The Digital Music News Podcast

Despite a vinyl record comeback that started nearly 15 years ago, the companies manufacturing vinyl are still scrambling to get back on the field. Old, laborious processes are being revived, but many of the format's experts are no longer around. And younger mastering engineers have little idea how to master content for vinyl records. But what if mastering engineers could master for vinyl, without actually having to constantly test their tweaks on vinyl platters?

Jeff Price is one of the music industry's foremost experts on music copyright and artist royalties. He's also a huge critic of Spotify and the recently-passed Music Modernization Act (MMA). One reason is that there's actually another streaming royalty that is owed to most artists and songwriters... they just don't know about it.  He blames that fact on corrupt legislators and music companies. So how do you find out about this missing royalty, and more importantly, get paid on it?

Lucidious is an independent rapper with more than 100 million Spotify streams and a steady income. He's also helping his fans deal with serious issues of depression and suicide. His verses are emotionally raw and totally heartrending, with personal struggles a pervasive topic throughout.  This isn't typical rap bravado, and his fanbase has responded accordingly. They also reach out to him for help, recognizing a kindred soul.  Sometimes, that somebody is on the brink of suicide. 

What does it really take to get to the top of the Billboard charts? The answer, according to Reggie Gooden, a partner at 818 Talent, depends on when you're asking.  Gooden told us that the rules for ranking on the Billboard 200 had already changed since we arranged this podcast interview a few weeks ago.   “The thing that musicians have to contend with, is that the goal posts are constantly moving." And with every change comes a litany of tricks to game the new chart system...

"Certainly, we're in the era of copyright trolling," music industry attorney James Sammataro flatly states in this edition of the Digital Music News Podcast. So what's the solution? In this edition of the Digital Music News Podcast, we set out to create a survival list for protecting yourself against an oncoming wave of copyright trolls. Because unfortunately, if you score a smash hit, you may also attract some serious litigation.

Lucidious was a talented musician with a growing fanbase and a well-paying day job.  But he also couldn't get onto a Spotify playlist to save his life. Now, he's making $250,000 a year with a rabid and growing fanbase.  And he's still not getting any Spotify playlist love.  So how is that even possible? Ari Herstand, author of How to Make It In the New Music Business, explained that getting included on massive playlists can actually be damaging to an artist's long-term career.  Here, he explains w

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Phil May from the band, The Pretty Things. One of the most influential people in rock history, and you’ve probably never heard of him. Phil May founded The Pretty Things with Dick Taylor in 1963.  Taylor had previously been in a band called Little Boy Blue And The Blue Boys with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.  That group would eventually become The Rolling Stones. 

This week, we talk to the world's foremost experts in guitar effects pedals. After spending decades in music production, live tech, and pedal development, these four guys decided to help break the world's record for the largest guitar effects pedalboard ever created. Some may ask, why? These guys asked why not?

In this episode of the Digital Music News podcast, we stray outside the usual music industry discussions to interview fast-rising YouTube sensation, Dad.  Enjoy!

Ed McPherson is one of biggest attorneys in the music industry.  And he's getting worried about a spate of recent copyright infringement decisions with highly-controversial outcomes. The latest of those decisions belongs to Flame, a relatively-unknown Christian rapper who scored a $2.78 million infringement award after suing Katy Perry, producer Dr. Luke, Capitol Records and others involved in the 2015 hit, "Dark Horse".  I asked McPherson if the industry is in trouble.  Here's what he said.

Noah Itman spends some time chatting with Todd Rundgren, one of the most influential figures in music. They discuss Todd's massive career, his involvement in music tech, high-level synchronization and his numerous projects throughout the past 53 years.

Zöe Keating lost her husband in 2015, leaving the cellist extraordinaire a single mother.  Keating soldiered on, but it was her fans that made it impossible for her to leave.  Keating die-hards started donating heavily and cheering her on at packed shows. Keating is also an activist on Capitol Hill, where she's battling potential conflicts of interest among major publishers. (btw, for those wanting to comment on the MLC selection process, the link is here: http://bit.ly/2ZjYCMH )

Headphones are dangerous, simply because they block out everything else that's going on outside.  But what if you could hear what's going on and still listen to the audio? Bethesda, MD-based David Nghiem noticed that municipalities have been banning headphones while driving or biking, for obvious reasons.  So Nghiem's company, Conduit, is focused on developing bone-conduction, 'off-ear' headphone technology.

Peter Csathy is the author of Fearless Media, which is 300+ pages about everything that happened in the media world - in just the last year. One of those spaces is music, specifically streaming music, which had a watershed year in 2018.  Of course, one of the 'big kahunas' in music is Spotify, a company that is often compared to Netflix in the video world. But how apt are those comparisons?

In October of 2018, the music industry passed a momentous bill: the Music Modernization Act, or MMA. The sweeping law opened a brand-new process for streaming giants like Spotify to pay songwriters, and ordered the creation of a dedicated organization to track, collect, and pay those royalties to publishers and songwriters. Just one question: who's gonna run this new organization?