Archive

Navigate our library of 300+ expert analyses covering music industry innovation since 2019. Our research examines the intersection of music, tech, and business through multiple lenses, from streaming economics to next-gen platforms and fan engagement strategies. Use our interactive filters to explore specific topics and trends that matter to your work.

INDUSTRY FUNCTION

TECH & PLATFORMS

Boring is back: Key takeaways from our January investment webinar
Cherie Hu
2025-02-03
creation
rights
business models
macro view
ai
startups
streaming
live
Follow along
The big picture: “Boring” is back
Three defining narratives
Key audience questions
Looking ahead: Critical questions for 2025
Back to basics: Where music tech money really flows
Cherie Hu
2025-01-28
creation
rights
business models
macro view
fandom
marketing
ai
startups
streaming
live
merch
Methodology
2024 by the numbers
Bird’s-eye view:“Boring” is back
Rights: Following the money trail
Live: From moonshots to modernization
AI: beyond one-click wonders
Runner-up categories
How capital is evolving
Future outlook and implications
Three strategic questions for 2025
From policy to practice: The music industry’s AI ethics playbook
Cherie Hu
2025-01-17
creation
rights
business models
macro view
ai
startups
Tier 1: Strongest industry consensus
Licensing & control
Protecting human creativity
Tier 2: Evolving standards and debates
Transparency & documentation
Fair value distribution
What’s next?
Music tech ownership ouroboros, 2025 edition
Cherie Hu
2025-01-06
business models
distribution
rights
macro view
live
streaming
startups
Private equity doubles down on music
Majors rush to own independent infrastructure
Institutional capital reshapes rights ownership
The superfan fallacy: Key takeaways from our final webinar of 2024
Cherie Hu
2024-12-18
fandom
marketing
business models
macro view
product
startups
social media
merch
Follow along
The emotional cost of stan culture
The legal reality of fan data
The platform paradox in fan monetization
Recommended readings
The New Music AI Stack: NYC Takeaways
Cherie Hu
2024-11-22
creation
rights
business models
product
ai
startups
Who was in the room
Tl;dr
Suno’s evolution in AI music creation
ElevenLabs’ creator-friendly voice cloning at scale
Professional AI production workflows in practice
The future of AI attribution
Want to build a music-tech startup? Read this first
Cherie Hu
2024-11-05
macro view
business models
product
startups
1. Please...PLEASE...talk to your actual customers
2. Get real about your market size
3. Don't bury the lede
4. Build relationships as seriously as you build software
Closing note
Three music AI trends to watch in 2025: Recording & takeaways
Cherie HuAlexander FloresYung Spielburg
2024-11-04
creation
rights
macro view
business models
product
ai
startups
Follow along
Current market context: Beyond early adoption
Key trends and implications
1. Synthetic data
2. Model controllability
3. AI content & copyright detection
Looking ahead: Diverging incentives
Music Data Decoded: The live music data puzzle
Cherie HuMaarten Walraven
2024-10-30
business models
a&r
fandom
marketing
live
startups
merch
The ticket: The epicenter of live music data
Risk-taking in early stages
Live data is fan data
Closing note
Music Data Decoded: How fan-first marketing *actually* works
Cherie HuMaarten Walraven
2024-10-16
business models
marketing
fandom
product
streaming
social media
startups
How to start understanding your fans
Mapping the diversity of fan interactions
From fragmentation to integration
Music Data Decoded: Distribution & label services
Cherie HuMaarten Walraven
2024-10-08
a&r
business models
distribution
product
streaming
social media
Key hypothesis: Audience development drives artist development
The challenge of measurement — and the power of visualization
The power of narrative, from fandom to fraud
The importance of people
Key takeaways from our webinar on music, data, and storytelling
Cherie HuMichael ZhangAlexander Flores
2024-09-30
a&r
marketing
macro view
business models
product
streaming
social media
startups
Balancing storytelling with data accuracy
Limitations of data-driven A&R
Platform gatekeeping and data access limitations
Educating artists about data practices
The emergence of a community analytics paradigm
BONUS: Addressing unanswered audience questions
What’s next
The State of Data in the Music Industry 2024
Michael ZhangCherie HuAlexander FloresJulie KnibbeMaarten Walraven
2024-08-16
a&r
marketing
distribution
fandom
macro view
product
streaming
live
social media
startups
Prologue: Music’s data paradox
About our respondents
Defining the modern music data stack
Using data tools: High-level trends
Focus: Fan data and CRM
The industry’s “data wishlist”
Key challenges with music data
The role of emerging tech
Conclusion: What comes next?
Proactive innovation in the music business: A manifesto
Cherie Hu
2024-07-17
business models
careers
ai
startups
web3
metaverse
Reactive vs. proactive innovation: Understanding the difference
The building blocks of proactive innovation
Implementing proactive innovation: A practical approach
In conclusion: The proactive innovation mindset
How music AI content and copyright detection actually works
Cherie Hu
2024-07-02
creation
product
rights
business models
ai
startups
I. Auditing AI models’ training data
II. Scanning user uploads
III. DetectingAI-generated music or vocals
IV. Watermarking and self-reporting AI-generated works
The big picture: Suno and Udio Lawsuits
Music SVOD Partnerships Deals
Aliya ChaudhryCherie Hu
2024-06-18
marketing
distribution
macro view
rights
business models
streaming
Is Twitch’s DJ program too little, too late?
Cherie Hu
2024-06-13
marketing
fandom
rights
business models
streaming
live
social media
The decline in music livestreaming demand
The complexity (and cost) of music licensing for livestreams
Daily Music Data: Lessons from the first 30 days
Cherie Hu
2024-06-05
creation
marketing
fandom
rights
macro view
business models
Music data is abundant —and overwhelming
Curation —and rejection —is 90% of the work
The best stories are in between the lines
Connecting dots matters more than chasing news
May 2024 music data
New database: Music industry data tools
Cherie Hu
2024-05-24
marketing
distribution
fandom
macro view
business models
product
Criteria for inclusion
How to navigate this database
Contribute to this database
P.S. Our State of Data in the Music Industry report is still open!
Music Industry Data Tools
Water & Music
2024-05-24
a&r
marketing
distribution
fandom
macro view
business models
product
streaming
live
social media
startups
Suno's $125M round highlights historic shift in music-tech investment
Cherie Hu
2024-05-22
creation
rights
macro view
business models
ai
startups
How Suno stands out in music AI
How Suno stands out in music-tech
What's next for Suno?
Introducing: Daily Music Data
Cherie Hu
2024-05-10
creation
marketing
fandom
rights
macro view
business models
How we curate data
Exclusive benefits for members
Daily Music Data (Member View)
Cherie Hu
2024-05-10
macro view
Why artist subscriptions won’t save music
Cherie Hu
2024-03-25
fandom
business models
product
streaming
social media
startups
1. THE ADVOCATE
2. THE COMMUNITY
3. THE PLATFORM
Introducing our revamped music AI database: 130+ tools, models, and datasets
Cherie HuYung SpielburgAlexander Flores
2024-01-26
macro view
business models
creation
product
rights
startups
ai
New database features: Measuring market impact
How to contribute to our research
HOW TO USE THIS DATABASE
Music AI Market Tracker
Water & Music
2024-01-26
macro view
business models
creation
product
startups
ai
Apps
Models
Datasets
Industry News
Starter Pack: The Emerging Tech Guide for Independent Artists
Brodie ConleyCherie Hu
2024-01-26
business models
macro view
marketing
product
startups
ai
web3
metaverse
Bow down to our new music-tech overlords
Cherie Hu
2023-12-15
macro view
business models
rights
streaming
startups
The music ownership ouroboros
1. Globalization of power
2. Financialization of power
Music-Tech Ownership Ouroboros
Cherie Hu
2023-12-15
macro view
business models
streaming
startups
live
Artist-DSP relationships in 2024: Top five trends to watch
Chuck Fishman
2023-12-11
marketing
distribution
macro view
streaming
startups
1. Shift in streaming payout models — especially at Spotify
2. Layoffs and personnel changes
3. New competition from social media platforms
4. Rise of niche streaming services
5. Influence of generative AI
Music AI Ethics Tracker
Cherie Hu
2023-11-14
creation
rights
macro view
business models
ai
startups
Takeaways from our inaugural music marketing data bootcamp
Cherie HuJulie KnibbeMaarten Walraven
2023-11-13
marketing
fandom
product
streaming
startups
social media
Curriculum design
Key learnings & surprises
A. There is no consensus on the marketing tech stack
B. Even industry veterans face a benchmarking void
C. Data equity and autonomy are strategic imperatives
D. The value of emerging tech is still… emerging
How artist-friendly are music streaming platforms? Part 4: Fan marketing and e-commerce
Chuck Fishman
2023-10-30
marketing
fandom
distribution
business models
product
streaming
merch
IN SUMMARY: How each DSP ranks on fan marketing & e-commerce
Spotify: 9
YouTube Studio: 7.5
Amazon Music: 5
SoundCloud: 4
Pandora: 3
Deezer: 3
Apple Music: 2
TIDAL: 1
Conclusion & implications for artist data strategy
Ed Newton-Rex (VP Audio, Stability AI) on building the next wave of music AI tools
Yung Spielburg
2023-09-28
product
creation
rights
ai
startups
How artist-friendly are music streaming platforms? Part 3: Data analytics
Chuck Fishman
2023-09-25
marketing
distribution
product
streaming
IN SUMMARY: How each DSP ranks on artist analytics
Spotify For Artists: 8.5
Apple Music For Artists: 8
YouTube Studio: 7.5
SoundCloud Insights: 6
Amazon Music for Artists: 5.5
Deezer for Creators: 5
Pandora: 5
TIDAL for Artists: 3
Conclusions & implications for artist data strategy
How artist-friendly are music streaming platforms? Part 2: Profile customization and listener experience
Chuck Fishman
2023-09-25
marketing
distribution
product
fandom
streaming
IN SUMMARY: How each DSP ranks on profile customization & listener experience
Spotify for Artists: 9.0
YouTube Studio: 8.5
SoundCloud for Artists: 8.0
TIDAL for Artists: 7.0
Deezer for Creators: 6.5
Apple Music for Artists: 5.5
Amazon Music for Artists: 5.0
Pandora: 3
Conclusions & implications for artist strategy
Michael Pelczynski (Forms + Shapes) on what we get wrong about streaming economics
Cherie Hu
2023-09-14
business models
distribution
rights
macro view
streaming
Three design tenets for music's "Midjourney moment"
Cherie HuYung Spielburg
2023-09-07
creation
product
ai
startups
OPEN — i.e. the importance of open-source
EXPRESSIVE — or, the need for creative nuance, not just automation
PARTICIPATORY — or, the social extension of creative universes
Inside Sony Computer Science Laboratories' vision for music AI
Cherie Hu
2023-09-01
creation
ai
The rocky history of “Daddy’s Car”
SonyCSL’s music AI tools and philosophy
New opportunities in music AI research
Register now: Our new bootcamp on music, marketing, and data
Water & Music
2023-08-23
marketing
Who is this class for?
