Damon Krukowski

It’s safe to say that Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun are…never, ever, getting back together. Taking us inside their battle is Chris Willman, senior music writer at Variety, who’s covered Taylor since her early days as an up-and-coming young artist on the country music scene.Later, we’ll dive into the growing artist labor movement with Damon Krukowski, the drummer for the late 80s indie band Galaxie 500. Damon shares how the band bought back its masters from their label and why most bands aren’t as fortunate. He’s also breaking down the impact of streaming on musicians' pocketbooks, and what smaller artists are doing to advocate for their rights.Binge all episodes early and ad-free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.Support us by supporting our sponsor!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Damon Krukowsky, former drummer of Galaxie 500 and insightful music business writer, shares his frustrations with Spotify's opaque royalty system and its impact on independent artists. He delves into the economic challenges musicians face today and the disconnect between streaming platforms and artists. The discussion highlights the complexities of how music gets discovered and the ethical dilemmas of promotional practices. Krukowsky also addresses the rise of 'fake artists' and the implications of AI-generated music, unraveling the modern music industry's intricate dynamics.