

Music Ally Focus
Music Ally
Analysing vital music business topics in detail, as they emerge: Joe Sparrow breaks down important stories with expert guests in about 25 minutes. It'll keep you on the cutting edge, and it'll take about the same time as making and eating a good sandwich! (We recommend doing both simultaneously for maximum deliciousness.)
🌍 Music Ally provides analysis and context for the global music business: musically.com
Ⓜ️ Music Ally's industry-leading subscription service: https://musically.com/subscribe
👋 Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter, The Knowledge: https://musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo
🌍 Music Ally provides analysis and context for the global music business: musically.com
Ⓜ️ Music Ally's industry-leading subscription service: https://musically.com/subscribe
👋 Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter, The Knowledge: https://musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo
Episodes
Mentioned books

9 snips
Nov 8, 2024 • 26min
Retraining for new roles in the music industry – with Music Ally COO Patrick Ross
Patrick Ross, COO of Music Ally, discusses the fast-evolving music industry and the need for professionals to adapt. He highlights the impact of recent layoffs and the shift towards smaller, agile companies. Upskilling and continuous learning are emphasized as crucial for navigating this transition. Patrick explores the importance of digital marketing skills and innovative strategies, advocating for a decentralized approach that empowers aspiring artists and industry workers. The conversation is filled with insights and encouragement for those looking to reinvent their careers.

8 snips
Oct 10, 2024 • 47min
Music-tech today and tomorrow: Stuart Dredge gets past the hype, gets to grips with Music AI, and gets excited about music fintech, music ecotech, and music healthtech
Stuart Dredge, Head of Insight at Music Ally, brings his expertise to the discussion on a range of pressing topics. He delves into the evolving role of AI in music, exploring its impact on creativity and the legal challenges it poses. Dredge also discusses the exciting developments in music fintech, ecotech, and healthtech, highlighting how technology is driving sustainability and innovation. He emphasizes the therapeutic potential of music, especially in healthcare, revealing how AI can personalize music experiences to benefit mental health.

8 snips
Sep 30, 2024 • 38min
Selling direct-to-fan and making money even when you're an emerging artist: Mag Rodriguez of D2C platform Even talks about the future of artist commerce
Mag Rodriguez, CEO of D2C platform Even, shares insights on how emerging artists can thrive in the direct-to-consumer landscape. He discusses the benefits of selling directly to fans, often yielding more revenue than streaming services. The importance of leveraging fan data and treating superfans fairly is emphasized, ensuring artists maximize income without exploiting loyalty. They also explore how Gen Z's preferences for experiences over products shape artist commerce and the transformative potential of platforms like Even in the music industry.

Sep 18, 2024 • 26min
Marketing Focus: Lainey Wilson, The Cardigans, and Peggy Gou's recent campaigns analysed
Ep. 160: A marketing-focused episode – Sarah Seukeran analyses three recent notable campaigns and activations from Lainey Wilson, The Cardigans, and Peggy Gou. Featured are campaigns that combine local weather data with music streaming, showcase a good way of getting catalogue to connect with The Kids on TikTok, and encourage fans to design localised merch. It's ideal if you're trying to find good ideas to try out in your own music campaigns!
1. Lainey Wilson:
2. The Cardigans:
https://pro.musically.com/weekly-round-up-21-aug-2024/
3. Peggy Gou:
https://pro.musically.com/weekly-round-up-3/
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👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo
👉 FREE Amazon Music for Artists courses & certification: https://learn.musically.com/courses/amazon-music-for-artists/
🎉 You may be eligible for a FREE Music Ally subscription, worth over £400/year, via our corporate and sponsored subscriptions. If you work for a DSP, a major label, an indie label, or if you’re an artist manager, an employee of a CMO or a publisher, check here to see if you’re eligible: musically.com/subscription-options
Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-leading analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

Aug 30, 2024 • 42min
Making money as a local venue in 2024: Dhruv Chopra, founder of Brooklyn venue Elsewhere, talks memberships, building community, and how Gen Z gig-goers want more than cheap beer
Dhruv Chopra, founder of the innovative Brooklyn venue Elsewhere, shares insights on redefining local music spaces for 2024. He discusses the shift towards subscription memberships and a vibrant community through digital platforms. Chopra highlights how Gen Z gig-goers demand richer experiences beyond cheap drinks, prompting venues to adapt to new audience expectations. He explores the ongoing struggles of small venues in a competitive landscape and the importance of fostering connections within the live music ecosystem.