Structure & format
Course schedule & speakers
Pricing
About us
What it really means to be "fan-first"
Danielle Vu
2023-08-21
fandom
It’s (still) difficult for artists to even determine who their fans are
It’s important for artists to set boundaries with their fans
Strategies are switching from mass-market to niche appeal — with no one-size-fits-all approach
Srishti Das (Founder, Hivewire) on music strategy for emerging markets
Cherie Hu
2023-08-19
marketing
macro view
The limitations of the term “emerging markets”
Internationalizing niche scenes vs. “glocalizing” big brands
Importance of understanding consumer behaviors — large and small
Starting local then going global — not the other way around
Andreea Gleeson (CEO, TuneCore) on music distribution in an AI-first world
Yung SpielburgCherie Hu
2023-08-05
creation
distribution
ai
TuneCore’s AI principles: Consent, control, compensation
Supporting human-first artistry as the market value for AI music remains unclear
Oversaturation vs. listener choice
Starter Pack: Music streaming platform models
Water & Music
2023-07-14
business models
macro view
streaming
Alex Brees (Founder/CEO, un:hurd) on streamlining marketing for independent artists
Katherine Bassett
2023-07-04
marketing
startups
Modern-day fan forums: The renaissance in online music communities
Nyshka Chandran
2023-06-30
marketing
fandom
social media
The many faces of community on the web
How we made an official GrimesAI banger
Yung Spielburg
2023-06-29
creation
ai
How we made “Eggroll”
Eggroll economics
How to use Discord as an artist
Declan McGlynn
2023-06-22
fandom
social media
What is Discord?
How to get involved
Sustaining your community
Monetization and moderation
The future of community
The cost of automation: How AI will affect the livelihoods of working musicians
Yung Spielburg
2023-06-20
creation
macro view
ai
Building a new AI music format, with Bronze CEO Lex Dromgoole
Cherie Hu
2023-06-20
creation
ai
startups
Introduction to Bronze
Contextless music
Why we need a new format
What our members are talking about
Music merchandise keeps artists afloat. But how does it work?
Katherine Bassett
2023-06-15
marketing
merch
How can artists run a successful merch strategy?
Where should artists sell their merch?
What recent trends have shaped music merch?
What could music merch look like in the future?
Jessica Powell (Co-Founder/CEO, Audioshake) on music startup challenges and the "new possibilities" with music AI
Katherine Bassett
2023-06-15
creation
ai
startups
The best music-making AI tools and how to use them
Yung Spielburg
2023-06-14
creation
ai
startups
Soundful
BandLab
CoSo + Create (Beta) by Splice
Stem splitters
Making music with AI? Start with these ethical guidelines
Sarah LaReau
2023-06-08
creation
ai
Why ethics?
The current landscape of ethics in AI
On developing a custom ethical framework for music and AI
An ethical approach for music and AI
Principles
Process
Essential reads
The time-to-banger tradeoff
Yung Spielburg
2023-06-08
creation
ai
Introducing “time-to-banger”
The automation x flexibility sweet spot
Who are we really building for?
What our members are talking about
[LISTEN] Balancing niche and mainstream on the road to Web3 adoption
Katherine Bassett
2023-05-31
marketing
web3
Start where your fans are — and go easy on the jargon
The playbook is still being written — it’s time to experiment
Key success metrics in Web3 music
Future predictions
Key advice from our speakers
Amber Atherton (investor, author) on building virtual communities: Start small and niche
Katherine Bassett
2023-05-31
fandom
startups
Google, MusicLM, and music AI’s UX problem
Yung Spielburg
2023-05-30
creation
ai
Context: Why UX is important for music AI
A. Lack of specificity
B. Lack of direct citations of other artists
C. Loss in “text-to-music” translation
What our members are talking about
What Fortnite Creative Mode’s payout model means for music
Mat Ombler
2023-05-29
business models
metaverse
What Fortnite Creative Mode’s payout model means for music
Roblox creators can now make and sell limited-run avatar gear
Music partnership in mobile games continue to pick up steam
In other news
Lessons from our inaugural Wavelengths Summit
Diana Gremore
2023-05-24
macro view
Goal #1 – No panels
Goal #2 — Diverse speakers
Goal #3 — No shilling
Goal #4 — No speaker sponsors (unless dedicated workshop)
Goals for the future: Emphasis on collaboration
What’s next?
Sponsor shout-out
New series: How artist-friendly are music streaming platforms?
Chuck FishmanBrandon LandowskiCherie Hu
2023-05-23
marketing
product
streaming
How we built our rankings
Who is this for?
Industry context: What’s in it for artists — and the DSPs themselves
'For Artists' Streaming Product Matrix
Chuck Fishman
2023-05-23
marketing
fandom
macro view
product
streaming
merch
Music copyright fundamentals (with Dani Balcells and Chris Cooke)
Water & Music
2023-04-26
rights
Starter Pack: Music AI deepfakes
Cherie Hu
2023-04-18
creation
rights
ai
Is this trend new?
How are deepfake songs made?
What are the legal issues with deepfake songs?
Are audio “deepfakes” all bad?
Web3 music strategy in a bear market: Tips from our community
Katherine Bassett
2023-04-17
marketing
business models
web3
startups
The bear market — a blessing or a curse?
My love (for NFTs) don’t cost a thing: The rise of free mints and open editions
Tip 1: Stay flexible with pricing — and allowlisting
Tip 2: Experiment with different platforms and blockchains
Tip 3: Prioritize worldbuilding and storytelling
Conclusion: Is it even the right time for artists to experiment with Web3?
Starter Pack: Music and brand partnerships
Water & Music
2023-04-04
marketing
How can artists best prepare for brand partnerships?
What industries are taking an interesting approach to music partnerships?
What market trends are changing the economics of music brand partnerships?
Dive even deeper
The music AI attribution problem
Yung Spielburg
2023-04-03
rights
ai
Why attribution is critical in today’s music economy
Why creative AI makes attribution so hard
The power of starting small: Case studies
In conclusion: The attribution advantage
Even more resources
Follow more updates in Discord
Mapping the fan journey in music and Web3
Water & Music
2023-03-29
marketing
fandom
web3
startups
tl;dr
Introduction
From curiosity to discovery
What makes fans purchase?
The mint: Fan expectations
Going beyond the first touch
Challenges and future implications
Conclusion
Contributors
The Score: Mapping Epic Games’ future music strategy
Mat Ombler
2023-03-28
marketing
metaverse
Scalable discovery: Mapping Epic Games’ future music strategy
Lil Pump, GTA, and custom game servers
Rhythm games continue to expand music licensing opportunities
In other news
Music NFTs in Latin America: Collaborative database
Water & MusicFUTURX
2023-03-23
macro view
web3
startups
Editorial note
Key takeaways
Introduction + background
Methodology
How we define a “music NFT”
Demographic overview
Countries represented
Music genres
Industry experience
Artist gender gap
Pricing, release, and utility trends
Overall sales volume and revenue
Sale type
Blockchain network
Marketplace trends
NFT utility trends
The importance of collectors
Conclusions and future research directions
Collaborators
Starter Pack: Digital music curation
Water & Music
2023-03-20
marketing
streaming
What is curation, anyway?
What makes music curation brands stand out?
What market trends are changing music curation?
Does genre matter in music curation?
What does it mean to decentralize curation?
Dive even deeper
FAQ: Wavelengths Summit
Diana Gremore
2023-03-13
macro view
Our thesis
The experience
FAQ
Voices "R" Us: The future of voice models in the music business
Yung Spielburg
2023-03-08
creation
ai
startups
The new generation of voice modeling for artists
Listen: Water & Music’s own voice AI experiment
EVEN MORE RESOURCES
Starter Pack: Music in virtual worlds
Water & Music
2023-03-06
marketing
metaverse
How is music used in games and virtual worlds?
Can I upload my own music to virtual worlds?
What are the key visual branding opportunities for artists in virtual worlds?
Dive even deeper
What musicians REALLY want from creative AI tools
Yung Spielburg
2023-03-01
creation
macro view
ai
Yes, it IS about the music
The next AI tooling frontier: Video generation
Video AI breakdown: Kaiber
Video AI breakdown: Pollinations
Even more resources
WATCH — The latest music AI tools in action from Never Before Heard Sounds, Harmonai, and more
Water & Music
2023-02-28
creation
ai
startups
AI-powered creation with Never Before Heard Sounds
Fine-tuning with Dance Diffusion
AI music video generation with Pollinations
Interactive generative music with AIMI
Wavelengths 004: Building sustainable music communities
Diana Gremore
2023-02-26
fandom
Starter Pack: Digital music marketing
Water & Music
2023-02-21
marketing
Why is music harder to market than other products?
What role does data play in music marketing campaigns?
How can you build a compelling fan journey around a music release?
Dive even deeper
AI and music copyright: A field guide for artists and developers
Water & Music
2023-02-16
creation
rights
ai
Building a creative AI community: Extended interview
Water & Music
2023-02-16
creation
ai
The Future of Music and Creative AI
Season 3 Behind the Scenes: Integrating AI models into Discord
Season 3 Behind the Scenes: AI News Bulletin
Water & Music’s early AI strategy
The state of music AI tools
Water & Music
2023-02-16
creation
ai
startups
Temp check: AI sentiment across the music industry
Water & Music
2023-02-16
macro view
ai
The Score: More game studios experimenting with virtual K-pop groups
Mat Ombler
2023-02-15
marketing
metaverse
Netmarble launches virtual K-pop girl group MAVE
Aurora’s standout in-game performance in Sky: Children of the Light
Is the music industry missing a beat when it comes to monetizing through video games?
In other news
Play
Listen
Starter Pack: New music communities
Water & Music
2023-02-06
fandom
social media
startups
What metaphors do people use to describe their favorite online communities?
What tools should artists use to run their communities?
What role does the “metaverse” play in modern community-building?
Why are so many music communities going into Web3?
Wavelengths 003: Crafting superfan experiences, from the physical to the digital
Diana GremoreKatherine Bassett
2023-02-02
fandom
A field guide to the latest music AI tidal wave
Yung Spielburg
2023-02-01
creation
ai
startups
EVEN MORE RESOURCES
Wavelengths 002: Web3 for whom?
Diana Gremore
2023-02-01
macro view
web3
Introducing our new bootcamp on global music rights
Water & Music
2023-01-30
rights
Who is this class for?
Structure, format, and pricing
Why Water & Music?
Breaking down the music AI tech stack
Yung Spielburg
2023-01-25
creation
ai
startups
EVEN MORE RESOURCES
Starter Pack: Music/Web3 data
Water & Music
2023-01-23
macro view
web3
How much money have music NFTs made so far?
What makes music/Web3 data infrastructure unique?
What are good metrics for analyzing collector behavior?
What makes music NFT metadata different from the traditional music industry?
