The Future of What

We caught up with Virginie Berger, Founder of Don’t Believe the Hype and Advisor at MUSICx; fmr. MatchTune during Music Biz 2025 for a conversation covering the sentiments of fear and concern surrounding the uncharted territory that is AI. She addresses the complications and confusion today’s music market faces, current copyright wins & losses, the fine line AI walks in terms of what is & isn’t forbidden, and MatchTune's AI detection and audio fingerprinting solutions. Touching on legislation in the US, UK and Europe, she explains how rushed governance in the past failed to take into account the issues we are facing now. Virginie also discusses her Music Biz panel on what lessons the music business can learn about embracing new tech from the adult entertainment industry, and how the Conference serves as a forum for all types of topics.

This week we speak with Jonathan Azu, founder of Culture Collective, on the state of the live industry, along with some exciting projects & collaborations he’s working on! Jonathan discusses how important it is for executives to diversify themselves in the same way today’s artists do, highlighting the multi-hyphenate approach he has taken for his business by working on tours, TV specials, philanthropic and DEI-related work, and developing artists. Jonathan provides us his expertise, evaluating the consistency of our industry’s DEI initiatives born out of the self-reflection that came from the COVID era, and how large-scale change comes from those in power. He also examines how the live industry has ebbed and flowed as a result of the pandemic, tying together how no matter what venue, city or capacity, a show itself must be great to have longevity.

Edward Ginis, Founder and CEO of OpenPlay, attended his 15th Music Biz Conference this year. In this episode, he discusses how the Conference continues to evolve with the times, providing true substance and debate over platitudes and hype. In the same vein, Edward touches on just how crucial it is for our industry to nurture entrepreneurs and startups in a mutually beneficial relationship. He discusses how the Conference’s startup programming, including OpenPlay’s “Break The Silos. Build The Future.” Hackathon, allows our industry to both progress in tandem with the tech space and show investors that music companies are worth collaborating with. Finally, he covers hot-button topics such as AI and copyright registration, and how we as an industry have to step up where the government leaves gaps!

The difficulty common earplugs have conforming to each person’s unique anatomy leads to frequent struggles with actually keeping these devices in our ears – not to mention the poor sound quality they create by blocking out only the top frequencies. Biomaterial professor and industrial designer, Lauryn Menard may very well be revolutionizing the future of earplugs, as she has pioneered a solution that not only resolves these issues but also provides a more sustainable option for our environment. Her company GOB has created aerial mycelium foam earplugs that conform to each person’s ear shape and dampen all frequencies for a balanced & comfortable listening experience. In this episode, Lauren touches upon the journey that led to the creation of GOB, strategies the company is using to successfully market their product to consumers, and upcoming venue partnerships.

Top Drawer Merch began their journey through collaborating with artists to create charity bracelets. Today, they service clients both in and out of the music industry, producing apparel & a variety of other merchandise. Implementing a traditional brand approach, they understand that merch is not just a band’s logo on a t-shirt – it’s a story told through the product that comes back full circle, tying into a much larger ecosystem. Kerstyn Inouye, Marketing Director of Top Drawer Merch joins us this episode to discuss the opportunities superfans bring to merchandising, loyalty programs, what it’s like to work with niche bands & their managers, and creative strategies the company implements to maintain a smooth on-site merch experience.

Friends of Noise, an organization supporting the creative youth of Portland, Oregon since 2016, is expanding their educational programming with the opening of their all-ages venue, “The Off Beat.” The nonprofit hosts professional development workshops and produces all-age concerts where teens can perform on-stage, run sound, accept tickets & create posters, with their youth sound engineers being hired to produce local events ranging from block parties to weddings. In this episode, we speak with their Executive Director, Andre Middleton on the organization’s plans for a silk-screen printing microloan program, their upcoming season pass program, the new venue’s specs & how they envision it as a stepping stone for emerging bands!

Building on our series of interviews with Atlanta locals, we spoke with Byron, Ryon & Tyson Horne, better known as The Horne Brothers. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, the brothers highlighted Atlanta in their 2024 documentary, “The South Got Something To Say.” Though Hip-Hop’s birthplace is credited as New York, the documentary discusses how a large share of popular hits and collaborations have come from Atlanta. It also covers the city’s status as a music melting pot that has created unique, cross-genre sounds through a welcoming network of studios, artists, producers and other talent. This makes Atlanta a strong force in the overall music economy, and therefore the perfect place for music execs to meet for Music Biz 2025. Tune in to hear more on how music impacts the city’s education system, sports & film sectors, and how both the Music Biz Conference and Atlanta’s local government can spark impactful movements.

Independents make up 40% of the publishing industry, and yet, they struggle to leverage deals. Why? It all comes down to industry fracturing that is preventing the emergence of their collective voice. Angry Mob Music CEO, Marc Caruso touched upon this in his Billboard op-ed, “Why It’s Time for Indie Publishers to Get Angry,” where he highlights how the collaborative environment of the indie publishing space makes rallying together for change an easier and more organic process. In this episode, we speak with Caruso on what it means to be truly independent, the current landscape of publishing & label markets, how indie music companies can collaborate and more!

Jennie Smythe, CEO of Girlilla Marketing, not only brings on unique & interesting clients, ranging from local businesses to well-known actors, but has proudly ensured her agency remains female-led throughout the 17 years she has been running it. With her tenure as a woman in both the music and digital marketing industries comes a great deal of lessons imparted onto her – thus, she decided to compile them all into a memoir. In this episode we dive into Smythe’s journey that led to her memoir, the evolution of diverse representation in the music industry, how the digital age has allowed for increased artist & fan expression, and the role of creativity in marketing.

The financial loss our industry faced when touring came to a halt during COVID-19 has brought attention to the importance of the long glossed over live sector. From here, NIVA (the National Independent Venue Association) was born, where Jamie Loeb, SVP of Marketing for Nederlander, worked tirelessly to help secure the biggest arts grant program in history from Congress – $16 billion of aid used to keep promoters, festivals and venues afloat. In this episode, we speak with Loeb on her work at NIVA & Nederlander, the career journey that brought her here, and the live event marketing process. Loeb zeros in on the power of social media for marketers & artists alike in targeting specific fan demographics, and explores how this knowledge can be translated into creating a live concert audience.