Aug 7, 2024 • 41min
Dirty Hit's Jamie Oborne on managing The 1975, trusting your artists' instincts, and how the power of cringe helps to choose what not to do
Jamie Oborne is an independent artist manager and founder of Dirty Hit and All On Red, known for steering massive acts like The 1975. He delves into the evolution of artist management and the importance of trusting artists’ instincts while nurturing their creativity. Jamie discusses building a D2C model for musicians, balancing integrity with business demands, and shares invaluable advice for aspiring managers. He also highlights current talents like beabadoobee and Saya Gray, emphasizing the power of community in today's music landscape.

8 snips
Jul 25, 2024 • 29min
Livestreaming in 2024: what do artists and fans want from it now? And what about superfans? On Air CEO Jakub Krampl explains
Jakub Krampl, the CEO of On Air, a music live-streaming platform, discusses the transformed landscape of live-streaming since its pandemic boom. He explores how artists are now prioritizing quality content to engage fans. Krampl dives into the evolving expectations of audiences and superfans, emphasizing the importance of high production values. The conversation highlights strategies for connecting with dedicated fans and adapting to a more refined market. Finally, he reflects on the emotional power of music and its influence on fan experiences.

Jun 20, 2024 • 37min
Super-serving superfans – Jacquelle Horton of Fave on superfandom and superfan strategies for artists of all sizes
Ep 156: Superfandom, superfandom, superfandom. Unless you’ve been living on the moon for the last year, you’ll not have been able to avoid the latest obsession of pretty much anyone working in the music industry. We chatted to Jacquelle Horton, CEO/Founder of superfan platform Fave, about the nature of superfandom – and we also dug into how to nurture it without taking advantage of enthusiastic fans.
The industry’s current interest in superfandom makes sense: whether you’re a DIY artist, a manager, a label, a booking agent, or anything else – it’s clear that super-serving your superfans makes fans more happy, and makes you more money. Plus, it dovetails nicely with the direct-to-fan business model many are trying to build. Jacquelle tells us about the power of superfandom and how to do it right.
Fave: https://faveforfans.com/
Eminem – Til I Collapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi3_Zs-oRUo
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👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo
👉 FREE Amazon Music for Artists courses & certification: https://learn.musically.com/courses/amazon-music-for-artists/
🎉 You may be eligible for a FREE Music Ally subscription, worth £399/year, via our corporate and sponsored subscriptions. If you work for a DSP, a major label, an indie label, or if you’re an artist manager, an employee of a CMO or a publisher, check here to see if you’re eligible: musically.com/subscription-options
Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-leading analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

Jun 5, 2024 • 34min
The Nations: from YouTube remixes to modern music radio – founder Andre Benz explains how he tries to meet the needs of young music consumers
Ep. 155: Andre Benz founded The Nations when he was in high school. What began as a Youtube channel uploading dance music remixes has transformed into a media conglomerate with a record label and various genre-focused channels.
In the latest episode of the Music Ally Focus podcast, he explains the challenges of building a multi-faceted ecosystem that meets the needs of modern music fans, and also creators – and doing it all on top of existing infrastructure in the form of Youtube.
The Nations' success, he says, hinges on understanding its audience.By fostering a community through comments and replies, he built a loyal fanbase hungry for curated music experiences.
This community-building resonated deeply with Benz. "There's so much power... in replying to comments and making them feel special," he says. This philosophy, he believes, aligns with a shift in music consumption, where tastemakers and algorithms now play a bigger role than traditional gatekeepers.
"It's essentially a modern-day radio station" for a younger generation seeking music that aligns with their tastes, says Benz.
Nations https://nations.io/
Lowly https://lowly.io/about/
Broke: https://www.brokemusic.io/about
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👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo
👉 FREE Amazon Music for Artists courses & certification: https://learn.musically.com/courses/amazon-music-for-artists/
🎉 You may be eligible for a FREE Music Ally subscription, worth £399/year, via our corporate and sponsored subscriptions. If you work for a DSP, a major label, an indie label, or if you’re an artist manager, an employee of a CMO or a publisher, check here to see if you’re eligible: musically.com/subscription-options
Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-leading analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

May 23, 2024 • 46min
"This isn't just another #MeToo issue... it's way bigger than that." Sexual violence, NDAs, and the music industry – with Caroline Heldman, PhD and Samantha Maloney of the Sound Off Coalition
Caroline Heldman and Samantha Maloney from the Sound Off Coalition discuss their report on sexual abuse in the music industry, calling for the end of NDAs. They address the pattern of cover-ups by big music companies, shareholder activism, and the challenges faced in making a difference. The report details over 200 pages of allegations against well-known music names.


