Music Ally Focus

Music Ally Focus Ep. #73: Geoff Taylor, CEO of the BPI – the British recorded music industry's trade association – joins us for his first interview since announcing he will step down from his role in 2023.  Geoff has led the BPI for 15 years, a period which has seen significant technological, economic and structural change. We speak to him about the changes he has seen, the work he and the BPI has done in the music tech sector, and where it’s all going next in the UK’s recorded music industry. We also dig into two of the biggest issues he’s faced: the recent UK parliamentary inquiry into the economics of music streaming, and the decision by the UK’s CMA - the Competition and Markets Authority - not to conduct a full market investigation into music streaming and the UK’s music industry. This episode is the first in a new ongoing series, celebrating Music Ally’s upcoming 20th anniversary, which will feature interviews with people who have had a signifiant impact on the music industry during the last two decades. ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo  🎉 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

Music Ally Focus Ep. #72: We’re looking at Country music, and how, as a genre, there are a number of communities that are underrepresented in it. We talk to people who are trying to change this. CMT and the Nashville-based management services company mtheory announced its Equal Access Development Program, designed to provide access and training for underrepresented demographics in the country music industry. We invited the two of the originators of the programme, Cameo Carlson, President of mtheory and Tiffany Provenzano, Director, Equal Access at mtheory to talk about how the programme works and why it is needed. And we are also happy to welcome two of the participants in the programme – the Country artist Miko Marks, and artist manager Kadeem Phillips – who talk about the inequality and discrimination they have experienced in Country music, and how they felt the Equal Access programme was making a difference. Here's Miko's new song, One More Night: youtube.com/watch?v=FsAwial3Hyw The Equal Access programme: https://mtheory.com/equal-access/ ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ 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

Music Ally Focus Ep. #71: Buying show tickets is still an imperfect and sometimes frustrating – not to mention expensive – experience. You’ll have certainly felt the pang of annoyance as tickets you want are snapped up by bots, and then sold on the secondary market for inflated prices. So what does a better ticketing system look like? We welcome Chief Strategy Officer of “post primary” ticketing platform Lyte, Lawrence Peryer, to discuss dynamic ticket pricing, the concept of fairness in ticketing, and the price point at which tickets are sold. We ask him about selling "real tickets at fair prices", what this means, and what the future of ticketing could be. Lyte: lyte.com/about Lawrence's music choice: Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of The Moon: youtube.com/watch?v=dj4_-kh-Kpg ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ 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

Music Ally Focus Ep. #70: We speak to Lewis Jamieson, co-founder and Director of Communications at the environmental pressure group Music Declares Emergency. MDE recently partnered with the University of Glasgow, the BPI, and others to research the expectations of music fans. He’s here to talk about what environmental changes music fans expect from their favourite artists, festivals, gig venues and labels – and what fans can do to make a difference. Lewis puts forward the case that making positive environmental changes is not just right, it’s sound business sense – and he talks about the power that fans have to demand these changes. He also explains how fans and the artists they love can form communities that can make positive change happen, and also create a collective support group that helps them feel that they are making a real difference. Lewis also explains how people working on artist's teams, at labels, and at other music businesses can get to grips with a problem that often feels overwhelming – and how to start to effect real change. Music Declares Emergency: musicdeclares.net Music Industry Climate Pack: musicdeclares.net/assets/documents/pdfs/MDE-MUSIC-INDUSTRY-CLIMATE-PACK.pdf Lewis' music choice: Sex Pistols – Bodies: youtu.be/S5PYZesJnyE ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ 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

Music Ally Focus Ep. #69: “If we had a pound from each of these people, our entire lives would change.” UK metalcore band While She Sleeps has been running its "Sleeps Society" for two years, and it has revolutionised the group's fortunes. We speak to two people from both ends of the equation – Mat Welsh from the band, and Oliver Smith, who is a top-tier Sleeps Society member. They explain how the relationship benefits band and fan alike. Society members can access a range of perks to enhance their connection with the band, including helping select the setlist at special shows, accessing bonus content, and even supplying backing vocals. Oliver explains how it brings fans closer, and brings him closer to the band in a nuanced, enjoyable way. He also explains what he gets out of his enhanced connection with the band, and what happened when you close the traditional gap between artist and fan. Meanwhile, Mat explains how their subscription system has revolutionised the band’s business model and allowed them to invest back into the band – and how the subscriber fans are a special “trustee”-style group who “own their portion of the band” who help advise the band on important decisions. Sleeps Society: patreon.com/whileshesleeps While She Sleeps: whileshesleeps.com Mat's music choice: Alexisonfire - Sans Soleil – youtube.com/watch?v=J_FfwNPhZmg Oliver's music choice: While She Sleeps - The Long Way Home – youtube.com/watch?v=tOTvwiShufI ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ 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

