

Music Tectonics
Rock Paper Scissors, Inc. PR firm
The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. The podcast includes news roundups, interviews, and more. Our host is Dmitri Vietze, CEO of PR firm rock paper scissors.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 20, 2025 • 46min
How to Build a Company with Tracy Maddux: How to Start Up
We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Join Dmitri and Tracy Maddux the former CEO, of AVL Digital and CD Baby as they talk through the fundamentals of what it takes to really start up. We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll have a clear understanding of the critical decisions that shape the future of your business. Whether you intend to sell your company or nurture it as a long-term venture, Tracy's wisdom on capitalization, leveraging personal funds versus investors, and recognizing your strengths and weaknesses will set you on the right path. And if you’re already deep in the weeds with your company – there is still great advice to be learned from these two industry experts. Tracy Maddux Artes Management 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!

Aug 13, 2025 • 45min
How to Scale Up with Darryl Ballantyne of LyricFind
We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Today we have a great conversation with the CEO and co-founder of LyricFind. Listen in to find out how Darryl got his first investor, and what Microsoft, childhood bedrooms, outdated websites, and roller coasters have to do with anything. 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!

Aug 6, 2025 • 50min
The Great Bifurcation Debate with the MIDiA Team
We are rewinding and playing back some of our favorite guests during the month of August. Starting with…. The great debate! It's been five years since Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research gave the keynote at the first Music Tectonics Conference. This year we had him, along with Tatiana Cirisano, back to Music Tectonics. Instead of the standard conference keynote (because why would we do standard?) we had an election-year style debate that we called The Great Bifurcation Debate. Tune in as they each argue their side – “Play” and “Listen” and their observations for what the future may hold with each. Read MIDiA’s report on bifurcation here. 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!

Jul 30, 2025 • 59min
Startups Start Your Engines with Andrew Kahn, Yamaha Music Innovation Fund
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.

9 snips
Jul 23, 2025 • 52min
Music and Fortnite with Mike Gubman
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.

Jul 16, 2025 • 51min
Stealing Back the Scalpers’ Playbook with Randy Nichols
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.

Jul 9, 2025 • 43min
Strings Attached: The Impact of Tariffs on Music and Culture with Cullen Hendrix
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.

Jul 3, 2025 • 54min
What the Heck is Happening With the Copyright Office?
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.

Jun 25, 2025 • 48min
Building Music Communities with Native Instruments
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.

Jun 18, 2025 • 50min
Are We Doing Copyright Wrong in Music?
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.