The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

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

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

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

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

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comHaley Joelle is a 24-year-old songwriter and artist from outside of Portland, OR, currently based in LA. Haley is known for her unique and specific approach to storytelling in her songs that have resonated with millions of people around the world. Her lyrics touch on family dynamics, the complications of growing up, grief, and heartbreak - all lending themselves to help her listeners feel less alone. Haley’s songs have been discovered on popular playlists including Spotify’s Chilled Hits, Chill Pop, Fresh & Chill, Sad Hour, Sad Songs, Today’s Singer-Songwriters, Morning Commute, Mellow Evening, and Apple Music’s Breaking Pop, In My Room, Acoustic Chill, Today’s Acoustic, Acoustic Memories, and New Music Daily. Her songs have been streamed more than 100 million times, and featured in Amazon Prime Video’s #1 most watched non-English language original movie, ‘Culpa Mía’ as well as the popular TV shows ‘Love Island USA’ and ‘Love Island Games.’ After a couple tour support slots, and with 450k+ engaged fans around the world, she embarked on her first mini headline tour in December 2023 after the release of her album ‘Me And My Past.’ Haley’s next album is due September 2024.00:00 - Intro03:55 - Haley’s songwriting and album process15:52 - Alternative music programs and networking21:50 - How did Haley find other collaborators?29:29 - Haley on music videos34:07 - On staying independent and talking to labels43:07 - Pitching for playlist inclusions55:23 - Where does the money go?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 Haley Joelle :Website: https://haley-joelle-merch.myshopify.com/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pZOG8ump4odtJJA4Cy7S8Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itshaleyjoelle/X: https://x.com/itshaleyjoelleEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comClaude Brooks started his career as an actor with notable success, having starred in a few series and acted in over 300 episodes. His production company has Executive Produced and created over 500 episodes of television across a vast range of genres. In the children’s arena, Claude Brooks created and produced The Discovery Kids’ Emmy Nominated children’s show, “Hip Hop Harry”, for which new content is currently being produced for over 15 digital platforms, and has spawned a live touring show and successful merchandising program. Most recently, Claude co-created with Snoop Dogg “Doggyland,” an innovative music based 3D animated children’s show on YouTube, HappyKids.tv and Kidoodle. “Doggyland” is a NAACP Image Award winner for “Outstanding Best Short Form” 2024.This week, Ari and Claude discuss his hit kids show co-created with Snoop Dogg, “Doggyland.” Claude discusses his journey of building a successful show and the importance of perseverance and consistency. They also touch on how he got to collaborate with Snoop Dogg on the show, as well as the impact of social media platforms and how it has grown the show. He also shares his insight on the virality of the song “Go Go Go, Who’s Next?” and how he leverages TikTok to build a fanbase. Claude shares his experience working with DistroKid as a music distributor and the benefits of payment splitting. They conclude by discussing future plans for Doggyland, including potential collaborations and a movie.Chapters00:00 Intro04:09 Success of Children's Music Shows10:30 Building a Hit Kids Show28:18 Business Model of YouTube Kids Shows30:42 The Power of Persistence and Activity in Achieving Success35:42 The Growth and Success of Doggyland48:34 Challenges of Content Creation and Distribution58:22 The Role of DistroKid in the Music IndustrySubscribe 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 Claude Brooks:Website: https://ctotheb.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doggyland_kids/Edited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comDeva Anderson is an award-winning Music Supervisor and Executive with unparalleled range and depth. Over the course of her career, she has worked on more than 40 feature films with some of the most esteemed filmmakers in the industry, as well as more than 30 original series for television. Deva excels at facilitating collaboration and envisioning music that brings a director’s vision to life.She is the Head of Music for Tom Hanks's production company, Playtone, where she has overseen music for all their productions for 25+ years, including the Oscar-nominated film Greyhound, Band of Brothers, and The Pacific.Outside of her work at Playtone, Deva has worked with some of Hollywood's most prolific directors, including Denis Villeneuve (Dune) and Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs). She's also a music consultant and music-supervised Columbia Pictures' Blade Runner 2049, and Netflix's upcoming 2024 film The Piano Lesson.Ari and Deva discuss the role of supervisors in film and TV, her approach to finding and obtaining music