Why music AI companies are not flirting with copyright infringement
Yung Spielburg
2023-01-18
rights
ai
startups
Legal defensibility
Ethical and moral responsibilities
Moat creation
EVEN MORE RESOURCES
Web3 and music rights: Our community weighs in
Water & Music
2023-01-15
rights
web3
startups
Hyug Bin Kwon: “This space is much more human-centered and cultural compared to any other field in crypto“
Vérité: “Web3 builders need to understand the industries they’re trying to disrupt”
Dan Fowler: “The whole point of this thing is to build a better world for artists”
Jonathan Larr: “Lawyers should have a vision for where the law can and should be improved”
Anthony Volodkin: “It’s worth continuously reevaluating who the existing systems benefit“
BlackDave: “Innovation requires a bit of flexibility and struggle with the existing structures”
Colombo: “I see builders using innovation as a get-out-of-jail-free card … The law is the law”
Jesse Grushack: “There’s only a tradeoff if you go through the same channels and follow the traditional path”
Starter Pack: New tech, old rights
Water & Music
2023-01-09
rights
startups
The complex music royalty value chain
Music rights and generative AI
Music rights and Web3
Music rights in the metaverse
Request for support: The unexpected labyrinth of music marketing ROI
Danny Scheiner
2023-01-05
marketing
macro view
Project background
Roadblock 1: Does the data exist to create marketing ROI benchmarks?
Roadblock 2: Is the music industry too unique to create marketing ROI benchmarks?
Roadblock 3: Are there too many variables to create marketing ROI benchmarks?
The final roadblock: Will there be enough industry participation to create marketing ROI benchmarks?
NFTs de Música en LATAM: Principales aprendizajes
Water & MusicFUTURX
2022-12-21
business models
macro view
web3
Nota editorial
Resumen
Nuestras principales conclusiones
Introducción + antecedentes
¿Qué es un NFT de Música?
Metodología
Primer análisis de datos
Ventas
Valor promedio de un NFT
Lanzamientos (de NFTs de música en LATAM) 
Países
Trayectoria 
Brecha de género
Plataformas
Cantidad de NFTs por Marketplace
Cantidad de Artistas x Marketplace
Género musical
Blockchain
Tipos de venta
Utilidades en los NFTs
Coleccionista/Collector
Conclusiones y líneas a futuro
Colaboradores
The most underrated music and gaming collaborations of 2022
Mat Ombler
2022-12-16
marketing
metaverse
PUBG: Mobile x Blackpink
Cookie Run: Kingdom x BTS
Neon White x Machine Girl
Metal: Hellsinger x System of a Down x Trivium x Lamb of God (and many more!)
Sky: Children of the Light x Aurora
Even more highlights
Sidechain: Music NFT streaming apps under fire, FTX fallout impact, and songwriter challenges in Web3
Dave "BlackDave" CurryCherie Hu
2022-12-12
marketing
rights
business models
web3
streaming
Music/Web3 dashboard updates
NEW DECK — Attack Decay Research Release: Mapping community with FWB
Music NFT streaming apps under fire
FTX’s relationship (or lack thereof) to the music/Web3 landscape
Songwriters face Web3 headwinds
New music/Web3 data insights
Web3 music consumption options evolve
The wrong mindset
Attack / Decay / Research / Release: Mapping community with FWB
Diana Gremore
2022-12-08
fandom
macro view
CC: Hiring resurgence for virtual events and music data analytics
Amani Roberts
2022-11-26
careers
metaverse
live
Virtual events making a comeback(?)
Relevant roles:
Music data analytics reenters center stage — especially for sustainability initiatives
Relevant roles:
Other interesting jobs we’ve spotted
Community opportunities
Read more and join the discussion
The Score: How Beatstar generated $73M in revenue — including $16M to rightsholders — in year one
Mat Ombler
2022-11-22
business models
rights
distribution
metaverse
startups
Tl;dr
Music curation as a gaming business model
What’s next for Beatstar and music in video games?
Community discussions
CC: Hiring competition for creator tools, plus NYC's new salary transparency law
Amani Roberts
2022-11-10
careers
startups
Growing competition for creator tools
Relevant roles:
The rise of dedicated sustainability roles
Relevant roles:
More hiring in podcast content development and acquisition
Relevant roles:
Other interesting jobs we’ve spotted
Current events: NYC salary transparency law now in effect
Community opportunities
Read more and join the discussion
Sidechain: Web3 presave strategies, the death of FWB Local, and influencer disclosures
Dave "BlackDave" CurryBrooke Jackson
2022-11-09
marketing
fandom
web3
Music/Web3 dashboard updates
NEW ARTICLES
FWB votes to end FWB Local
Disclosure policies for music/Web3 writers and influencers
Big brands and mass adoption
Royalty, royalty, royalty
IRL and live utility
Meme of the week
Wavelengths 001: The state of music curation and discovery in Web3
Diana Gremore
2022-11-07
marketing
web3
startups
Community Member Q&A: Andres Botero, Manga Creative Studios
Katherine Bassett
2022-11-02
careers
New pathways: Analyzing music NFT release strategies from underrepresented genres
The Water & Music community
2022-10-25
marketing
web3
startups
Methodology
Experimenting beyond genre boundaries
The role of platforms and marketplaces
Generalized NFT marketplaces 
Music-specific NFT marketplaces
Customized minting homepages
The value of iteration across platforms
The role of utility
Marketing, awareness, and getting to fans
Tradeoffs+ redefining metrics for success
Conclusion: Where genre fits long-term
The Score: What are the licensing opportunities for independent artists in video games?
Mat Ombler
2022-10-24
marketing
rights
metaverse
How is licensed music used in video games?
What are the benefits of getting your music in a video game?
How to get your music in a video game
Asterisk: The rights conundrum with music/gaming livestreams
Community discussions
CC: A new product focus for music/Web3, plus industry-wide metaverse and LatAm roles
Brooke JacksonAmani RobertsCherie Hu
2022-10-24
careers
web3
metaverse
startups
Music/Web3 product and community skills in high demand
Relevant roles: 
Hiring continues for the music-focused metaverse — especially gaming and AR/VR
Relevant roles:
Latin American music takes over more than the charts
Relevant roles:
In other news: Are pay transparency laws an upcoming win for the music industry?
Community opportunities
Read more and join the discussion
From ZKPs to the future of music/Web3: What we learned at DevCon
Water & Music
2022-10-20
macro view
web3
Andres Botero
Alec D’Alelio
Nicole d’Avis
Alex Flores
Dan Fowler
Nick George
Cherie Hu
Marcus Martinez
Vaughn McKenzie
Rahul Rumalla
Nick Susi
Sweetman
Tom Vieira
Recommended talks
A needs-driven approach to music NFT metadata
Dan Fowler
2022-10-12
rights
web3
startups
Methodology: Use cases > standards
Emerging contextual use cases for music NFTs
Use case 1: Music player 
Use case 2: Curation
Use case 3: Social 
Use case 4: Analysis and accounting
The hardest thing is getting good data
Data requirements for music/Web3 use cases
Identifiers
Rights & licensing
Sidechain: Future Tape joins Zora, new music/Web3 protocols, and new case studies in royalty-backed NFTs
Dave "BlackDave" CurryBrooke Jackson
2022-10-12
product
business models
web3
startups
Music/Web3 dashboard updates
NEW ARTICLE: A NEEDS-DRIVEN APPROACH TO MUSIC NFT METADATA
Future Tape joins Zora
Are everyday people actually interested in collecting music NFTs?
Anotherblock drives more development in royalty-backed music NFTs
In other news
Hot Protocol Fall
Rugs & regulations
Major music brand moves
Community Member Q&A: Josh Dalton, Serenade
Katherine Bassett
2022-10-03
careers
web3
startups
The Score: Is Lil Nas X's League of Legends collaboration his smartest play yet?
Mat Ombler
2022-09-27
marketing
metaverse
Context: LoL’s place in the growing esports market
Charting Riot’s musical and cultural expansion
What Lil Nas X stands to gain from collaborating with Riot
Community discussions
Community Barometer, Q2 2022: The future of work
Katherine Bassett
2022-09-23
careers
macro view
Respondent data
Salary data
Q1: What key challenges are workers currently facing in the music/tech ecosystem?
Q2: What skills are currently in demand for your job role/sector?
Q3: Have you thought about switching jobs in the last year?
Q4: Are the professional development opportunities associated with your job role adequate?
Q5: Do you feel optimistic about the future of your job role/sector?
Q6: What does success look like for you?
CC: Product managers for avatar artists, music/podcast politics, ecommerce services, and more
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-09-22
careers
metaverse
merch
startups
Relevant recent job postings:
Relevant recent job postings: 
Relevant recent job postings: 
Other resources
Sidechain: Venice, Warner Music, and more cross the Web2/Web3 bridge
Dave "BlackDave" CurryBrooke JacksonLindsey Lonadier
2022-09-20
marketing
web3
MUSIC/WEB3 DASHBOARD UPDATES
NEW MUSIC/WEB3 ARTICLES
Venice Music opens up to everyone
Muse NFT drop criticisms continue
Warner Music UK launches new Web3-focused label, Probably A Label
E/merge/nt strategy
Major companies making major moves
Bans and shutdowns
Legal updates
The Score: Was Justin Bieber's first in-game concert a success?
Mat Ombler
2022-09-12
marketing
metaverse
Garena Free Fire gets more out of its music collaborations than most video games
Massive content overhauls and heavy monetization 
Did the in-game concert live up to the marketing hype? 
What can we learn from this collaboration? 
The artist team, today & tomorrow: Takeaways from W&M Summer School 2022
Diana Gremore
2022-09-09
careers
macro view
Shifting responsibilities: Pushing work to artist teams
Equity + new methods of monetization
Tapping into personal + fan communities
Big impact on a low budget
Skills for success
Burnout
Splitting the difference: Music and Web3's multiplayer problem
Andres BoteroPaula AmayaYung Spielburg
2022-09-08
rights
creation
web3
startups
Methodology
Refresher: Music splits
Refresher: Blockchain architecture
The current state of splits protocols
How to split on-chain revenues
Critical components for unlocking multiplayer mode in Web3
A. Consensus wallets
B. Mutability of split data
Conclusion: Legal considerations beyond protocols
Disclosures
CC: Hiring trends across community management, TikTok strategy, metaverse affairs, and more
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-09-07
careers
social media
metaverse
Community opportunities
Other resources
Key takeaways from our discussion on avatar rapper FN Meka
Katherine Bassett
2022-09-03
marketing
metaverse
FN Meka is not AI
FN Meka is barely an artist
AI and avatar artist projects must be careful not to replicate human biases
The Score: Blackpink, PUBG, and the rise of virtual concerts in mobile games
Mat Ombler
2022-08-29
marketing
metaverse
live
Mobile games: a new market for the global music industry? 
How the Blackpink/PUBG experience was activated and monetized 
Why do mobile games matter for artists and their teams? 
Got a pressing question about music and gaming? Let us hear it 
Muse’s NFT album becomes first to hit the UK charts — but does it land?
Katherine Bassett
2022-08-25
marketing
business models
web3
startups
Music NFT aggregators challenge the streaming status quo
Bas Grasmayer
2022-08-05
product
business models
distribution
web3
streaming
Why NFTs: “Magic beans” and composable communities
The Mighty Morphin’ Music NFT Streaming Layer
Challenging music streaming’s status quo: Incentives
Challenging music streaming’s status quo: Value distribution
Fees, splits, and rock & roll
Legal obstacles
Conclusion: An ecosystem of pragmatic experimentation
Disclosures
After the drop: Measuring the lifetime value of music NFTs
Michael ZhangAlexander Flores
2022-07-28
business models
web3
Methods
How we selected drops to study
Secondary sales transaction data and caveats
A. Summary stats: Overall secondary sale revenue & sale prices
B. Collector activity: How many people end up participating in an NFT drop at each stage?
C. Gauging speculation
D. Artist-level performance over time
Conclusion: What is “healthy” for an artist or platform, anyway?
