Is Music Making Up for Grabs?

What if the most surprising thing happening in music right now isn't what AI is creating, but what fans are reaching for instead?  This week on Music Tectonics, we're bringing you highlights from the AlgoRhythms conference last month, where our team spent time on the ground talking to researchers and innovators about where the music industry is heading. First, Tristra NewYear Yeager sits down with Olivia Jones, senior analyst at MIDiA Research, whose latest report on fan behavior surfaces some unexpected data about how listeners are buying merch and discovering music.  Then, Adam McHeffey speaks with Valtteri Salomaki, CEO of Edge Sound Research, about Embodied Sound that turns any material into something you can both hear and feel. Val's work is rooted in a simple question: if a creator makes something, how do you know the listener actually experienced it the way it was intended?  Both conversations kept circling the same idea: as music gets more digital and more algorithmic, fans seem to be craving something more physical and tangible. Finally, we asked a handful of AlgoRhythms attendees whether AI makes them hopeful about the future of music creativity. The news How AI Rights Are Changing Record Contracts — and Why Music Attorneys Are Pushing Back AI Is Already Training on Music. The Real Question Is: Who Gets Paid? AI And Music Publishing Licensing – How Do We Get There? Social media doesn't feel social anymore – so where does online community go from here? The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think! 

What happens to music when everyone is only listening to what they made themselves?  In this episode, Jade Prieboy sits down with Adam Neely, composer, bassist, and YouTuber educator with over 1.8 million subscribers. They go deeper than the usual AI debate, exploring what we actually lose when music stops being something we share.  Adam draws a clear line between stem separation tools he genuinely uses and commercial generative AI platforms like Suno and Udio, explaining why lumping them together under the AI label distorts how people understand the technology. He also shares why he is cautiously optimistic about attribution models and how AI-generated lyrics reveal the limits of what machines can feel.  The conversation turns philosophical when Adam introduces the idea of solipsistic listening, the tendency to only love music you personally generated while tuning everything else out. He then offers practical advice for musicians trying to build community and makes the case for why constructive critique from a real listen might be the most valuable thing a musician can receive  If AI is changing what music is for, Adam Neely is one of the people asking whether we actually want to go there     The news UMG's Michael Nash takes aim at 'false narrative of artist replacement' by AI – and 3 other things we learned from his HumanX panel with Splice's CEO Streaming platforms give us access to new music, so why are fewer people listening to it? Jury Finds Live Nation Acts as a Monopoly in a Victory for States Warner makes strategic investment in TuStreams – a distribution platform focused on Latin music Latin Music generated over $1 billion in US wholesale recorded music revenues in 2025, up 4.2% YoY   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter

What if every fight over music technology throughout history has actually been the same fight, and we're just now facing a version of it we've never seen before? In this special episode, Dmitri shares a keynote he gave at the Algo Rhythms conference last month called "Is Music Making Up For Grabs?" Drawing on four hundred years of disruption in music, from the harpsichord to amplification, Dmitri traces the pattern of how every generation has fought over new tools and every generation has been wrong about what those tools would destroy. But this episode isn't just a history lesson. It's a live argument, complete with the Kalyuka, the WARBL, and few sounds you won't expect. Along the way, the stories of T-Pain and Blanco Brown show exactly where the pattern holds and where it finally breaks. Because the question Dmitri lands on is one no generation before us has had to answer. Not what counts as an instrument, but whether the creator is still human.   The news Selling a $3B Spotify stake, Michael Ovitz as Chairman of the Board, and a $100B+ company: Welcome to Bill Ackman's plan for Universal Music Group. After Universal, Warner, and Merlin deals, now Udio inks licensing agreement with Kobalt https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/after-universal-warner-and-merlin-deals-now-udio-inks-licensing-agreement-with-kobalt/   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens when a beat-selling side hustle accidentally becomes a social media phenomenon?  