The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Chris Farren, Grammy-nominated songwriter and founder of Combustion Music, a Nashville-based music publishing and artist development company responsible for more than 100 number-one hits.

Chris shares decades of experience navigating the music business, from writing hit songs to building a publishing company and developing artists. Ari and Chris break down how professional songwriters get signed, how songwriting rooms work, how publishing deals and advances are structured, and how songwriters earn royalties.

Follow Chris Farren:

https://www.instagram.com/combustionmusic/

https://www.combustionmusic.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

05:54 - Building a music publishing company and developing artists

15:32 - How music publishers pay songwriters

26:07 - Songwriting as a craft: practice, productivity, and getting better

28:16 - Teaching songwriters to write for the market without sacrificing creativity

30:44 - Writing songs for specific artists

32:00 - How artists' involvement in songwriting has changed

37:58 - How songwriting rooms work

39:15 - Pitching songs and getting them to artists

57:51 - Music catalogs and the renewed life of older songs

58:37 - Advice for aspiring professional songwriters

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Joe Lim, founder and CEO of Floodify, a marketing technology company that has distributed over 2 million short-form videos for major labels including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music.

Joe pulls back the curtain on the rapidly evolving world of music marketing, explaining how burner accounts, clipping networks, AI-generated content, fan pages, influencer campaigns, and algorithm-driven distribution are shaping the careers of artists today. We explore the ethics behind these tactics, the concept of the “dead internet,” how major labels and marketers use social media at scale, and what independent artists can learn from these strategies.

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/joelimmmmm

Floodify: https://www.floodify.io/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

04:42 – Welcome & State of Modern Music Marketing

07:06 – Why Music Marketing is Behind Other Industries

08:42 – What Are Burners, Fan Pages, and Clipping?

13:29 – Commercialized Clipping & Platforms Like WHOP

17:19 – Phone Farms and Managing Accounts at Scale

21:21 – Using AI to Find and Generate Viral Clips

29:56 – Modern Marketing Strategies for Independent Artists

31:19 – The Evolution of Floodify (Floodify 2.0)

40:41 – Dead Internet Theory, Bots, and Comment Farming

44:25 – Is Authenticity Dead? Playing the Game to Make a Career

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Toni Nelson, artist manager, business manager, and co-founder of 1990 Records.

Toni Nelson is an artist manager and co-founder of 1990 Records with a background in retail fashion and mental health clinical work. Combining expertise in behavioral science with music industry operations, Nelson specializes in sustainable artist development, data analytics, and guiding independent artists like Adrian Daniel, to build long-term, monetizable careers while protecting their intellectual property.

Follow Toni Nelson:

https://www.instagram.com/1990records19/

https://1990records.org/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

04:01 - What it Means to Build a Creative & Fan Community

09:00 - Protecting IP & Using Split Sheets in the Studio

13:14 - Navigating Producer Credits, Writer Splits & Work for Hire

18:18 - Release Strategies & Tracking Data with Music Analytics

23:27 - How Independent Artists Can Monetize Their Audience

27:38 - Staying Independent vs. Label Licensing Deals

32:45 - When is an Emerging Artist Ready to Tour?

36:22 - Case Study: Developing Adrian Daniel's Career

43:17 - Mental Health & What It Means to Make It in Music

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Alexis Lanternier, the CEO of global music streaming platform Deezer. Together, they break down the massive influx of AI-generated music flooding streaming services, Deezer’s pioneering efforts in AI detection and fraud removal, and the future of fair artist payouts through user-centric royalty systems.

