by Ari's Take
<p>**WEBBY AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC PODCAST**</p><p>“#1 music industry podcast to help keep you in the loop” -Spotify</p><p>“The 10 Best Music Business Podcasts of 2022" – Variety</p><p>Ari Herstand is the best-selling author of How To Make It in the New Music Business. Forbes calls him “The poster child of DIY music.” In this show, he deconstructs the brightest minds in the music industry, digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and strategies that listeners can use to run successful careers of their own. Ari offers straight talk with no fluff and doesn’t let his guests off easy. If there is a way, Ari will find it.</p><br><p>To learn more follow<a href="http://instagram.com/aristake_" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> @aristake_ </a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/ariherstand" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@ariherstand</a></p><br><p>Visit <a href="http://aristake.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">aristake.com</a> to join the newsletter.</p><br><p>--</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
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April 16, 2025
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Mag Rodriguez, the founder and CEO of the direct-to-fan platform EVEN. Throughout his career, Mag has helped artists generate over 1 billion streams—but now, he’s focused on building a parallel music economy where artists sell directly to fans before streaming. “Superfan” platforms like EVEN are redefining how artists monetize their work.</p><br><p>Through EVEN, Mag has partnered with J. Cole, 6LACK, LaRussell, Lauren Jauregui, Fariana, Smino, Ryan Leslie, and thousands of other artists of all levels, empowering them to take ownership of their fan relationships and unlock new revenue streams. They’re essentially putting control and earnings back into the hands of artists.</p><br><p>In this episode, Mag tells Ari about artists who don’t have many followers or monthly listeners, but are making significant revenue from their fans on EVEN. They discuss the previous eras of direct-to-fan platforms (like Bandcamp, Patreon, Kickstarter) and how EVEN’s music-centric model differs from these prior iterations. Superfan platforms are truly taking the industry by storm—Mag tells Ari that EVEN, alone, onboards about 8,000 artists each day. If you’re interested in exploring superfan platforms, this episode is a great place to start. </p><br><p>Check out EVEN at: <a href="http://get.even.biz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">get.even.biz</a></p><br><p>Chapters</p><br><p>00:00 The Challenge of Monetizing Music for Emerging Artists</p><p>02:57 The Rise of Direct-to-Fan Platforms</p><p>05:58 Understanding Even: A Direct-to-Fan Platform</p><p>08:55 Windowing and the Shift in Music Distribution</p><p>11:54 The Economics of Music Sales vs. Streaming</p><p>15:12 Selling Access: The Community Aspect of Even</p><p>18:00 Building Community: The Even Triangle</p><p>21:04 Real Success Stories: Emerging Artists on Even</p><p>24:00 Emotional Commerce: Connecting with Fans</p><p>26:57 The Future of Music Monetization</p><p>35:10 The $1,000 Album Phenomenon</p><p>38:36 Sustainable Revenue Models for Artists</p><p>40:16 Data-Driven Insights for Artists</p><p>44:27 The Journey to Building Even</p><p>51:12 Navigating Major Labels and Independent Artists</p><p>54:23 Operational Framework for Artists and Labels</p><p>01:00:07 Community Engagement and Fan Interaction</p><p>01:04:24 Defining Success in the New Music Business</p><br><p>Edited and mixed by Ari Davids</p><p>Music by Brassroots District</p><p>Produced by the team at Ari’s Take</p><br><p>Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: <a href="https://book.aristake.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://book.aristake.com</a></p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
April 9, 2025
<p>This week, Ari is joined by Lyor Cohen, the Global Head of Music at YouTube. Earlier in his career, Lyor led Def Jam Recordings, where he worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Ludacris. He eventually sold Def Jam to Universal and helped create the Island Def Jam Music Group. After Def Jam, Lyor became Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group. He went on to co-found 300 Entertainment (repping artists like Fetty Wap and Young Thug) before landing at YouTube in 2016.</p><br><p>In this episode, Lyor and Ari discuss artist development, the state of the industry, and music’s digital revolution. Lyor shares what it was like to lead Warner Music at a time when both Spotify and YouTube launched. If you’re curious about the trajectory of tech in music, how generative AI can bring artists and fans together, or how you can use YouTube to build momentum in your career, this episode is for you.</p><br><p>Chapters</p><br><p>00:00 The Pursuit of Artist Success</p><p>05:23 Navigating the Music Industry Landscape</p><p>12:11 User-Centric Approach in Music</p><p>20:34 Building Artist Communities</p><p>27:14 The Evolution of Music Consumption</p><p>33:30 Embracing Generative AI in Music</p><br><p>Edited and mixed by Ari Davids</p><p>Music by Brassroots District</p><p>Produced by the team at Ari’s Take</p><br><p>Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: <a href="https://book.aristake.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://book.aristake.com</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
April 3, 2025
<p>This week Ari sits down with Victoria Canal, a trailblazing singer-songwriter based in London. Victoria has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Later… with Jools Holland, and onstage with Coldplay at Glastonbury. She has won two Ivor Novello awards (including the Rising Star award) and recently released a new album, Slowly, It Dawns.</p><br><p>After ten hard-won years as a DIY artist, Victoria’s now signed with a major label, Parlophone Records (under Warner Music Group). In this episode, Victoria opens up about her journey as an artist and the varying pressures faced by both indie and label-repped musicians. Tune in to learn more about headlining the Troubadour, life as a touring artist, managing the pressures of social media, and how to attract the right kinds of fans. </p><br><p><a href="https://www.victoriacanal.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.victoriacanal.com/</a> </p><br><p>Chapters</p><br><p>00:00 From Glastonbury to Stardom</p><p>03:11 The Journey of Victoria’s Career</p><p>05:49 Creating Intimate Connections Through Music</p><p>08:50 The Reality of Touring Economics</p><p>11:56 Balancing Artistry and Business</p><p>14:58 The Emotional Journey of Songwriting</p><p>18:07 Evolving Through Performance</p><p>20:55 The Impact of Social Media on Artists</p><p>24:09 Navigating Vulnerability in Performance</p><p>27:14 The New Album: Slowly, It Dawns</p><p>30:05 Reflections on Growth and Authenticity</p><p>36:23 The Inner Journey of Self-Acceptance</p><p>39:50 Meeting Idols: Reality vs. Expectation</p><p>40:45 A Dream Come True: Performing with Coldplay</p><p>45:04 The Importance of Energy in Performance</p><p>46:06 Navigating the Artist Lifestyle and People Management</p><p>49:03 The Weight of Fan Interactions</p><p>54:06 Social Media Pressures and Authenticity</p><p>01:01:19 Taking a Stand: Performing at the Kennedy Center</p><p>01:05:39 Defining Success in the Music Industry</p><br><p>Edited and mixed by Ari Davids</p><p>Music by Brassroots District</p><p>Produced by the team at Ari’s Take</p><br><p>Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: <a href="https://book.aristake.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://book.aristake.com</a></p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
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