Future research
Secondary sales activity for 1/1s and other NFTs sold at auction
Secondary sales trends by utility
Network analysis of music NFT collectors
Notes + disclosures
The music metaverse is not free from red tape
Katherine Bassett
2022-07-28
rights
metaverse
Choose your own adventure: A music metaverse path finder
The Water & Music community
2022-07-13
macro view
metaverse
How to use this path finder
GOALS
DESIRED OUTCOMES
ACTIONS + EXAMPLES
The most accessible opportunities for indie artists
Currents: Live music DAOs and virtual merch
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-07-12
macro view
web3
merch
live
metaverse
CHANGE LOG SUMMARY
TRENDS WE’RE SEEING
More live music DAOs enter the market
Virtual merch (or “verch”) as a new metaverse frontier
Music NFTs offer new selling points
Meeting in the musical metaverse: Expectations vs. reality
The Water & Music community
2022-07-11
marketing
fandom
metaverse
REPLICATION VS. ESCAPISM: EXPECTATIONS 
REPLICATION VS. ESCAPISM: REALITY
EASY COMMUNICATION AND WAYFINDING: EXPECTATIONS
EASY COMMUNICATION AND WAYFINDING: REALITY
SOURCES OF ENJOYMENT: EXPECTATIONS
SOURCES OF ENJOYMENT: REALITY
FLUIDITY OF AVATAR MOVEMENT: EXPECTATIONS
FLUIDITY OF AVATAR MOVEMENT: REALITY
FLUID CONSUMPTION AND DISCOVERY: EXPECTATIONS
FLUID CONSUMPTION AND DISCOVERY: REALITY
3 ways to bring your music into the metaverse
The Water & Music community
2022-07-08
marketing
distribution
metaverse
But wait… WHAT is the Metaverse, anyway?
New approaches for longform, immersive storytelling
New means for connecting with fans
New forms of personal and social identity
New monetization opportunities
Top-down approach: Gaming partnerships
Bottom-up and decentralized approaches
Onboarding, support, and engagement tips for artists and fans
Bespoke licensing deals with metaverse platforms
Direct uploads to platform libraries
Accessibility and rights considerations
Visual IP for identity and self-expression
Audio IP for social proof, remixing, and derivative works
How to execute on visual IP approaches
Show me the data!
Designing for social stickiness
Bridging traditional <> metaverse audiences
Technology as a friction point
Safety concerns
9 design principles for a musical metaverse
The Water & Music community
2022-07-06
creation
product
metaverse
Ecosystem level: Weekly reading groups
Individual level: Industry interviews and brainstorms
Inclusive and emergent > exclusive and bounded
Disclaimer: Contributors’ affiliations with music/metaverse companies
INDIVIDUAL SENSE OF PRESENCE: WHAT IT MEANS
INDIVIDUAL SENSE OF PRESENCE: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
INDIVIDUAL SENSE OF PRESENCE: METAVERSE STATE
INDIVIDUAL SENSE OF PRESENCE: HYPERVERSE STATE
UGC: WHAT IT MEANS
UGC: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
UGC: METAVERSE STATE
UGC: HYPERVERSE STATE
MASSIVELY SCALED: WHAT IT MEANS
MASSIVELY SCALED: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
MASSIVELY SCALED: METAVERSE STATE 
MASSIVELY SCALED: HYPERVERSE STATE
SCALED SYNCHRONICITY: WHAT IT MEANS
SCALED SYNCHRONICITY: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
SCALED SYNCHRONICITY: METAVERSE STATE
SCALED SYNCHRONICITY: HYPERVERSE STATE
REAL-TIME RENDERED 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS: WHAT IT MEANS
REAL-TIME RENDERED 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
REAL-TIME RENDERED 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS: METAVERSE STATE
REAL-TIME RENDERED 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS: HYPERVERSE STATE
PERSISTENCE OF WORLDS OVER TIME: WHAT IT MEANS
PERSISTENCE OF WORLDS: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
PERSISTENCE OF WORLDS: METAVERSE STATE
PERSISTENCE OF WORLDS: HYPERVERSE STATE
CONTINUITY OF DATA: WHAT IT MEANS
CONTINUITY OF DATA: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
CONTINUITY OF DATA: METAVERSE STATE
CONTINUITY OF DATA: HYPERVERSE STATE
INTEROPERABLE NETWORK: WHAT IT MEANS
INTEROPERABLE NETWORK: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
INTEROPERABLE NETWORK: METAVERSE STATE
INTEROPERABLE NETWORK: HYPERVERSE STATE
DECENTRALIZATION: WHAT IT MEANS
DECENTRALIZATION: WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR MUSIC
DECENTRALIZATION: METAVERSE STATE
DECENTRALIZATION: HYPERVERSE STATE
Scaling music/Web3 will take a village
Sarah LaReau
2022-06-29
marketing
web3
Paradigm shifts: How AI will transform music creation in the next 10 years
Declan McGlynnDave EdwardsCherie Hu
2022-06-23
creation
macro view
ai
Introduction
Context: A Cambrian explosion of creation
Paradigm Shift 1: Remixing and sampling styles, not just sounds
Paradigm Shift 2: Hyper-personalization and the end of static recordings
Paradigm Shift 3: Augmented skills through modeling and resynthesis
Conclusion: Ethical and legal concerns
Currents: Web3 is dead. Long live Web3
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-06-22
macro view
web3
CHANGE LOG SUMMARY
TRENDS WE’RE SEEING
Web3 is dead. Long live Web3.
Onboarding into Web3 through free NFTs
Hip-hop stakes more territory in the metaverse
The music industry reacts to the bear market
Katherine Bassett
2022-06-20
business models
macro view
The market downturn isn’t specific to crypto
Alternative blockchains may have their music NFT moments
It’s still unclear how the downturn will affect Web3 music in the long term
Music NFT contract template V2: Off-chain benefits
The Water & Music community
2022-06-15
rights
web3
startups
Why off-chain benefits?
Methodology
Implementation challenges and observations
Delivery and redemption mechanics
The music NFT pricing debate
Katherine Bassett
2022-06-10
business models
web3
The delicate balance of pricing music NFTs
Chains & rails: How Songcamp builds community-first music infrastructure
Bas GrasmayerCherie Hu
2022-06-06
creation
business models
web3
Defining Web3 music collectives as fluid activities, not fixed objects
Values: Introducing headlessness
Team-building and creation: Houses and alchemy
Intellectual property: The Chaos Agreement
Release: Gamification and the Chaos Festival
Economics & value flow: Custom revenue models both during and after creation
Conclusion: Finance as a creative ingredient
Disclosures
Currents: Artist estates lean on metaverse tech to grow their audiences
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-06-06
marketing
metaverse
CHANGE LOG SUMMARY
TRENDS WE’RE SEEING
The "TikTokification" of the music industry
Katherine Bassett
2022-06-02
marketing
social media
The “TikTokification” of the music industry
Will Abba’s Voyage move the needle for VR music experiences?
Currents: More legacy brands cross the Web2->Web3 bridge
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-05-24
marketing
web3
CHANGE LOG SUMMARY
TRENDS WE’RE SEEING
Big tech embraces(?) Web3
Mid-2000s music brands reborn in Web3 clothes
More NFTs from legacy artists and brands
Should we stop using the term "music NFT"?
Katherine Bassett
2022-05-23
macro view
web3
Left to our own devices: The state of creative AI tools for artists
Dave EdwardsDeclan McGlynn
2022-05-20
creation
ai
startups
But first: What are AI and ML?
Sound selection and design
Source/stem separation
Songwriting/ideation
Voice/speech synthesis
Mixing/mastering
Adoption requires a deeper understanding of workflow and UX
Machines may generate ideas, but humans still make the decisions (if they want to)
New tech enables new forms of experimentation — even if it removes others
“Studio-quality” isn’t always the end goal
Contributors
The Water & Music Academy: An experiment in community-driven media education
Katherine Bassett
2022-05-20
macro view
web3
The ideation process (AKA the mandatory FigJam session)
The problem with online learning
DAO-driven curriculum design
What worked?
What could be improved?
In conclusion…
Discord digest #044: The piracy-to-Web3 pipeline, TikTok's role as a record company
Katherine Bassett
2022-05-14
business models
web3
social media
Currents: New investments in AI music tools and music NFT platforms (despite the market slump)
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-05-11
macro view
web3
ai
New cash infusion for AI-powered music tools
Even more investments in music NFT platforms — bucking wider market trends
More eco-friendly music-tech solutions
Bonus: Music & the metaverse
Music NFT sales in 2021: What we learned
The Water & Music community
2022-05-06
business models
macro view
web3
Abstract
Our main takeaways
Introduction + background
Scope + methodology
Our approach to tracking music NFTs
Backfilling missing + incomplete 2021 data
Exploratory analysis
Sales summary
Primary sales revenue throughout 2021
Number of drops throughout 2021
Leading artists
Percentage + distribution of sales by platform
Sales by artist genre
Sales by artist’s label affiliation
Sales by blockchain network
General pricing trends over time
wen utility? The top music NFT use cases
Pt. 1: On-chain (and related) utility
Pt. 2: Off-chain utility
Outstanding questions + directions for future research
The “meta” challenge of metadata
Expectations vs. reality for big brands
Secondary sales
Customer growth + fan journeys
Discord digest #043: Major-label dominance of Spotify playlists and "10k NFT projects"
Katherine Bassett
2022-04-29
marketing
business models
web3
streaming
Currents: Alternative blockchains for music NFTs and the rise of niche music “metaverses”
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-04-24
macro view
web3
metaverse
startups
Web3 to live connections
Alternative blockchains for music NFTs
More niche music “metaverses”
Other music-tech news to note:
Discord digest #042: Web3 data portability, artist metaverses and the "intricate house of cards" of streaming economics
Katherine Bassett
2022-04-22
marketing
business models
web3
metaverse
streaming
Discord digest #041: Decentralized curation economies and fizzling metaverse hype
Katherine Bassett
2022-04-15
marketing
macro view
metaverse
web3
Catering to niche musical tastes
Creating cultural context around decision-makers
Currents: Trad media tries out Web3
Brooke JacksonDeclan McGlynn
2022-04-12
marketing
web3
Trad media investments in major NFT collections
Web3 music activity in India
“Shopify for NFTs”
Adaptive and AI music investments
Discord digest #040: Spotify's latest Loud & Clear report and NFTs as a back-catalog strategy
Katherine Bassett
2022-04-01
marketing
macro view
streaming
web3
Discord digest #039: UnitedMasters x Yuga Labs and the "real" value of streaming
Katherine Bassett
2022-03-24
marketing
business models
streaming
Analizando el sentimiento de fans sobre lanzamientos de NFTs de música
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2022-03-11
macro view
web3
Más allá de los titulares: Analizando las estrategias de incorporación de Web3 para fans de la música
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2022-03-11
marketing
fandom
web3
METODOLOGÍA
DEFINICIONES
Perfil de fan 1: Cripto-Dudose
Perfil de fan 2: Cripto-Exclusivamente
Perfil de fan 3: Propietaries de NFT no musicales
Perfil de fan 4: Propietaries de NFTs de música
El medioambiente
2. Altos costos y tarifas
3. Educación 
4. Falta de utilidad y abundancia de estafas
Temp check: The state of Web3 sentiment across the music industry
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-11
macro view
web3
A note on interacting with our dashboards
Disclaimers and limitations
Roles and genres
Web3 profiles
Demographics
What Web3 projects have you worked on?
Do you intend to work on a Web3 Project?
Legal concerns 
Environmental concerns (both personal concerns and fan backlash)
Financial cost for fans — and artists
Perception of the crypto community
Overcomplicated processes
Was your project successful?
Scams
“No idea about the music industry”
Capitalism and financialization
Contributors
El estado de las herramientas Web3 para artistes musicales
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2022-03-11
product
business models
web3
startups
Metodología + avisos legales
Lo que nos dicen los datos
Tres solicitudes de creadores de música/Web3
Definiendo la propiedad de los NFTs de música, del mundo digital al analógico
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2022-03-11
rights
web3
Copyright 101 – o, de lo que realmente hablamos cuando hablamos de “propiedad”
Bandera roja #1: Nunca es tan fácil como parece 
Bandera roja #2: Falta de regulación financiera y mecanismos de rendición de cuentas
Conclusión: ¿Cómo podemos mejorar los contratos hoy?
¿Tendrán los NFTs de música su momento PFP?
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-11
business models
macro view
web3
Contexto creativo: Personas compositoras de música generativa como “jardineras”
Mecánica base de NFTs de música generativa: Rareza, mintear a ciegas y quemas
Conclusión: Creatividad como su propia recompensa (financiera)
Discord digest #038: E-commerce for superfans
Katherine Bassett
2022-03-10
marketing
fandom
business models
merch
Structuring the law around Web3 music: A new modular music NFT contract framework
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-09
rights
web3
startups
Who is this contract template for?
A. Defining scope
B. Drafting the contract and designing the template
C. Releasing a sample contract with a real artist NFT
Contract deployment
Revenue splits and accommodating for collaborators
Securities and royalties
Contributors
Appendix
From protocols to people: A study of music NFT platforms’ onboarding strategies
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-08
marketing
web3
startups
METHODS
DEFINITIONS
Web2 vs. Web3 go-to-market strategies: A community-first mindset
1. Artists as the primary vector for onboarding
2. Do things that don’t scale
3. “Building tools wins”
4. Platforms vs. protocols
5. Curated vs. open platforms
6. The importance of data
Future research directions
Appendix
The state of music DAOs
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-07
macro view
web3
startups
Participatory artist/fan cultures in Web3
Fluid, multimodal membership tiers
Third-party, task-based tools
In-house tools
The challenge of decentralizing creativity
Governance tooling
Decentralized identities in music DAOs
Music token analytics
DAO-to-DAO partnerships in the music industry
$STREAM Season 1.5: Scaffolding our research in music and Web3
$STREAM Season 1.5
2022-03-07
macro view
web3
Our Season 1.5 NFTs
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 11: How $RAC pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with artist DAOs
Yung SpielburgCherie Hu
2022-03-07
fandom
business models
web3
startups
Building horizontal, platform-agnostic communities
The importance of custom tooling and access to developers
Treasury strategy and regulatory challenges
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 10: Why the Holly+ DAO is taking it slow
Cherie HuMaarten Walraven
2022-03-05
rights
business models
web3
startups
Fundamentals: Cryptographic identities and pushing the boundaries of IP
Governance: Taking it slow
Financial pain points
Discord Digest #037: Epic's Bandcamp acquisition and Web3 "innovation-washing"
Katherine Bassett
2022-03-04
business models
metaverse
web3
Death of the last independent music platform?
Epic + Bandcamp vs Apple? 
The M*taverse/Web3 can fix this
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 9: Good Karma Records' vision for a Web3-native, multi-token record label
Aniket RajgarhiaLevi Downey
2022-03-03
rights
business models
web3
startups
On “why DAO?”
On governance 
On bridging Web2 and Web3
On Web3 tooling
On pain points, ideas and recommendations
From Spotify’s latest podcast acquisitions to more celebrity-backed metaverse startups: Our latest database updates
Brooke Jackson
2022-03-01
business models
streaming
startups
metaverse
Artists on cap tables: Snoop’s Web3-native ambitions with Death Row
Startup funding rounds: Celebrity-backed metaverse investments continue to pick up steam
Exits: Spotify continues to beef up its podcast ad/monetization toolkit
Music NFT drops: Album and liner-note NFTs take center stage
Music/Web3 tools: Direct-to-fan messaging keeps up its momentum
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 8: The vision behind Leaving Records' $GENRE token
Kevin ShawRaul Guerrero
2022-02-26
rights
marketing
fandom
business models
web3
startups
On fundamentals, a.k.a. “why DAO”
On community design and onboarding
On finance, treasury management and the role of NFTs
On governance
Discord Digest #036: Ye's Stem Player and fraud as a Web3 feature
Katherine Bassett
2022-02-24
product
creation
web3
startups
From Apple’s latest music startup acquisition to yet another scammy music NFT platform: Our latest database updates
Brooke Jackson
2022-02-15
business models
product
streaming
web3
startups
Exits: Apple strengthens its music/tech muscles
New investment funds: Sony opens up investment opportunities for creators in India
Funding rounds: A rare data-analytics raise
Music NFT platforms: More scams to watch
Music NFT drops: Continued momentum in royalty- and live-centric use cases
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 7: How Songcamp/Elektra is building a Web3-native artist collective
Levi DowneyOliver Marco Dawson
2022-02-14
creation
business models
web3
startups
Our main takeaways
History
The birth of ElektraDAO
The tech
The treasury
Parting words of wisdom
Community Barometer, Q1 2022: Our pulse on Web3, community-building and more
Katherine Bassett
2022-02-11
macro view
web3
A. Industry disruption and advancement
B. Web3
3. Artist empowerment 
BONUS THEME: Community
A. Web3 
B. Music-industry dysfunction
C. Financialization
BONUS THEME: Inequality & lack of access
Discord Digest #035: The Spotify drama continues, plus tips for touring in the age of COVID
Katherine Bassett
2022-02-10
macro view
streaming
live
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 6: Why AmpledDAO does not exist (yet)
Maarten WalravenMary Maguire
2022-02-09
business models
web3
startups
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 5: How Jonathan Mann built SongADAO from 4,000+ of his songs
Kevin Shaw
2022-02-08
business models
web3
startups
Main takeaways
From John Legend’s new NFT gig to (yet another) acquisition for Utopia Music: Our latest database updates
Brooke Jackson
2022-02-05
marketing
business models
web3
startups
Startup funding rounds: ElectroSpit’s crowdfunding campaign, plus another nine-figure NFT platform raise
Music/Audio Startup Exits: Even more creator tech consolidation
Artists on Cap Tables: John Legend’s first NFT gig
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 4: Phlote’s “open-startup” approach to music curation
Jonah BurlingameDave "BlackDave" Curry
2022-02-04
business models
web3
startups
Discord Digest #034: Our HitPiece teardown
Katherine Bassett
2022-02-03
business models
macro view
web3
startups
I. Poor cultural fit
II. Stunt marketing
III. Chaotic communications
The week in music, tech and crypto: From Shawn Mendes’ latest NFT platform investment to new cash for live-events startups
Diana Gremore
2022-01-29
business models
web3
startups
live
Music startup funding rounds: IRL experiences get new cash infusion
Adjacent rounds to know: Slow, steady emergence of crypto services companies
Artists on cap tables: More music celebs invest in NFT platforms — even without releasing NFTs themselves
Music NFT platforms/startups: Memorabilia-driven collectibles for legacy artists
Music NFT drops: High-profile drops ridden with scams and technical difficulties
Discord Digest #033: Spotify's music/podcast clash
Katherine Bassett
2022-01-28
business models
macro view
streaming
Spotify’s music and podcasting strategies continue to clash
Do music “scenes” still exist?
Should artists have separate social media strategies for Web2 and Web3?
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 3: Mudd DAO’s generative music/Web3 infrastructure
Yung Spielburg
2022-01-26
business models
product
web3
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 2: Sone’s vision for public music goods
Brodie ConleyKarma.wav
2022-01-25
business models
product
web3
startups
The week in music, tech and crypto: More creator tool consolidation, and the importance of consistency in NFT drops
Diana Gremore
2022-01-21
business models
marketing
web3
startups
Discord Digest #032: Web3 as an "exit strategy" for artists
Katherine Bassett
2022-01-19
business models
web3
“Exiting to the community” — could Web3 provide an exit strategy for legacy artist catalogs?
Bowie Bonds — ahead of their time?
Web3 tech, Web2 problems
Temperature check on touring
The environmental impact of catalog acquisitions
Music DAO Deep Dives, Pt. 1: Dreams Never Die puts community before tech
Yung SpielburgDave "BlackDave" Curry
2022-01-19
business models
web3
startups
Agile research: How we put together $STREAM Season 1
Cherie HuYung Spielburg
2022-01-14
macro view
web3
OUR VOICE AND CULTURE
S1 RESEARCH PROCESS + STRUCTURE
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
WHAT’S NEXT: Season 1.5 + Season 2
2022 music tech funding rounds, IPOs, and SPACs
Brooke Jackson
2022-01-12
business models
macro view
startups
Analyzing fan sentiment of music NFT drops
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2021-12-17
fandom
macro view
web3
Behind the headlines: Analyzing Web3 onboarding strategies for music fans
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2021-12-16
marketing
fandom
web3
startups
METHODOLOGY
DEFINITIONS
Fan Profile 1: Crypto-Hesitant
Fan Profile 2: Crypto-Only
Fan Profile 3: Non-Music NFT Owners
Fan Profile 4: Music NFT Owners
1. The environment
2. High costs and fees
3. Education 
4. Lack of utility — and abundance of scams
The state of music/Web3 tools for artists
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2021-12-15
product
macro view
web3
startups
What the data tells us
Three asks for music/Web3 builders
Defining music NFT ownership, from the digital to the analog world
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2021-12-14
rights
web3
startups
Copyright 101 — or, what we’re really talking about when we talk about “ownership”
Red flag #1: It’s never as easy it sounds 
Red flag #2: Lack of financial regulation and accountability mechanisms
Conclusion: How can we improve contracts today
Will music NFTs ever get their PFP moment?
Water & Music $STREAM Season 1
2021-12-13
business models
macro view
web3
Creative context: Generative music composers as “gardeners”
Base mechanics of generative music NFTs: Rarity, blind mints and burns
Social, cultural and legal challenges
Conclusion: Creativity as its own (financial) reward
The week in music, tech and crypto: NFT ticketing, link-in-bio consolidation and the crypto/gaming opportunity
Diana Gremore
2021-11-16
marketing
business models
macro view
web3
startups
Music/Audio Tech Investment Dashboard
Music Crypto Dashboard
Introducing $STREAM: A new tokenized research framework for the music industry
Cherie HuDiana GremoreKatherine BassettAlexander Flores
2021-11-12
macro view
web3
OUR (BRIEF) HISTORY
WHY WEB3 — AND WHY NOW?