Music Ally Focus #68: This week, we happily welcome music journalist and broadcaster Greg Cochrane, co-host of the Sounds Like A Plan podcast – which is in its third season, and explores how the music industry is responding to the climate crisis. The world is apparently speedrunning through the climate crisis and we all need to do our part to make the significant changes that will help minimise the damage to planet earth. But while we dutifully recycle our paper and plastics, are the big multinational music businesses doing their part? We discuss this with Greg, and ask him what the music industry is doing, what it must do better – and how we can all make a difference, regardless of whether we're a CEO or a DIY artist. Listen to the Sounds Like A Plan podcast here: linktr.ee/Soundslikeaplanpodcast Music Ally's reporting on the climate emergency: musically.com/tag/climate-emergency Greg's music choice: Anohni's "4 Degrees" youtube.com/watch?v=Fi0q0O4V5Qs ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-standard analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

We welcome Dorothy Carvello, former Atlantic A&R exec, and now author and campaigner for women in the music industry, to the podcast. Content warning: this podcast will discuss sexism, misogyny, and sexual assault. Carvello has recently launched her Face the Music Now Foundation, which aims to support women experiencing abuse in the music industry, and to force through widespread change. Carvallo is extremely blunt in her observations and opinions. Major music companies, she says, are protecting abusers within their ranks, and shutting down women who make accusations via big cheques and NDAs. She also talks of the fear of speaking out and the need for transparency: “no 20 year old woman should have to say ‘if I speak up I’m afraid my career will be over.’ – that’s morally wrong. And it’s bad business! #MeToo is bad for the bottom line – and companies need to wake up and start realising that.” She also talks about the work her foundation is doing to affect change, including via shareholder activism and trying to hold publicly-traded companies to account – because, she says, that unless change starts at the top, things are unlikely to change. Face The Music Now Foundation: facethemusicnow.com ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-standard analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

It goes without saying that if you make or market music, you need to understand fans. The writer, journalist and broadcaster Jude Rogers is our latest guest, and she talks about the nature of modern fandom – and what it is that fans feel in the connection with their favourite artist. Jude has just published a new book, The Sound of Being Human, which tells the story of what it feels like to be a music fan, through a series of personal recollections and wider research framed around a bunch of classic songs. On the surface this episode may not seem to be your archetypal music industry podcast topic – but Jude's book exposes the human side of the industry that we can sometimes lose track of amongst all the discussion of marketing KPIs and so on. Jude talks to Joe Sparrow about what makes fans to do all the obsessive fan-stuff, and what they want from artists in return. Jude's new book, The Sound Of Being Human: https://www.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/titles/jude-rogers/the-sound-of-being-human/9781474622950/ Jude's music choice – Buffalo Stance: youtube.com/watch?v=JWsRz3TJDEY ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-standard analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

We’ve spoken a lot about what music business web3 projects are, what artists can get out of them, what fans want in them and what the future may hold – but what about the actual underlying technology? And how do you get started with this famously complex tech? We’ve invited Tim Shank, CTO of Blockpool, and Brian Scudder, Head of Communications, to explain more. They say that now is the time to experiment with web3 tech and NFTs. We wanted to know how music businesses can partner with blockchain companies and about the actual blockchain technology itself: which projects should/shouldn’t be tokenised/blockchainified, how to pick the right form of token/partner, what other considerations there might be. This is another podcast in a series that digs into the burgeoning web3 space’s new concepts, ideas, and conventions and how they relate to the music business. Blockpool: https://blockpool.eu/ Brian Scudder: linkedin.com/in/brianscudder ------ 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-standard analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb

The PPL has just announced its 2021 results and, as with most business areas affected by covid, it’s a complicated story. We’re asking Peter to talk through those results, but also what will happen next in the slightly mysterious world of neighbouring rights. In 2021 the PPL saw more money come in but slightly less, due to covid, go out – and the money was shared amongst more people. He’ll also talk about the recent European Court of Justice ruling which means that performers from the USA may for the first time be paid when their music is played on the radio in Europe. The PPL: https://www.ppluk.com ------- 👋 The Knowledge, Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter: musically.lnk.to/knowledgepo Ⓜ️ Subscribe to Music Ally's industry-standard analysis, reporting and news: musically.com/subscribe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musicallybiz Twitter: https://twitter.com/musically Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicallyfb