Jason Davis, described by The 700 Club as “a music mogul,” has been in the music industry for more than two decades as an award-winning songwriter, author, president of a record label, executive TV producer, and entertainment consultant. Davis has worked with numerous worldwide stars, including Boyz ll Men, Sugar Ray, P. Diddy, Alabama, Lonestar, Dolly Parton, among many others. He has secured record deals with CEOs of companies like Capitol Records, Sony, Interscope, Island / Def Jam, Epic, and more. Davis has also launched and runs several major companies, including One One 7, Radar Label Group (Jimmy Eat World, Plain White T's, Neon Trees, The Unlikely Candidates), Awaken Records (Austin French), and Care For Kids. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Jason Davis talks about his approach to the development of up-and-coming artists, finding new talent (and why he only meets new artists in person), as well as what changed his whole approach to life and business—something he wrote two books about. Listen to the episode in full to learn how they develop very particular artist skills at One One 7, and to hear Davis’ insights on what many people in the entertainment industries get wrong. “The [artist’s] gift is always hidden, and it takes a lot of love and care to uncover it.” – Jason Davis ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt155-jason-davis for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

The Portnoy Brothers (also known as PORTNOY) is an Israeli duo, Israel & Mendy, who recently released their new album called No Complaints. They successfully raised over $30,000 in an IndieGoGo campaign to fund the record. On this Music Growth Talks episode, The Portnoy Brothers reveal which tactics were most impactful for their crowdfunding success, share how they almost launched the campaign on PledgeMusic (right before the company ceased their operations), and give content and networking tips. Listen to the episode in full to also learn about their recent single, an anthem for musicians struggling with the digital reality called “Spotified.” ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt154-portnoy-brothers for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Jonathan Stone is a highly regarded music-publishing professional and co-founder of Rocket Songs. Jonathan’s career highlights include executive positions at ATV Music, MCA Music, Quincy Jones Productions (where he handled A&R for the likes of Michael Jackson, Patty Austin, and James Ingram), and Windswept Pacific Music Publishing, a company that published the works of Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon, Beyonce, The Spice Girls, Snow Patrol, and many more. On this Music Growth Talks episode Jonathan explains how Rocket Songs works for music artists who are looking for original songs to record, and for songwriters who want to “sell” their songs to other creators. Listen to the conversation in full for Jonathan’s insights on exclusive vs. non-exclusive rights, how A-list artists find songwriters, and what areas of the music publishing world you may want to educate yourself about before signing up for Rocket Songs. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt153-jonathan-stone for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

This week’s Music Growth Talks guest – an artist, songwriter and producer Muyinza – shows how he has been using his creativity to overcome hard times and succeed in business. Muyinza’s family emigrated from Uganda to Canada in the mid-90s. After losing his mother to cancer in 2001, Muyinza and his family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts. Living in a dangerous neighborhood, Muyinza stayed home a lot to make music. Starting to work at 13 years old to pay for studio time, eventually he would go to college for music, release two full-length albums, move to LA, and win multiple awards. In 2014, Muyinza established a successful online business, which enabled him to focus on making music full-time. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Muyinza comments on what the creative community around him experiences during the current difficult times, and gives actionable tips on how you can create excellent content, engage with your fans, and grow your music career during the lockdown. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt152-muyinza for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Bas Grasmayer is a digital strategist who has held various roles in music & tech over the last decade, most recently as Product Director at IDAGIO, a music streaming service dedicated to classical music. He’s the founder of the MUSIC x TECH x FUTURE newsletter and the Music Tech Network community. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Bas talked about one of his latest ventures, MUSIC x GREEN. Designed to “create more visibility for organisations and initiatives that make the music industry less impactful on the climate and ecology”, MUSIC x GREEN makes it easy to browse through various projects which can make music greener, without “greenwashing.” Listen to the episode in full for the examples of how others make performing greener, and to see if moving from CDs to streaming has actually reduced music’s carbon footprint (it may not be what you expect). We also encourage you to subscribe to Bas’ most recent MUSIC x CORONA newsletter, for daily updates “for the music business on the coronavirus,” at musicxcorona.com. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt151-bas-grasmayer for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Matt Bacon is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. The founder of Dropout Media, Matt has worked with the likes of Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Coven, Exhorder as well as labels including Prophecy Productions, Artoffact Records and Ripple Music. Matt has also been dedicated to helping and developing young bands, through his numerous educational resources, the daily Instagram #BaconsBits series, and his podcast, Dumb & Dumbest. In this Music Growth Talks episode, Matt talks about his journey from an unemployed 19 year-old college dropout living in Brooklyn to an industry expert working with some of the biggest acts in the heavy metal world, and the methods he used to grow his career. In particular, we go over creating content at scale, and being “unreasonably” aggressive in your marketing to stand out. Listen to the episode in full for Matt’s practical tips on understanding your community, making the “one to many” experience feel “one to one”, and being on as many channels as you like. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt150-matt-bacon for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Judah Holiday is a Miami-based singer/songwriter who delivers a timeless breed of pop music. He just released his first album, Feelings in My Head, and is already working on his next two, while performing across the US. In this episode of Music Growth talks, Judah talks about how his music calendar is planned out, shares the story of his drug addiction and how quitting has impacted his life’s mission and music career. Listen in to hear what advice Judah has for up-and-coming musicians who are confused about where to start and how they can turn their passion into a business. “We don’t get penalized for our misses, but we get awarded for our wins.” Key Points: • Judah talks about the aggressive release strategy he chose to meet the obligations of his record label. • Finding trustworthy people to be on his team. • Judah explains his view on how technology has impacted putting out content. • He explains how he first got addicted to prescription pills. The side effects of drug addiction and his turning point. • How is Judah’s life after recovering from addiction? • Why Judah believes he’s not in a safe place emotionally to fight for better mental health care for others. • How did addiction affect his music creativity? • There are many avenues of harm if you’re not careful: it’s not just drug addiction. • Judah’s advice to anyone planning to succeed in the music industry. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt149-judah-holiday for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Marcus Cobb is the CEO of Jammber, a company behind North America’s first self-serve, end-to-end royalty management platform called Jammber Splits. The app streamlines the process of metadata collection to help creatives receive proper credit and faster payment for their work. Jammber was founded in a Nashville's music tech accelerator, and has acquired over $5.5M in investor funding since 2013. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Marcus demonstrates how broken the current workflow is, with musicians often not being able to receive money owed to them, and describes the three key features of the Splits platform: tracking the creators working on a song and their ownership, automatically registering that song across North American agencies, and collecting royalties via Jammber Money. Listen to the episode in full to see how easier it can be to agree on song shares via a mobile app, and to learn about Jammber’s other upcoming products. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt148-jammber for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Vasja Veber is a co-founder of Viberate, the biggest live music network designed to bring artists, promoters and fans together. It makes performing acts’ life easier by giving them a better version of an EPK, or even a traditional website. Viberate features over a million profiles of musicians, venues, events and festivals and employs over 100 people all over the world, with the majority in their offices located in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In this episode of Music Growth Talks, Vasja shares how he launched the project with a fellow music manager Matej Gregorcic and a world-famous techno producer, UMEK, originally as a simple website that measured DJs’ social media metrics. Vasja shows what Viberate does today, how they keep artists’ profiles up-to-date, and reveals plans to make the platform the world’s biggest marketplace for underrepresented artists to be found by promoters. Listen on in full for an in-depth explanation of how Viberate gets information on live events and how you can use the app to research venues to perform at. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt147-viberate for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Andres Lauer is a former UMG exec who is now a co-founder of Five Vectors, alongside an esports/gaming expert Wasae Imran. They are building a technology that will enable independent artists and labels to engage with gaming communities in their native environment. In this episode of Music Growth Talks, Andres shares how music impacts people’s identity in the social space like gaming and how they’re using that to market artists’ music. He then explains how Five Vectors is going to create a new music interaction layer for gamers, while presenting new revenue opportunities for independent artists. Andres talks about the scale of the gaming industry, describes the importance of understanding gamers and what type of music they may be best responding to (it’s not only EDM!), and looks into the future of music. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt146-five-vectors for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Nat Jay is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has a vast experience in sync licensing: getting her music placed in movies and TV shows. She recently released a 10-song album which saw her make a shift from folk-pop to electro-pop while working with a new producer. In this Music Growth Talks episode, Nat talks about how signing with a one-stop licensing company has lessened the burden of doing everything all by herself. She goes into detail about how the sync licensing industry works for both established and emerging artists. Nat not only shares her story, but also gives valuable insights into the industry for anyone planning to take on the journey of sync placements. What you will learn from this episode: • Transitioning to a new music genre. • What is a one-stop music company? What are the benefits of being a one-stop artist? • How has the sync placement industry changed over the years? • Who is a music supervisor, what’s their job, and where do you find them? • Tips on how to approach music supervisors at conferences. Building a friendship wins over pushing your music. • What to do and not to do when choosing a sync licensing agent or doing it yourself. • The importance of an artist getting interested in the business aspect of their music career. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt145-nat-jay for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Steve Jones is a musician and co-founder of Beatchain, an online music marketing platform that offers guidance and growth tools to up-and-coming musicians. Several years ago Steve became interested in creating a platform where his band could advertise their content without the help of a record label. This later turned into a bigger project that now helps other artists grow their careers online. On this Music Growth Talks, Steve explains how a combination of music and tech backgrounds of its co-founders created a platform designed to be a one-stop-shop for an artist’s marketing needs. He goes over Beatchain’s features, from distribution and collecting all the artist’s online data in one spot, to advising artists on creating engaging content for their audience. Here are some of the topics we covered with Steve in our conversation: • Introduction to Beatchain and how it came to be. • The tools and functionality of the platform. • Simplification of online ads placement that grows your audience. • How machine learning is used to track valuable ad performance. • Steve explains how artists can create engaging content for their audience without spending much money. • Creativity wins over big budgets. • How both Facebook and Spotify are used for data collection. How artists are able to make the right career decision based on the information provided on the platform. • The sign-up process. • Upcoming features for managers. • How email marketing is incorporated into the platform. • Why artists need to view music as a business. The impact of social media on music today. • Understanding the difference between entertainment and business social media accounts. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt144-beatchain for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

D Grant Smith is a syndicated radio host, personal development coach and speaker. He has two decades of experience guiding artists and creatives to become the best version of themselves. D’s latest venture is the exciting world of publishing, and in his latest book, Be Solid: How To Go Through Hell & Come Out Whole, he shares tried and true advice on how artists can overcome hardship, trial, challenge and difficulty for greater personal and professional success. According to research from Record Union, the most underestimated and often misunderstood element required for building a successful career as a professional musician is having the right mindset. • 73% of independent musicians suffer from symptoms of mental illness. • Nearly three-quarters of independent musicians have experienced “stress, anxiety and/or depression” in relation to their work. • 1 out of every 10 musicians struggles with suicidal thoughts. On this Music Growth Talks episode, D explains the importance of telling your story through your music to build better relationships with your audience. To do this authentically, you must first learn to love yourself and develop confidence. If you often find yourself doubting your abilities, not believing in your talent or leading yourself down a dark path through comparison, tune in to hear D’s transformation through the simple practice of ‘rewriting your narrative’ to love yourself and overcome hardship, trial, challenge and difficulty. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt143-be-solid for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

David Wimble started The Indie Bible over 20 years ago as a way to help independent artists across genres get their music reviewed and promoted. Finding receptive resources and contacts that will actually make a difference for your music and give you the exposure you need can be tricky. The Indie Bible has your back with the directory of over 7,000 radio stations and music blogs, as well as 3,000 Spotify Playlists and 2,400 booking agents. In this episode of Music Growth Talks, David goes over the daunting task of pitching your music to curators as an independent artist, making the most of The Indie Bible, and getting placements on Spotify playlists. He also shares the story behind the directory, the benefits of its digital format today, and how you can make new real connections that’ll matter for your music. Listen to the show in full to learn how they’re keeping the directory fresh and up-to-date, and to hear David’s thoughts on when you need (and do not) to follow-up with the curators. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2020/podcast/mgt142-indie-bible for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Jordan Valeriote is a music producer and engineer who started selling online courses around 3 years ago. Since then, he's generated over $1.5M with his courses, and now teaches other musicpreneurs how to do the same thing. On this Music Growth Talks episode Jordan talks about the opportunity musicians have to supplement their income by teaching and selling their own online courses. He answered the questions you may have if you're new to the idea, such as the costs involved, how to find out what your followers want to learn, or how to combine your "artist" and "teacher" identities. If you're considering to start your own course, you will hear a bunch of practical tips here as well: comparison of self-hosting and third-party solutions, how to sell your course before it's created, and a lot more. Listen to the episode in full to also learn several examples of successful niches ("drumming for dads" FTW!) and the artists who have done this. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt141-jordan-valeriote for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Katie Zaccardi is a wellness and career coach for women in music, as well as host of The Out to Be podcast, focused around mental health & self-care in the music industry. She's also a songwriter, artist, and certified yoga instructor. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Katie shares her personal journey after being diagnosed with anxiety, and explains why we have to change our mindset around the "starving musician" stereotype and the misconception that in order to be successful you must work hard all the time. She then talks about finding triggers and coping mechanisms if you suffer from anxiety, depression, bipolar, or other mental disorders. Katie also shows how you can take care of yourself through time management and a wellness routine. Listen to the episode in full to see if musicians are more prone to suffer from anxiety and depression or not, and to learn practical techniques for avoiding a burnout. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt140-katie-zaccardi for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Ari Herstand is a musician and the man behind Ari's Take, a music business blog which became the go-to resource for independent musicians on how to run a successful music career. He's also the author of "How To Make It in the New Music Business," originally released in 2016. The second edition of the best-selling book is out this week, and Ari shares what was changed and added with the Music Growth Talks listeners. Listen to the episode in full for Ari's practical tips on building authentic brands and communities of fans, as well as numerous real-world examples of how indie musicians "make it" without major record label deals or touring today. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt139-ari-herstand for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Steve Welty is a successful entrepreneur and singer-songwriter, who, as many of you, has to juggle a lot on a daily basis: from running a business and spending time with family to creating and promoting his music. The San Diego-based artist doesn't only practice healthy approach to living a balanced and fruitful life, he also shares his ongoing experiments and insights with others on Instagram and in the "Lit Up Life" video series on YouTube. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Steve talked about defining your "fascinating and motivating" category of activities, finding other songwriters to collaborate with, not stacking your losses, bringing values to others, delegating work, and much more. Listen to the episode in full to hear Steve's tips on becoming comfortable with showing up on social media, as well as the secret to doubling your rate of success and being unstoppable. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt138-steve-welty for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Bif Naked, called the “Princess of Punk” and the “Rock Goddess”, is a Canadian recording artist and author. Her career heights have taken her around the world on tour for twenty years, with numerous hits in 90s and 2000s, and, quite recently, her candid memoir called “I, Bificus”. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Bif talked about everything... from social media to activism, vulnerability, veganism, embracing limitations, straight edge being a true representation of the DIY ethic, and more. Listen to the full episode for Bif's practical career tips, and to learn more about her upcoming book on cancer. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt137-bif-naked for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Michael Sloane is the CEO of Nashville-based Streaming Promotions, a company specializing in music placement in streaming platforms. They primarily focus on Spotify, which gives artists more ways to market their music than any other competitor on the streaming market as of today. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Michael covered some of the most common topics surrounding the Spotify promotion. From avoiding companies who offer "guaranteed" streams and the differences between third-party and Spotify-curated playlists to how the platform's algorithm works, and why music will soon be mostly curated by "robots". Listen to the episode in full for more insights, such as the importance of your Monthly Listeners metric, getting traction in the first week of a release, converting streams into fans, case studies, and more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt136-streaming-promotions for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Tommy Stalknecht is the founder of Single Music, a Nashville-based company offering a music distribution component to Shopify. Over the years Tommy has overseen the development and management of many high-profile websites, including Sam Hunt, Kenny Rogers, Josh Turner, Larry The Cable Guy, and The Americana Music Association, among others. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Tommy explains how they help record labels and artists to sell directly via their official web sites with instant reporting to Nielsen for official Billboard chart tallying. We talk on what "direct to consumer" means in music today, the pros and cons of integrating with another platform, and the importance of great design in ecommerce. Listen to the episode in full to learn the tricks major artists use to increase "scans" on Billboard, how to run a crowdfunding campaign on Shopify, and much more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt135-single-music for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

JP Evangelista is Vevo’s Senior Vice President of Content, Programming & Marketing. His teams work with artists, managers, and record labels to secure and promote music videos, exclusive premieres, and live events across the Vevo platform. Over the course of the last 18 months, Vevo has been pushing original content creation and promotional strategies to support emerging artists, championing acts like Billie Eilish and Alessia Cara. On this Music Growth Talks episode, JP explained how their DSCVR and LIFT programs work for artists at different stages of their careers (regardless of label affiliation), and gave tips on optimizing music videos for the YouTube environment. Listen to the episode in full to learn why a long intro in your video will hurt its performance, as well as how to appear on Vevo's radar for potential inclusion in the DSCVR program. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt134-vevo-jp-evangelista for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Amadea is the COO of Pex, an LA-based video and music search engine with a fingerprinting technology that identifies reused content – even if it's a half-second sample in a remix, a GIF, or your song's melody in a cover video – across the whole web. This enables rights holders to understand the virality of their content, and claim copyrighted material at scale. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Amadea explained how Pex works, why their solution is more precise than YouTube's Content ID, and how Pex is opening the platform to indie creators. With data showing that 99% of fan engagement comes from reposted versions of popular artists' content, understanding where these reposts happen becomes more important than ever. As Amadea said, "it's no longer a one-platform game out there". Indeed, you have little control over your music or video popping up on the likes of Tik Tok or Giphy (and to be clear, most of you want that to be happening). We also talked about the recently approved by EU Copyright Directive's Article 13 (now Article 17), and its effect on the creative world. Listen to the episode in full to learn more about Pex, Article 13, and why the music industry has largerly moved from taking down user-generated content in the recent years. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt133-amadea-choplin for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Taishi Fukuyama is a co-founder and COO of Amadeus Code, an AI-powered songwriting assistant. The technology behind this mobile app breaks "centuries of melodies" down into constituent parts and transforms them into data, allowing the tool to generate an endless stream of melody. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Taishi, who's also a contributing writer at WIRED Japan, shared his thoughts on the current state of artificial intelligence in music and explained how his team aims to help songwriters and foster creativity with Amadeus Code. Listen to the full episode to learn why each song needs a story (which can only be created by a human), how you can collaborate with the AI inside the app, and more insights from Taishi Fukuyama. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt132-taishi-fukuyama for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Greg Wilnau is the founder of Musician Monster, where he teaches independent artists to succeed in the music business, with the focus on branding and earning sustainable income through live shows. In his second appearance on Music Growth Talks, Greg focused exclusively on branding. He listed three steps to defining a music brand, explained the importance of understanding how you want to impact others and why traditional branding doesn't work well for music, and showed how artists can integrate personal stories into their brands. Listen to the full episode for Greg's merch advice, the 3-part music story framework, and more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt131-music-branding for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

After a decade of fighting for the rights to the .MUSIC top-level domain, alongside other applicants like Google and Amazon, DotMusic's application for the registry prevailed in April 2019. .MUSIC is now a community-based domain name extension, supported by thousands of the most influential music organizations worldwide, representing over 95% of global music (probably including yours). Constantine Roussos, the founder and CEO of DotMusic, shared with us the complicated history of the project, the numerous challenges they face prior to launching the domain next year, explained how artists will be verifying their identities, and commented on the security measures designed to protect creators' rights (and fight cybersquatting or piracy). Listen to the episode in full to learn how to claim your .music domain today, the potential cost of registering, why Constantine doesn't recommend using it as a redirect to your existing website, and more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt130-dotmusic for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Alexey Kochetkov is the CEO and founder of Mubert, an AI generative music app. Mubert's algorithm creates unique audio streams from samples and loops uploaded by various electronic music producers. Each such stream is an infinite 'live' track that is constantly changing in real time. Listeners of the mobile app can choose from channels based on genres (e.g. Chill, Dub Techno, Hip Hop, House) and actions (e.g. Focus, Work, Sleep, Relax). On this Music Growth Talks episode, Alex talked about musicians' role in the future of music AI; the increasing interest in generative music from commercial brands, games, and social media platforms; the fair monetisation model where producers earn money from the sounds they've uploaded; and a lot more. Listen to the episode in full to also learn how to create a personal generative stream consisting only from your samples with Mubert. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt129-mubert for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Aaron Bethune, the author of “Musicpreneur: The Creative Approach to Making Money in Music” and founder of Play It Loud Music, Above the Noise and JAM, is back to Music Growth Talks. Listen to episodes #29 and #80 for more on Aaron. This episode starts with the discussion of a blog post Aaron wrote about last year's scandal around the LA metal band Threatin, who faked their whole online presence to land a European tour no one attended, which led to the promoters exposing the band online. Was the case all that shockingly new to the music industry though? Did Threatin go too far, or didn't they go far enough? Listen to Aaron's insights on this controversial topic, with examples of Elvis Presley and Taylor Swift applying the "fake it till you make it" mindset at early stages of their careers. Aaron then broadens the theme of con artists, and gives examples of how his artists and himself have been attempted to be scammed. There is a few crazy stories involving Def Jam, president of UPS, and US Secret Service, so listen on to hear it all. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt128-aaronbethune for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Matty Harris is a music producer, mixing and mastering engineer from Boston, now based in LA. After touring with bands as a drummer as early as at the age of 14, he studied Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music. Since then, he has worked on numerous records for Atlantic, RCA, WB, Sammy Adams, A$AP Rocky, and many more. He worked on the Grammy Award-winning song “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson and won the 2008 Boston Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Engineer and Producer. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Matty talked about a range of topics, from singles taking over albums and who to have in your music team, to "wah wah west" and avoiding the common mistakes a lot of DIY musicians make when recording at home. Listen to the podcast in full to also learn about trends in mastering music for streaming platforms, and to discover the "hidden" benefit of hiring a professional to help you finish a song. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt127-mattyharris for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Elmo Lovano is a professional drummer, musical director, producer and founder of Jammcard, the invite-only music professionals network. Dubbed a "LinkedIn for musicians" by Forbes, Jammcard is currently available in Los Angeles, Nashville and Atlanta. Even if you don't have an account on the platform, there is a lot to learn from the educational content Elmo has been putting out on Jammcard. He interviews some of the world's most successful freelance musicians for backstage stories, gear insights, and the nitty-gritty of how they've landed their dream gigs. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Elmo talked about the different ways you can prepare yourself for being hired, networking in the physical and digital worlds, and how they merge the two at Jammcard. Listen to the episode in full to learn how to improve your social media game, and how to master a working musician's "funnel": from being discovered to closing a deal. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt126-jammcard for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Darryl Ballantyne is the founder and CEO of LyricFind, the global leader in lyric licensing. The Toronto-based company handles the vetting, licensing, and royalty splits and payments when lyrics are displayed in Google Search, Apple Music, Amazon, Shazam, Pandora, Deezer, and many more platforms and services. LyricFind works with over 5,000 publishers around the world to ensure that songwriters and rights holders are paid when their lyrics are shown. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Darryl talked about their recent African deal with CAPASSO, explained how and why to submit your lyrics to LyricFind, and showed the creative ways that they turn lyric publishing into revenue (hint: one of it is through merch). Listen to the episode in full to learn how your songs' lyrics might bring you exposure (probably more than money if you are a developing artist), and hear Darryl's thoughts on how lyrics enhance a listener's experience. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt125-lyricfind for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Rich Redmond is an influential drummer, having toured and recorded with the likes of Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson, Bryan Adams, Joe Perry, Chris Cornell, and dozens of others. As the drumming powerhouse behind Grammy-nominated Jason Aldean, Rich has recorded 23 #1 singles with sales over the 10 million mark. Also a successful entrepreneur, speaker, educator, and an actor, Rich truly knows how to laser focus on his goals and to be one of the most prolific people in the business. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Rich shows how he's not only survived in the music industry, but has been thriving in it. He talks about building multiple income streams as a musician, such as teaching and offering speaking engagements to corporations. Rich also explains his "C.R.A.S.H. Course For Success"™ presentation, which he refers to as "edu-tainment." C.R.A.S.H. is a practical concept, applicable to Fortune 500 companies and music artists alike. Listen to the episode in full to hear time management tips from the person who juggles an insane amount of projects, to learn why Rich encourages all aspiring musicians to move to music hubs like Nashville or Los Angeles (the two cities he resides in), and to hear an unexpected speculation on the question: do we really need music? ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2019/podcast/mgt124-rich-redmond/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Stephen White, who served as the President at Gracenote from 2012-2014, is now the CEO of Dubset, an innovative music marketplace for DJs, artists, labels, publishers, and distributors. Dubset gets mixtapes, remixes and DJ sets the licenses they need to be distributed on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, and hence monetized. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Stephen talked about Dubset's history (some of you may still remember it as a place to host your DJ mixes), explained how complicated the clearance process has been traditionally and how a DJ, a producer or a label can do it differently using Dubset's MixBANK. Stephen also shared details of the recent project by J.PERIOD, featuring hip hop legends Rakim, Pharoahe Monch, and Black Thought, which is a live mixtape that was recorded in one take. This is the first time such a mixtape has been cleared for commercial distribution. Listen to the episode in full to find out more about Dubset's recent partnership with SoundCloud, and learn why to pay attention to Apple Music's new DJ-friendly features. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt123-dubset for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Mandy Aubry is a director of Global Business Development and Client Relations at Songtrust. Once named a "Top Music Startup" by Billboard, Songtrust now powers the publishing administration technology for over 150,000 songwriters and 20,000 music publishers worldwide, as well as more than 1 million copyrights. One out of every five new songwriters in the US use the Songtrust platform today, and the number seems to be growing steadily. As you will hear, Mandy has a fascinating music industry background, having worked at Mercury Records, Roadrunner Records, and Fintage House prior to joining Songtrust's team in their Amsterdam office. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Mandy talked about Songtrust's rich background and what makes the platform unique, explained how to collect publishing royalties from streaming, clarified a difference between publishing administration and a publishing deal (and why the latter may in fact be bad for you), and shared her thoughts on if you should sign up with your distributor's publishing services. Listen to the episode in full to learn how to never ever leave money that's due to you as a songwriter on the table. BONUS! As you will hear at the end of the episode, Mandy offered a discount on Songtrust's registration fee to the Music Growth Talks listeners. The first 100 of you who sign up with Songtrust will receive a 10% discount on the usual $100 (USD) per songwriter/per 50 titles if you use the discount code DOTTEDMUSIC. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt122-songtrust for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

iLLvibe is an acclaimed hip hop artist from Toronto, Canada, who also runs a lyric video company, LyricVids.com. He came on our radar after speaking at Future Music Forum in Barcelona, where he hosted a session called "The Importance of Musicians/Artists Thinking Like Content Creators". As someone who creates a lot of high-quality content for himself and others, Illy had much to say on this Music Growth Talks episode. He gave examples of when lyric videos come particularly handy, explained why filming a low budget music video can “brand you down”, and talked about reaching new fans through video on social media. He shared tips on using targeted ads and crafting your brand’s story, as well. Listen to the podcast in full to also learn why being an underdog can boost your growth, and what kind of call to acton to give to you superfans. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt121-illvibe for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Betsy McHugh is the Founder and Chief Product Officer at Hurdl, pioneering "the next generation of fan-based marketing" at live events (the statement which we endorse). Event attendees get an LED wristband upon entering a venue, which can then be activated via SMS to answer a short set of questions. Those who choose to answer survey in turn become a part of the light show, get special offers, merch deals, and any other incentives determined by the artist's team. The Nashville-based startup claims to identify 8 times the data on who is in the audience versus other methods (for the organiser to then start a conversation with those fans). The system has a 67% average audience opt-in rate with 95% of those who do so answering up to 5 survey questions. On this Music Growth Talks episode Betsy shares how acts like Deadmau5 and Why Don’t We have already benefited from the platform. Listen to the episode in full to learn about the new ways to enhance fan experiences at your live shows, and to hear Betsy's take on the experience economy. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt120-betsy-mchugh-hurdl for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Jesper Skibsby's life journey has taken him from working at a sea shipping company in Denmark to "shipping" a music tech startup, which is now the most accessible platform for tracking radio airplay. WARM, standing for World Airplay Radio Monitor, claims to be the first large-scale airplay monitoring service built specifically to serve individual musicians. On this Music Growth Talks episode Jesper explained the technology behind WARM, and how they manage to track song plays even on small radio stations across the globe. You may be surprised where your tracks are being played. He also talked about two general reasons why you would want to monitor worldwide airplay for your songs, and reminded us that the music is truly global these days—meaning you, as an artist, may see more success with your genre internationally than locally. Listen to this podcast episode in full to also hear Jesper's thoughts on how difficult it is to put a monetary value on a single radio spin, yet how many insights you can gain from one at the same time. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt119-jesper-skibsby-warm for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Kevin Breuner, CD Baby’s VP of Marketing, is back to the Music Growth Talks podcast to talk about this year's DIY Musician Conference, which took place in Nashville on August 24-26th 2018. On this episode, recorded a couple days after the event, Kevin explained what DIY means for a music artist nowadays, shared encouraging stats on musicians' royalties growing thanks to streaming, discussed the importance of understanding how platforms like Spotify and YouTube work to get the most out of them, and told a story of an artist who makes a living releasing cover songs. Listen to the episode in full for some great knowledge from Kevin, and watch the video recordings of selected DIY Musician Conference sessions on CD Baby's YouTube channel for even more insights. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt118-diy-music-conference for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

As a musician and a record label executive, Chris Tanner has gone through the challenges all indie artists face when marketing their music online. Equipped with programming skills and frustrated by the lack of simple solutions for their promotional needs, Chris and his business partner Greg Ashburn started working on a set of scripts for their own projects. The two musicpreneurs quickly saw a huge potential and demand in what Chris was developing, and so Spektrol was born – a collection of marketing, analytics, and business apps now available to everyone in the industry. Today, there is over a dozen tools offered within the platform (most are free), and new features are being added weekly. On this Music Growth Talks episode Chris and Andrew discussed the different ways Spektrol and its underlying growth tactics can be used, and talked about Spotify playlist marketing, cold outreach, and even the Atlanta music scene. Listen to the episode in full to learn a bunch of new marketing hacks such as finding influencers you didn't know you have already been connected to, researching Spotify playlist curators' contacts, mining emails of your social media followers, pre-saving a Spotify record, analyzing which of your posts perform best, and monetizing content with the help of cryptocurrency. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt117-spektrol for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Phillip Ryan Block has been involved in a range of jobs, from sales to investment consulting, prior to pursuing his dream and launching the Independent Ear record label. The imprint is a "testament of his abilities to analyze, predict, project, produce and then change it all up when one business model doesn’t fit the next," according to Mr. Block's bio. As a prove to the latter statement, Ryan recently turned Independent Ear into one of the world's first non-profit labels. An experienced marketer and branding expert, he continues to work with various music projects, and also does a lot to raise awareness of mental health issues in the music community. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Phillip Ryan Block talked about his new show, The Open Heart Collective, where his guests open up and share their life stories. The listeners can then learn what to do better in their own lives through these stories. Besides talking about the mental health awareness, Ryan also explained how he's been connecting his labels' artists with relevant causes and non-profits. "When you make it not about you, amazing things happen," in Ryan's words. We also chatted about the sacrifices you have to be making in life to live to your full potential, music being the strongest art form in existence and musicians often forgetting that fact, and more. Listen to the conversation in full and check out the links in the show notes for all the resources we mentioned on this episode. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt116-ryan-block for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Greg Wilnau is the founder of Musician Monster, where he teaches independent artists how to brand themselves and earn sustainable income through live shows, among other music marketing and business topics. Two years ago Greg and his wife sold their house in Florida to start travelling the world and working remotely full-time. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Greg talked about his new lifestyle and finding the reason he was not making money with his own band, and how he acted upon the discovery. Listen to the episode in full to learn Greg's five-phase strategy for earning income at every gig, packed with a ton of actionable hacks, insights in artist branding (and how it's very different from branding a "regular" business), as well as a look into how to sell when you hate being a salesman. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt115-greg-wilnau for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Jamie New Johnson is a retired artist manager, author, and educator from Toronto, who started her music industry career planning educational workshops with some of North America’s top artist managers. She then moved on to manage internationally touring artists independently, before shifting her focus back to education and starting Smartist University a.k.a. SmartistU (formerly Smart Band Management). SmartistU is a resource built for aspiring artist managers, self-managed artists, and musicians who want to start working with managers. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Jamie New explained a ton about the world of music management, from managers' responsibilities and the skills good artist managers must have these days, to a typical management deal structure and what managers usually look for in artists they're considering to sign. Listen to the show in full to also hear Jamie's tips for managers on finding great talent, and for artists on finding great managers. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt114-jamienewjohnson/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Tom Sarig is a music business veteran of over two decades, who has helped a number of acclaimed music artists sell millions of records, either as their manager or as a label A&R, in genres ranging from electronic to rock, pop, and hip hop. Prior to launching the AntiFragile Music label, Tom has run Esther Creative Group, where he's managed the careers of artists such as Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music, Rickie Lee Jones, CAKE, Against Me!, Blonde Redhead, and many others. For the 11 years prior to starting ECG, Tom served as a Grammy-winning Senior A&R executive at various major labels including Universal Records, Arista Records, MCA Records, A&M Records, and TVT Records, working with the likes of The Roots, Nine Inch Nails, Erykah Badu, Blink-182, Annie Lennox, Mos Def, Imogen Heap, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and so many others. Tom has also produced several feature films, having served as Film Producer for two acclaimed features, Red Shirley and Lou Reed’s “Berlin”, and as a Producer for MTV’s annual television special on his Shortlist Music Prize. AntiFragile Music was established as "a reaction against some of the established big labels who are not doing enough for artists anymore." On this Music Growth Talks episode, Tom Sarig explained how their approach to working with artists is different, mentioned how he discovers new talent, shared an interesting artist success story, and outlined terms of a typical AntiFragile's record deal. We also talked about the impact which placements in popular Apple and Spotify playlists have on the label, and how those placements alone never "break" an artist – it's the job of an artist's team to develop them, and turn passive listeners into fans. Listen to the show in full to learn what Tom is looking for in a music act besides the music, hear his excellent content marketing advice, and a lot more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt113-tomsarig/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Nathan Hanks is the Founder and CEO of Music Audience Exchange (MAX), a company whose mission is to connect brands and artists "to engage fans together". MAX has built a platform for brands to reach their target audiences through "breakthrough" artists, who have growing and loyal fanbases yet who may not be signed to a major label, or selling out stadiums. This new model helps brands reach potential customers in a more authentic and human way, while allowing artists to grow their careers through meaningful investment from brands (e.g. buying radio play for a song, or sponsoring a music video instead of a plain video advertisement). On this Music Growth Talks episode, Nathan shared details on how their matching engine maps 1.8 million artists to the psychographic and behavioral attributes of their audiences, and gave examples of how MAX' campaigns have been helping both the brands and the artists. Listen to the episode in full to learn more about the power of brand partnerships, and to hear a few specific music marketing tips from Nathan Hanks. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt112-nathanhanks/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Danny Turner is a Global Senior Vice President of Creative Programming at Mood Media. Danny has over 25 years of experience in the industry, including helping launch XM Satellite Radio, or creating programs for the likes of Starbucks, MTV, VH1, United Airlines, and Oprah. At Mood Media (a company which acquired Muzak, the inventor of background music), Danny and his team of over 65 music curators design custom playlists for some of the biggest brands, like Target, CVS, McDonald's, Whole Foods, and many more. With 500,000 active client locations around the globe, and Mood's playlists reaching 150 million people per day across 40 countries, Danny manages what can truly be called one of the largest music networks in the world. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Danny explained how music affects retail experience, and how they select music designers (one of the coolest jobs in the world). He also described his approach to creating unique music experiences, and what we liked there was that his team is not attached to certain artists or genres when building their playlists. They pick whatever will work for each brand, which gives them complete artistic freedom – great news for indie musicians. To put it in Danny's words, "I don't program by the charts". Listen to the show to also learn which mistakes to avoid when making submissions to Mood or other licensing company, and to hear about Danny's experience being one of the founding programming executives at XM Satellite Radio. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt111-dannyturner for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Muzooka is a free app allowing artists and their teams to manage their media assets across various platforms, such as festival, venue, or ticketing websites (i.e. no more ancient photos and outdated bios), as well as to report setlists to performing rights organizations for proper distribution of live performance royalties. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Muzooka's founder and CEO Shawn Wilson shared his story of building a product based on real needs of the industry, and explained in detail how their asset management and playlist reporting systems work for music acts. Listen to the show in full to learn how the app collects and validates artists' data, to see why you should get on board, and to hear Shawn's practical advice on getting more attention to your festival gig. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt110-muzooka/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Elroy "Spoonface" Powell (Spoon) is a British voice artist, actor, music publisher and social entrepreneur. After achieving international success as the voice behind a Black Legend hit, "You See The Trouble With Me", he experienced all possible ups and downs the music industry has got to offer. He shares his experience in a new short book he wrote, to offer fellow artists and musicpreneurs support with a focus on balance and wellness. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Spoon talked about his own path to sustainability, and gave a great creative advice to help you feel less anxious about the music you put out, among other topics we covered. Listen to this episode in full to also find out how marshal arts influenced Spoon's mindset, and to learn a brilliant advice on marketing your brand. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt109-spoonface for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Suz Paulinski is "a mindset coach for musicpreneurs", helping musicians and other music industry professionals reach their goals with custom time management solutions. Suz wrote and published The Rock/Star Life Planner, a tool for creatives to find focus in their daily lives. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Suz shares her journey from working at major record labels (and hating it), to getting a masters in psychology and becoming the Rock/Star Advocate. We talk about musicpreneurs having no choice but to care about their mental and physical health, the dangers of "sleep shaming", maintaining a healthy work/life balance, and the ways musicians can start managing their time more effectively. Listen to the podcast in full to also learn what "the purse curse" is, why The Rock/Star Life Planner is sold as a physical book, and how journaling will make you more creative. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt108-suz-paulinski for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Cherie Hu is a music tech columnist for Billboard and Forbes, who also contributes to publications like Music Ally, Cuepoint, Inside Arts and the Harvard Political Review. A musician passionate about technology, Cherie has written numerous impactful pieces about technology in the music industry. Her work was acknowledged at the Reeperbahn Festival last year, where she got the Music Business Journalist of the Year award. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Cherie comments on her Forbes article about the rapidly growing label and management company 88Rising, and explains how you can apply the tech adoption life cycle to your music career, something she describes in detail in her Medium post called "The Artist as Technology, Part 1: Breaking The Adoption Cycle". Listen to this episode to also hear why you can't really "break" overnight (neither can't you fake a meme), and learn about the challenges musicians face in the Asian markets. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt107-cherie-hu/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at http://musicianswebkeeper.com/

Alex Frecon is a hip hop artist and a media producer turned copywriter from Minneapolis. With many funny and experimental projects behind his back, the biggest one so far is a trip Alex made in March 2017... The trip was to North Korea. To play hockey against the North Korean Men's National Hockey Team. Alex brought his GoPro along for the ride, and created a video about the trip. Listen to this Music Growth Talks episode to find out more about Alex' experience in North Korea and how it helped promote his music, to see the true power of storytelling, and to learn how Alex applied the hedgehog theory to his music creation. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt106-alex-frecon/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at http://musicianswebkeeper.com/

Sony Theakanath is the CEO and Founder of Asaii, an automated machine learning lead generation A&R platform serving record labels, Fortune 500, booking and promoting agencies. Coming from Apple, Facebook, Uber, Salesforce, and Yelp, Asaii's team has built a product which focuses on in-depth analysis and prediction, instead of simply aggregating data across multiple sources. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Sony talked about their Discover and Track products, currently in private beta, and explained how exactly their clients use Asaii. He also shared tips for musicians aiming to be noticed by record labels and industry influencers who use data to discover talent. Listen to the episode in full to hear a new reason (in case you haven't had enough) not to buy fake followers and listens, and a lot more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt105-asaii/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

🔓 Get your free physical copy of Ariel's "Crowdstart" book at bit.ly/crowdstartMGT Ariel Hyatt is one of the world's leading music marketing experts, and has been running the Brooklyn-based Cyber PR for over 20 years. Ariel has worked with hundreds of creatives and entrepreneurs, spoken at more than 75 conferences in 12 countries, and written four books about social media. On this Music Growth Talks episode Ariel exclusively revealed a free giveaway of her latest book, "Crowdstart: The Ultimate Guide to a Powerful and Profitable Crowdfunding Campaign." Follow this link http://bit.ly/crowdstartMGT, fill out the form, pay for shipment, and Ariel's team will send you a paperback copy of the book, which retails for $14.99. The shipping is $7.99 within the US and $34.95 elsewhere, but if you're outside of the States you can contact the Cyber PR team and ask for a digital copy, which will come at $5.99 though. And be sure to listen to this podcast in full, as it's packed with advice and insights on growing as an artist, one baby step at a time. Ariel talks about the importance of starting your marketing with a story, shares how they approach promotional plans (or "Total Tuneups" as they call it) at Cyber PR, explains the different types of fans and how to identify your core audience, and sets some realistic expectations about crowdfunding campaigns. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt104-ariel-hyatt/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Ryan Kairalla is a lawyer, author, podcaster, and teacher, helping his clients in the music industry with a variety of entertainment and business matters – from recording and publishing agreements, to music licensing, live performances, copyright counseling, and more. He has represented chart-topping artists and up-and-coming musicians alike. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Ryan talked about his “indie music lawyer” practice, including the Break the Business book and podcast, and shared a number of fascinating insights on surviving and thriving in the music industry today. Among the topics we've covered: when to register copyrights for your songs, trusting (or not) major and indie record deals, how to open your own record label, new promising platforms for musicians like Patreon and Twitch (with a cool case study on Meri Amber), and predictions for 2018 (including one which may be particularly liked by cover artists among you). ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt103-ryan-kairalla/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Janette Berrios is a marketing director of Symphonic Distribution, a digital music distributor based out of Tampa, FL. Positioning itself as a “One Stop Shop for the Music Industry", Symphonic does more than distribution though, and Janette explains how the company helps their clients on this Music Growth Talks podcast episode. What Janette also talks about in detail is how to communicate about your releases with whatever distributor you're using in order to be considered for a feature by online music retailers and streaming platforms. Learn what kind of information to submit and by when, what factors may help you in getting exposure, etc. And of course, this episodes is full of insights on Spotify! From appearing on Spotify-owned playlists to the platform's hidden features and getting the most out of Spotify for Artists, Janette covers it all. Listen to the show in full to get yourself closer to getting a major Spotify feature. And if you're interested in distributing with Symphonic, use our partner link http://symphonicdistribution.com/dotted-music/ to create an account without paying the standard $25 sign-up fee. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt102-symphonic/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Paul Hamill is the CEO of Inflyte, a new music promotion platform that allows record labels and PR agencies to send out promo records to tastemakers such as DJs and media publications. The delivery happens through mobile pop-up notifications alongside clean and easy-to-digest emails. The releases then can be accessed and rated offline, and the sender gets detailed analytics on the promos' performance. Paul, an experienced music artist who knows the needs of the market well, talks on this Music Growth Talks episode on how Inflyte has been helping their clients get more and better feedback on promo submissions. He also shares a few outreach tips applicable to indie artists handling PR themselves. Listen to the episode for a better understanding of how the promo delivery works both for labels and influencers, and to see if you should consider a new promo platform if you run a record label. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2018/podcast/mgt101-inflyte/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Philip Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur whose first widely known project was the Fucked Company blog, mocking failed startups after the dot-com bubble in 2000. Philip has since founded numerous successful companies, including AdBrite, TinyLetter (now acquired by MailChimp), a social networking website for musicians Fandalism, and DistroKid, an independent digital music distribution platform. On this Music Growth Talks podcast, recorded a week before Andrew moderated a fireside chat with Philip Kaplan at the Slush Music conference in Helsinki, the DistroKid founder explained how the service was different from other distributors, and how they're managing to release around 1,200 albums each day with just 8 people in the team. Listen to the episode to learn how much time it actually takes for your music to appear on digital music platforms, what "Leave a Legacy" feature is and what it has to do with your mortality, and how Philip got endorsements from the founders of his two biggest competitors. BONUS! At the end of the conversation, Philip generously created a discount link for our listeners, giving 20% off your first year membership. Claim it by signing up at https://distrokid.com/vip/musicgrowth ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt100-philip-kaplan/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. Become a patron to access a secret podcast feed with patron-only episodes at https://www.patreon.com/andrewapanov

Before launching POP in 2016, Tim Heineke had founded a leading digital music distributor FUGA and a music discovery service Shuffler. POP, "the simplest way to launch your own messenger-bot," allows music artists to reach their fans directly through Facebook Messenger, while giving the ownership of data back to the musicians. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Tim talks about what POP does, explains what a messenger bot is and isn't (hint: don't think of it solely as a chat bot), and makes it obvious how the Messenger is becoming a key channel in Direct To Fan marketing, already being more effective than social media and even email marketing in many ways. Listen to the podcast to also see how to make your communication more targeted, and to learn a few tactics for acquiring new fans on your Messenger bot. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt99-tim-heineke/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Joyce Kettering is an experienced full-time musician, and the person to go to if you want to learn about music licensing. In 2016 alone Joyce composed, produced and placed over 50 of her tracks. Naturally, as someone who wants to learn more about music licensing, I talked to Joyce! As the result we've got this Music Growth Talks episode, and here are just some of the topics it covers: how to earn consistently through music licensing, what kind of income to expect, how much time it takes to submit your music to directories, how to research keywords for your songs so they get discovered, what kinds of deals and companies to avoid, how not to undervalue your music, where and how to find good stock music libraries, and so on. There is a lot to take in from this show. Listen to it in full to see how you can start with music licensing, no matter where you are in your music career, and to hear Joyce's answer to the the question, "What kind of music should you write for licensing?" BONUS: Joyce generously decided to give away her "30 Day Licensing Challenge" course she mentions in the show to the Music Growth Talks listeners, for free! Head over to https://sso.teachable.com/secure/103893/checkout/confirmation?product_id=377601 and apply the TALKABOUTMUSICGROWTH coupon code to get the course at no charge. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt98-joyce-kettering/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Joey Lelieveld, more widely known under his stage name JoeySuki, has been a part of an international electronic music scene for over 10 years. He'd played Tomorrowland and Creamfields, produced a track with Hardwell (one of the top 5 DJs in the world), made the Beatport Top 100 several times, made remixes for Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, and hit #1 in a Billboard Chart. Joey had achieved the success so many indie artists desire, in other words. But he discovered the dark side of the lifestyle, as well... in 2015, he decided to put his music career on halt and started helping other artists to become successful, and to avoid his mistakes, instead. On this Music Growth Talks episode Joey talked about the burnout he went through, and shared insights on the untapped potential of Direct to Fan approach, email marketing being alive and effective as ever, importance of consistency in branding, and more. Listen to the episode to also hear Joey’s tips on completing your songs, and the reasons touring the world as a solo artist may not be as great as you imagine it. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt97-joeysuki/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Mike Goudreau, also known as Boppin Bluesman, picked up his first guitar at age 14 and hasn't stopped playing since. A full-time and prolific musician, Mike has made music licensing a key source of his income. Since 2007, Mike's songs have been heard on hundreds of network TV shows and feature films such as Bloodline (Netflix), NCIS Los Angeles (CBS), Life In Pieces (CBS), Gotham (FOX) , "Passengers" (2016), to name just a few. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Mike Goudreau shares what he's learnt during the 10 years of hard music licensing work. We talk about non-exclusive vs. exclusive deals, finding good licensing companies, reaching out to music supervisors directly, creating a catalogue that doesn't get old, and much more. Listen to the episode to also learn a few file and meta management tips, and the kind of an "exclusive" licensing deal you don't want to get into. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt96-mike-goudreau/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Jon Skinner, the founder and CEO of Music Gateway, is back to the Music Growth Talks podcast to talk about the latest platform developments, such as Sync Portal and Demo Space, as well as their just launched Kickstarter campaign aimed to fuel the October release of Music Gateway 2.0. The new version of the platform, which connects musicians and industry professionals, is promised to have a load of new tools for artists, including the mobile app. And the crowdfunding campaign is quite interesting, with the rewards including experiences such as a creative writing weekend on a yacht in Mallorca, various branded gear, or masterclasses on music business and sync licensing, and more. Listen to the show to find out the details. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt95-jon-skinner/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Damian Keyes is the founder of DK Music Management, a co-founder of The Brighton Institute of Modern Music, and an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience building businesses in music. Damian had never been active on social media until August 2016, when he decided to start a new project: to immerse himself in social media every single day. Now, a year later, Damian shares with us his fascinating music industry journey, and the results of the experiment of living and breathing social media. This show is filled with actionable advice which will be interesting to all artists, and particularly those who are hesitant to become active on social media. Listen to the show for Damian's thoughts and tips on playing to your skillset, fitting social media into your already busy life, understanding how much interesting stuff you are missing to share, building an audience through social networks, quantity vs. quality, and much more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt94-damian-keyes/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Loudr is a San Francisco based company which helps artists, digital distributors, and music services identify rights holders, secure mechanical licenses, and pay royalties to music publishers. The technology behind the service parses publishing metadata and matches sound recordings to compositions, making it easy for anyone to clear mechanical licenses. For example, it allows you to start selling cover songs you've recorded, hassle-free. To date, the company has distributed over $1 million in royalties to songwriters and music publishers worldwide. Loudr's CEO Chris Crawford, who used to be a part of the iTunes team at Apple, is a guest on the latest Music Growth Talks episode to explain how his company has been solving the challenge of clearing and releasing cover songs in the US. During our conversation, Chris talks about the different types of licenses, explains what businesses Loudr works with, and shows how the new version of their API makes it easier to link musical compositions and their owners. Listen to this episode to hear Loudr's promising vision of the future, and to learn how things are solved the Silicon Valley way. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt93-loudr/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Rick Barker is a leading music marketing expert, teaching indie artists the business side of music, all while assisting major labels and big media companies. Rick is a former manager for Taylor Swift, current advisor to Big Machine Records, and the social media mentor for American Idol, just to give a few examples. On this Music Growth Talks episode, Rick names the only advantage majors have over indies, explains how to treat your social media strategy as a meal plan, shows one key approach to growth, and talks about the power of live streaming, on Facebook in particular. Listen to this episode to feel more confident and inspired to host a Facebook Live stream than ever, to learn the common live streaming pitfalls, and the tools to make a TV-quality stream. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt92-rick-barker/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Songtradr is a rapidly growing music licensing platform, delivering commercial music to brands, apps, TV and filmmakers. Their catalogue already counts over 60,000 artists and composers, across all genres and languages, and you're more than welcome to join the platform, as well. As you will hear from this podcast, it's risk-free... and literally free. The marketplace's features for music creators include real-time push notifications on the progress of your catalog and song submissions, a unique blanket license, stats on who's opening and listening to your playlists, and more. On this Music Growth Talks podcast episode, Songtradr's Marketing Manager Zac Harding and Creative Services Manager Ben Foy explain how exactly the platform works for artists and tastemakers. Listen to learn the way Songtradr's team helps you prepare everything you may need for a successful deal, why supervisors are often scared of working with indie artists, and how to avoid typical mistakes artists make entering the world of licensing. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt91-songtradr/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Mike Casey is a jazz saxophonist and songwriter, who released his debut album, “The Sound of Surprise: Live at The Side Door” in February 2017. He used PledgeMusic to raise funds for the record, reaching his crowdfunding goal in way under a month. On this Music Growth Talks podcast, Mike shares the nitty-gritty of the campaign, from preparation to fulfillment. While there is a few specifics to releasing a jazz album, Mike's tips are applicable to an artist in any music genre. Listen to the episode to learn how running a crowdfunding campaign is much more time consuming than you may think, why PledgeMusic may be friendlier than other platforms to someone who is new to crowdfunding, which social media channels Mike used the most to promote the campaign (and how he got disappointed with Facebook advertisement), and more. One of the insights we liked the most: if you want to succeed with crowdfunding, you can't be shy! ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt90-mike-casey/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Bree Noble is the Founder and CEO of Women of Substance Music Radio, as well as the host of Female Entrepreneur Musician Podcast. An experienced singer/songwriter, entrepreneur, speaker, and coach who left a corporate job at a big Opera company to pursue her own music career, Bree now leads a whole suite of projects aimed to help female artists thrive in the music business. On this Music Growth Talks podcast episode we went through a number of topics which Bree Noble has been covering with her guests on Female Entrepreneur Musician: music monetization, crowdfunding, Facebook Live, house concerts, musicians' health, and much more. Listen to the show to also learn about Bree's Female Musician Academy, and other resources for female (and not only!) artists. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt89-bree-noble/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

This is a premiere of Musicpreneur Hub, founded by Tommy Darker. The Hub is "a music knowledge platform," created to connect handpicked music industry experts with musicians and students looking for advice, Quora-style. Listen to this Music Growth Talks episode to get a better understanding of Musicpreneur Hub, to see why it may be more like Airbnb than Quora according to Tommy, and to hear a few tips on asking questions on the platform. And then go to Musicpreneur Hub to ask a question yourself! And if you don't know who Tommy is yet, then we highly recommend you listening to the previous two Music Growth Talks episodes with him as a guest – you can find the links in the show notes. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt88-musicpreneur-hub/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Diarmuid Moloney is a co-founder of Rotor, an intelligent cloud-based app designed to help musicians create custom music and promotional videos. The platform doesn't require a big budget, or even any video editing skills, as it automatically matches video content to audio. While you can use your own footage, even that is optional, as you can choose from multiple free stock video clips. It's also free to create a video: you pay only for exporting a file to then post it on your YouTube channel, social media profiles, or elsewhere. On this Music Growth Talks podcast, Diarmuid talks about how the platform came into existence, explains the technology behind it, and tells us how much original video content you need to create a proper video. Listen to the show in full to learn if you can find use of this tool, already utilized by the likes of Warner and Universal. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt87-rotor-diarmuid-moloney/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Kevin Breuner, CD Baby’s Director of Marketing, has spent over 14 years in the music business. And, as an artist himself, he knows what challenges musicians face well. His band, Smalltown Poets, grew from being a local indie act to securing a major label deal, with their debut album selling over 200,000 copies and bringing them a Grammy nomination. Still, the bandmates couldn't sustain their music careers and had to split. Kevin knew there had to be platforms to help artists make successful careers, and eventually discovered, and later started working at, CD Baby. Today, Kevin Breuner leads CD Baby's marketing efforts and hosts their DIY Musician Podcast. On this Music Growth Talks podcast episode, Kevin talks about the opportunities Spotify and the likes present, seeing "how different platforms cause success in different ways", and embracing the strategy of getting people to listen to something instead of buying something. Listen to the show for tips on using streaming analytics, a teaser for this year's DIY Musician Conference, and much more. ⏯ Go to http://dottedmusic.com/2017/podcast/mgt86-cd-baby/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast.

Same podcast, brand new name. Listen to this short episode to find out more!

Peter Hollens is an a cappella singer and producer who's built a massive loyal following on YouTube and Patreon. With over 1.5 million subscribers and 125+ digital singles released, his videos have reached more than 250 million viewers since 2011. Hollens is on the advisory board for artist-focused companies such as Patreon, Loudr, and Tubular, and has collaborated with the likes of Brian Wilson, Jason Mraz, Hunter Hayes, Lindsey Stirling, George Watsky, and Tyler Ward. In this WeSpin Recipes episode, recorded days before Christmas, Peter Hollens shares what it took to get where he is today, and, of course, talks about his new Christmas album (which is really good!). Peter is a goldmine of knowledge and inspiration for artists. Here are just some of the topics he covered: tips on collaboration and community building, reverse-engineering the success of others, the importance of knowing your platforms, analyzing Facebook vs. YouTube, and overcoming your fears. Listen to this episode to also learn what mobile apps Peter Hollens uses for promotion daily, to understand how to achieve success on Patreon, and to hear what Peter would do if he started from scratch today. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr85/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Jay Coyle is the founder of Music Geek Services, as well as a former marketing executive at EMI Nashville, a Berklee Online instructor, and someone who has worked with a myriad of bands over the years as an independent music marketing and business professional. Jay is also the author of the new Soundfly course called "Crowdfunding For Musicians". The course combines instructional videos, step-by-step guides, downloadable resources, and more to help you build a successful campaign. You can enroll in that course, or any course at Soundfly, with a 20% discount using the WESPIN20 coupon code as a WeSpin Recipes listener. In this podcast episode, Jay talks on occasional challenges of dealing with band managers, the types of clients he works with, and how brands should see crowdfunding as an opportunity to build a business – not as a bank. Listen to the show to learn why exactly a crowdfunding campaign is in fact a direct-to-fan campaign, and much more. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr84/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Tommy Darker, the guest of the very first WeSpin Recipes episode, is back to our podcast! Over the past year, Tommy has been busy working on a new creative project called Kenophania. His goal is to get in front of no less than one million people, and Tommy will tell you how he's going to achieve that. Kenophania is described as "a docu-style arced reality series about an ex-military, now savvy musician, who embarks on a journey to create a new musical style and make it commercial success." What makes it particularly interesting: Tommy had never played music with others before. Throughout 2016 Tommy has toured the whole Greece and collaborated with hundreds of musicians, while documenting the whole process. In this podcast you are going to learn how Yossi Sassi from Orphaned Land inspired Tommy to start Kenophania, what it costs to record such a documentary (with a detailed breakdown of expenses), and why your creative process has little to do with the final product. Listen to this WeSpin Recipes episodes in full to be among the first to hear about the new music business platform Tommy is launching soon (which is like Quora for the music industry), and to find out how to watch the pilot episode of Kenophania. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr83/ for the show notes.

The big music industry conferences are where the bosses go, frequently leaving the junior staff in the offices. FastForward flips that upside down. The new annual event, which has created a lot of buzz in 2016, is aimed at under 35s in the music industry. This week's WeSpin Recipes guest is the FastForward founder, Chris Carey, a music economist having worked with the likes of Universal Music, EMI Music, and PRS. He also runs a boutique research company called Media Insight Consulting, and made it to Music Week's 30 under 30 in 2014. On this show, Chris' shared the highlights of the first edition of the conference, and named the music industry developments to watch in 2017. We talked about big data (and how asking the right questions may be more important than the data itself), streaming, finding inspiration in the gaming market, blockchain, and more. Listen to the conversation to hear Chris' insights, and a candid answer to the question "Who is FastForward for?" Go to http://wespin.co/wsr82/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Dave Kusek is the latest WeSpin Recipes guest, and he's here to share his passion for coaching indie musicians. The founder and former CEO of Berklee Online, today Dave is focused on helping artists develop successful careers through his New Artist Model online music business school. On the show, we talk about the program, how crazy and fascinating it is to be an artist these days, the need to understand what you're good at, building a team around your craft, time management, and why you may not want to chase the next shiny thing online. Listen to the show to also hear the tough truth about building a band (don't rush into firing your drummer after hearing it, but think about what Dave says carefully), and to learn how to "sell" yourself to other business professionals. TIME-SENSITIVE! If you are listening to the show or reading this post before December 6th, you can still sign up for a special Master Class for free as part of Dave's Ticket to Music Success Training. Sign up at https://newartistmodel.mykajabi.com/a/2582/SCjyzs2E Go to http://wespin.co/wsr81/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

You are about to hear a story on how far creating your own path instead of doing what you're "supposed to" can get you. The story is about a successful US country artist, golfer, philanthropist, and public speaker Steve Azar, and it's told by his manager, Aaron Bethune. Aaron is the founder of Play It Loud Music, Above the Noise and JAM, among numerous other projects. He's also the author of "Musicpreneur: The Creative Approach to Making Money in Music", which we covered in detail in the WeSpin Recipes episode number 29, over a year ago. After Aaron discovered that the key to everything Steve had been doing was the state of Mississippi, they turned it into a series of mind-blowing opportunities. From helping the state to improve its public transportation system, to becoming the first Music & Culture Ambassador of Mississippi (the title didn't even exist before), recording an album and filming a documentary with BB King's band in a legendary venue – these are just some of the events which the dedication and creative thinking led Steve and Aaron to. Listen to the episode for all the details, as well as Aaron's tips for up-and-coming creatives. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr80/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Over the last few years Sam Matla's EDMprod blog and podcast have become wildly popular among electronic musicians, and you most probably know why if you're a producer yourself. Even if you aren't familiar with the name though, we bet you will get a kick out of today's WeSpin Recipes episode with Sam. On this show, "The Producer's Guide To Workflow & Creativity" author shares his online blogging journey from skateboarding and self-development to music, gives actionable tips on improving your music production skills (also fully applicable to songwriters), names two most common mistakes up-and-coming producers make, and talks about EDM Foundations – a four-week online course which teaches the fundamentals of electronic music production through action and practice. You can join the waiting list to be notified on the next enrolment following the link at the show notes. Listen to the podcast to also find out what Sam's top productivity and collaboration tips are, and to learn a single hack that is guaranteed to make you a better producer. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr79/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Here's how StoryAmp works, in a nutshell. You create an account and add a "dispatch" either for a music release or a concert, providing all the related information. Then, StoryAmp emails relevant media contacts in each genre, or tour market, three separate times. The database of journalists (US and Canada only) is powered by the Rock Paper Scissors PR agency, and is updated all the time. You get the service either for a flat fee (for a release) or a monthly subscription (for a tour). Pretty cool concept, isn't it? We've been intrigued, too, and decided to learn more from the StoryAmp and Rock Paper Scissors founder and CEO, Dmitri Vietze. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Dmitri talked on storytelling, specifics of doing PR for records and tours, and StoryAmp's new copywriting offer. Now, you can request a press release or a biography from professional writers that have collectively authored pieces for Billboard, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Google Music, VICE, Thrasher, and more. Listen to the show to see if StoryAmp is the right fit for your needs, and also to learn about the free ebook by Dmitri which will transform your approach to PR. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr78/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Soundcharts is a real-time charts, playlists, airplay, and social monitoring web app. And, as you will learn from this WeSpin Recipes podcast, there is much more to it than analyzing performance of your own music projects. Think of Soundcharts as a stock market (or a growth hacking!) tool, which allows you to see how well relevant or interesting to you artists perform in different territories. David Weiszfeld, the founder of Soundcharts, used to lead the International Development for Universal Music France, so the idea of building such a tool came from hands-on music marketing experience and understanding the importance of data analytics. Soundcharts is already used by the three major labels, but is available to everyone, even though at a price (check the Pricing tab on the Soundcharts website for the current subscription fees). Listen to the podcast to hear David's thoughts on running an international tech company from France and the enormous challenges startups face, and find out a few very specific use cases for Soundcharts – applicable to a music act or a company of any size. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr77/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

"As an artist, I don't need to reinvent the music industry. I need to reinvent how people consume MY music." That is just one of the many insights you're about to discover on today's show, with our long-term friend Josh Urban – a musician, entertainer, and a pseudo political candidate from the DC area. Josh plays a home-built broom guitar, DJs on the street and at hospitals, and goes on a railroad tour across the East Coast every year. He's in the middle of one such tour, called "Join the Dance Party!", at the time this podcast is being released. One of the goals of the tour is to make a music video with the world, "dancing away our fears and division." Everyone who aren't in the area to take a selfie with Josh is invited to record themselves dancing, preferably to the official tour song, and tag it with #JURT (Josh Urban Rail Tour) on social media. To fit the theme, people are writing a fear on a piece of paper, dancing with it, then crumpling the paper and throwing it out of view. If you want to take part, send your video to josh@joshurban.com; Josh says he's a terrible dancer, so don’t feel pressure. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode Josh talked about street music marketing, creating "alternative tours" and social experiments, traveling by train, building cigar box guitars, hosting Facebook Live events, and finding ways to engage people with different personalities. Listen to the show to hear what it's like to play at a psychiatric ward, and to learn Josh's secret "look at the clock" approach to building a sustainable career as a professional musician. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr76/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

This podcast episode is all about the unique online event called Music Launch Summit, coming out of Melbourne, Australia, and being broadcast internationally from September 13-30th. The digital conference features 40+ speakers from around the music industry, including Benji Rogers (PledgeMusic), Jennie Sager (Twitter), Rodney Holder (MusicBusiness Facts), Budi Voogt (Heroic Recordings), Ariel Hyatt (Cyber PR), Ian Clifford (Make It In Music), as well as the Dotted Music and WeSpin founder, Andrew Apanov. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast, the Summit founder Steve Palfreyman talks on what's inside the Music Launch Hub, which took him almost a year longer to put together than he initially expected. Steve also explains how the focus of the event is on launching music, but not necessarily in the way you might expect. Listen to the episode to learn more about Music Launch Summit, which will stream live for free if you reserve your seat at http://musiclaunchsummit.com/wespin If you want to get the lifetime access to the Music Launch Summit content, however, along a number of other bonuses, grab the VIP pass at http://musiclaunchsummit.com/wespin-vip – with a massive 81% discount ($97 vs. $499). We decided to make something unprecedented on top of that. By getting the VIP pass at the link above, you will also get a lifetime access to the WeSpin growth training and community platform (normally $15/mo). The offer is limited in time!

Hive.co is a platform built to analyze, grow, and communicate with your fanbase. Hive's "Engage" product allows you to capture fans' contact information with content lockers, sign up forms and contests, and then connect with them via targeted email campaigns. The "IQ" add-on indexes your followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SoundCloud and Youtube, to then show who your most supportive followers are, what brands they like, where they are located, and more. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Hive's Theo Koolen gave us an overview of the toolkit, and shared real-world case studies of how other artists have been using it so far. Listen to our conversation for content marketing tips, to learn how to turn a free show into thousands of fans' emails, and for a secret link to an extended free trial to Hive! Go to http://wespin.co/wsr74/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Think about it: pretty much ever music gig, even the most niche and underground, has a Facebook Event created for it. Promoters, festivals, club owners, and music acts – even those who aren't good at promoting their events – rarely fail to announce a show on the world's biggest social network. But is it easy for music fans to discover something new and relevant to them in the myriad of Facebook Events? Truthfully, not much. Dave Blue, today's WeSpin Recipes guest, saw the untapped potential of Facebook Events, and created Spotcaller – a web and mobile app aimed to simplify live music discovery. Spotcaller aggregates all music events on Facebook, across the whole globe, daily, and displays them in a beautiful interface. In this podcast episode, Dave talked on how his app compares to the likes of Songkick or BandsInTown, and the ways Spotcaller benefits artists. Dave illustrated how the events' trending scores are calculated, explained how to update your upcoming events on the service, and gave specific tips on creating informative, converting Facebook Events pages. Listen to the show if you're a performing artist or have anything to do with live music, and if you want to get more out of your Facebook Events. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr73/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Being involved in the worlds of tech and music over many years, Peter Harris always found the process of moving a casual listener to a dedicated fan too clumsy in the traditional music industry. Not seeing any tangible solutions coming to change it, he decided to take the initiative in his hands, and founded Resonate – a unique, cooperatively owned streaming platform currently in the works. Resonate features an affordable "stream to own model" (with no monthly fees for listeners), where listening turns to owning – and where fans know that the money goes direct to the artists. It presents a new music model, which aims to provide better discovery and curation, centered around real communities. "Imagine that Spotify was a cooperative" – this is how Peter described the idea in a compact form during our conversation. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Peter explained how the "stream to own" model works, gave a great and clear overview of the blockchain technology, and went over some of the challenges the blockchain research team faced during the recent Music Tech Fest Berlin. Listen to the show to see how the future of the music industry may look like. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr72/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Dearbhla Trainor truly has a well-rounded perspective of all aspects of the music industry. As a singer-songwriter, having worked at a major record label and a booking agency, Dearbhla (pronounced as Dervla) has collected a lot of invaluable knowledge and contacts over the recent years. And now, she shares the knowledge in her bi-weekly podcast, called The One Sheet. The show features one-on-one conversations with some of the biggest names in the business, and covers fields like booking, A&R, social media, or even music mastering. Today, Dearbhla takes a role of an interviewee as a guest of the WeSpin Recipes podcast. Listen to this episode to hear specific tips on networking and reaching out to labels and press, to learn about the art of accepting failure as a learning opportunity, to run a simple exercise which will help you understand how you (as a brand and a person) is perceived by others, and much more. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr71/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

This WeSpin Recipes podcast episode features our conversation with D Grant Smith, a Growth Farmer (listen to the show to see what "growth farming" stands for), professionally coaching musicians and entrepreneurial businesses. He's been showcasing unsigned artists since 2003 as the Syndicated Host of The Appetizer Radio Show, and now released a book on radio promotion called "The DIY Musician's Radio Handbook". In this show, D Grant talked on the role and influence of public radio, the ways (not) to pitch your music, building strong relationships with the industry contacts, the importance of having a great sound and knowing who you sound like, the questions to ask a publicist or a radio plugger you want to hire, and much more. Listen to the show to see why there is no such thing as an "overnight success," and hear one of D Grant's most important rules of radio promotion. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr70/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Adam Reifsteck, the founder of the NYC-based electronic dance music label Teknofonic, takes a different approach to running a record label. "Artists first" is clearly the imprint's motto, as Adam lets his artist keep all their copyrights, and "have full creative control". Listen to this WeSpin Recipes episode to learn how exactly it works out for the label and its artists, and to also get some useful tips from Adam. During the conversation, we talked about getting signed, earning money through SoundExchange and PPL, and more. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr69/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Paul Loeb is the founder and developer of DropTrack, a web service which helps artists to promote their music to record labels and industry tastemakers. Besides housing, tracking, and streamlining the process of music promotion for producers and bands – the platform allows record labels and DJs to manage demos and music submissions in a centralized location. DropTrack is currently being used by over 6,000 artists and labels, including the likes of Tiësto and George Acosta, and new features are added frequently. Some of the current features include real-time analytics, integration with DropBox and SoundCloud, and individualized promo links and emails. Not just an entrepreneur, but also an electronic music producer known as Really Cute Cats, Paul also talked on how his love (and allergy) for cats grew into an ecommerce business – and then a music act. Listen to this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode to learn more on that, and discover Paul's tips on building your email list, networking, and growing a business as a one-man show. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr68/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Music Tech Fest is "the festival of music ideas." The 10th edition of Music Tech Fest takes place from May 27 to May 30 at Funkhaus Berlin, the world's biggest recording studio. This WeSpin Recipes episode is an interview with Andrew Dubber, the director of the festival, and here we talk about all things #MTFBerlin. (!) Exclusive discount for WeSpin Recipes listeners: If you want to be at Music Tech Fest Berlin, use the 5UPPORT3R code while purchasing a ticket at http://www.ticketbase.com/events/mtfberlin – for a 20% discount. In a 3-day weekend of back-to-back performances, demonstrations and showcases of some the most impressive advances at the intersection of art and science, #MTFBerlin will bring the city's talent, innovation and intelligence together with artists, hackers, startups and scientists from around the world. #MTFBerlin is also going to feature exclusive performances from the likes of Emika (premiering her latest work called Symphony No.1), Ninja Tunes co-founder and one-half of Coldcut Matt Black, bionic artist Viktoria Modesta, legendary multi-instrumentalist Graham Massey, and many more. Listen to this episode to learn what to expect from the event, and what each type of the #MTFBerlin ticket means, from Andrew Dubber – who is also an advisor to Bandcamp, Stromatolite, and Sonaris, and an author of multiple music industry books. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr67/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Jason Hobbs is a true marketing veteran, with over a decade of advertising agency and dotcom experience. The client list of his digital marketing agency The Found Group (now inactive) includes the likes of Beggars Group, The xx, Mumford & Sons, Columbia Records, and Flying Lotus. Today, Jason leads the marketing and digital departments at TheMuse.com, and Linkin Park's Machine Shop. Three years back, Jason also launched found.ee – described as "sophisticated remarketing, simplified" – and on this WeSpin Recipes episode we discussed the platform in detail. On the podcast, Jason described how and why to use remarketing, showed how he helped Marilyn Manson increase sales of his new album using found.ee, and explained what types of ads artists should be creating before and after a record release. Listen to the conversation to also learn the new ways you can benefit from media coverage, how an exclusive premiere of a track can go viral, and much more. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr66/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Cortney Harding, with over ten years of extensive music industry experience – including four years at Billboard – provides a rather unique, and invaluable set of services for music companies. She's the one who establishes partnerships between music startups and the music business players. An expert in content and marketing, Cortney also creates thought leadership pieces that appear in the likes of Techcrunch, Re/code, Hypebot, and Medium's Cuepoint. Her recent book called "How We Listen Now" is out on Kindle, and is a recommended reading to anyone in music. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Cortney talks about the future of virtual reality, and the state of the music startup scene – the challenges entrepreneurs face these days, and the mistakes they make, such as overestimating the artist market. Listen to the conversation to also hear practical communication and monetization tips for artists, and learn how to claim a discount on a consultation call with Cortney. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr65/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Nikoo Sadr is a Music Ally training and development manager. She writes for the company's popular digital marketing publication Sandbox, runs her own events company Signs & Sounds, and is always up to date on the latest tools, trends, and growth tactics. And this WeSpin Recipes episode is full of tools, trends, and tactics. The show's guest, Nikoo talks about the specifics of Scandinavian music market, discusses strategies for succeeding on streaming platforms, and shares case studies... lots of real-world, insightful case studies. Listen to the conversation in full to also learn what analytics tools Nikoo uses, and to claim an extended trial to Music Ally's premium subscription. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr64/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Sander Petit is an experienced Dutch entertainment lawyer, specializing in dance music copyright law. A DJ himself, Sander works with producers, booking agents, managers, and publishers, and shares his vast knowledge in a DJ Mag column, as well as other respected music publications. Andrew met Sander at Dancefair 2016, where he hosted a session titled "Legal 101: Making or Breaking the Deal". This WeSpin Recipes episode, recorded a month later, includes a ton of practical legal advice from Sander Petit – applicable to musicians in any territories, and in any genres. What to watch out for in a contract to close a good deal, even if you can't hire a lawyer? How to avoid losing control over your intellectual property? Who to have in your team? Sander's got these questions covered. Listen to this episode to also learn the reasons you may want to show a recording agreement or a booking agency contract you are about to sign to a lawyer, after all, and how to properly exit a deal you don't want to be in anymore. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr63/ for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com/ for more episodes.

Bas Grasmayer is a digital strategist, who some of you may know through his thesis, called "Marketing Music Through Non-Linear Communication". The thesis went viral in 2011, and Bas has helped grow a number of music tech companies across Europe since then. Today, he runs a weekly newsletter called MUSIC x TECH x FUTURE, and writes about new music business models, innovation, culture, and technology. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Bas talked on why you should stop broadcasting, and how to use social media to connect with your fans instead. He gave practical advice on live streaming, commented on the shape of the music tech scene, and explained why artists may want to be more involved in hackathons. Listen to our conversation to also imagine how you would operate in the world where there was no copyright, all your fans were completely selfish, and SoundCloud was shut down. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr62/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Andras Bodrogi is a digital music consultant, certified YouTube expert and Google Regional Trainer with years of experience in the music industry (starting at EMI Hungary, and then launching the first music distribution company in the country). Currently his primary role is helping local YouTube partners, brands and content creators reach their goals with audio-visual content at Google Grounds Budapest. Several weeks after meeting Andras at the MENT music conference in Slovenia, Andrew interviewed him for this WeSpin Recipes episode. And, as you could guess, it's all about YouTube. Andras talks about different types of music-related content, video SEO tips, monetization, growing your YouTube community, and learning from successful vloggers. Listen to the conversation to also learn where to find more free information about YouTube, and how not to name a band. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr61/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Sebastiaan Hooft is a widely recognized Dutch entrepreneur, who literally redesigned his life after a total burnout – which he experienced after working on his businesses almost 24/7 for fifteen years. Sebastiaan then sold his companies, gave the profits to charities, and started travelling the world to learn the tactics of other successful people. As the result, he invented a canvas for living a healthy entrepreneurial life, and started teaching it to leaders and entrepreneurs. Simultaneously, he followed his long-time passion for music, and starting a professional DJ career. This WeSpin Recipes episode was recorded at Dancefair 2016 in The Netherlands, where Sebastiaan Hooft hosted a talk on Entrepreneurship in music. In the episode, Sebastiaan talks on the five facets of entrepreneurship skills, and shows which areas you as an artist (and hence an entrepreneur) should be focusing on more than you probably do now. If you haven't had a mentor before, and haven't realized the value of having one, here you will learn not only how it can impact your career – but also how to find and manage your mentors. Listen to the conversation to understand the Business Model Canvas, see when to say "no", and hear numerous other actionable ideas on improving your music business. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr60/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Chris Eckman is a co-founder of Glitterbeat Records, a German record label specializing in “vibrant global sounds,” which won the Best Label award at the WOMEX music conference in both 2014 and 2015. Chris talked to Andrew Apanov for our podcast right after the end of the MENT Ljubljana panel he moderated. The name of the panel was "The New Life of Indie Labels," and the speakers were Tony Duckworth ([PIAS] Poland, PL), Andy Bibey (One Little Indian Records, UK), Dace Volfa (I Love You Records, LV), and Miran Rusjan (Moonlee Records, SI). In this WeSpin Recipes episode, Chris Eckman comments on the "brutally tough" business of running a record label, reminds of the importance of a local market knowledge, shares the things labels look for in artists besides their music, and talks on why this industry doesn't treat artists as VIPs anymore. Listen to the conversation to also learn how many CDs and vinyls Glitterbeat ships to Scandinavian countries compared to the UK, and why some labels end up promising artist more than they can deliver. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr59/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Pare Booking is a booking agency, but with a twist. It allows any artist based in the US (more territories to be added later this year) to be represented by Pare, and manage every aspect of the booking process – including signing contracts and accepting payments – right from the neat iPhone app they've built. It's not a typical commission-based relationship with an artist, too: instead, the service costs a flat monthly fee. TIME-SENSITIVE: The guys at Pare Booking offered all WeSpin Recipes listeners a massive lifetime 50% discount ($9.99/mo or $99.99/yr – for LIFE). You can claim it by 2/12 (!) by calling 844-532-PARE and using the code “Podcast”. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Pare's founder Brandon Breitenbach talked on his mission to offer booking agency services to all performing music acts, how the process of booking through the app is compared to using an email or a form, and the upcoming features aimed to help their artists find and book more shows from the app. Listen to the podcast to also hear why Pare switched from a commission-based business model to a monthly subscription, and learn Brandon's number one booking advice. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr58/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

We begin each podcast's introduction with listing the guest's projects. Today will be an exception, as we wouldn't have enough space to list everything our interviewee has been working on! We invite you to explore the world of Alex Coweles, also known as Stillhead, yourself. The good place to start, besides the podcast itself, is the show notes below – you will discover numerous gems there, including the collection of the best music descriptions you have read in your life. In this WeSpin Recipes episode, Alex talks on what he had to go through changing his artist alias from DFRNT to Stillhead (with tips on how you can manage such a transition), the reason he created the now legendary guide on sending music to labels, his upcoming course called How To Self Release (and why it covers much more than self-releasing music), email marketing for IKEA, branding tips, and so much more. Listen to the show to also learn why you have to be proactive when it comes down to protecting your brand, as well as the biggest regret Alex had after switching his artist names. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr57/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Tradiio is on a mission to change the music industry. Sounds familiar and ambitious? Well, check the platform out, and you will see that it may be exactly what the music ecosystem needs right now. On Tradiio, instead of merely discovering and following the artists they like, listeners affect favorite creators' careers by "investing" in them, using virtual coins. And as more fans support a music act on the platform, that act gets access to exclusive opportunities – from studio time to major label deals, and festival slots. Consequently, over a hundred (and counting) industry professionals and companies are connected to future breakthrough talents through this crowd-sourced A&R system. And the music fans get very real perks for being active in the app, as well. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast, Miguel Leite, a co-founder of Tradiio, talks on why the music industry needs to change, opening more opportunities to indie artists, and his platform, of course: how it works for listeners, musicians, and brands, and how to get the most out of it. Listen to the conversation in full to also learn how Tradiio will help you find other creators to collaborate with, and how to connect with Miguel directly. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr56/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

It's never been easier to create a high-quality music video, with any budget you've got, thanks to a UK-based company called Radar Music Videos. Radar connects artists, managers and record labels (both indie and major) with music video creators from all around the world. If you need a lyric, live, or official music video – post a brief, name the budget, and wait for pitches to come in. New video directors are scouted weekly, and it doesn't cost you a cent as a commissioner. The guest of this week's WeSpin Recipes episode is Caroline Bottomley, the founder and CEO of Radar Music. On the show, Caroline explained how the platform works, talked on why a music video release is a more important event than the release of a record, gave tips on creating a perfect brief, and covered the topic of female entrepreneurs in the music business. Listen to the podcast in full to learn why not to create too detailed video briefs, and what benefits of having a professional music video you may have missed. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr55/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to support the podcast and get a free WeSpin postcard.

Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a singer-songwriter, an entrepreneur, and a seasoned music business veteran based in New York. She's currently finishing a collaborative record called "Inevitably", and is preparing the launch of a new edition of her MX4 course for musicians. In this WeSpin Recipes episode we talked with Cheryl on her rich background in the music industry, the MX4 Course and the Key Conversations podcast, the reasons artists fail to achieve success in music, and how to be a thriving musician without playing huge stadiums and having a worldwide recognition. Listen to the conversation to also learn how to fight the fear of failure, focus on what you truly should do to succeed, and earn money through one of the three types of income sources available for musicians. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr54/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

This podcast episode is a part of a series of features from the Future of Music Policy Summit 2015, covered by Dotted Music’s Josh Urban and Cory Wolff. Read an introduction to today’s WeSpin Recipes conversation from Josh below: Kiran Gandhi didn’t need sleep. She hadn’t seen any in a long, long time, but that didn’t seem to diminish her magnetizing intensity. The drummer, Harvard MBA, Georgetown graduate, feminist, public speaker, and ideas lady stood backstage at Georgetown University after her feature talk on the value of data, strategizing with Yvette Nimako, manager of US operations for the Global Shea Alliance. I waited off to the side, reporting on the Future of Music Coalition’s annual policy summit in Washington, DC. “Would you be willing to come speak to my class sometime?” one of her alma mater professors asked, to which she agreed. Another colleague leaned in for a hug. Things quieted down a bit, and both women graciously agreed to an audio interview. Without further ado, here’s our conversation about the music industry, creativity, women in business, and thoughts on the question: Can the world can be saved? Go to http://wespin.co/wsr53/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Stuart Epps is a legendary UK-based record producer, who has worked with the likes of Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Bill Wyman, and Twisted Sister. Earlier this year, Stuart announced that he’s now working with independent artists remotely. When we learnt that, we had to interview Stuart for the podcast to find out the details. Listen to this WeSpin Recipes episode to learn the amazing story of Stuart and the artists he has worked with, why there are fewer truly successful bands these days, and what his new production company EMP offers to indie musicians. Some of the topics covered in the episode: - Stuart Epps: from ‘60s to nowadays. - How the industry has changed over the past decades. - In the new era, “music still has to be great”. - Why Stuart doesn’t get excited hearing new music as often as he did in the past. - The level of dedication you need to achieve success. - What assistance you can get from Stuart’s production company. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr52/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

This podcast episode is a part of a series of features from the Future of Music Policy Summit 2015, covered by Dotted Music’s Josh Urban and Cory Wolff. Keep an eye on the Dotted Music blog and this podcast for more coverage, and read an introduction to today’s WeSpin Recipes conversation from Josh below: The lunch line was bustling in the Hoya food court. The Future of Music Coalition’s 15th Annual Policy Summit was well underway at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and I was hungry. I had set out to procure a veggie burger. I found it, and the future of music sales. And to think I would have been excited about a side of fries... It happened like this: While waiting in the cue, two guys in Peertracks polo shirts walked up, also foraging for lunch. We got to chatting, and they explained how they were building a way to sell music with blockchain technology (think Bitcoin), and take it directly peer-to-peer. “Like an iTunes killer?” I queried, eagerly asking if they’d do an interview. The result of this conversation is what you’ll hear in a moment. Founder Cédric Cobban took the time to explain how Peertracks is building a system that incentivizes music discovery, gives unprecedented access to fans by existing artists, solves metadata puzzles moving forward, slashes fees on sales by an order of magnitude, and creates brave new worlds of brand-artist collaborations. Best of all, the system they champion isn’t tied to their company. The platform is independent, transparent, and from what I can tell, the Future. Without further ado, here’s my conversation with Cédric. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr51/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Ilpo Kärkkäinen, a.k.a. Resound, is a drum & bass producer, blogger, music production instructor, and the author of a new WeSpin course called “Smart Productivity for Musicians – Accomplish More as an Artist and Live a More Meaningful Life”. In this anniversary WeSpin Recipes episode, Ilpo reveals the course he worked on for around 18 months, and talks about the topic of one of the Smart Productivity’s chapters – why musicians procrastinate. Ilpo goes over the six most common reasons behind procrastination, and solutions for overcoming them. Listen to the show to learn why not all time you spend being “unproductive” is procrastination, how to understand when you do procrastinate, and then to overcome it. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr50/ for the show notes and sign up to the Smart Productivity for Musicians course at http://www.resoundsound.com/smart-productivity/

Eric Louis, a digital marketing consultant and DJ, has been involved in B2B sales and online advertising for years now. Recently, he implemented his business knowledge to promote his mix in a DJ contest through a Facebook ad, and was pleasantly surprised by the results of his $30 campaign. Now he shares with us his findings, as well as what else he discovered while analysing Facebook pages of some of the top producers and clubs. In this WeSpin Recipes episode, Eric talked on how musicians can benefit from Facebook Advertising – not blindly wasting thousands of dollars, but doing smart, targeted ads, optimized for specific results. He also put up a page with examples of Facebook ads run by well-known music artists (see the link in the show notes). Listen to the conversation to learn the basics of advertising on Facebook, and see how it can become a part of your marketing strategy. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • How Facebook forces you to spend money on ads. • The “direct response” approach to marketing. • Are boosted posts good or bad? • The types of ads you can set up on Facebook. • Why you have to test a lot. • Writing a copy that passes the “So What?” test. • Optimizing your ads for the best performance. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr49/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

In this special WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, recorded in Berlin, Andrew Apanov is joined by the Dotted Music’s COO Frederic Sahyouni and CMO Cory Wolff to reveal their new community platform called WeSpin Tech: http://tech.wespin.co/ Listen to the conversation to learn more about the Dotted Music crew, what we do at our music marketing agency and the WeSpin growth training platform, and what kind of startups you will be able to find at WeSpin Tech (“the Product Hunt for music apps”). The video recording of this podcast is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/AVPmIPOtYDM Go to http://wespin.co/wsr48/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

This WeSpin Recipes episode features someone who we hosted on the show in the past, and how many of you know as the author of The SoundCloud Bible book – namely Budi Voogt. Budi, who’s also the founder of Heroic Recordings, returned to the podcast to talk about the impressive recent growth of the company, his upcoming music business course, and SoundCloud (and if you should keep using it). Listen to the show to learn the exciting story of the Heroic’s artist, San Holo, and how he achieved a lot of success in a short period of time; find out what Budi is looking for in artists before signing them (besides their music); hear insights on the SoundCloud monetization, the Music Marketing Academy (our October 6th), and much more. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Heroic Recordings: the growing empire. • Characteristics of a highly successful music producer. • The course Budi is working on right now. • “Continuity is essential.” • What’s new in the second edition of The SoundCloud Bible. • Should you still use SoundCloud? • The current state of SoundCloud from a business perspective. • How much will you earn monetizing your music on SoundCloud? Go to http://wespin.co/wsr47/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Tape.tv, a Berlin-based “social music television web platform,” has just launched tape express, a free mobile app that offers a personalised music video discovery channel to users across 27 European countries. Tape express is powered by the largest dedicated indie music video catalogue in Europe, featuring 30,000 videos at launch, and allows music fans to curate their own music television experience as they watch, by swiping to ‘like’ or ‘skip’ videos. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Andrew Apanov talks to tape.tv’s CEO Conrad Fritzsch and Project Manager Jakob Fricke just a week after the launch of tape express. Conrad and Jakob share their thoughts on the booming world of indie music videos, the challenge of delivering the user experience people want, and explain how they’ve been supporting indie artists through securing deals with rights-holders since day one. Listen to the conversation to also learn how to submit your music video to tape express, and much more. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • An addictive music video watching experience. • Empowering indie artists without big budgets. • Optimizing the in-app user experience. • Where the app is available now, and plans on expansion. • “Tinder for music videos”. • Paying the right holders fairly from the beginning. • How to get your music video into the app. • The growing importance of indie music videos. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr46/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Mike Mowery is the President of Outerloop Management, overlooking over 40 artists. Mike has been in the industry for over 20 years, with roots in the DIY scene and playing in the hardcore punk band Good Clean Fun. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Dotted Music CMO Cory Wolff talks to Mike about the tough world of music management, the art of developing brand new acts, what you have to produce besides the music to succeed nowadays, and much more. Listen to the interview to also learn what managers are looking for in artists before starting to work with them, and where the success is really coming from. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • How the music industry has “flattened” over the years. • The artist manager working as your co-captain. • Use feedback to find new opportunities. • Challenges to overcome on your way to success. • “Having great music alone is not enough.” • The world of brand partnerships. • Define what a success is for you. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr45/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Spire Recorder is a new mobile app by iZotope, an Emmy Award-winning audio tech company famous for its products like Ozone and RX. The free iPhone application is a 4-track recorder, which offers performing musicians the ability to quickly record, mix, and share songs. In this WeSpin Recipes episode, Stacey Dyer, the Creative Strategist at iZotope, talks about the digital signal processing technology that powers Spire, explains who the app will be most useful for, and shows several pro tricks on getting the most out of it. Listen to the conversation to also learn how the recorder app can be used as a source of engaging audio content for your social networks, and how to be noticed by iZotope through using Spire. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • What’s so special about Spire and who is it for? • “A little version of Ozone in your pocket.” • Examples of how the app can be used. • Hidden features of Spire. • The mixing screen and XY Pad. • What’s coming up next for the app. • Tagging Spire on social media to be noticed by iZotope. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr44/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

UniqueSound is a young French/American startup, which won the Midemlab competition in 2015, and which claims to be the first platform to find and hire music composers. Currently in beta, UniqueSound allows composers and sound designers to create portfolios to showcase their work, and to get hired directly by clients - including global brands, advertising agencies, production companies, directors, and music supervisors. In this WeSpin Recipes interview, conducted after a meeting at the Midem conference, the company’s COO Alexandre Imbeaux explained how exactly the platform works both for composers and brands, how to apply, and what are the various advantages of having a UniqueSound profile. Listen to the interview to also learn what to expect from UniqueSound later this year, and why no one should forget about the value of music compositions. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Composers: your music is expensive. • What UniqueSound is, and where its idea came from. • UniqueSound costs and fees (and lack of those). • How exactly to apply as a composer. • Selling existing songs vs. creating new music. • The uses of a UniqueSound portfolio. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr43/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Music is becoming a utility - available everywhere you want it, as much as you want. But is the distribution of streaming revenues aligned with the value of an individual subscriber? Per-user vs. pro-rata income distribution from streaming services was the key theme at this year’s MIDEM presentation by Toolshed’s Dick Huey, who already was a WeSpin Recipes guest in 2014. In this podcast episode, Dick discussed the new distribution model in the context of providing a living wage to indie artists, and covered other topics from his MIDEM session. After an overview of what the music industry has been going through in the past decade, he also looked into market growth through hi-definition audio sales, explained how music is priced, and evaluated new business ideas that show revenue promise for the future. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • The state of the music industry today. • The two must-read books Dick refers to in his research. • The gap between early adopters and the mass market. • Why the “long tail” doesn’t really work in music. • Understanding the reasons artists have a hard time making a living. • Why music is priced the way it’s priced. • Per-user streaming income distribution model. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr42/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

IQzic is a recently launched music discovery service, which lets fans select which bands they think will do best in terms of fan engagement (think of it as picking stocks). Currently going through the pre-launch phase 1, the service is mainly targeting music fans, and works with songs already available on YouTube. Later this year, however, a lot more features are going to be rolled out for artists – including the ability for fans to financially support the acts they like. In this New Music Seminar edition of the WeSpin Recipes podcast, our writer Josh Urban learned how the app works in the conversation with the IQzic founder, Jim Hodson. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr41/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Clowdy is a new online platform that tries to solve two issues faced by the music industry. First, artists don't have a résumé like most, as their history is about their projects – not where they worked. Hence LinkedIn doesn’t quite work for creatives. Secondly, too often many those who contribute to a project (like session players, vocalists, editors or producers) aren’t properly credited and recognised. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast interview, the Clowdy co-founders Stuart Logan, Damien Shiells talk on how their social network works. In short, when someone publishes a project they credit the people that contributed to it. The project is then automatically added to everyone's profile – giving everyone the recognition they deserve. Listen to the conversation to learn who Clowdy mainly targets right now, and how to use it as a personal creative portfolio. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Why LinkedIn doesn’t work well for the creative industries • How Clowdy’s projects and profiles are created • Everyone who contributes to a project deserves a recognition • Tips on getting the most out of Clowdy • Appearing in Google through Clowdy profiles • The control you have over your your Clowdy page • What’s next for Clowdy Go to http://wespin.co/wsr40/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Ehco, The Entertainment Helping Company, is building nothing less than a “giving channel” – the platform’s focus is to connect music artists and their fans with social causes. Artists who “truly want to change the world” can offer exclusive merchandise through Ehco, giving half (50%) of everything they make from the sales to the 501(c)3 social partner of their choice. Scott McElroy is a co-founder of Ehco, and in this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode he talked on how artists should use their influence to help causes they care about, why giving becomes a necessity these days, and how exactly Ehco functions. Listen to this conversation with Scott to also learn how to keep a partnership with a non-profit authentic and genuine, and where to start if you want to work with a social partner. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Empowering fans to give to the causes you and they care about • What Ehco is for artists, fans and non-profits • Ways to improve the partnerships between artists and causes • Other platforms in the “giving” space • The importance of keeping merchandise unique and special • Learning from Taylor Swift how to truly connect with fans Go to http://wespin.co/wsr39/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Vinny Ribas is a Nashville-based music industry mentor, the President of LeaderBridge, and CEO of Indie Connect. Being a guest of the 38th episode of the WeSpin Recipes podcast, Vinny talked on the income streams musicians often times overlook (like selling covers, and optimizing your website for sales), the importance of a clear Call To Action, and how to find unique business opportunities everywhere around you. Listen to the episode to learn Vinny’s thoughts on what it takes to be a financially successful songwriter, and how to become a certified music business coach. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • The need for music business education. • The most common questions musicians ask. • Vinny’s top two tips on increasing artists’ income. • How to get better at sales. • Brand-building for songwriters. • Vinny Ribas’ personal case study. • Indie Connect: coach certification program. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr38/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Jonathan Yaari is a co-founder of Soundudes. This new app for musicians is currently in beta, and will be publicly launched in late June. The promise of Soundudes is pretty straightforward: “We’ll find your Soundcloud super-fans and connect them with your music.” How does it work though? If in short, the services finds relevant to you Soundcloud accounts using a sophisticated algorithm, and follows them on your behalf. While the concept may not sound new, the Soundudes’ approach to the task surely does. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Jonathan talks on the Soundudes’ mission to help artists, and the app’s algorithm and features. In the interview you are also going to learn what other platforms Soundudes is going to support soon, how to sign up for the beta, and how to avoid the non-personal and harmful automation in your marketing efforts. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Being confident to enter the “risky” music tech space. • Artists’ challenges Soundudes is trying to solve. • How the Soundudes algorithm works. • Are the latest Soundcloud changes good for indie artists? • Soundudes: the onboarding process and the key features. • The transparency and privacy concerns. • What about other types of Soundcloud activity automation? Go to http://wespin.co/wsr37/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Stacey Sherman, who runs RSP Entertainment Marketing, knows what it takes to execute a successful PR campaign. And on this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, she shares the harsh facts you might not be aware of regarding publicity. Listen to the show to learn what exactly to expect from a publicist, how much a PR agency charges, the typical response rate from press, and how to start a PR campaign on your own if you can’t afford hiring a professional yet. And, by the way, if you thought that getting bad feedback from media was bad – you were wrong. Some of the topics covered in the episode: - Why PR is more difficult even than what it seems - At what stages of a music career to work with a publicist? - Setting clear expectations before hiring a PR agency - When negative feedback from press is good - How many times to follow up with each media contact - A checklist for organizing your own PR outreach - A typical cost of a PR campaign Go to http://wespin.co/wsr36/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

This WeSpin Recipes podcast episode features an audio lesson, previously available only to the members of WeSpin.co. From this recording, you will learn the proven and optimal structure of a biography, based on a real-world example. It’s a simple formula that every artist can implement. Check out the PDF with annotations in the show notes at http://wespin.co/wsr35/

Alexia Erlichman is the founder of MusicGorilla, a subscription-based platform allowing independent musicians get their songs licensed by labels, music publishers, as well as TV, film, gaming, and advertising companies. What makes MusicGorilla interesting is that the service doesn’t charge song submission fees, and doesn’t take a percentage of artists’ licensing deals. The opportunities presented on the platform are hand-picked, and of the highest quality. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast interview, Alexia talked on her impressive background in the entertainment industry, the reasons MusicGorilla has an exceptional customer support, and how it’s different from similar services. Probably even more importantly, from this episode you will learn if MusicGorilla is the right fit for you right now. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr34/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Chris Thompson is a co-founder of SplashFlood, a music mobile app to be released in late Spring. SplashFlood is aimed to serve both musicians, who want to spread their music beyond existing audiences, and listeners, eager to discover songs from new independent musicians. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Chris talked on what musicians can learn from startups, how SplashFlood is different from anything available on the market, what the “Influence Builder” is – and how it will allow artists to raise to the top inside the app solely thanks to their talent and motivation. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr33/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Nate Maingard is a modern troubadour, whose art is supported by “The Nateives” – a community of loyal fans, pledging monthly amounts at his Patreon page. This indie-folk musician’s music, deep lyrics, charisma and the values Nate stands for unite people, and inspire them to change their lives for the better. Nate Maingard has been going through a lot of changes himself in the latest years, quitting a well-paid job to follow his calling, and discovering the entrepreneurial side of the music industry. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast, we talked to Nate about how he discovered Patreon and why he switched from per-release to monthly payments; how his patrons fuel his passion and creativity, and the challenges that growth can bring. Listen to the episode to also hear the story of Nate receiving the best birthday gift an artist can expect from a fan! Go to http://wespin.co/wsr32/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

It’s one thing when you know what it takes to succeed in an industry from your experience. But when you combine your experience with insights from numerous professionals and people who have made it themselves – you have a much richer picture. Kelly Castor, who runs the MusicBizCast podcast, and who has been helping companies succeed for over 30 years now, have interviewed a lot of great minds in the music industry – and knows what ideas and principles are consistent across various fields of the music business. And he will tell you. In this WeSpin Recipes episode, Kelly becomes a guest of a podcast himself, and shares inspiring ideas on what it takes to succeed in music, as well as practical tips on time management and importance of educating yourself in more than just music creation. Listen to the interview to also learn what’s next for MusicBizCast, and Kelly’s music career. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr31/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Have you heard the term “Growth Hacker” before? If no, this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode is definitely for you. And if you have, now you will also learn if the Growth Hacking concept works in the world of music. Clyde Smith, the founder of Flux Research, Dance Land, Crowdfunding for Musicians and an ex-Senior Contributor at Hypebot, was among the first to ever cover the topic of Growth Hacker Marketing in the context of the music industry. “Growth Hacker Marketing” is the name of Ryan Holiday’s book, by the way, who Clyde also interviewed for Hypebot last year. In this 30th episode of our podcast, you will get the basic understanding of Growth Hacking, its origins, and why it’s a mindset, and not a set of tools. While we mainly covered the basics and theory of the subject, you will see how to start applying this highly effective mindset to your music career today. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr30/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Aaron Bethune is a music business consultant, manager, author, and the founder of PlayitLoudMusic, Above the Noise and JAM, among a number of other projects. In this WeSpin Podcast episode, Aaron told his amazing story of how he started in the music industry, talked on his (not less amazing) current ventures, “niche” music business case studies and, of course, his book called “Musicpreneur: The Creative Approach to Making Money in Music”. Listen to the interview to learn the mindset of doing business and networking like a true Musicpreneur. Some of the topics covered in the episode: • Aaron’s road to a professional music industry career. • Figuring out ways to distinguish yourself from others. • A case study of a musician/yoga teacher. • “Your band is a brand” and what it means to you. • “Build relationships before asking for anything.” • Networking outside of the music industry. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr29/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

James Moore is the founder of the Independent Music Promotions agency, and the author of highly acclaimed book on music promotion called Your Band Is A Virus. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast with Andrew Apanov, James talked a lot about getting press – something that all artists want desperately. How do you craft your email? How to catch a journalist’s interest? What platforms to focus on? Listen to the episode to learn James’ music PR insights, and check out James’ expanded edition of Your Band Is A Virus for more tips on music promotion. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr28/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Michael Hoy, the co-founder of BoomboxFM, talks on the evolution of the platform – from Indie Bundles, to Music Box, to its current (and final) title, BoomboxFM. BoomboxFM is a discovery platform for music listeners, and a very targeted marketing platform for musicians. Listen to this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode to learn how it can work for you both as a music listener and an artist. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr27/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Being frustrated with often unfair existing advertising platforms, Lex Davis and his business partner launched Beatdek several years ago – a service designed to offer electronic musicians a better way to advertise their music. Beatdek is where EDM fans can discover new tracks and get paid for listening to them on the platform. And this is where, as an artist, you can pay to get plays on YouTube or Soundcloud. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, Lex shared how their credits system works, what are the different ways to discover new music on Beatdek, and talked about label promotion and his tips on networking. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr26/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Loren Weisman is a music business consultant, speaker and the author of the popular music industry book, the full title of which reads (and describes the essence of it well): "The Artists Guide to Success in the Music Business: The ‘Who, What, When, Where, Why & How of the Steps That Musicians & Bands Have to Take to Succeed in Music". Loren, who's been in the industry for over twenty years, currently writes the official "Music Business For Dummies" book, which will be out in the Summer. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast, we talked to Loren Weisman about ways to engage your fans, why connections and likes don't equal conversions or sales, various income streams for musicians, reasons you may not be getting any funding and why you should never say things like "Thanks for 1,000 Likes on Facebook" (with tips on what you better do instead). Go to http://wespin.co/wsr25/ for the show notes and http://getacard.wespin.co/ to learn how to get a free WeSpin postcard by supporting the podcast.