$STREAM AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH “SEASONS”
PRELIMINARY ROADMAP
THE $STREAM TEAM
HOW TO GET INVOLVED TODAY
The week in music, tech and crypto: NFT royalty investments, VR music games, indie distributor consolidation and more
Diana Gremore
2021-11-09
business models
distribution
macro view
web3
metaverse
startups
Music/Audio Tech Investment Dashboard
Music Crypto Dashboard
The creator economy is growing much faster than music streaming
Cherie Hu
2021-11-03
business models
macro view
streaming
Music is still an afterthought in the creator economy
The underrated opportunity in education
The week in music, tech and crypto: UnitedMasters' new cash, new music DAOs and more
Diana Gremore
2021-10-29
distribution
business models
web3
startups
Music/Audio Tech Investment Dashboard
Music Crypto Dashboard
What music/tech companies won’t tell you about spatial audio
The Water & Music community
2021-10-22
distribution
streaming
startups
First things first: Spatial audio and 360 audio are NOT the same thing
I. Bottlenecks in spatial audio’s creative workflow
II. Tech companies, not artists, are driving the public conversation (for now)
III. Communicating the value of immersive audio to consumers might require venturing outside of music — and giving artists the reins
The week in music, tech and crypto: The Weeknd's startup investments, PleasrDAO/Wu-Tang and more
Diana Gremore
2021-10-22
business models
web3
startups
Music/Audio Tech Investment Dashboard
Music Crypto Dashboard
How much are artists really making on Twitch?
Cherie Hu
2021-10-19
business models
streaming
live
Twitch is still a gamer’s world — and the tail is looooong
Twitch is not just a superfan business — it’s a consistency business
The week in music, tech and crypto: Lil Nas X's (nonexistent?) NFTs, Deezer's livestreaming play and more
Cherie HuBrooke Jackson
2021-10-10
marketing
business models
web3
live
streaming
Music/Audio Tech Investment Dashboard
Music Crypto Dashboard
Music SVOD Partnerships Dashboard
An overabundance of music NFT platforms — and scams
Cherie Hu
2021-10-06
business models
macro view
web3
startups
A fundamental conflict of incentives
Transparency alone won’t eliminate bad actors — but it makes them easier to catch
The case for a post-royalties music industry
Dan Fowler
2021-10-05
rights
business models
Our dominant royalty payment models are incompatible with internet culture
For emerging creators, streaming is turning into a zero-sum game
Proposal: we move past royalties as an industry
The week in music, tech and crypto: Dice's $122M round, proof-of-attendance NFTs and more
Cherie Hu
2021-10-01
business models
web3
startups
live
Music startup funding rounds
Music startup exits
Adjacent rounds
Music NFT platforms
Music NFT drops
Just how difficult is it to make a sustainable living from streaming?
Cherie Hu
2021-09-28
business models
macro view
streaming
Look at hard numbers, not just percentages
What DSPs won’t tell you: It’s getting harder
The shape of Web3 music communities: Internet forums with a shared bank account
Bas Grasmayer
2021-09-26
fandom
web3
startups
Understanding tech trend cycles
Lessons from music forums of the early 2000s: Hollerboard, Dogs On Acid & Ninja Tune
What happens when music communities get a shared bank account?
Radical new beginnings, drawing from history
Music livestreaming's total (un)addressable market
Cherie Hu
2021-09-21
macro view
streaming
live
The gap between VC funding and actual consumer demand for music livestreaming
The à-la-carte artist: How Drake uses variability to provide each fan with a unique experience
Denisha Kuhlor
2021-09-14
marketing
fandom
I. Embracing real-time consumption trends and shifts
II. It’s all in the timing
III. The power of the hometown hero: A localized approach
IV. Hip-hop’s chameleon: Embracing different genres as an A&R strategy
Community Member Q&A: Dave Godowsky, Head of Artist and Industry Relations at iZotope
Katherine Bassett
2021-09-07
careers
startups
Inaugural Barometer Survey: The most pressing issues in music and tech right now
Cherie HuKatherine Bassett
2021-09-07
macro view
Question 1: What excites you most about music tech right now, and why? 
Question 2: What concerns you most about music tech right now, and why? 
Question 3: What do you think is the most underrated music/tech story of the pandemic, and why?
How Spotify's new advertising strategy impacts artists
Cherie Hu
2021-08-14
business models
macro view
streaming
Why a COVID data strategy for live music doesn’t exist (yet)
Brooke JacksonCherie Hu
2021-08-08
macro view
live
Part I. The statistical relationship between COVID data and live events
Part II. The COVID data strategy that wasn’t
Part III. So what?
Are music deepfakes considered fair use?
Bradfield BiggersCherie Hu
2021-07-29
rights
ai
Breaking down the Google v. Oracle verdict
Fair-use calculus: Music is not the same as an API
Conclusion: Is music deepfake compensation possible?
Music NFT market update, Q2 2021: Sales down by over 90%, but artists are still experimenting
Cherie HuBrooke Jackson
2021-07-29
business models
macro view
web3
Summary stats
Artist and genre trends
Platform trends
Emerging use cases
Key challenges and concerns
Community Member Q&A: Michail Stangl, Head of Culture at Zora
Katherine Bassett
2021-07-29
careers
web3
A new framework for niche music streaming services
Cherie HuTyler Hayes
2021-07-23
distribution
fandom
business models
product
streaming
Breaking down the niche music streaming market
Community Member Q&A: Jennifer Bonita, Senior Manager, Artist Relations at Yousician
Katherine Bassett
2021-07-09
careers
startups
Why more music companies are paying artists’ royalties in crypto
Cherie Hu
2021-06-28
business models
web3
streaming
startups
Wide view: The rise — and risks — of crypto payroll
The root of the music NFT problem (CO:QUO panel recap)
Cherie HuKatherine Bassett
2021-06-25
macro view
web3
Crypto idealism vs. music-industry pragmatism
The myth of NFTs’ speculative value
Reconciling the tension between the highly individualized, libertarian origins of crypto and more collective practices in music
Letting artists control not only the flow of money, but also the incentives
Critique and transparency are tools for change
Inaugural Community Member Q&A: Tim Shiel, broadcaster, musician and producer
Cherie HuKatherine Bassett
2021-06-20
careers
Anatomy of a modern pop fanbase: How fans use data to build their own music marketing powerhouses
Ami PatelCherie Hu
2021-06-07
marketing
fandom
social media
The landscape: Fan accounts
How pop fans mobilize around a new release
What does this mean for music marketers?
The state of superfan engagement tools
Cherie HuBrooke Jackson
2021-05-31
marketing
fandom
product
startups
Database walkthrough
Initial takeaways and analysis: The sameness of digital VIP experiences
From Napster to now: The legacy of Y2K music piracy
Kristin Robinson
2021-05-28
macro view
streaming
Digital piracy cripples the music business
Streaming is both the solution and the problem
The legacy of Y2K music piracy: The importance of asking the right questions
2021 music tech startup deals, exits, and IPOs
Cherie Hu
2021-05-13
business models
macro view
startups
Database walkthrough
Preliminary trends
Three parallel futures for social audio
Cherie Hu
2021-05-04
product
macro view
startups
social media
I. Social audio = workflow tool for podcasters
II. Social audio = embedded community engagement tool for social media platforms
III. Social audio = standalone format for real-time creativity
So… what does this all mean for the music industry?
15 years ago, Daft Punk’s Coachella set helped spark an “arms race” for live music technology
Kristin Robinson
2021-04-29
creation
live
The technology behind Daft Punk’s Coachella set
Live music becomes a spectacle — but at what cost?
Music NFT market update, April 2021: $70.5M in sales to date
Cherie Hu
2021-04-21
business models
macro view
web3
Pricing and demand trends
Artist, label and genre trends
Platform and protocol trends
Emerging use cases for music NFTs
Top concerns and challenges for the music industry
Is Bandcamp’s new vinyl pressing service a ripoff?
Eli Enis
2021-04-14
distribution
Vinyl is growing, but the industry still faces challenges
The catch? A 25% to 250% markup
Who is Bandcamp really targeting — and what will the platform become?
Understanding music rights data: the challenges of delivering timely royalty payments to artists
Julie Knibbe
2021-04-12
rights
business models
Why is song metadata important?
The challenges of collecting and distributing publishing royalties to their rightful owners
What are the solutions — and who’s building them?
The music industry’s biggest messaging problem
Cherie Hu
2021-04-07
macro view
“DIY” music is a corporate commodity
The value of defining independence by the artist, not just by the company
Beyond the band-aid: How to create the music livestreaming platform of the future, now
Tony Hartman
2021-03-16
product
streaming
live
Why does this matter?
Business models: Artist-centric bundling & subscriptions
Business models: Sponsorship funnels
Fan features: Discoverability
Fan features: Community-driven rewards and tokens (including, yes, NFTs)
Music NFT market update, March 2021
Cherie Hu
2021-03-02
business models
macro view
web3
Sales & pricing overview
Top marketplaces & protocols
Top genres & artists
Interesting use cases for music NFTs
Challenges & critiques
Why the Target exclusive still has staying power in mainstream music
Aliya ChaudhryCherie Hu
2021-03-02
marketing
distribution
business models
The enduring relevance of retail music exclusives
Albums as merch, and collector culture as a frontline strategy
SoundCloud, “digicore” and the observer effect in emerging music scenes
Mano Sundaresan
2021-02-23
marketing
streaming
What is “digicore,” anyway?
The observer effect and genre as power
Tracking genre diversity and fluidity in the Billboard charts
Jorge RiverosMartina Verano
2021-02-08
marketing
Quantifying genre diversity and fluidity
Do traditional genre categories still play a role?
Conclusion: New ways to categorize music
Virtual reality and immersive concerts: An introductory primer
Jeremie Joubert
2021-02-07
creation
marketing
metaverse
live
Why artists are releasing "mood EPs" to game Spotify's algorithm
Eli Enis
2021-02-05
marketing
streaming
In a “genre-fluid” world, why is genre categorization still such a high-stakes business?
Denisha Kuhlor
2021-02-04
marketing
Streaming services shift the influence of genre — sort of
“Fixing” traditional genres doesn’t get at the heart of the problem
Genre hierarchies reinforce myopic views of artists’ potential
How the industry is adapting: Niche domain expertise and direct fan relationships
The 2020 Music-Tech Investment Report: A six-year low, but with genuine impact on the horizon
Cherie Hu
2021-01-29
macro view
startups
Part I. The top music startup categories of 2020
The top music-tech investors of 2020: A direct tie to socioeconomic opportunity
Olivia Rodrigo and the fall of Disney’s music machine
Kristin Robinson
2021-01-27
marketing
I. The decline of “clean teen”
II. The decline of Disney’s cable TV and radio empire
III. The decline of Hollywood Records
Modern teen stardom is its own phenomenon
The state of music NFTs and social tokens: An emerging, multimillion-dollar fan economy
Cherie Hu
2021-01-13
macro view
web3
startups
Why this matters
Pricing trends: The power of 1/1
Top NFT artists: Hip-hop and electronic remain the early adopters
Trends and platforms to watch
Conclusion: What about the long tail?
The “first-mile/last-mile” problem of making music remotely
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
creation
startups
The first-mile/last-mile problem
Music’s first mile: Connection, feedback and spontaneity
Music’s last mile: mixing and mastering 
The importance of self-sufficiency — both now and later
Music-streaming services are losing their brand identity. Here's the visual evidence
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
product
streaming
An explanation from design
An explanation from sociology
Three paths forward for music-streaming brands
Exclusive: What "Spotify Teardown" Means For Artists, Fans and Journalists
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
macro view
streaming
The case for bringing more musicians and music-industry execs to VidCon
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
marketing
"Streaming" isn't "direct-to-fan": The problem with Spotify's new Stories for Playlists feature
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
product
streaming
Where is the Spotify of the ticketing industry?
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
startups
live
Inventory is holding back the Spotify of ticketing
What’s the alternative?
The latest music-streaming user numbers and differentiation: What you need to know
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
macro view
streaming
How booking agents use (and don't use) data
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
a&r
marketing
live
Which will be a better investment, Warner Music Group stock or Spotify stock? Four factors to consider
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
business models
macro view
The state of music workflow and collaboration apps
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
creation
product
startups
What I learned as a "panelist" on Charli XCX's Zoom call
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
fandom
Five major music-tech pivots happening right now
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
macro view
startups
Background: The ten types of startup pivots — and the ones that matter most for the music business
How music professionals use data to pitch artists
Julie Knibbe
2021-01-11
a&r
marketing
The importance of storytelling when pitching an artist
How to tell a good data story
Case study: Contextualizing curator and influencer support
Case study: The nuances of online fan engagement
Case study: Do charts still matter?
Four revelations from Amazon Music's podcast plans
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
business models
macro view
streaming
1. Organization and user experience
2. Retention
3. Rights
4. Censorship (?)
What will happen to all these music livestreaming platforms?
Cherie Hu
2021-01-11
product
macro view
streaming
live
I. Music livestreaming content
II. Music livestreaming platforms
How Nigerian fandoms helped center the #EndSARS movement
Denisha Kuhlor
2021-01-11
fandom
social media
What is #EndSARS?
Africa to the world: Using music as an opportunity for education
How social media is shifting the perception of Africa and the role of online activism
Holding artists accountable via social media
The importance of capital, community and consistency
The art and science of virtual album-release parties
Cherie HuJaelani Turner-Williams
2021-01-11
marketing
fandom
social media
What are the ingredients of an effective virtual listening party?
The legal Achilles’ heel of the catalog buyout craze: Termination rights
Bradfield Biggers
2021-01-08
rights
Termination rights: A brief overview
How termination rights can devalue a royalty investment
How royalty funds, marketplaces and investment firms should prepare
The rise of the fan-centric music streaming service
Bas Grasmayer
2021-01-04
fandom
streaming
startups
Incumbent platforms: The difference between charity and business
Newcomers: Alternative monetization sources, from curation to protocols
Conclusion: Why Spotify has to care
2020 in review: Ten takeaways from our top stories this year
Cherie Hu
2020-12-31
macro view
More major artists are starting their own labels. Don’t expect them to be any more equitable
Andrea BossiCherie Hu
2020-12-29
rights
business models
Why artists want to enter the label game
Red flag #1: Understaffed, under-informed and/or under-invested
Red flag #2: New faces on legacy contracts
The importance of artist education and advocacy
Indie labels in 2020: A surprising tale of resilience
Eli Enis
2020-12-28
rights
macro view
More fans warm up to streaming
Bandcamp proves a valuable buoy
Miscellaneous obstacles: Delayed shipping and sync opportunities
How Mexico’s YO Telco puts a new spin on music/telco partnerships
Pablo Borchi
2020-12-18
marketing
MVNO market overview: An emerging, crowded landscape
YO Telco’s pitch: Pay for your mobile data with entertainment
Challenges and opportunities: The importance of honest, targeted audience development
2020 in music and podcasts: How platforms shape programming
Cherie Hu
2020-12-16
macro view
streaming
The “waterfall” strategy for monetizing music livestreams: An updated guide for emerging artists
Maarten Walraven
2020-12-14
marketing
business models
distribution
live
streaming
But first: Back to the basics — or, WHY do you livestream?
Going down the waterfall: A more complete picture for emerging artists
The “waterfall” strategy: A new way to monetize paid concert livestreams
Maarten Walraven
2020-12-14
marketing
business models
distribution
live
streaming
When agents and promoters take the label's job (and vice versa)
Cherie Hu
2020-12-11
business models
macro view
The flattening of artist development
360 deals and the ownership dilemma
How the touring industry will use data in 2021 — even in a pandemic
Julie Knibbe
2020-12-09
marketing
macro view
live
Using data to plan and book live, face-to-face events
Before the show: Understanding fandom and evaluating an artist’s local footprint
During the show: The added dimension of health data
After the show: Remarketing to fans, within regulations
Conclusion: The evolving role of livestreaming
Why hyperpop artists are flocking to Matter
Mano Sundaresan
2020-12-07
fandom
streaming
startups
The origins of Matter: Frustration with SoundCloud
The experience: All of hyperpop’s main platforms rolled into one
Will Matter actually succeed?
What Google v. Oracle means for the music industry
Bradfield Biggers
2020-12-07
rights
Google’s arguments: A wholesale approach to fair use
Implications for music-tech: The erosion of licensing opportunities
Fair use and the DMCA contradiction: The case of “Lovebird”
Disney+, Netflix and the SVOD music rush
Aliya ChaudhryCherie Hu
2020-12-03
marketing
macro view
streaming
The SVOD perspective: Subscriber acquisition and retention
The artist and label perspective: Catalog consumption, fan acquisition — and big checks
Alternative platforms, licensing challenges and the importance of ecosystems
Signing bonuses used to run the ticketing business. What happens now?
Joe SternCherie Hu
2020-11-30
business models
live
A brief primer on signing bonuses
With Eventbrite’s bonuses down 99.9%, the middle market is opening up
Middle-market platforms explore different tech and financing solutions
Venues reevaluate their options
K-pop, cell phone ads and the future of music-tech branding
Tamar Herman
2020-11-29
marketing
From Lee Hyori to BTS: How cell phones and K-pop drive mutual stardom
Benefits for telcos: Flashier and more cost-effective marketing
Benefits for the music industry: Deeper, more integrated fan experiences
Bye, albums and EPs; hello, seven-song "projects"
Eli Enis
2020-11-24
marketing
streaming
Distribution technicalities: What counts as an “album,” anyway?
Streaming UI: Albums are “the new endcaps”
Press: Landing coverage without a traditional cycle
Will EPs fade from relevance?
The biggest misconceptions about TikTok music marketing
Brendan Kennedy
2020-11-23
marketing
social media
1. TikTok is the new radio — in the slow way, too
2. Viral distribution alone isn’t enough
15 ways to incorporate gaming into your music strategy
Cherie Hu
2020-11-20
marketing
macro view
metaverse
Gaming as a business model
Gaming as a talent and audience opportunity
Gaming as a creative tool
Gaming as a branding and narrative architecture
Conclusion: Concerns about the future of music and gaming
How Spotify’s recommendations UX might be pushing down per-stream royalty rates — even if total payouts increase
Bas Grasmayer
2020-11-17
product
business models
streaming
2013: Discover — Spotify’s early forays into personalization
2015: Discover Weekly
2020: How Spotify’s algorithms get users to listen more today
Longer sessions means lower royalties per stream
How to build a truly “fan-centric” online music experience
Jeremie Joubert
2020-11-04
marketing
fandom
macro view
social media
What does the phrase “fan experience” really mean, though?
Why current fan experiences in music fall short
Template: How to manage and optimize the online fan experience
Fan journey case study: A hypothetical EDM artist livestream
Conclusion: Making it a success
Gen Z’s take on the future of new music discovery
Kristin Robinson
2020-11-04
marketing
social media
Three patterns in big-tech companies' music strategies
Cherie Hu
2020-10-27
macro view
1. Music is (mostly) a commoditized drop in the bottom-line bucket
2. Impact = licenses + ecosystems + interfaces
3. No corporation is a monolith, but most of them are generalists
How A&Rs use data to scout and evaluate artists
Julie Knibbe
2020-10-26
a&r
How A&R use data to scout artists
Conclusion: Predicting long-term success requires a human touch
How the labels behind Mitski and Mac DeMarco navigate TikTok
Eli Enis
2020-10-20
marketing
social media
The anti-marketing marketing plan
A surprisingly laissez-faire approach to royalties
Who owns an A.I.-created song?
Tyler Hayes
2020-10-14
creation
rights
ai
The case of Boomy
Platforms setting precedents
Everyone, not just musicians
Digital music's new drop culture
Cherie Hu
2020-10-11
marketing
business models
web3
Context: Digital scarcity, drop culture and blockchain
Mechanics: Price discovery, reputation and copyright
Major labels, audiences and the consolidation of incentives
Cherie Hu
2020-10-06
business models
macro view
The consolidation of incentives
The record label perspective
The two most important parts of a media company may be corrupted
What "Record Deal Simulator" is really telling us
Cherie Hu
2020-10-01
rights
business models
startups
The main critiques
The bigger picture
The problem with play-count purgatory
Tyler Hayes
2020-09-28
distribution
business models
streaming
The importance of streaming data for artists
The delay in reporting is serious business
Hello? Is anyone there?
Ye Combinator already exists (sort of)
Cherie Hu
2020-09-22
a&r
business models
macro view
The financial gulf between music and tech
What is the end game?
Beyoncé’s 388-day album campaign and the death of premiere culture
Cherie HuMarcus Dowling
2020-09-16
marketing
History: Maximizing day one
2020: [Re]Release culture
The bigger strategic picture: Art as conversation
John Legend on Headspace: Expanding what "wellness music" can sound like
Christina Lee
2020-09-15
product
marketing
startups
Hire roadies: The case for tour managers and crew without tours
Cherie Hu
2020-09-15
careers
live
Will Hipgnosis actually work?
Cherie Hu
2020-09-11
rights
business models
I. The financial argument
II. The advocacy argument
Conclusion
Why so many music producers are starting their own Discord communities
Cherie Hu
2020-09-07
fandom
social media
startups
1. Integrations where artists are already active
2. Synchronous and asynchronous communication in one place
3. Horizontal and vertical communication in one place
4. Mutual acknowledgement as humans, not as producers or consumers
5. Creating opportunity through internal community, not external validation
How smart speakers are changing music listening
Brooke Hawkins
2020-09-04
distribution
streaming
startups
Why does Alexa care about music, anyway?
“Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company”
How does this impact music listening? 
Beyond rights: How blockchain is underpinning a new generation of artist tools
Cherie Hu
2020-08-31
business models
macro view
web3
1. Why the first iteration of blockchain-powered music products didn’t work
2. The ideological foundation for blockchain’s enduring relevance to music
The new wave of blockchain tools for artists: Three case studies
How music professionals use data to market new releases
Julie Knibbe
2020-08-31
marketing
1. Planning: Using data to evaluate potential and set goals
2. Execution: Using data in real-time to adapt and optimize campaigns
3. Reporting: Using data to report on campaign performance and uncover more insights
Spotify and Apple Music disagree on the future of radio. Who's right?
