This Singing Couple is Making It by Diversifying their Business and Writing Great Songs

This week Ari sits down with Tony Kiewel, the President of Sub Pop Records and co-founder of ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts). Sub Pop has repped iconic artists like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Beach House, The Postal Service, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Father John Misty, and many more. Tony’s organization, ORCA, is a “think tank comprised of international independent music labels committed to increasing music’s economic, social, and cultural value.” ORCA has done incredible research to demonstrate the tangible value of music in our society. ORCA also works with numerous record labels to increase financial and contractual transparency between labels and artists. In this episode, Tony shares the inner-workings of his experience at Sub Pop. He breaks down how independent record labels function in 2024 and how exactly his label invests in the future of their artists. Ari and Tony discuss how ORCA’s research could help influence law and policy changes for the music industry and how the organization helps people outside of the industry understand how things work. Tony talks about what Sub Pop looks for when it comes to signing new artists, how they develop current artists on their roster, and how they go about working with undiscovered artists vs. artist on the cusp of stardom. If you’re interested in the inner workings of indie labels, you won’t want to miss this episode!ORCA: https://www.orcaformusic.com/ “Setting the Stage: How Music Works” study by ORCA: https://aristake.io/orca00:00 Understanding the New Music Business05:26 The Formation of ORCA and Its Goals10:16 The Importance of Transparency in the Music Industry16:07 The Challenges Facing Independent Artists22:42 The Role of Indie Labels in Artist Development33:56 Artist Development Strategies at Sub Pop42:58 Investments in Emerging Artists51:15 Revenue Streams and Financial Models01:00:19 Marketing and Tour Support Budgets01:10:36 Trends in Physical vs. Digital Sales01:17:26 Mutually Beneficial Artist-Label RelationshipsEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Dorian Perron, the co-founder of Groover, a platform that connects artists who want to promote their music with media outlets, radio stations, record labels, playlist curators and industry professionals seeking emerging talents. Ari and Dorian go in depth about how artists can safely pitch their music and receive constructive feedback from industry professionals. They discuss the current state of playlisting—specifically how to avoid botted playlists and streaming fraud while promoting your music. You’ll also get to hear Ari’s unfiltered thoughts about Groover and other playlisting platforms in this deep-dive conversation. If you’re an artist who self-promotes their music, this episode is for you.  Get 15% off your first campaign with Groover with the code ARISTAKEWebsite: Groover.co Variety Article (Streaming Fraud): https://variety.com/2024/music/news/spotify-artists-streaming-fraud-1235965379/ 00:00 Artists' Goals and Varying Needs01:18 Introduction to Groover02:08 Streaming Fraud and Shady Companies03:35 The Ecosystem of Playlist Curators05:28 What is Groover?09:41 Evolution of Playlists and Curators12:26 Starting Groover in California13:21 The Rise of Playlists14:17 Types of Playlists on Spotify17:05 Groover's Focus on User-Generated Playlists18:28 The Impact of Playlists on Artists' Careers19:26 Nourishing Different Types of Playlists22:38 Pitching Songs to Playlist Curators on Groover26:53 Paying for Consideration, Not Placement28:21 The Streaming Fraud Issue35:42 Verifying Legitimacy of Playlists40:26 Factors Affecting Success on Groover44:46 Defining Success in the New Music Business50:42 Tailoring Music to Please Curators56:26 Quality vs. Tailoring in Groover Campaigns01:05:39 Varied Results on Groover01:09:18 Finding Your Own Pace in the Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ari sits down with AyseDeniz, a classical pianist and composer with a Bachelor's from Eastman School and a Master's from the Royal Academy of Music. In 2022, she was listed as one of the 20 under 40 Young Shapers of the Future of Music by Encyclopaedia Britannica, alongside notable artists such as Adele, Lil Nas, and Lorde. In this episode, AyseDeniz talks about how she collaborates with AI to compose new works of music. AI tools have changed AyseDeniz’s career trajectory as an independent artist, even though she’s an incredibly skilled classical musician. Ari and AyseDeniz discuss the ethics of composing and collaborating with AI and how she has used these tools to propel her career forward. Check out AyseDeniz at: https://www.adpianist.com/00:00 Exploring the Classical Music Industry and AyseDeniz's Background02:14 Using AI to Create Classical Piano Compositions03:43 The Emotional Component of AI-Generated Music04:11 The Ethics of AI in Music Creation05:06 AyseDeniz's Journey in Scoring for Film and TV06:32 The Future of AyseDeniz's Music Career47:35 Creating AI-Generated Compositions50:07 Authenticity in Music Performance51:06 Ethical Considerations in AI Music Generation57:49 The Need for Regulations and Laws01:13:25 The Future of Music with AIEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, on the New Music Business Podcast, Ari sits down with Louis Marks and Fabian Brown of Ropeadope Records, a label that’s been around in the jazz world for 25 years and has worked with Snarky Puppy, Christian Scott, Greg Spero, Terrace Martin, Questlove, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Taj Majal, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Sister Gertrude Morgan, and so many more. In this episode, Louis and Fabian talk about how most of their artists cannot make a living just from streaming revenue. They share the ways they’ve been evolving, as a label, to elevate and lift their artists in the ever changing landscape of the new music industry. This conversation discusses the ins and outs of streaming, social media, physical sales, downloads, bandcamp, touring, patronage, community, and so much more. 00:00 - Introduction04:55 - The Mission of Ropeadope Records18:43 - Rethinking the Value of Music24:22 - Preserving Contemporary Music31:32 - Re-Educating Fans and Focusing on the Connection44:44 - The Limitations of Streaming Platforms53:29 - Exploring Alternative Models for Artist Support Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Ropeadope Records:Website: https://ropeadope.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ropeadope/Bandcamp: https://ropeadope.bandcamp.com/X: https://x.com/ropeadopeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ropeadope99Edited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari sits down with Jaylon Ashaun, a talented R&B artist currently based in LA via Atlanta and Houston. Jaylon found success by regularly releasing music and building a direct artist-to-fans community online. His song “Strawberries and Wine” took the digital music world by storm, with over 25 million streams of its various versions. Last year, Jaylon toured the US with major R&B acts Xavier Omar and Hojean. Ari and Jaylon discuss the importance of connecting with fans directly, how to capitalize on and move past viral moments to build a sustainable career, and how Jaylon has built his superfan community, Global Nomads, online.Chapters:00:00 Taking Risks and Putting Out Music14:24 The Power of Regularly Releasing Music19:37 Developing a Super Fan Community27:52 Perseverance, Collaboration, and Artistic Identity28:22 Building a Community and World Around Your Music31:16 Engaging with Fans and Nurturing Your Community33:06 The Power of Physical Merchandise40:18 The Evolving Music Industry and the Importance of AdaptabilitySubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Jaylon Ashaun:Website: https://www.jaylonashaun.me/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylonashaunTiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jaylonashaunSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dhseP7KiICmkxT5waM1MdEdited and mixed by Ari Davids-ErgasMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari sits down with Ni/Co, the musical duo of LA-based couple Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones. Their most recent song “On Purpose” has taken the internet by storm with over 6.2 million streams on Spotify and YouTube. Ni/Co built their early career by releasing covers on YouTube and placing their songs in sync. They have garnered over 75 million views on YouTube and have landed 6-figure sync deals with their music. However, as their covers became more popular and they wrote under various monikers for sync, Dani and Colton had to make a decision: did they want to prioritize these paths or re-center their career around original music? This conversation dives into the details of publishing and label deals, Ni/Co’s journey through sync, their experience going viral on TikTok, and how they clarified their artist identity to stay true to their vision along the way.00:00 - Introduction and Background10:39 - The On Purpose Journey and Release15:47 - Meeting and Starting as a Couple26:23 - Signing a Publishing Deal and Sync Placements30:11 - Separating Covers and Originals42:52 - The Success of 'On Purpose'49:05 - Influencer Campaigns, Viral Songs, and the Importance of Diversifying Revenue Streams1:13:20 - Challenges and Scams in Revenue CollectionSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Ni/Co:Website: https://nicomusicofficial.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ni.co_officialTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ni.co_officialSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IR0GSCHsTo7gSw8HHLBnrEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comAnkit Desai is the founder and CEO of Snafu Records, the world's first AI-enabled artist services company. Snafu's algorithms identify talented artists from all over the world, which the company then invests in growing and supporting. Before starting Snafu, Ankit was at Universal Music, where he worked with artists like Tove Lo, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, and Shawn Mendes. For his work at Snafu and Universal, Ankit was recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 Europe, and Nordic Music Business' 20 under 30.Mira Howard currently serves as the head of Snafu's Song Fund. While she has an education in physics and economics and an MBA from Cambridge, she also has had a lifelong love for music and writes and plays music in her own time. In her career Mira has worked scaling creative startups, and is passionate about bringing Snafu to the artists of the world.This week, Ari is joined by Ankit Desai and Mira Howard of SNAFU records, to discuss how they built a completely new type of record label from the ground up. They aim to change the way artists think about their music as a business asset, encouraging artists to invest in their catalogs and not just focus on new releases. Ankit and Mira explain how SNAFU aims to change the game and create a win-win situation for all of its artists, maximizing success and longevity all while keeping the rights in the hands of the artists.00:00 - Discovering and Investing in Unsigned Artists13:05 - Improving and Increasing Artists' Listenership29:34 - Don't Give Up on Your Catalog: The Value of Old Songs39:29 - Social Media Strategies: Coaching Artists for Success44:53 - Playlist Power: Investing in Catalogs51:48 - Snafu's Business Model: Partnering with Undervalued Artists56:31 - Supporting Female Creators: The Snafu Women's Creator FundSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Snafu Records :Website: https://www.snafurecords.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snafurecords/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@snafurecordsX: https://x.com/snafu_recordsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/snafu-records/Edited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comFly by Midnight is comprised of Justin Bryte and Justin Slavo, two best friends who honed their craft in New York and are now making waves in Los Angeles, creating and self-distributing emotive pop music.In the episode, they discuss their journey as independent artists, starting with cover videos on YouTube and transitioning to original music. They talk about the intentional decision to release covers alongside their original music to maintain their existing fan base. The duo reflects on the importance of DIY and the value of creating high-quality content on a low budget. They also discuss the challenges of gaining industry recognition and label interest, as well as the changing landscape of virality on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Fly By Midnight discusses their approach to creating viral videos and their experimentation with different types of content. They also talk about their experiences with booking agents and their plans for future releases.Chapters00:00 Intro04:53 The Thrill Tour08:17 From Covers to Originals19:10 Content on a Budget28:50 Label Involvement37:59 Balancing Virality and Authenticity44:46 Animation and Video52:42 Keeping Content Fresh1:00:21 Distribution1:11:12 Making it in the New Music BusinessSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Fly by Midnight:Website: https://www.flybymidnight.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rQTEdG6hDVOlDUFKs9EjZ?si=fsDqg7-6RbiEWV5diJGkTAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flybymidnight/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flybymidnightYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJDQtPgwh6oV5MbPmclqIAgEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari is joined by Henry Vargas and Jose Corona of the band “The Red Pears,” an indie band who has seen recent success particularly in the live performance scene, coming hot off the heels of their Coachella performance. They discuss their journey in the music industry, from playing backyard concerts to opening for bands like Interpol and performing at iconic venues like The Greek and The Forum. They share their insight on the importance of building relationships, treating people with respect, and staying true to themselves, attributing their success to their hard work, determination, and the support of their dedicated fan base. The Red Pears also highlight the significance of live shows and the impact they have on their audience, sharing their experiences of connecting with fans and the importance of showing gratitude for their support.Chapters00:00 - Welcome03:38 - From backyard concerts to Coachella13:43 - On their recording process24:45 - Balancing your career and booking shows33:09 - How did they start touring?38:25 - Building a fanbase from word of mouth48:25 - Finding your booking and management team1:01:27 - Meeting your idolsSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with The Red Pears:Website: https://theredpears.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FRYBFCNEBWMjk6kvwjHQTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theredpears/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theredpears_626X: https://x.com/TheRedPearsEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari is joined by sisters Caitlin & Sid Powell, the artists behind the hit group Neoni, to discuss the shift in the industry towards video content, and how they were able to capitalize on their own TikTok virality. Additionally they explain why they chose to stay independent despite being approached by numerous labels, and how staying DIY has helped their career. They also discuss their release strategy and how they go about maximizing attention on various platforms despite not yet touring. To wrap up the interview, they provide insight into how other artists can find success while remaining independent. Caitlin and Sid blend Alternative Pop with electronic music, creating a unique sound as Neoni. Since 2020, they have steadily built a substantial catalog, releasing their breakout debut album, Wars in a Wonderland, in the fall of 2021, followed by All My Favorite Monsters in 2022. With two viral TikTok hits, "Darkside" and "Royalty," amassing over 2 billion views, and a rapidly growing social media presence, Neoni continues to gain organic traction with each new release.Chapters00:00 Intro04:35 New project releases, live shows, and YouTube covers09:22 Neoni’s journey and evolution16:33 How DJs influenced their sound21:03 From 20k to 250k streams a day28:42 What taking meetings with major labels is like36:02 How they convert listeners into fans43:27 Leaning into social media for promotion49:36 Why they still release horizontal videos56:06 On live performing and touringSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpaConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeX: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeThreads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandX: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandConnect with Neoni:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/38wxcfNEqMwuPniHvplin5?si=NYWsV7e1TdCSFD9bqdu_ywInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareneoni/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareneoniWebsite: https://weareneoni.com/Edited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.