The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

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/@peteganbargInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/peteganbarg/Check out Ari’s Take:https://aristake.com04:21 – The True Role of A&R: What Has Changed and What Hasn't09:00 – Artist Development vs. Chasing Quick Hits13:20 – Why Live Performance Still Matters to Labels16:05 – TikTok Stars, Viral Songs, and Building Careers20:50 – The Difference Between a Song, an Artist, and a Career25:55 – How Pete Discovers and Develops Songwriters30:10 – Michael Pollack's Journey to Writing "Flowers."35:15 – Songwriting by Committee, Sampling, and Publishing Trends40:50 – AI, Songwriting, and the Future of Music Creation48:15 – What Excites Pete Most About the Future of Music54:07 – What It Means to "Make It" in the New Music BusinessEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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

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.com05:06 - Meet Dee Diaz and Reach Records08:47 - The History of Reach Records and Lecrae12:31 - Building the Reconstruction Campaign15:07 - The 1,000 Fan Mailer Strategy16:19 - Creating The Workshop Fan Community19:37 - Turning Superfans Into Brand Ambassadors29:09 - Community Service as Music Marketing37:39 - The Story Behind “Coming In Hot”43:29 - Why TikTok Doesn't Convert Like It Used To46:17 - What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business47:00 - Audience Q&AEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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

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.com03:57 Nicole Abea on Influencer & UGC Marketing at Hopeless Records08:44 The Reality of TikTok Seeding, Fan Accounts & Music Promotion15:20 How to Market a Song with a $2,000 Budget18:25 BookTok, Online Communities & Finding Your Audience23:29 What Spotify and DSPs Want from Artists26:26 Why Record Labels Are Signing Influencers33:21 Scene Over Genre: How Modern Fandom Has Changed42:41 How All Time Low's “Dear Maria, Count Me In” Went Viral Again45:22 Rage Bait, Algorithms & The Future of Music Marketing51:00 Closing ThoughtsEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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

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.com03:45 – Molly Neuman's Journey to Becoming CD Baby President11:32 – Is CD Baby Still Independent?18:04 – Universal Music's Acquisition & What It Means for Artists27:41 – The State of Independent Music Distribution in 202639:18 – What Artists Get Wrong About Distribution49:07 – 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 Penalized1:12:56 – What "Making It" Really Means in Today's Music IndustryEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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

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/Chapters05:07 Navigating Copyright in the Age of AI10:03 The Bootleg Remix Phenomenon14:58 The Role of Labels and Distributors19:59 Ethics and Future of AI in Music25:07 Navigating Major Label Deals28:24 The Impact of Viral Trends on Music30:43 Whack-a-Mole: The Challenge of Unauthorized Remixes32:30 Collaborating with Major Artists36:51 Ethics and AI in Music Production39:35 The Future of Derivative Works42:36 User-Centric Payment Models in Streaming50:52 Building Timeless Music and CommunityEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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

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_pepinCheck out Ari’s Take:https://aristake.com00:06:14 - Intro & How Goldford Broke Through00:08:56 - Why Most Artists Fail to Keep Their Viral Fans00:12:28 - Understanding the Marketing Funnel for Musicians00:16:09 - Social Media Strategy: Hooks vs. Deep Content00:19:25 - Building a Fanbase Without Chasing Trends00:39:42 - The B-Side Touring Model vs. Ticketmaster00:43:09 - Why Artists Need Emails, Phone Numbers & Fan Data00:47:20 - Goldford’s Viral Growth Strategy Revealed00:58:57 - Songwriting Camps, Producers & Building Opportunities01:06:18 - What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business Edited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic 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