Rob Chadwick is a Senior Account manager at Jukebox PR, as well as the owner of Catch Recordings and Editor of EQTV.dj. Jukebox is a UK-based company serving clubs, music festivals and artists, and in this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode we talked on the popularity of EDM (if it shows any signs of a decline and how it relates to underground electronic music), what countries do particularly well with music festivals, and why you may have to reach out to travel magazines as a music publicist. Listen to the episode to also learn if it's the right time to hire a PR agency, and how much money a PR campaign may cost you. Reach out to Rob on Twitter (the link is in the show notes) if you have any questions to ask. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr24/ for the show notes.

Peter Schwinge is the General Manager of the New Music Seminar, an annual music industry conference held in New York City. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast episode, the first in 2015, Peter talked on the exciting history of the event, how it influenced the launch of SXSW, and what's to come at this year's NMS. Peter also covered the Artist on the Verge (AOV) Project, an annual curated list of the Top 100 national and international artists on the rise. It's a part of New Music Nights, the festival portion of the NMS, which has been exposing upcoming artists to music executives since its origins in 1980 (hosting artists like Dave Matthews Band, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis and Run DMC before they were icons). Listen to the episode to find out more about NMS, as well as to learn some useful networking tips. • The history of New Music Seminar. • Bigger than NYC: how NMS attracts industry professionals from all around the world. • Do we need a new music industry conference? And what it means to run one. • How artists are picked for Artist on the Verge. • "The new era of the music business is going back to the personal engagement, and using the technology in a proper manner." • What will be new at NMS this year. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr23 for the show notes and http://musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Jeremie Varengo is a founder of JTV Digital, a Paris-based music distribution company serving clients all around the world. In this WeSpin Recipes podcast, we talked about the latest news in the distribution world, new platforms, monetising YouTube videos, getting featured on digital stores and much more. Listen to the episode to learn more about JTV Digital and releasing your music online. • Jeremie's background in startups and Universal Music. • Recently added stores and aggregators. • Talks about Youtube's Music Key and Spotify. • How much you can earn on YouTube (and the two ways to monetise your videos). • How does YouTube's Content ID work? • Reasons to get your music videos onto VEVO. • How to setup and edit profiles on iTunes, Spotify and Deezer. • Your chances of being featured on a digital store. • Vinyl: more of a merchandise than a record. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr22 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Benji Rogers is the President & Founder of PledgeMusic, an online D2F music platform allowing artists to pre-sell, market, and distribute their projects. In this WeSpin Recipes conversation, Benji talked on differences between PledgeMusic and crowdfunding websites (and why they don’t consider themselves as one), giving “superfans” an opportunity to spend more on you, and why artists should think like tech companies. Listen to this 30 min episode to learn more not only about PledgeMusic, but the new ways to engage and monetise your fans. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr21 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Ross Barber is a graphic and web designer and founder of Electric Kiwi, a Glasgow-based web design firm working with musicians and bands. Ross knows how to build a top-notch website for a music brand, and in this WeSpin Recipes podcast shares best practices, tips and trends that any artist will find useful. From the episode, you will learn how many players and widgets to place on the home page of your website, how to annoy a visitor, where to get inspiration for design, and much more. Some of the topics covered in the conversation: • How Twitter networking can lead to launching a business. • Collecting funny stories from artists in the Bridge The Atlantic podcast. • Why do artists need websites in the first place? • Updating your website around important events. • Handy Wordpress plugins. • Current website trends. • Popups and autoplays: good or bad? • Having a general understanding of ALL aspects of your music business. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr20 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Alex Mitchell is a co-founder of a service that solves an important problem in the music industry, which is gathering an objective feedback on one's music. While there are several companies working on this already, Audiokite has a different approach, and in this We Spin Recipes podcast interview Alex explains it all. In the episode, he talked on why looking in the past and asking music professionals to understand if your song has a hit potential are two bad approaches, why being open to criticism is important, and listed new features of the platform. He clarified how Audiokite works in the first place, too. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr19 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Jon Skinner is the Founder and CEO of Music Gateway, a platform connecting musicians and industry professionals, where you as an artist can pitch for opportunities and get paid gigs (or find the right person for your project). "Imagine a dating site but matching music industry roles and services," as they describe it themselves. In this We Spin Recipes interview, Jon – who's been in the music industry for over 20 years – talks on what makes Music Gateway different from competitors, shares tips on succeeding on the platform, and reveals some of the brand new features like the bespoke Private Network solution. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr18 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Michael Fiebach is the Founder and CEO of Fame House, an entertainment marketing agency with clients ranging from Eminem, DJ Shadow and Tiesto to Beatport and Ultra Music. In this conversation, Mike talked to We Spin's Cory Wolff on specifics of digital marketing in this day and age, importance of using the right tools, recent campaigns and content windowing. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr17 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Abigail Press is an electronic music producer and singer based in Brooklyn, NYC, who spent the last few years collaborating with a community of passionate artists on Soundcloud. Abigail created dozens of songs with people she has never met, and this year started bringing her online work offline. This March, Abigail ran a successful Kickstarter campaign, funding a European tour to meet with these artists in real-life. She just finished this trip across nine European cities including London, Leeds, Berlin and the Red Bull Studios in Amsterdam. In this We Spin Recipes podcast recorded few days before Abigail left on the tour, the artist shared her insights on using Soundcloud, Kickstarter, and building a community of like-minded people. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr16 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Nick Sabine is a co-founder of Resident Advisor (also known as RA), one of the world's biggest online electronic music magazines and communities – with offices in London, Berlin, Ibiza and Tokyo, over 2.3 million monthly readers and a fully translated Japanese version of the website. In this We Spin Recipes podcast interview, Nick talked on the RA's recent complete overhaul, as well as their new fan-to-fan ticket exchange system that aims to eliminate ticket touting and provide a secure way for music fans to buy unwanted tickets to sold-out events. Nick commented on the overall state of ticketing, and why their fair solution is not as desired by big ticketing corporations. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr15 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Dick Huey is a founder and CEO of Toolshed, a US based music marketing agency. Throughout his career Dick has orchestrated over 350 digital campaigns, worked at Beggars Group and consulted various companies including Spotify. In this We Spin Recipes episode, Dick shared numerous tips on rocking your social media presence as a musician – from focusing on one network at a time to being determined, and never forgetting to put your personality in what you do. He talked on where the music industry is heading to, the hack they used to place artists on MP3 blogs in 2000s, the DTF, income streams and other topics. Dick, who is also a board member of CASH Music, shared his favourite social media management tools and provided a great case on MNDR, an electronic music duo with releases on Ultra. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr14 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Oscar Höglund is the CEO of Epidemic Sound, a sync licensing company with a special concept. In this We Spin Recipes interview, Oscar talks about what separates Epidemic Sound from other sync licensing companies, how the industry works, and what you can do to improve your chances of getting your songs licensed. This We Spin Recipes episode was conducted by the Dotted Music editor Oscar Hjelmstedt at The Music Conference in Malmö, Sweden. • Reasons behind creating Epidemic Sound • How the the sync licensing process works • Epidemic Sound’s concept and how the company works • The most important lesson that Oscar learnt from working with television • How Epidemic Sound curates the music and pays the artists • How the budget for the song requests is decided • Oscar’s biggest challenge as a CEO • What an artist can do to be more attractive for sync licensing companies • Why the company’s called “Epidemic Sound” Go to http://wespin.co/wsr13 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Emmanuel Legrand is a London-based freelance journalist, blogger and media consultant, specialising in the entertainment business and cultural trends. In this interview with Emmanuel, we continued the theme of promoting a musical act in other countries (something covered in the previous episode, with Martin Frascogna), and talked in details on the history and essence of publishing. Emmanuel has presented one of the most clear and easy to understand explanation of publishing that we have seen so far. In this podcast, Emmanuel also talked on the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, why you need publishers, and who may be owing you money. • Analysing circulation of European music repertoire within the EU • Tips on international music promotion • Importance of offline networking, and having a bullshit detector • Example of Lady Gaga, who didn’t do all on her own – she had a team • Why it’s tough for music business professionals to work with some musicians • Publishing for non-publishers • What to look after looking for a publisher • Don’t be afraid of people giving you advice • Latest publishing trends (and how they are related to YouTube) • Knowing different types of licenses and who may owe you money • Why you need to sign up at Soundexchange • Taking care of your meta data Go to http://wespin.co/wsr12 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Martin Frascogna is a US-based attorney specialising in entertainment and international law, who currently represents entertainment clients in over 34 countries spanning 6 continents. In this We Spin Recipes podcast episode, we talked about the books Martin has co-written, the 360 Deals, the Anti-360 Deals, promoting music acts in new countries, partnerships, Billboard charts and many, many other exciting things. • "Music industry is a global market" and what it actually means. • The Anti-360 record deal explained. • What to look into if you want to enter other countries' markets. • A new layer of what an attorney should be doing. • The interesting trends in the Billboard 200 chart in the US. • Should you move to the US to succeed? • Think of it: the 96% of buying entertainment market is outside of the US. • Should you go with a label or should you be self-releasing your music? • The Direct 2 Fan concept is not the same as it was several years ago. • The story of a Swedish singer-songwriter entering the US market. • Brands as labels: partnerships between music acts and lifestyle brands. • The issue with the Jay Z & Samsung partnership. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr11 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Jack Conte, the "Internet musician," is the founder of Patreon (which is like a crowdfunding platform, but for content creators), and is one half of the legendary Pomplamoose – one of the first bands to go big on YouTube. In this We Spin Recipes podcast, Jack talked to Andrew Apanov about his projects, YouTube, if it's possible to replicate past success, tech trends, electronic music, and many other things. • Patreon: what it is, and who uses it. • Why it's hard to replicate the Pomplamoose's success. • Building audience on Vine. • Where to discover what can become "the next big thing" in the tech world. • New apps and start-ups Jack finds interesting: Facebook Mentions, Vine Uploader, YouTube Creator, SpoonRocket. • Michelle Fan being sued by Ultra. • When your video is flagged or claimed on YouTube. • How much Patreon brings to content creators. • Highlights of the current electronic music scene. • Being in a band vs. doing a solo project. • "Make lots of beautiful things" Go to http://wespin.co/wsr10 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Leena Sowambur, an established music business professional and a founder of Positively Music, has talked to We Spin's Andrew Apanov about marketing, investment, and sales. Mostly about the latter, and Leena explained why a musical act should never underestimate the importance of sales. In this podcast episode, you will also hear insights on getting funding in the UK and beyond, and learn why it's the best time to grow your creative project as a business. • Differences between traditional and current online marketing. • The power of data in marketing. • Why it's a great time to grow a creative business. • Where to look for grants and funding from governments and organisations. • Looking into other territories (e.g. the UK is welcoming creative projects from other countries). • How to be eligible for a grant. • Why you may not need an investment yet, and what to do before you look for an investment. • What "sales" for musicians mean. • "There have always been a focus on a fan." • What is a brand? • Getting marketing inspiration from major labels and non-musical companies and campaigns. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr09 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

In this We Spin Recipes podcast episode Andrew Apanov talks to Sean Giovanni, the founder of The Record Shop Recording Studio and Balcony TV Nashville. It's an interesting look in the world of music studios and the legendary Nashville market – as you will learn from the show, the home to Country music has been going through a lot of musical changes lately (largely due to the growing popularity of electronic music). Go to http://wespin.co/wsr08 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Christopher Knab, the co-author of the "Music Is Your Business" book (now released in its fourth edition), has been in the music industry for over 30 years – and knows what it takes to succeed in music. Over the years he's been sharing all his knowledge with artists, and developed an easy to understand and follow system called the FourFront Marketing Plan. On this We Spin Recipes podcast episode Chris explains it in details. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr07 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Stuck with finding new and effective ways of getting more fans? Then open your favourite note taking app or grab a pen and a paper and listen. Here's a new We Spin Recipes podcast episode, a conversation with Jesse Cannon – founder of Musformation and author of "Get More Fans: The DIY Guide To The New Music Business" – and here you will hear enough practical tips and tricks to keep you busy growing your fanbase. Go to http://wespin.co/wsr06 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

This episode will be particularly interesting to DJs and electronic music label owners. As the former want to play exclusive unreleased material in their sets, and the latter – their releases to appear in radio shows, live sets and charts. And I just talked to a representative of a new online service serving both parties. In this DJ-driven culture, promos have always been playing a crucial role. You will learn why, as well as how DJs get pre-released tunes and what labels do to get better exposure, in this conversation with Chris Gorsuch from Promo Hutt – a new promo subscription service. Go to wespin.co/wsr05 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

"I don't have anything to write about till my album comes out." This is only one of the many musicians' excuses to not deliver content on a regular basis, and it is wrong by so many means. Adam Spencer, the founder and director of Musomania, explains how important creating content is for an artist. He shows, on practical examples, that all musicians have numerous things to share with their fans right away, and that process becomes much easier with the help of a content calendar. Go to wespin.co/wsr04 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Most artists are more inclined to procrastinate than anyone else. Relying too much on "the flow" and too less on even the simplest rules of time management leads to frustration and lack of understanding how to get everything done on time. Ilpo, better known as Resound, a drum & bass producer, blogger and music production instructor has been in that situation himself. But he's been learning how to stay productive throughout years, achieved great results, and now shares his experience in the third episode of the We Spin Recipes podcast. Go to wespin.co/wsr03 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

What is so special about electronic music business, compared to other music markets? The differences are not always obvious, but there is a number, and they have to be addressed. In this conversation with Budi Voogt, a founder of Heroic Recordings and author of The Soundcloud Bible, we discussed the specifics of electronic and dance music industry, and what producers and DJs need to keep in mind to succeed. Go to wespin.co/wsr02 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.

Tommy Darker, the guest of the first We Spin Recipes podcast episode and founder of Darker Music Talks, says that 5 out of these 6 reasons are musicians' fault. Tommy is a musician, "thinker about the future of music," and founder of Think Beyond The Band and Darker Music Talks. In this show we discuss his latest article, titled "Why do musicians always feel disappointed about their career?" Go to wespin.co/wsr01 for the show notes and musicgrowthtalks.com to subscribe to the podcast. NOTE: This podcast was renamed from WeSpin Recipes to Music Growth Talks after episode #85.