Music Tectonics

Join the Music Tectonics team for the June Seismic Activity with special guest Andrew Kahn, Managing Partner of Yamaha Music Innovation Fund. Hear Andrews best practices for pitching him (or not) at a conference, and what he feels is the most important aspect of any pitch deck. Hint: It's not a great power point. We also hear queries specific to founders in attendance. Among them are questions about funding AI startups, is it possible to compete with Ticketmaster, and what about this innovative new musical instrument? Really great insight from the heart of the funding world.    The News! The most important chart in music right now?   Getting AI companies to agree to licensing deals with copyright owners is “not doable” and “China’s not doing it”, rambles Trump   Live Music News: GigSalad, Lightroom, new boards @ MVT, LIVE   The Death of the Middle-Class Musician   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!    Get Dmitri’s Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

Mike Gubman, co-founder of Chartist, dives into the fascinating fusion of music and gaming. He explores creative collaborations, like Michael Bublé and NLE Choppa's appearances in Fortnite, highlighting how these partnerships engage fans in new ways. Gubman shares insights on evolving music streaming dynamics, including SiriusXM's ad-supported tier, and discusses the rise of concert ticket prices. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of music integration in gaming for reaching diverse audiences and enhancing player experience.

Today we have a fascinating conversation with Randy Nichols, artist manager and CEO of Force Media Management. Randy’s been at the forefront of attempting to figure out the ticketing strategy math, especially the scalper side of the equation. We hear about his dive into the cold hard data, scalper chat rooms, and that time he sent someone undercover to the Ticket Scalpers Convention. We also talk about the allure of the “super fan” and why that is… baloney. Also we get into merch, and the general state of live music today.    News! YouTube to demonetize AI-generated videos starting July 15 Why fandom’s ‘more is more’ era could backfire YouTube’s ‘Ask Studio’ feature adds AI insight to its analytics Report: Threads is closing in on X’s daily active users total   Shoutouts! Immensity_AI Klaviyo Openstage   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!    Get Dmitri’s Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

Cullen Hendrix, a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former touring musician, dives into the impact of tariffs on musical instruments. He discusses how rising tariffs on Chinese imports could hinder the next generation of musicians and disrupt the used instrument market. Hendrix also explores the broader cultural ramifications of these policies, challenging the narrative of American manufacturing. The conversation reveals the intricate relationship between trade, music accessibility, and the future of American music culture.

Jessica Sobhraj, Co-founder and CEO of Cosynd, joins to tackle the complexities of copyright law as it intersects with the rise of AI. She discusses critical news, including Anthropic's win for fair use and the urgency for creators to protect their rights amidst an evolving digital landscape. The conversation highlights the transformative impact of AI on music and job roles, emphasizing the necessity for proper attribution and collective action among artists. Listeners will gain insights into safeguarding their intellectual property in this new technological era.

On today's episode we talk with Bomo Piri, Chief Brand Officer at Native Instruments. Our conversation begins with the techno Berlin roots of the brand and dives into what’s happening today with their strategic partnerships -- like the London based Young Urban Artist Foundation, and a very cool sounding recent collab with Mustard at Coachella. We chat about Bomo's unique marketing approach as well as the importance of authentic community engagement, and how they see that as a throughline to most of their marketing efforts.   The News! US music publishing revenue jumped 13.4% to $7bn in 2024, outpacing the growth rate of recorded music   PlayStation’s concert series is coming to the US   UMG JV with investment firm WTSL focuses on ‘artist-led IP’   Sony Music CEO Talks AI: ‘We Are Going to Do Deals for New Music AI Products This Year’   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!    Get Dmitri’s Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

On today's podcast we have a truly amazing talk with Damien Riehl, a musician and technology lawyer who is one of the masterminds behind All the Music Project; an algorithmically generated catalogue of 471 billion melodies, which was then put into the public domain in an attempt to protect musicians from being sued for copyright claims. It is a fascinating conversation. Damien’s Ted Talk here   News! Gen Z is embracing a digital detox and the ‘Martha Stewart summer’   Apple Intelligence Is Gambling on Privacy as a Killer Feature   The iPhone is your karaoke mic in tvOS 26's Apple Music Sing   Nothing will stand in the way of independents (and why the world’s first three-person indie unicorn is only a matter of time away)   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!    Get Dmitri’s Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

Adam McHeffey, Chief Creative Officer at Rock Paper Scissors and former CMO of Artiphon, shares his expertise on marketing musical instruments. He emphasizes the power of engaging smaller creators over celebrities and the importance of IRL networking. Adam unveils effective strategies like email marketing and user-generated content, stressing the need for authentic community interactions. He also discusses balancing traditional PR with modern personalization to build brand trust and visibility in the evolving music industry.

Today we bring you the recording from our latest on-line Seismic Event, “Artist Careers in a Parallel Universe.” It was an exploration into the livelihood of three working artists; Clara Venice, Vivek Agrawal, and The Phronetic. RPS Chief Creative Officer, Adam McHeffey talks with them about how they are using new technology to fuel their creative visions, how they've built brand relationships, and importantly, how they're monetizing their networks. Great insight into how they make it work. Also! stick around for the news.   Seismic Activity Guests Vivek Agrawal The Cassette Speaker The Oasis   Clara Venice Locket   The Phronetic   Sign up for the next Seismic Activity!   Links to the News What Is Going On With the Chaos At the Copyright Office? Fake Podcasts EU artists generated more than $1.8 billion on Spotify in 2024, up 15% YoY   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!  Get Dmitri’s Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Eleanor Rust, marketing director at Rock, Paper, Scissors, dives into the week's music tech buzz alongside Dmitri. They dissect Spotify’s revamped app store approach and Apple Music's new transfer tool. Eleanor highlights the evolving competition in streaming services. The duo also uncovers the troubling $10 million AI music fraud case, raising ethical questions about authenticity and artist rights. They discuss AI's growing influence, the importance of live events, and the necessity of ethical practices in music innovation.