Sound Connections

Let's explore the journey of Tom Allen, CTO of Downtown Music Group and founder of Curve. Tom shares how he went from an independent-label intern to building a bootstrapped music-data platform that earned its acquisition. You’ll hear his insights on blending deep technical know-how with customer-driven iteration, and how he fosters a people-first culture across global engineering teams, the value of staying close to the user, and why being “leaderful” matters more than just leading. A masterclass in music techLearn about Curve: https://www.curveforcreators.com/about-curveLearn about Downtown Music: https://downtownmusic.com/___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

In a world where billions of songs compete for attention, one company is ensuring every creator gets paid what they’re owed. Hans Peter Roth shares how he transformed Muserk from a microsync licensing side project into the leading U.S. rights administrator, claiming an unexpected \$500K from YouTube in 2017 and growing to manage over 20 million works today. He explains why U.S. mechanical royalties are a tangle all their own, how strategic pivots and industry partnerships drive growth, and why markets in Africa and APAC hold massive untapped potential. Plus, discover the metadata challenges of AI-generated “ghost” tracks and the role of standards like DDEX in cleaning up the data chaos. In this episode, learn about a clear, factual look at the infrastructure that powers a fairer, more transparent music industry.Visit Muresk here; https://muserk.com/___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

Turntable.fm was Joseph Perla’s first breakout hit in 2011 — now he’s back with Hangout.fm, a fully licensed platform that brings shared music experiences online. In this episode, Joseph reveals how a failed music rights negotiation taught him lessons that shaped his career at Facebook and Lyft, and fueled his four-year battle to secure label agreements for Hangout.fm.How did he raise funding from Founders Fund, partner with Discord and other social apps alongside his plans to roll out virtual goods?They are all in this episode.Explore the platform here; https://hangout.fm/___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

From island beats to global charts, Gineyda Cornelio, Director of Marketing & Latin Strategy at AudioMack is rewriting the rules of today’s music business. She traces her own path from club social-media gigs in Miami to guiding AudioMack’s Latin growth, then breaks down the numbers behind the genre’s 19% listener surge, the rise of independent distribution, and why Bad Bunny, Karol G, and regional Mexican stars are changing global charts. She shares candid insights on licensing hurdles, touring economics, and the power of color-coded branding that turns casual listeners into loyal advocates.___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

Knowledge is the new currency for independent musicians—and Ryan Schmidt, Esq., wants every artist to have plenty in the bank. In this episode, the artist-turned-music-lawyer explains Foundation App, a gamified pocket “music-business school” for delivering two-to-five-minute lessons on contracts, royalties, publishing, tour deals, mental health, and more. This conversation covers business skills for musicians and shows how shrinking the knowledge gap helps creators dodge bad agreements, forge stronger label and management partnerships, and maps the mindset—and the practical steps—needed to level up and earn sustainably in 2025’s evolving music landscape.Engage with the Foundation App here; http://foundationapp.xyz/___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

From throwing a DIY festival in his hometown to running a 12‑person, AI‑driven marketing startup in Paris, Clémentin’s journey shows how grit and smart pivots can turn a bedroom idea into a global business tool. In another partnership episode with Music Tech Europe Academy, he shares the highs and lows of building Control Reach, formerly Your Music Marketing —including hard‑won lessons on fundraising, choosing a market, and steering a team through radical change.Learn more about Music Tech Europe Academy: https://www.musictecheuropeacademy.eu/Visit Your Music Marketing: https://yourmusic.marketing/___________________________________________________________________________Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

PARTNERSHIP WITH WALLIFORNIA 2025Are you raising your first round or scouting high‑growth startups? In our first partnership episode with Xavier Peters, CEO of Belgium‑based venture fund, LeanSquare, he explains how his team backs late‑seed and pre‑Series A startups across music, sport, esports, and gaming—and why a strong founder mindset and a clear market need outweigh everything else, including funding in music technology and the ecosystem shaping its future.About the 9th edition of the Wallifornia Music + Tech Summit in July 2025;https://walliforniamusictech.com/Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

Metadata may be the unglamorous backbone of music, but it decides who gets paid. In this episode, entrepreneur and technologist Jacob Varghese explains how his company Noctil uses supervised machine‑learning to link millions of usage logs with the right ownership data, turning “black‑box” royalties into real income for creators. He traces his journey from a 2012 consulting project to a fully bootstrapped, modular platform that now supports publishers, labels, and collecting societies. Along the way, you will hear why blanket licenses and legacy systems leave gaps, how AI can lift match rates by double‑digit percentages, and what policy changes could finally simplify licensing in the streaming and AI era. If you want a clear, jargon‑free look at the hidden infrastructure behind every play button, this conversation delivers it.Learn more about the platform here; https://www.noctil.com/Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

Let's get an inside look at how Alex and Nicholas from Beat Connect are reshaping music production through a fresh take on collaboration. Hear about their journey building a DAW that bridges the gap between pros and newcomers, drawing inspiration from gaming to create an intuitive, real-time creative experience. They also discuss tackling industry roadblocks and why making music more accessible could redefine how artists connect, share, and innovate worldwide.Find out more here; https://www.beatconnect.com/Sponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures

Entrepreneur, DJ and newly honored as Manager of the Year and Music Exporter of the Year at the Estonian Music Industry Awards, Britt Randma, sheds light on building a viable career from a smaller market, the realities of music export, and why hard work often outweighs immediate financial gain. Listen to Britt share her firsthand experience balancing multiple roles—artist management (Night Tapes), event organization, and label collaborations—all while navigating international tours and funding. If you’ve ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes challenges of the music industry, this conversation delivers fresh insights on turning passion into a sustainable livelihood. Find out more about Music Estonia here; https://www.musicestonia.eu/enSponsored by Allfeat: Decentralized Blockchain Solutions for the Music Industry - https://www.allfeat.com/Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Music Tech - https://amplitude.ventures