This week, Ari is joined by the band DOUBLECAMP to discuss how they built such a successful independent career. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Heather Vassar, the Senior Vice President at EMPIRE—a fully independent record label, publishing company, and distributor. Heather’s career began at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she developed digital strategy for renowned artists such as George Strait, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, and Keith Urban. In 2019, Heather joined EMPIRE where she now plays a pivotal role in operations, marketing, and strategy for a diverse roster of artists including Shaboozey, Wyatt Flores, Niko Moon, Sophia Scott, Don Louis, Reyna Roberts, Tenille Arts, and Randy Houser.Heather and Ari discuss the incredible success of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” which has been number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 19 weeks straight—the longest any song has held that position. Heather reveals how this hit (released on an indie label) became the biggest song in the world and how they have sustained its momentum. She shares the entire journey from signing Shaboozey, to putting out his initial singles, releasing his album, collaborating with Beyonce, all the way to his massive global success today. Thanks to her extensive experience at both major and independent labels, Heather has sharp insights to share about deal structures, ownership models, artist development, and how the industry has shifted (in the majors and the indies) over the last five years, all of which you’ll hear about in this episode.https://www.instagram.com/hvassar/00:00 The Hustle Behind Success02:49 Empire Records: A New Era in Music06:07 Shaboozey’s Journey to Stardom09:12 Navigating the Independent Label Landscape12:01 The Creative Process: From Songwriting to Release14:50 Breaking Through: The Success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”18:07 The Role of Radio in Today's Music Industry20:49 Building a Fanbase: The Digital Approach24:02 The Importance of Flexibility in Music Releases33:56 Navigating Legalities in Music Production39:08 Strategic Album Rollout and Market Timing45:51 Building a Global Music Infrastructure50:02 Maintaining Momentum After a Hit Release55:04 Balancing Art and Market Trends01:00:10 Educating Artists in the Digital AgeEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with AFSHEEN, an electronic artist, producer, songwriter, and DJ. Initially, AFSHEEN became well-known for producing music by Madonna, Janet Jackson, Selena Gomez, Chris Brown, Sia and other big-name artists. AFSHEEN was nominated for a Latin Grammy for his work on Natalia Jiménez's album Creo en Mi. He wrote "All We Have Is Love" with Sabrina Carpenter, wrote and produced "Sunny Days" with Armin van Buuren and Toby Gad, and has worked with other notable artists like Rebecca Ferguson and Lindsay Stirling. A song AFSHEEN wrote for Korean artist Taeyeon reached number one on the K-Pop Billboard charts for two consecutive weeks. AFSHEEN has had an incredibly successful career as a songwriter/producer, but he also recently released a new album, SMALL WORLD, under his namesake solo project. An Iranian refugee himself, AFSHEEN worked with artists from all over the world to bring this record to life. SMALL WORLD features prominent artists from Indian, Romania, Jamaica, Japan, Amsterdam, and beyond. AFSHEEN talks with Ari about transitioning from being the go-to producer/songwriter for superstars into being a self-released artist who releases his own music through DistroKid. AFSHEEN is also starting his own label, SOUNDISH. He shares insights about the process of building a label and his vision for the label’s future.https://www.instagram.com/afsheenmusic/00:00 Exploring Global Sounds: AFSHEEN’s Journey09:55 The Power of Collaboration: Building a Diverse Album20:07 Cultural Roots and Personal Stories: Music as a Reflection30:03 The Indie Artist Journey: From Producer to Self-Released32:00 Vision for the SOUNDISH label: A New Era in Music Production38:24 Transitioning from Behind the Scenes to Artist42:46 Expanding Global Reach through Collaboration51:22 Breaking into the Music Industry01:02:08 Defining Success in the New Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with alt-pop singer, rapper & multi-hyphenate, Noga Erez. Her breakout album Off The Radar earned worldwide acclaim and her sophomore project KIDS brought even greater success. She recently released a new record THE VANDALIST, which has further cemented her place as a one-of-a-kind artist of the modern era. Noga Erez has garnered fans across the world, including superstars like Billie Eilish, Missy Elliott (who Noga collaborated with on her 2022 single “Nails”), Gal Gadot, and Finneas. She has sold out the Bowery Ballroom in NY, El Rey Theatre in LA, and Menora Arena in Tel Aviv on her headlining tours. Erez has performed at Bonnaroo, Primavera Sound, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as well as The Kelly Clarkson Show.In this episode, Ari and Noga talk about the creation process and the craft of songwriting. They also delve into themes from her latest record, including: how social media has affected society and the ways releasing music has changed in recent years. THE VANDALIST is Noga’s first record on a major label, so she shares details of what that experience has been like for her. Noga also talks about what it means to be an Israeli artist in a larger global context, and how that has impacted her life and work.https://www.nogaerez.com/00:00 The Meaning of Music in Life01:05 Introducing Noga Erez and Her New Album02:42 Navigating the Music Industry Chaos03:36 Being an Israeli Artist in Today's World04:36 The Creation Process of 'THE VANDLIST'06:31 Collaborating with Real Musicians11:35 Exploring Themes of PC Culture in Music16:55 The Impact of Social Media on Society24:41 The Sad Generation and Its Challenges30:00 The Role of Music in Finding Purpose34:43 Songwriting Process and Collaboration37:26 The Creative Process Behind Songwriting42:07 Navigating Major Label Dynamics46:40 The Impact of Social Media on Artists55:18 The Challenges of Being an Israeli Artist01:10:48 Defining Success in the New Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Zena White, the chief operating officer at Partisan Records. Partisan is an internationally renowned independent record label headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Zena has overseen global strategy for #1 charting, Grammy-nominated, Mercury Prize-winning album campaigns across Partisan’s diverse roster that includes IDLES, PJ Harvey, Cigarettes After Sex, Blondshell, the Fela Kuti estate and many more. Zena is also on the board of organizations like World Independent Network, A2IM, RIAA, and is a Recording Academy Member. Prior to Partisan, Zena was Managing Director at The Other Hand marketing services company in London, where she worked with artists such as Run The Jewels, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, and more.Zena tells Ari about ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts) a nonprofit she’s involved with that uses research to demonstrate the economic, social, and cultural value of music. Then later, she takes us behind the scenes of Partisan Records, explaining where they spend their marketing money, how much they spend, and more. Ari and Zena discuss ‘old-school’ marketing tactics like radio, PR, print media, digital and TV, and Zena sheds light on how artists get on Late Night shows… along with how much that costs. Yep—it costs. Ari and Zena also dive deep into the world of ‘new media’ and discuss how Partisan spends its money in the new age of social media. Tune in to hear stories about how Cigarettes After Sex got off the ground and to get a glimpse into the inner workings of indie labels!https://partisanrecords.com/ https://www.orcaformusic.com/ 00:00 Investing in Artists: The New Music Business04:48 Inside Partisan Records: A Label's Journey10:00 Cigarettes After Sex: A Case Study in Success24:42 The Balance of Data and Creativity in A&R34:06 Marketing Strategies for Independent Artists40:50 The Evolving Landscape of Music Marketing46:28 Public Relations and Its Impact on Artist Development52:13 Navigating Television Appearances and Their Costs55:30 The Role of Local Press in Ticket Sales01:02:26 Influencer Marketing and New Media Strategies01:08:58 The Formation and Purpose of Orca01:19:05 Defining Success in the New Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ari is joined by Jason Lipshutz, the Executive Director of Music at Billboard. Jason has written about music for over a decade and has penned cover stories on Taylor Swift, U2, Blink-182, Lorde, Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons, among many others. He was formerly a deputy editor at Fuse Media and has contributed to VIBE, The Hollywood Reporter, Spinner, and Popjustice. Jason recently released a book about Linkin Park called It Starts With One.In this illuminating interview, Jason shares his perspective on the state of music journalism, how he approaches conducting interviews, who decides what gets reviewed and who goes on the cover at major music publications. Ari and Jason also trade stories about their experiences with publicists and managers trying to squash stories to protect client images. If you're interested in the inner workings of the music journalism industry, this episode is for you!Check out Jason’s new audiobook: https://aristake.io/ul1wx7 00:00 The Balance of Music Journalism03:10 Writing a Book vs. Cover Stories05:56 The Evolution of Linkin Park13:02 The Art of Interviewing Artists18:09 The Changing Landscape of Music Journalism29:19 Navigating the Pressures of Music Journalism36:05 The Editorial Process at Billboard41:44 Balancing Traffic and Storytelling45:04 Personal Fandom in Journalism48:14 Writing a Book on Linkin Park56:33 Championing Creativity in the Music IndustryEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Lucas Keller, the Founder & President of Milk & Honey, an entertainment management company that represents some of the world’s biggest songwriters, artists, and producers. Established in 2014, Milk & Honey is a hybrid agency that works in both the music and sports industries and has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Dallas and London. On the music side, Milk & Honey represents world-class creators including the writers behind Dua Lipa’s “Levitating,” BTS’s “Butter,” Justin Beiber/Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” and many other international hits. Lucas and Ari talk about the state of music publishing and go deep into the ethics of royalties and producer points. Lucas explains how publishing and record deals work these days and gives his inside scoop on major catalog sales. Lucas also shares Milk & Honey’s process for setting up hit songwriting sessions.If you’re a songwriter, artist, producer, or anyone in the industry who wants to learn more about the ins and outs of music publishing, this episode is for you. https://www.milkhoneyla.com/00:00 The Art of Songwriting: A Daily Grind04:51 Understanding Music Publishing Terminology10:04 The Financial Landscape for Songwriters15:11 The Impact of Collaboration on Songwriting19:50 Navigating the Complexities of Publishing and Royalties24:52 The Future of Songwriting: Challenges and Opportunities26:20 The Evolution of Songwriting and Collaboration34:04 Understanding Publishing Deals in Today's Market48:07 The Growing Importance of Catalog Sales51:56 Defining Success in the New Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Summit, a superstar DJ and producer with nearly a billion streams, shares his journey from humble beginnings in his parents' basement to selling out major venues worldwide. He discusses the importance of collaboration and community in the music scene and offers practical advice for aspiring DJ/producers. Summit also delves into running his label, Experts Only, and his vision for evolving live performances. Hear his insights on staying creatively inspired and the significance of persistence in navigating the ever-changing music industry.

Tony Kiewel, President of Sub Pop Records, shares insights from his extensive experience in the music industry. He discusses Sub Pop's investment strategies and how they develop artists at different stages of their careers. Kiewel highlights ORCA's mission to improve financial transparency and support for independent music. The conversation touches on the challenges indie labels face amidst streaming changes and the importance of cultivating unique talent over social media popularity. Get ready to explore the evolving landscape of artist development!

Dorian Perron, co-founder of Groover, discusses how artists can connect with music industry professionals while avoiding pitfalls like streaming fraud. They dive deep into the ethical aspects of playlisting, stressing the importance of targeted pitches and legitimate connections. Dorian shares insights on the evolving landscape of playlist curation and the significance of meaningful feedback from industry insiders. This conversation is a must-listen for self-promoting artists looking to navigate the complex music promotion world efficiently.