Follow Alexis Lanternier:

https://www.instagram.com/deezer/

https://www.deezer.com/us/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

05:45 - The Reality of AI Music Flooding Streaming Services

10:23 - How Deezer Detects Streaming Fraud & Purges AI Bots

13:42 - Tagging AI Music & Algorithmic Recommendation Rules

18:32 - Generative AI: Creative Assistive Tool vs. Fully AI Music

24:40 - In-App Fan Remix Tools & Licensing Fair Payouts

33:36 - The Flaw in Market-Centric Payouts vs. User-Centric Payouts

42:15 - Major Label Licensing Deals & Independent Artist Royalty Rates

50:37 - Powering Winamp & What It Means to "Make It" in Music Today

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Patrick Laird, cellist and co-founder of the classical cover duo, Brooklyn Duo. Patrick breaks down how he and his wife built a music career without traditional touring. He discusses their journey from viral YouTube videos to building an evergreen passive income model, navigating revenue streams across Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube, the intricacies of sheet music publishing, catalog acquisition offers, and why creating utility-based music enabled the creative freedom to pursue personal projects.

Follow Patrick Laird:

https://www.patricklaird.com/

https://www.instagram.com/brooklynduo/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

03:55 - Brooklyn Duo’s Origins & Moving Beyond Classical

07:16 - Early Viral Success & Going Full Time

12:50 - Monetization: Pandora, YouTube, and SoundExchange

22:20 - Sheet Music Licensing & Publishing via Musicnotes

30:20 - Arranging Process & Delegation Between Patrick & Marnie

38:50 - Strategic Pivot to High Production Location Videos

52:45 - Building an Evergreen "Utility" Model for Streaming

58:30 - Retaining Masters & Rejecting Catalog Buyouts

01:10:20 - What It Means to "Make It" in the New Music Business

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jared Benjamin. Jared broke down how he went from picking up a guitar during the pandemic to earning over 100 million streams, selling out headline tours, and building an intensely loyal community across TikTok and Discord. They discuss his creation process, content strategy, delegating production, leveraging pre-save ad campaigns, and releasing his debut album, Icarus Too Close to the Sun.

Follow Jared Benjamin:

https://www.instagram.com/jaredbenjaminofficial/

http://tiktok.com/@jaredbenjaminofficial

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

4:05 Interview Begins: Welcome & Icarus Debut Album Announcement

5:06 Transitioning from Fast Singles to a Cohesive Debut Album

9:43 Early Short-Form Visual Strategy & Writing Skits

17:25 Lessons from Bad Industry Deals & Going DIY

20:15 Learning Production on YouTube & Collaborating with Producers

25:20 Writing "Three Steps Ahead" at AntiSocial Writing Camp

28:35 Building a Social Following & Meeting His Manager

32:50 The Daily Grind: Posting 2 to 4 Videos a Day & Managing Burnout

35:55 First Headline Tour Experiences: From Empty Rooms to Sold-Out Venues

41:59 Managing Online Communities: Grouped vs. Discord Strategy

50:20 Tapping into BookTok & Author Playlist Marketing

01:01:35 Leveraging Feature.fm Pre-Save Ads to Funnel Fans into Discord

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Laurie Lee Boutet, artist manager at Wednesday Management and manager of the chart-topping Canadian rock band The Beaches.

Laurie shares the incredible story behind The Beaches' explosive rise following their breakout sync placement in Off Campus, why viral TikToks aren't enough anymore, and how artists can build lasting careers by creating cultural moments and not just chasing algorithms.

Follow Laurie Lee:

https://www.instagram.com/laurieleeboutet/

https://www.wednesdaymgmt.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

05:21 Why Viral TikToks Don't Work Like They Used To

08:00 The Sync That Changed Everything

12:50 From 18,000 to 1 Million Streams a Day

18:42 TikTok vs. Instagram: Where Artists Should Focus

24:44 Should Indie Artists Skip Music Videos?

28:33 The New Era of Music Marketing

35:19 How to Create True Superfans

43:13 Stop Wasting Money on Content

52:08 The Future of Artist Growth

59:53 Laurie's Biggest Career Lesson

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Andreas Schuller, hit songwriter, producer, and co-founder of music publishing company Honua Music. Andreas has written and produced songs for artists including The Weeknd, Jason Derulo, Madison Beer, and many more, accumulating billions of streams and numerous gold and platinum records.