for productions, the process of clearing said music, and discusses the variety of projects she has worked on at Playtone, Tom Hanks’ production company.Deva Anderson also highlights the role of music representatives in ensuring that all rights are cleared and that the business side of music is properly understood. She touches on the changing landscape of streaming networks and the budgets and fees associated with music placements. Finally, she concludes by discussing the use of library music and the potential impact of AI on music creation and production.Chapters00:00 The Path to Becoming a Music Supervisor08:02 Spotting Sessions: Collaborating with Composers and Directors13:58 Public Domain Music: Using Historical Songs28:41 The Role of Indie Artists in Music Licensing34:19 Music Supervision and Playtone48:20 The Value of Library Music50:42 The Influence of AI in Music Creation and Production54:26 Breaking into the Music Supervision FieldSubscribe 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 Deva Anderson :IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0026620/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deva-anderson-b385a6283Edited and mixed by Mikey EvansMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari is joined by David Rishty, the President of Palm Tree Records. They discuss Palm Tree’s partnership with Sony, the value of radio and satellite platforms like SiriusXM, and the many ways labels can help with artist development. Palm Tree Records is a joint venture with Sony Music, co-founded by Kygo and his manager, Miles. It operates as an indie label with major label resources, providing a small, tight-knit team and the support of a major label when needed.David Rishty's journey in the music industry began as a writer, penning features for a variety of publications including Billboard. During his tenure there, he launched the Billboard Dance 100 artist ranking and partnered with top brands including SiriusXM and Apple Music. His passion for building a brand crossed over to artist development early on in his rise with the founding of Exchange Management. In the seven years since its inception, Rishty’s artist roster has collectively earned more than 600 million streams and performed at over 400 shows. He has since brought this management mindset to Palm Tree Records, providing a holistic approach to artist development and creating a boutique label experience. Palm Tree’s roster remains select at less than a dozen artists, yet has amassed over 750 million total streams to date.Chapters00:00 The Evolution of Dance Music and DJ Culture05:14 The Role of Major Label Resources in Artist Development09:04 The Importance of Radio Promotion and Other Revenue Verticals11:24 Building a Brand and Fan Base with Palm Tree Records24:00 Releasing Music and Establishing a Presence During the Pandemic28:49 The Impact of SiriusXM and the Different Radio Landscape35:18 The Power of Short-Form Video Content47:21 The Importance of Trust in Label-Artist Relationships55:28 Defining Success in the Music IndustrySubscribe 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 David Rishty:Website: https://www.palmtreerecords.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rishty/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daverishty/X: https://twitter.com/DaveRishtyEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.comThis week, Ari is joined by Laura Jones, a producer manager and founder of Little Underground Management. They discuss negotiating contracts, signing up and coming producers, and navigating royalty splits. Little Underground Management represents producers and helps connect them with artists, with her role being 50% creative and 50% business administration. On the creative side, she acts as a musical matchmaker, connecting producers with artists, songwriters, and engineers. On the business side, she negotiates fees, contracts, and schedules, and oversees the entire recording process. In this conversation, Ari and Laura discuss the complexities of songwriting and publishing splits in the music industry. They explore how songwriting credits are determined, the challenges of splitting royalties, and the politics involved in negotiating publishing deals. Laura shares insights into how deals are structured, the importance of contracts, and the challenges of getting paid in a timely manner. Chapters00:00 The Importance of Contracts for Producers02:23 Understanding Master Royalties and Publishing09:39 The Role of Producer Managers in Connecting Producers with Artists23:33 How Producer Deals Work: Fees and Royalties34:01 Navigating Different Genres and Deal Structures36:28 The Complexities of Publishing Rights49:40 Challenges of Getting Paid in the Music Industry53:49 The Importance of Contracts for Producers and Songwriters01:02:19 Finding a Manager as a ProducerSubscribe 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 Laura Jones:Website: https://www.littleundergroundmanagement.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_underground_mgmt/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-jones-876240aX: https://twitter.com/LittleUmgmtEdited and mixed by Ari DavidsMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s Take