Inside the Playbook: Milana Lewis on Why Music Contracts Are Broken

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Milana Lewis, CEO & Co-Founder of Stem, to break down one of the music industry’s biggest flaws: royalty accounting.

Milana shares how Stem set out to simplify payments, give artists clarity on what they own, and make sure money flows where it should. She also explains the early challenges of distribution, the struggles YouTube stars faced, and the legal roadblocks that eventually led to the creation of Tone.

This is a look at how smarter contracts and transparent royalty systems can reshape an artist’s career, and why fixing the “boring stuff” might be the most powerful move in music.

A conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7qj5aAUZJEh9bVIWWq596j?si=kORo9PheQ4G3mqg_t5X1PA

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook