Billboard On The Record

From restructuring at Universal Music Group to legal disputes between Summer Walker and her label and the landmark court ruling about termination rights, October 2026 shaped up to be a busy month in the music industry. On this special bonus episode of Billboard On The Record, host Kristin Robinson sits down with Billboard executive editor of business Dan Rys to break down some of the month’s biggest headlines.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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From crafting hit songs to leading one of the music industry’s most storied labels, Epic Records’ newly appointed CEO/chairman is bringing a songwriter’s perspective to the future of artist development. Ezekiel Lewis joins Billboard On The Record host Kristin Robinson this week in his first-ever interview as the leader of Epic to discuss his career, from writing and producing hits like Justin Bieber’s “One Less Lonely Girl” to helming a label with some of the industry’s top talent, including Travis Scott, Future, 21 Savage, Tyla, Madison Beer, Meghan Trainer and Giveon. Lewis shares his perspective on A&R, how Epic Records signed Tyla and developed her into a global star and the importance of building trust between artists and their teams.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

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Global music has expanded far beyond its borders, with genres like Latin and Afrobeats reaching audiences around the world at a rate like never before. Live from Billboard Latin Music Week, Billboard On the Record host Kristin Robinson is joined by Ghazi, CEO/founder of EMPIRE, to discuss how he has grown the label from a hip-hop-focused company into a global music powerhouse with signings ranging from Latin America, Southeast Asia and North Africa. They explore why Ghazi invested in certain genres before they were fully monetized, and how visa and immigration issues in the U.S. are affecting Latin artists’ touring schedules.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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There are more independent artists than ever today — but does that actually mean being independent has gotten easier? Molly Neuman, president of CD Baby, sits down with Billboard On The Record host Kristin Robinson for an episode about the evolution of being an independent artist, from the ’90s, when Neuman started her punk band Bratmobile, to today. They chat through how Napster, digital distribution and streaming transformed the industry, while diving into how artists have more leverage and options now than ever before. With that leverage, though, come new challenges, from an overwhelming volume of songs to rising marketing costs.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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As the music industry faces a new era of AI, the fight over artists’ rights is playing out in Washington D.C. On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, host Kristin Robinson is joined by Mitch Glazier, Chairman/CEO of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), to discuss the intersection of music and politics, the importance of keeping the music industry top of mind in a crowded political climate and the introduction of the NO FAKES Act, which is making its way through Congress. From AI transparency and standardized labeling to whether AI is the next Napster, Glazier and Robinson take a look at the RIAA’s work to protect the recorded music industry.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by BMI.

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From Warner Music executive shakeups to Dolly Parton’s inheritance, streaming fraud and big AI news from Suno Music and Eleven Labs, September 2026 shaped up to be a busy month in the music industry. On this special bonus episode of Billboard On The Record, host Kristin Robinson sits down with Billboard executive editor of business Dan Rys to break down some of the month’s biggest headlines.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Sampling has shaped some of the most influential music of the last 50 years — and Questlove has been there for much of its evolution. The musician and music historian joins Billboard’s Kristin Robinson on Billboard On The Record for a conversation about his Earth, Wind & Fire documentary — Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) — the history of sampling and his work as a music historian. From the lawsuit against Biz Markie, which made sampling more difficult and expensive, to AI-generated crate digging and the surge of catalog sales, Questlove shares his insight into sampling’s evolution and how it changed the music business.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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From Taylor Swift to Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams, Aaron Dessner is one of the industry’s most sought-after collaborators. The musician, producer and record label owner has built a career across many different corners of the music industry, from his work with The National to producing and writing with some of today’s biggest artists to launching a studio, record label and a number of music festivals. Dessner joins Billboard’s Kristin Robinson on this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record to talk through his music industry journey, the art of collaboration, and how his experimentation with founding record labels and music festivals fed his artistic drive.

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Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

Kristin’s episode glam is sponsored by Booka, the new and easiest way to book LA’s most sought-after beauty and wellness professionals—all vetted, curated, and bookable in one place. For a limited time, use code BILLBOARD30 at checkout for $30 off your first booking when you go to Booka.com.

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Nostalgia is shaping what listeners stream. On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, Luminate CEO Rob Jonas sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson to unpack the data behind the resurgence of catalog music and what it says about the way people discover and engage with their favorite songs today. From the rise of ’90s and 2000s hits to the growing influence of film and television placements, Jonas explains how streaming has transformed the music business into a data-driven industry where catalog listening continues to climb and algorithms are shaping the way artists and songs break through. Jonas also talks about the challenges facing new music in a world where 150,000 songs are uploaded to streaming platforms every day, the resurgence of CDs and the ways in which superfans are adapting to a rapidly changing music landscape.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

Keep up with us on IG @billboardontherecord, TikTok @billboardontherecord and @wordsbykristin.

Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by RIAA.

Kristin’s episode glam is sponsored by Booka, the new and easiest way to book LA’s most sought-after beauty and wellness professionals—all vetted, curated, and bookable in one place. For a limited time, use code BILLBOARD30 at checkout for $30 off your first booking when you go to Booka.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind television’s biggest live moments is a music director meticulously planning every detail from start to finish, and for many of today’s biggest live broadcasts, that man is Ray Chew. As he enters his 17th season as music director of “Dancing with the Stars,” Chew sits down with host Kristin Robinson for a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into bringing the show’s weekly live performances to life. From collaborating with choreographers and his 14-person band to navigating the last-minute changes that come with live television, Chew shares what it truly takes to make the show a success. Chew also shares stories from some of his other career highlights, including Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, “Saturday Night Live” and conducting a 64-piece orchestra for “A Night of Inspiration” at Carnegie Hall, while reflecting on the musical inspirations and experiences that have shaped his decades-long career as a music director.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Breaking news in the AI music world: Suno CEO and co-founder Mikey Shulman sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson for the launch of Suno’s new V6 models, which he says were made “in partnership with the industry” for the first time. Though Suno is actively being sued by a number of music companies, like Universal, Sony, SOCAN, Koda and more, for copyright infringement, the AI music company has also announced three partnerships in the music biz — Warner Music Group, Believe and BMG — and V6 marks the first time Suno is sharing its revenue with industry partners. Shulman also shares that, later on, he believes these partnerships are laying the groundwork for future Suno products that let fans remix, sample and interact with artists’ music that choose to participate.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Is there a bad way for songs to go viral? Fifteen years after the release of “Friday,” singer-songwriter Rebecca Black sits down with Billboard’s Kristin Robinson to explore whether artists can go viral before they’re able to capitalize on it — a question Black knows better than almost anyone after becoming an internet phenomenon at just 13 years old. With today’s TikTok algorithms creating more opportunities for virality, Black and Robinson discuss how the internet has evolved from a more unified “monoculture” to a hyper-personalized algorithmic experience. Black walks listeners through the aftermath of her viral moment, how she reclaimed “Friday” as her own and how she built an independent career beyond the song that first made her famous. Plus, Black discusses her new album, Age of the Exhibitionist, and what she’s learned about navigating the music industry over the past 15 years.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

This episode is sponsored by ASCAP.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re halfway through 2026, and the music industry has already had its fair share of headline-making moments. From Spotify's AI remix plans and Drake's surprise three-album drop to company mergers and antitrust battles, Billboard's business editorial team breaks down the biggest stories shaping the industry so far this year. They also revisit the predictions they made at the start of 2026 in an earlier episode of Billboard On The Record, revealing which have already come true, which surprised them and what they expect to happen next. Host Kristin Robinson is joined by Billboard executive editor of business Dan Rys, senior finance correspondent Elizabeth Dilts Marshall and senior legal correspondent Bill Donahue to unpack what these developments mean for artists, executives and the future of the music business.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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From coaching superstars like Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes and ROSÉ to training actors like Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie and Austin Butler, Eric Vetro has become one of the most in-demand vocal coaches in the entertainment industry. Vetro sits down on this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record for a look inside his process of keeping today’s biggest stars performance-ready and helping actors transform into music legends for film. He breaks down what makes a great singer, how artists can protect their voices throughout their careers and how his coaching sessions help shape some of the industry's most memorable performances.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Finneas is known for producing some of the biggest records of the past decade — and his career also reflects how dramatically the record producer's role has evolved. He sits down on this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record to give listeners a peek inside his production process—from working with artists he knows closely, like his sister Billie Eilish, to collaborators he’s meeting for the first time—breaking down why he values the natural push-and-pull that shapes great songs. Finneas also explains how the job of a producer has evolved alongside technology, how he scores a hit TV series like ‘Beef,’ and why he still believes in the power of shorter albums.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Taylor Swift is among the most powerful artists of her generation — and her fans, the Swifties, are among the most powerful fandoms. On this week's episode of Billboard On the Record, host Kristin Robinson explores the nature and business of superfandom with Olivia Levin, the New York Times best-selling author and founder of social media page @swiftiesforeternity. Levin shares how she turned her page into a six-figure income, spanning ticketing, social media management, writing and brand deals. She also explains why Taylor Swift continues to inspire such loyalty with her listeners, why her re-recordings changed the game and what she thinks the music business gets wrong about superfans like her.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Ever wondered how the soundtrack to the world’s biggest sporting events gets made? On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, sports DJ and music curator Grayson Repp shares how he found himself at the intersection of sports and music — and what it takes to build the perfect setlist for events like FIFA, the Olympics, the NBA and the NFL. From playing local clubs to stadiums packed with tens of thousands of fans, Repp breaks down how every match, crowd and city requires its own approach, especially when top global leaders are watching. He also explains his World Cup playlist prep and how he turned his love of sports and music into a career as one of the world’s biggest sports DJs.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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Is dance music coming back to the mainstream? On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, John Summit — DJ, producer and founder of Experts Only — discusses what makes the dance music industry unique, how DJs went from underground clubs to arena shows and festival headliner slots and why he decided to launch his own label. With his own discography evolving from singles to full album releases, Summit walks through how he laid the foundation for his upcoming arena tour while losing $1 million in the process — and yes, what led to him lighting a Rimowa suitcase on fire.

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Is music supervision the most misunderstood job in film and television? Jen Malone, music supervisor and founder of Black and White Music, sits down on Billboard On The Record to break down the art of building musical soundtracks. From her work on shows like Atlanta, Euphoria, Love Story and more, Malone explains how music supervisors shape a project from pre-production through post-production, collaborating closely with showrunners to build a series’ musical identity. She also breaks down the difference between composers and music supervisors, the process of clearing songs and how she approaches crafting each character’s sound.

This episode of Billboard On The Record is presented by KOSIGN.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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With over 100,000 songs hitting streaming platforms every day, according to Luminate, is the music industry struggling to keep up? Milana Lewis, co-founder and CEO of Stem, sits down on Billboard On The Record to break down what this fast-growing number of daily uploads means for artists, discoverability and the future of music making itself. Lewis explores whether AI songs and white noise should be given the same royalty as human-made songs, how social media has rewritten the path to success and why artists today have more tools than ever to make music — but less clarity on how they can actually break through.

This episode of Billboard On The Record is presented by KOSIGN.

Love what you hear? Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Billboard On The Record.

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Billboard On The Record is a podcast in partnership with SickBird Productions.

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