further Reducing Songwriter Royalties In the Process

• UMG's latest major AI partnership arrives via tech giant NVIDIA, with promise of 'antidote to generic AI slop'

• Report: 56.9% of new independent songs in China are AI-generated

• Musician Sues Stability AI for Training Despite Opt-Out Requests

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

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