The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

Ari's Take

**WEBBY AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC PODCAST**

“#1 music industry podcast to help keep you in the loop” -Spotify

“The 10 Best Music Business Podcasts of 2022" – Variety

Ari Herstand is the best-selling author of How To Make It in the New Music Business. Forbes calls him “The poster child of DIY music.” In this show, he deconstructs the brightest minds in the music industry, digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and strategies that listeners can use to run successful careers of their own. Ari offers straight talk with no fluff and doesn’t let his guests off easy. If there is a way, Ari will find it.

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244 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes244

Newest first

Jul 23, 2025 · 1 hr 32 min
Should AI Artists Have Fans, Custom Music For Sync
This week, Ari is joined by Jess Furman to discuss custom music for TV/film and the ethics of AI music artists.
Jul 9, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Jack Harlow and Shaboozey's Management Company has Range
Jack Harlow and Shaboozey's Management
Jul 2, 2025 · 59 min
Michael Seyer is All Vibes Running a DIY Music Career
This week, Ari is joined by indie artist Michael Seyer to talk DIY success, his new album Boylife, and launching his own label, Seyerland.
Jun 18, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Hit Songwriter/Producer on Publishing Deals and Artists Taking Credit for Songs They Didn't Write
This week, Ari is joined by Justin Gammella to discuss the realities of professional songwriting, music publishing, and AI in music.
Jun 9, 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Epidemic Sound Removes Rights and Royalties From the Equation
This week, Ari is joined by Oscar Höglund, co-founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound, a platform that specializes in royalty-free soundtracking music.
May 28, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
How This Artist Manager Deepens the Fan Relationship and Prioritizes Mental Health
This week, Ari is joined by Jaclyn O'Connell—artist manager and media strategist—to talk touring, fan growth, and career sustainability.
May 21, 2025 · 59 min
How The World's Largest Songwriting Camp Works
This week, Ari is joined by Danny Ross, the founder of Anti Social Camp, to discuss how songwriting camps and writers’ rooms work.
May 14, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
How Bandcamp is Thinking About Superfans
This week, Ari is joined by Dan Melnick, General Manager of Bandcamp, to discuss how Bandcamp helps artists monetize fan relationships.
Apr 30, 2025 · 26 min
Don't Cut Your Drummer Into Publishing...
This week, Ari hops on for a solo episode to explain how to fairly compensate session musicians without cutting them into your publishing.
Apr 23, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
How Publishing Works and Songwriters Get Paid
This week, Ari is joined by Jacob Paul, the VP of Platform Growth & Brand Strategy at Kobalt and KOSIGN, to discuss all things publishing.
Apr 16, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
This Superfan Platform Gets Artists Paid 10x+ What They Make From Streaming
This week, Ari is joined by Mag Rodriguez, founder and CEO of EVEN to discuss how direct-to-fan platforms are changing the game for artists.
Apr 9, 2025 · 40 min
Lyor Cohen on YouTube Music's Future and the Music Industry's Past
This week Ari sits down with Lyor Cohen, Global Head of YouTube Music, to discuss the perpetual evolution of the music industry.
Apr 3, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Victoria Canal Attracts Her Fans for The Right Reasons
This week, Ari is joined by Victoria Canal to discuss the distinct pressures faced by indie vs. label-repped artists.
Mar 26, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Transviolet on Surprise China Fame, Softcore Millennial Cringe and Touring in an RV
This week, Ari is joined by Sarah McTaggart from the band Transviolet to talk about how they’ve gained traction after leaving a major label.
Mar 19, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
Euphoria Music Supervisor Gives a Sh*t
This month, for Women's History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite New Music Business episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode highlights star music supervisor Jen Malone. She has placed music and worked on Euphoria, Atlanta, Creed 2, The Resident, Boomerang, Baskets, Shelter, Lady Dynamite, Step Up, and more. Jen has over a decade of highly esteemed experience in the industry. In this episode, Jen goes into depth about what music supervisors do and the business of sync licensing. She gives great advice on how independent artists can get their music synced and things to look out for in contracts and fee negotiations. If you want to know how to pitch your music to supervisors with the best chance of striking a deal, this is the episode for you. Chapters 00:00 The Journey to Music Supervision 02:55 Navigating the Music Supervision Landscape 05:59 The Role of a Music Supervisor 08:55 The Evolution of Music Syncing 12:00 Tools of the Trade 14:59 Finding and Pitching Music 18:00 Understanding Music Ownership 21:08 The Process of Music Supervision in TV and Film 24:05 Collaboration with Composers 27:09 The Differences Between Film and TV Music Supervision 33:40 Managing Multiple Projects 35:21 The Role of Personal Taste in Music Supervision 37:22 Juxtaposition in Music Placement 42:26 Impact of Music Placements on Independent Artists 46:04 The Evolution of Sync Licensing 50:19 Workflow and Project Management in Music Supervision 51:59 Differences in Working with Streaming Platforms vs. Traditional Networks 54:30 The Importance of Fair Compensation for Artists 58:03 Protecting Artist Rights in Sync Licensing 01:03:42 Advice for Independent Artists in Sync Licensing Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order 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.
Mar 12, 2025 · 56 min
Imogen Heap is Building a More Equitable Future for Musicians
This month, for Women's History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite New Music Business episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode highlights award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer, Imogen Heap. Imogen Heap has released five solo albums, an album as one half of Frou Frou, and has collaborated with countless other stars including Taylor Swift, Nitin Sawhney, Deadmau5, Eric Whitacre, Jeff Beck and Jon Hopkins. Heap, recognized as an artist’s artist, has won two Grammys and an Ivor Novello award. She holds three honorary doctorates for her work on ‘MI.MU gloves’ and ’The Creative Passport’—two prominent music tech companies that work to empower creatives. In this episode, Ari and Imogen discuss NFTs, metadata and payment transparency and how to properly credit (and pay) creators using the blockchain. Overall, how to make the future of music more equitable for musicians. Chapters 00:00 The Fragmented Music Industry 02:52 Imogen Heap: A Pioneer in Music and Technology 05:55 The Creative Passport: Empowering Artists 09:11 Data Transparency and Royalty Distribution 12:04 The Role of DSPs and Data Integrity 14:52 The Future of Music Royalties 17:55 Building a Better Music Ecosystem 21:02 Blockchain and the Future of Music 23:46 Interoperability and Charitable Contributions 29:06 Navigating NFTs and Environmental Concerns 34:23 The Future of NFTs in Art 37:12 Building a Community Through Technology 46:58 AI as a Creative Partner 54:36 Defining Success in the New Music Business Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order 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.
Mar 10, 2025 · 44 min
The Business of Hit Songwriting With Bonnie McKee
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are replaying some of our favorite episodes featuring incredible women of the industry. This episode spotlights Grammy-nominated, hit singer and songwriter Bonnie McKee. Since the early 2000s, McKee has written 10 singles that have reached #1 in the US and UK, which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide combined. McKee is particularly known for collaborating with Katy Perry, co-writing hits such as “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)“, “Part of Me,” “Wide Awake” and “Roar” together. She also co-wrote “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz, which became the second-best-selling song by a British artist in the digital era. Additional artists who she has worked with include Britney Spears, Kesha, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert and Mike Tompkins. Last year, she released her album Hot City featuring the hit single “American Girl.” Chapters 00:00 The Art of Songwriting: Balancing Familiarity and Creativity 03:02 Bonnie McKee: A Journey Through Songwriting and Independence 06:06 Exploring the World of Film: From Music to Directing 08:59 The Dynamics of Songwriting Sessions: Collaboration and Creativity 11:52 Navigating the Music Industry: The Role of Songwriters 14:47 Contrasting Nashville and LA: Different Approaches to Songwriting 17:47 The Challenges of Being a Female Songwriter and Producer 21:31 Gender Dynamics in Music Production 24:44 Navigating Songwriting and Royalties 27:46 The Art of Songwriting: Balancing Authenticity and Popularity 30:48 Song Doctoring: The Business Side of Refining Songs 32:57 The Controversy of Song Credits 34:05 Creating 'Roar': A Triumph Over Misogyny 37:42 Shifts in the Music Industry: A Personal Perspective 40:32 Advice for Aspiring Songwriters Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order 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.
Feb 26, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
How To Make It in Country Music from Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith's Manager
This week, Ari is joined by Simon Tikhman, the co-founder of The Core Entertainment, to discuss how to break as a country artist today.
Feb 19, 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
How Independent Music Publishing Works (Or Doesn't)
This week, Ari is joined by Marc Caruso, CEO and co-founder of Angry Mob Music, to discuss the evolving landscape of music publishing.
Feb 12, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min
Spotify Commissioned Cheap "Fake Artists" And She's Got the Proof
This week, Ari is joined by Liz Pelly, author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist.

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

Should AI Artists Have Fans, Custom Music For Sync

Jack Harlow and Shaboozey's Management Company has Range

Michael Seyer is All Vibes Running a DIY Music Career

Hit Songwriter/Producer on Publishing Deals and Artists Taking Credit for Songs They Didn't Write

Epidemic Sound Removes Rights and Royalties From the Equation

How This Artist Manager Deepens the Fan Relationship and Prioritizes Mental Health

How The World's Largest Songwriting Camp Works

How Bandcamp is Thinking About Superfans

Don't Cut Your Drummer Into Publishing...

How Publishing Works and Songwriters Get Paid

This Superfan Platform Gets Artists Paid 10x+ What They Make From Streaming

Lyor Cohen on YouTube Music's Future and the Music Industry's Past

Victoria Canal Attracts Her Fans for The Right Reasons

Transviolet on Surprise China Fame, Softcore Millennial Cringe and Touring in an RV

Euphoria Music Supervisor Gives a Sh*t

Imogen Heap is Building a More Equitable Future for Musicians

The Business of Hit Songwriting With Bonnie McKee

How To Make It in Country Music from Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith's Manager

How Independent Music Publishing Works (Or Doesn't)

Spotify Commissioned Cheap "Fake Artists" And She's Got the Proof