Andreas breaks down how hit songs are actually created, how publishing companies develop songwriters, and why today's music industry is more relationship-driven than ever. He shares the story behind Jason Derulo's smash hit "Wiggle," explains how songwriting camps work, discusses the evolution of professional songwriting, and offers practical advice for aspiring songwriters trying to break into the industry.

Follow Andreas Schuller:

https://honuamusic.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

03:48 - Meet Andreas Schuller: Hitmaker Turned Publisher

12:19 - Music Publishing Explained: How Songwriters Make Money

18:39 - The Story Behind Jason Derulo's "Wiggle"

22:02 - Songwriting Splits, Credits, and Industry Politics

30:37 - How Professional Songwriting Has Changed Since 2010

34:46 - Breaking Into the Music Industry as a Songwriter

39:03 - Originality vs. Trend Chasing: What Actually Works?

49:37 - Building Great Writing Rooms and Finding Creative Chemistry

52:39 - AI, the Future of Music, and What's Next for Songwriters

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with legendary A&R executive, publisher, and educator Pete Ganbarg.

With more than three decades in the music industry, Pete has helped shape the careers of artists, songwriters, and hit records across multiple generations. In this conversation, he breaks down how A&R has evolved from the days of artist showcases and long-term development deals to today's algorithm-driven landscape. Pete explains why great A&R is still about connecting great artists with great songs, even as technology and discovery platforms continue to change.

Follow Pete Ganbarg:

https://substack.com/@peteganbarg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peteganbarg/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

04:21 – The True Role of A&R: What Has Changed and What Hasn't

09:00 – Artist Development vs. Chasing Quick Hits

13:20 – Why Live Performance Still Matters to Labels

16:05 – TikTok Stars, Viral Songs, and Building Careers

20:50 – The Difference Between a Song, an Artist, and a Career

25:55 – How Pete Discovers and Develops Songwriters

30:10 – Michael Pollack's Journey to Writing "Flowers."

35:15 – Songwriting by Committee, Sampling, and Publishing Trends

40:50 – AI, Songwriting, and the Future of Music Creation

48:15 – What Excites Pete Most About the Future of Music

54:07 – What It Means to "Make It" in the New Music Business

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Dee Diaz, Vice President of Marketing at Reach Records.

At Indie Week 2026, Dee shares the innovative marketing strategies behind Lecrae’s Reconstruction album campaign, which helped propel the project to a Billboard Top 10 debut. From sending exclusive mailers to the label’s most loyal fans. To building a gamified direct-to-fan platform called The Workshop, Dee reveals how Reach Records prioritized community, superfans, and authentic artist engagement over chasing algorithms.

Find Dee Diaz:

https://www.instagram.com/deediaz_/

https://www.instagram.com/reachrecords/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

05:06 - Meet Dee Diaz and Reach Records

08:47 - The History of Reach Records and Lecrae

12:31 - Building the Reconstruction Campaign

15:07 - The 1,000 Fan Mailer Strategy

16:19 - Creating The Workshop Fan Community

19:37 - Turning Superfans Into Brand Ambassadors

29:09 - Community Service as Music Marketing

37:39 - The Story Behind “Coming In Hot”

43:29 - Why TikTok Doesn't Convert Like It Used To

46:17 - What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business

47:00 - Audience Q&A

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Nicole Abea, Director of Influencer & UGC Promotions at Hopeless Records.

Over the last decade, Nicole has helped evolve Hopeless Records’ marketing strategy from traditional social media campaigns to modern influencer marketing, user-generated content (UGC), and TikTok-driven discovery. Starting as an intern and rising to lead influencer and UGC promotions, Nicole has worked with artists including Scene Queen, THXSoMCH, Neck Deep, Melrose Avenue, Autumn Kings, and more.

Nicole pulls back the curtain on how music marketing actually works in 2026. They discuss influencer campaigns, fan accounts, micro-budget marketing strategies, TikTok trends, BookTok, DSP pitching, and how artists can build communities that translate into real fandom.

Follow Nicole Abea:

https://www.instagram.com/nicolethedesigner/

https://www.instagram.com/hopelessrecords/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

03:57 Nicole Abea on Influencer & UGC Marketing at Hopeless Records

08:44 The Reality of TikTok Seeding, Fan Accounts & Music Promotion

15:20 How to Market a Song with a $2,000 Budget

18:25 BookTok, Online Communities & Finding Your Audience

23:29 What Spotify and DSPs Want from Artists

26:26 Why Record Labels Are Signing Influencers

33:21 Scene Over Genre: How Modern Fandom Has Changed

42:41 How All Time Low's “Dear Maria, Count Me In” Went Viral Again

45:22 Rage Bait, Algorithms & The Future of Music Marketing

51:00 Closing Thoughts

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Molly Neuman, President of CD Baby, one of the largest independent music distributors in the world. Molly has spent decades advocating for independent artists and labels, helping shape the modern music industry through leadership roles at CD Baby, Downtown Music Holdings, and the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).

In this conversation, Ari and Molly dive into some of the most pressing issues facing musicians today, including artificial intelligence, streaming fraud, artist compensation, customer support, and the evolving role of music distribution. They discuss whether AI-generated music should exist, how streaming platforms are responding to generative AI, why artists are increasingly being affected by fraudulent streams, and what distributors like CD Baby are doing to protect independent musicians. Molly also shares her perspective on artist ownership, independence, and what success in the music business looks like in 2026.

Follow Molly Neuman:

https://www.instagram.com/mollydneuman/

https://cdbaby.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

03:45 – Molly Neuman's Journey to Becoming CD Baby President

11:32 – Is CD Baby Still Independent?

18:04 – Universal Music's Acquisition & What It Means for Artists

27:41 – The State of Independent Music Distribution in 2026

39:18 – What Artists Get Wrong About Distribution

49:07 – AI Customer Support: Does It Matter if It's Human?

52:11 – Should AI-Generated Music Exist?

1:03:47 – Streaming Fraud, Bot Plays & How Artists Get Penalized

1:12:56 – What "Making It" Really Means in Today's Music Industry

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Adam Gross, the president of Ineffable Records. Adam founded Ineffable Records in 2019 and later became a co-owner of Ineffable Music Group, now Billboard’s top independent reggae label for six consecutive years. Ineffable works with artists such as Stick Figure, Collie Buddz, Protoje, The Elovaters, and O.A.R., and many more.

In this episode, they discuss the recent unauthorized viral AI remixes of Stick Figure’s song “Angels Above Me.” At its peak, the unauthorized remix was #2 on the global Shazam charts and reached #1 on several different iTunes charts across Europe. They discuss the legal challenges of unauthorized AI remixes, the ethical considerations, and how the story led to a David Guetta x Alok version surfacing. Adam discusses the operational reality of dealing with this in real time, and how strategy to combat unauthorized AI remixes changes everyday.

Follow Adam Gross:

https://www.instagram.com/adam.g.r.o.s.s/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgross2018/

Check out Stick Figure:

https://stickfigure.com/

https://www.instagram.com/stickfiguremusic/

Chapters

05:07 Navigating Copyright in the Age of AI

10:03 The Bootleg Remix Phenomenon

14:58 The Role of Labels and Distributors

19:59 Ethics and Future of AI in Music

25:07 Navigating Major Label Deals

28:24 The Impact of Viral Trends on Music

30:43 Whack-a-Mole: The Challenge of Unauthorized Remixes

32:30 Collaborating with Major Artists

36:51 Ethics and AI in Music Production

39:35 The Future of Derivative Works

42:36 User-Centric Payment Models in Streaming

50:52 Building Timeless Music and Community

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Joseph Pepin, artist manager, producer manager, and founder of a boutique management company that has helped artists like GoldFord build massive audiences while remaining independent.

Joseph has spent nearly two decades in the music industry, working across artist management, producer and songwriter representation, touring, marketing, and fan development. His roster includes artists, producers, and songwriters spanning multiple genres, and he's become known for his innovative approach to audience building, fan data collection, and sustainable artist growth.

Follow Joseph Pepin:

https://pepin.works/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joe_pepin

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

00:06:14 - Intro & How Goldford Broke Through

00:08:56 - Why Most Artists Fail to Keep Their Viral Fans

00:12:28 - Understanding the Marketing Funnel for Musicians

00:16:09 - Social Media Strategy: Hooks vs. Deep Content

00:19:25 - Building a Fanbase Without Chasing Trends

00:39:42 - The B-Side Touring Model vs. Ticketmaster

00:43:09 - Why Artists Need Emails, Phone Numbers & Fan Data

00:47:20 - Goldford’s Viral Growth Strategy Revealed

00:58:57 - Songwriting Camps, Producers & Building Opportunities

01:06:18 - What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud. Eliah breaks down how SoundCloud is evolving beyond streaming into a creator-first platform focused on fan relationships, monetization, and artist discovery.

Why “streaming is not enough” for artists, how fan-powered royalties work, the future of direct-to-fan monetization, and why creator tools are becoming more important in the AI era. Eliah also explains SoundCloud’s approach to generative AI music, ethically trained AI models, and why the platform refuses to monetize fully AI-generated songs.

Follow Eliah Seton and SoundCloud:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliahseton/

https://soundcloud.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

08:27 - Eliah Seton on the Future of SoundCloud

13:41 - Why “Streaming Is Not Enough” for Artists

18:15 - Fan Monetization, Merch, and Direct-to-Artist Revenue

22:03 - How SoundCloud Helps Artists Get Heard and Build Fans

27:14 - Creator Subscriptions and Fan-Powered Features

31:24 - Wallets, Tipping, and the Future of Fan Transactions

36:01 - AI Tools for Music Creation and Artist Discovery

40:48 - SoundCloud’s Approach to Ethically Trained AI

47:17 - AI Music, Royalties, and Streaming Economics

52:08 - The Future of Human Artistry in the AI Era

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Ash Avildsen, founder of Sumerian Records. Ash shares the story of building one of the most influential independent labels in modern rock and metal, from booking DIY tours in the MySpace era to helping artists break into arenas.

During this episode, Ari and Ash dive into artist development, the evolution of touring, music video economics, social media virality, the ethics of tour buy-ons, and why building an artist brand matters more than ever. Ash also opens up about expanding Sumerian into film, the future of entertainment brands, and why he believes music videos deserve a better business model.

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sumerianrecords/

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@sumerianrecords

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com/

04:21 - Ash’s Journey from Touring Musician to Founding Sumerian Records

08:04 - Why Ash Left Booking to Focus Fully on the Label

12:00 - MySpace, TikTok, and How Artists Break Today

17:30 - Scenes, Community, and the Evolution of Heavy Music

22:16 - Artist Development and Getting Bands to Their First 500 Tickets

25:22 - The Ethics and Reality of Tour Buy-Ons

31:49 - Discovering Artists in the Streaming Era

35:15 - Why Music Videos Still Matter

49:00 - Building Sumerian Beyond Music Into Film and Media

56:00 - Ticketing, Industry Frustrations, and What It Means to “Make It”

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Red Leather, the anonymous artist who turned viral TikTok videos into sold-out tours around the world. Known for his signature red hat, Red Leather first started his career by busking on Hollywood Boulevard before exploding online with viral covers and original songs like “The Only Time It Rains in Hollywood.”

In this episode, Red Leather breaks down how he used social media to grow his audience from scratch, why he posted 5 videos a day for 100 straight days, how smashing guitars outside Capitol Records landed him a record deal (that he turned down), and why ticket sales matter more than streams or viral moments. He also opens up about sobriety, surviving addiction, touring independently, and eventually partnering with Empire after years of doing everything DIY.

Follow Red Leather:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/redleather/

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@redleather

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com/

00:04:02 - Intro

00:04:36 - The Origin of Red Leather

00:06:39 - Sobriety, Addiction & Artistic Vulnerability

00:10:11 - Posting 5 Videos a Day for 100 Days

00:14:11 - The Viral TikTok That Changed Everything

00:20:00 - Smashing Guitars Outside Capitol Records

00:25:12 - Why He Turned Down Major Label Deals

00:33:28 - Booking Tours Through Instagram DMs

00:47:23 - Virality vs Real Fans & Ticket Sales

01:01:58 - What “Making It” Means Today

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business:https://book.aristake.com/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Oskar Med K, a breakout Norwegian EDM producer. Oskar breaks down the "overnight" success that was actually years in the making—from the days of sending 500 cold emails to labels with no response.

In this episode, Ari and Oskar talk about the marketing strategies that helped him scale from 40k monthly listeners to 11 million, why "simple" content often outperforms high-production on TikTok, and the surreal feeling of playing Coachella as his first-ever music festival.

https://www.instagram.com/_oskarmedk/

03:54 – Intro: The Release of Oskar’s Debut Album Feel

05:24 – Albums vs. Singles: Building a Body of Work in the Streaming Era

09:12 – The Remix Story: How Khalid Ended Up on a Remix

12:52 – Behind the Tracks: Songwriting and Collaborating Remotely

17:19 – The Early Grind: From iPad Beats to Music School in Norway

19:00 – From 0 to 1: The "Hustle" of Emailing 500 Record Labels

20:17 – Breaking Through: Finding the Right Label via LabelRadar

25:12 – Marketing Strategy: Simple Content vs. High-Production TikToks

33:42 – Moving to the Stage: Transitioning from Studio Producer to Live Act

40:40 – The Coachella Milestone: Playing Your First-Ever Festival

44:29 – The Future of Music: Addressing the AI Debate and "Making It"

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Ethan Berlin and Skully Kaplan of ROAM Artists for an inside look at the realities of booking and touring in today’s music industry. They unpack how booking agencies build and manage their rosters, what it really takes to develop artists on the road, and how deals—from guarantees to ticket splits—actually come together. If you’re an artist planning your next tour or trying to understand the live side of the business, this episode gives a clear, candid breakdown of how it all works.

https://www.instagram.com/roam.artists/

https://roamartists.com/

Chapters

05:03 – Intro & ROAM Agency Origin Story

08:26 – From Partnership to Global Agency

11:32 – Why Artists Need Different Agents by Region

14:59 – Breaking Into International Markets (Asia & Beyond)

19:52 – Why Artists Blow Up in Some Countries First

25:20 – Genre & Market Differences Worldwide

34:48 – The Real Cost of Touring Today

40:16 – How Artists Cut Costs on Tour

44:48 – How Artists Actually Make Money Touring

48:16 – Tour Deals & Promoter Strategy Explained

52:11 – Marketing Tours & Selling Tickets

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Mark Orr, the founder of Lab Records, to explore how independent labels are evolving in today’s music industry.

From deal structures and artist ownership to marketing strategies and physical releases, Mark shares a transparent look into how his label has operated and adapted over nearly two decades. They dive into how indie deals have shifted to become more artist-friendly, how Lab approaches partnerships like distribution with ADA, and why physical products like vinyl and limited editions are more important now than ever. Mark also breaks down how to build a lean team, when to outsource, and how to create meaningful fan engagement in a crowded digital landscape. Whether you’re on the artist or label side of the business, you won’t want to miss this episode.

https://www.instagram.com/labrecords

https://labrecs.com/

Chapters

00:00 - Lab Records Origin

05:00 - Building a Lean Team

09:25 - Streaming & Fan Engagement

13:23 - Pitching Artists vs Majors

16:07 - Modern Deal Structures

21:19 - Artist Power Shift

26:19 - Marketing in 2020s

31:42 - Physical Sales Comeback

36:21 - Touring Builds Fanbase

45:50 - Tools, Teams, Future

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids-Ergas

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.