In this episode, music producer and content creator Hunna G  (@hunnagbeats) joins Dmitri to talk about building "Take a Seat, Rap on the Beat," a series now sitting at over 150 million views and more than a million followers.  Hunna G covers the origin story, the most memorable guests (like 2 Chainz and MGK to name a few), what the music creator economy actually looks like, and how independent artists and producers can build a brand online.     The news OpenAI Is Shutting Down Sora, Its A.I. Video Generator WMG to buy Revelator in wake of UMG's Downtown Music acquisition https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/soundcloud-launches-superfan-feature-that-lets-artists-release-music-exclusively-to-followers-before-wider-release/ Rapper BigXThaPlug Sent Fans on a Scavenger Hunt — Here's What Happened. Instagram sets out its stall as a 'music superfandom' platform The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

This week, Dmitri is joined by Dom McLennon, artist producer, and creative strategist from Hartford, Connecticut. Best known as a lead vocalist and assistant producer for BROCKHAMPTON, Dom also runs COURTVISION, a creative agency connecting artists and brands across gaming, education and community.    We cover a lot of ground on this one, from treating music technology as a sandbox, to bringing music-making tools into public libraries, to why community outreach is actually a smarter marketing play than chasing virality.    Along the way, we dig into gesture-based instruments, creative strategy for independent artists, music education, and how the history of Black artists reimagining technology laid the foundation for modern music innovation. Dom also shares how he has been integrating the Orchid by Telepathic Instruments and the Tembo by Musical Beings into his creative process in ways their makers probably never imagined (To see Dom demo these instruments, check out the video version on YouTube.    It's a wide ranging conversation you won't want to miss.  The news Study reveals €1.06bn of private copying royalties in 2024 This Music Festival Company's $30 Million Fundraise Proves AI Isn't the Only Hot Sector for Investment Live tours face a huge challenge this summer   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens to an artist's reputation the moment they admit they used AI? Does admitting how they used AI make a difference? New research suggests the stakes are higher than most realize, and the answer is far from simple.  This week on the podcast, Dr. Joel Carnevale, assistant professor of Management at Florida International University, joins Dmitri to break down the findings from his recent article in The Conversation that put that question to the test. Using a music composition scenario with Hans Zimmer asa stand-in for established reputation, Joel and his co-authors designed experiments to find out how disclosure affects the way listeners evaluate a creator's competence and credibility. The conversation covers why authenticity is at the heart of the debate, what different types of AI disclosure actually signal to audiences, and why how you disclose may matter more than whether you disclose  Dmitri and Joel also explore what all of this means for a music industry where nearly every working producer is already using AI in some part of their process.    The news Global recorded music revenues hit $31.7B in 2025, up 6.4% YoY; users of paid music subscriptions reach 837M Why Mark Cuban Thinks Music Is (Basically) 'the Worst Industry Ever' for Investors Live Nation Employees Bragged About 'Gouging' Customers and 'Robbing Them Blind' In Dozens of Leaked Exchanges—Here's a Look at the Unsealed Documents   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Everyone's talking about the AI boom in music, but is the industry's infrastructure actually ready for it? Bjorn Lindvall, CEO and co-founder of MusicInfra, has spent his career at the intersection of music rights and finance, first as co-founder and COO of Hipgnosis Songs, where he helped build a multi-billion dollar catalog acquisition business, and now building the infrastructure to fix one of the music industry's oldest and most expensive problems: getting rights holders paid correctly and on time. In this episode, Bjorn breaks down what it actually means to prepare the music supply chain for the AI boom. We dig into why the royalty math is about to get dramatically more complex, what the wave of generative AI licensing deals signals for publishers, labels, and everyone downstream, and why fixing the back end of the music industry might be the most important thing the industry does this decade  If you work in music rights, royalties, music technology, or music publishing, this one is essential listening.    The news Could you tell if your favourite song was made with AI? The viral Papaoutai cover controversy suggests not Gaming giant Steam faces legal action from the UK's PRS over alleged music copyright infringement US blindsides states with surprise settlement in Live Nation/Ticketmaster trial YouTube now generates more ad revenue than Disney, NBC, Paramount, and WBD — combined Survey suggests TikTok may be losing its lustre for Gen-Z   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Is gaming really the next frontier for music, or is that just wishful thinking?  In this episode, Dmitri sits down with Jenn Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Metamoki, the mobile gaming studio behind Mob Wars and Wiz Khalifa's Weed Farm. With nearly two decades of experience in mobile gaming, social gaming, and community building, Jenn brings a fresh outside perspective on where the music industry is leaving opportunity on the table. They dig into what early social gaming taught Jenn about monetization and emotional connection, why artist involvement is the single biggest factor in whether a music game succeeds or fails, and what music startups can borrow from gaming's rapid prototyping and product cycles.  If you work in music tech, music marketing, or the creator economy, this conversation will challenge how you think about fan engagement, music monetization, and building products that actually last.    The news An open letter to Suno's Mikey Shulman. WMG boss: 'There's clearly more share of the wallet left for music' Apple Music Introduces Tagging for AI Songs, Its First Regulation on AI Use Qobuz/Deezer High-res music service Qobuz joins France's Deezer in flagging AI-generated tracks on its platform Feds point to Taylor Swift ticket fiasco as evidence of Live Nation and Ticketmaster's monopoly https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/as-live-nation-antitrust-trial-begins-doj-tells-jury-the-concert-industry-is-broken/   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens to a rock band's legacy when the touring stops forever?  When Pophouse acquired the KISS catalog, brand, name, image, and likeness rights, they didn't just buy music. They bought the blueprint for keeping one of rock's most iconic bands alive indefinitely through digital avatars, biometric data, and AI-driven live experiences. This deal, built on the success of ABBA Voyage and developed in partnership with Industrial Light and Magic, may be the most forward thinking music IP acquisition ever negotiated.  In this episode, Dmitri unpacks it all with Spencer Klein, chair of Morrison Foerster's Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group, who represented KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in the deal. Together, they explore how music catalog valuation is expanding beyond audio rights into merchandise, transmedia storytelling, and immersive concert experiences. They also dig into what this means for the broader music industry as artificial intelligence and digital avatar technology begin reshaping how artist IP is valued, monetized, and preserved for future generations. Whether you follow KISS, entertainment law, or the future of artist brands, this episode offers a rare inside look at how the music industry is evolving beyond the limits of what any band can do in a lifetime.    The news Mogul says it has tracked $1.5B in music royalties, raised $5M in funding | TechCrunch Neptune Raises $1.5 Million to Scale Digital Music Education in the UAE AI Sample Generator Just 4 Noise Closes $1 Million Round   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Most founders think about building. Fewer think carefully about selling. In this episode, Dmitri talks with Phil Barry, the founder of music rights and licensing platform Blokur, about what he learned from nearly a decade of building and ultimately selling his company to Music Reports in 2024. Phil opens up about the early challenges of finding product-market fit, the long relationship-building that made the acquisition possible, and the operational details that can make or break a deal. He also reflects on what he'd do differently, why he'd push back harder on pressure to grow too fast, and what it felt like to finally step away after years of startup intensity. Whether you're an early-stage founder or mapping out your exit strategy, this episode is full of honest, practical perspective from a founder on the other side of the exit   The news Why YouTube Is the Sleeping Giant of Music Catalog (Guest Column) Did Taylor Swift and Lyor Cohen Just Give the Music Streamers a Video Strategy? Apple Music's iOS 26.4 beta introduces AI-powered playlist tool Deezer debuts 'Flow Tuner' to help listeners tune its algorithm TikTok tests letting users stream full songs through Apple Music without leaving the app Apple Music Strongly Hints That It Won't Be Lowering Prices Following Spotify and Amazon Music Increases — How Much Will This Matter In 2026? The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.