Cherie Hu
2020-08-24
marketing
distribution
streaming
Spotify’s strategy: “Linear dies and on-demand wins”
Apple Music’s strategy: “Get on our wavelength”
Who’s right?
The direct-to-fan tech stack for artists
Cherie Hu
2020-08-22
fandom
macro view
startups
Initial takeaways
Artist-facing music business software is far behind Silicon Valley
Kimberly Hou
2020-08-19
product
startups
More actionable streaming analytics
Product interoperability for metadata
Brazilian funk has made waves in the global music industry. Where does it go from here?
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia
2020-08-18
marketing
Funk’s early origins in Rio
São Paulo and the power of YouTube
Future challenges: Financial sustainability and artist development
Beyond IG Live: Three strategic case studies of artist-fan engagement
Jaelani Turner-Williams
2020-08-07
marketing
fandom
social media
Kitty Cash: World-building with Kitty’s World
Lianne La Havas: Livestreaming as album rollout & audience development
Phony Ppl: Livestreaming as community-building
A new kind of livestream narrative
The downfall of the “recording artist”: Three perspectives
Cherie Hu
2020-08-06
business models
macro view
1. Text data: Fewer people are talking about it
2. Economic data: Artists rely less on records
3. Trademark data: Artists’ brands are expanding far beyond records
End notes
Where TikTok fits in Microsoft's music strategy
Cherie Hu
2020-08-05
macro view
social media
But first… 
Antitrust law broke Microsoft’s early music dominance
Microsoft’s music streaming and download landfill
Where is Microsoft’s music and entertainment strategy today?
Where the heck does TikTok belong in this picture?
Why podcasts won't save Spotify
Kenny Ning
2020-07-31
macro view
streaming
The revenue argument
The user argument
The cost argument
Wrapping this up
Does Spotify want to be more like Netflix or like YouTube?
Cherie Hu
2020-07-30
macro view
streaming
The Netflix approach
The YouTube approach
Small music venues embrace diversified strategies for survival
Marcus Dowling
2020-07-28
macro view
live
Diversifying into food & beverage and outdoor drive-ins
The real role of livestreaming
What about long-term fundraising?
Superfan experiences reinvented — and repriced — for a digital world
Cherie Hu
2020-07-21
fandom
startups
Meet-and-greets become year-round, not seasonal, and part of a wider suite of digital fan engagement
Artists will have to reckon with their own digital value
Music-tech funding takes a hit in 2020
Cherie Hu
2020-07-15
macro view
startups
Trends to watch
Trends that are quieter than usual
The rise of the virtual livestreaming "tour"
Cherie Hu
2020-07-01
marketing
metaverse
live
Artists can sustainably tap into previously overlooked markets
Artists can strategically maintain a sense of “locality”
Virtual shows can act like press appearances for new fans…
… and/or like digital meet-and-greets with existing fans
Why record labels are not like venture-capital firms for artists
Cherie Hu
2020-06-30
rights
business models
Difference 1: Record labels are not even investors anyway
Difference 2: Label deals often impede rather than encourage entrepreneurship, especially on a repeat basis
Difference 3: (Most) labels don’t have an interest in artists’ entire companies
New data sheds light on the realities of artist management
Cherie Hu
2020-06-24
macro view
Trend #1: Artist management is more fragmented than ever — contradicting the consolidation narrative that dominates mainstream music.
Trend #2: Hip-hop remains underrepresented among the top management companies — but not when you double down on the “small-but-mighty” firms.
Trend #3: Nearly three-quarters of the artists represented by the top 1,000 management companies are male.
Will voice and audio tweets rewrite Twitter's rocky history with music?
Cherie Hu
2020-06-24
marketing
product
social media
How today’s podcast deals look a lot like yesterday’s music deals
Cherie Hu
2020-06-23
business models
macro view
streaming
Is music streaming part of the "passion economy"? It's complicated.
Cherie Hu
2020-06-19
macro view
streaming
How music streaming falls short of the passion economy’s rules
The rapid rise of paid membership models for music
Cherie Hu
2020-06-12
marketing
fandom
business models
startups
What tools are out there?
Who’s a good fit?
What can you do with a music membership?
What are alternative platforms beyond Patreon?
Membership = More work + higher margins + less scale
The major design element missing from virtual music festivals: Spatial thinking
Cherie Hu
2020-06-09
creation
metaverse
live
The role of spatiality in music experiences
2D livestreams remove the intuition of live events
A three-part spatiality framework for online music festivals
Case studies
8% of the corporate music C-suite is Black
Cherie Hu
2020-06-05
macro view
1. 8% of the corporate music C-suite is Black.
2. The flow of money is moral, not just financial.
3. We need to take equity in online events more seriously.
Poolside FM’s four-step blueprint for music curation
Cherie Hu
2020-05-31
marketing
streaming
startups
What is Poolside FM?
Lessons for music curation
Top music-industry tastemakers are hanging out in Clubhouse. Why?
Cherie Hu
2020-05-28
marketing
startups
social media
Social audio and social music listening are making a comeback
On Clubhouse, social dynamics > technology
Lessons for the music industry
How artists and managers evaluate livestreaming opportunities
Cherie Hu
2020-05-27
live
streaming
Preference
Value
Logistics
Meet the architects of music's new avatar economy
Cherie Hu
2020-05-12
marketing
metaverse
Celebrities becoming avatars
Avatars becoming celebrities
What’s the point — imagination, or efficiency?
Celebrity appeal is not a user experience
Cherie Hu
2020-05-11
marketing
product
startups
When do celeb partnerships go wrong?
A mathematical argument for focusing on emerging talent
What does a good talent strategy look like?
Why have we heard so little about Spotify's artist donation links?
Cherie Hu
2020-05-11
product
business models
streaming
1. Spotify is not prioritizing donation links in discovery or marketing.
2. Artists cannot, or do not, promote their Spotify donation links to fans.
3. Fans are not discovering and contributing to artists’ donation links on Spotify.
The state of music livestreaming discovery
Cherie Hu
2020-05-03
marketing
live
streaming
Spotify's underrated competition: Meditation apps
Cherie Hu
2020-05-01
product
distribution
streaming
startups
Lifestyles > products
The meditation apps dominating Spotify’s long-term territory
Who wins?
Digital scarcity in music: A practical introduction
Cherie Hu
2020-04-28
business models
macro view
web3
Why talk about digital scarcity now?
A framework for digital scarcity in music
Challenges in growing digitally-scarce models
The data behind music's rapid growth on Twitch
Cherie Hu
2020-04-24
marketing
streaming
live
Music & Performing Arts on Twitch: Category overview
The top music channels on Twitch
The legal underbelly of livestreaming concerts
Cherie Hu
2020-04-10
rights
live
streaming
The rights
Three different music livestreaming case studies
Additional resources
Unpacking Jefferson Studios, Warner Music Group's new podcast network
Cherie Hu
2020-03-31
rights
Comparing the podcast strategies of Warner Music vs. Sony Music
Other hybrid album/podcast projects to know
The democratization of record-label advances
Cherie Hu
2020-03-25
business models
startups
Why this trend matters
What to look out for
Long-term implications
The democratization of record label advances
Cherie Hu
2020-03-25
distribution
business models
rights
macro view
streaming
startups
Context
Disclaimers
Initial takeaways
How the normalization of remote work could transform the music business
Cherie Hu
2020-03-24
careers
macro view
The music companies best-suited to adapt
The challenges (and blessings) of remote work for music
Why is Sony Music investing so much in podcasts?
Cherie Hu
2020-03-06
business models
rights
streaming
Why Hollywood's infiltration of Silicon Valley matters
Cherie Hu
2020-03-05
business models
macro view
startups
1. Hollywood and Silicon Valley can learn from their similarities — and differences
2. Silicon Valley is helping Hollywood stars rewrite the value of their own fame
3. New tech partnerships are finally giving artists a share in the distribution of their own work
4. Diversity remains an important motivation, and challenge, among artist-investors
The most active venture capital firms in music in 2020
Cherie Hu
2020-03-03
business models
marketing
product
live
startups
Context
Initial takeaways
The new hot way to promote your album: Make a podcast
Cherie Hu
2020-02-25
marketing
streaming
The hidden trends in Warner Music Group’s IPO filing, visualized
Cherie Hu
2020-02-14
business models
But first: A financial summary
The takeaways
The startups trying — and failing? — to disrupt booking agents
Cherie Hu
2020-02-11
business models
macro view
startups
Five takeaways from Tinashe's first virtual concert
Cherie Hu
2020-01-30
marketing
metaverse
But first, a bit more background
The takeaways
The economics of 24/7 lo-fi hip-hop YouTube livestreams
Cherie Hu
2020-01-29
business models
streaming
Bonus section: Lo-fi hip-hop and touring
Update on my Downtown/FUGA distribution analysis
Cherie Hu
2020-01-28
distribution
1. FUGA’s reach is much larger than the initial chart depicted
2. A few other distribution companies warranted inclusion in the chart
So… here’s a new chart
10 ways to prototype your music
Cherie Hu
2020-01-28
creation
marketing
macro view
Live shows and DJ sets
Listening parties
Singles and mixtapes
Remixes, covers and acoustic versions
Livestreams
Teaser posts and stories on Instagram and Snapchat
Dances and challenges on short-form UGC video apps like TikTok
Crowdsourced market research and A/B testing
Dedicated Facebook/WhatsApp/Patreon groups, private fan clubs
Derivations and adaptations of videos for different audiences
Downtown Music Holdings now owns four music distributors. What's next?
Cherie Hu
2020-01-23
rights
distribution
macro view
Revisiting the market: The segmentation of music distribution
Downtown and AVL’s Wide Distribution Net
What’s next?
A new taxonomy of the music merch industry
Cherie Hu
2020-01-22
macro view
fandom
marketing
startups
merch
Context
A new music-merch taxonomy
The Music Business Rectangle: A new framework for rethinking power in the music industry
Cherie Hu
2020-01-13
rights
business models
macro view
Introducing the Music Business Rectangle: You can choose at most three corners
You (almost) can’t have it all
The power of unconventional industry players
Decoding 8tracks' demise, and what it reveals about the state of music streaming
Cherie Hu
2019-12-30
product
business models
streaming
startups
The math: The numbers behind 8tracks’ declining business
The takeaways: It’s a whole new world now
Miscellaneous takeaways
Five music-tech forecasts that misfired in 2019
Cherie Hu
2019-12-20
macro view
1. Voice and smart speakers didn’t disrupt the music industry
2. Fan clubs didn’t come back, even though a lot of people still want them to
3. VR/AR/MR for music didn’t take off, again — although a new vocabulary is emerging around “virtual entertainment”
4. Tidal and SoundCloud didn’t get acquired — but their core brand cachet continues to erode swiftly, amidst ongoing consolidation
5. Musical A.I. didn’t top the Billboard charts or steal artists’ jobs
A deep-dive into ticketing platforms
Cherie Hu
2019-12-17
product
business models
macro view
live
startups
Context
Initial Takeaways
Anatomy of an unsolicited Spotify notification
Cherie Hu
2019-12-15
product
streaming
A: “KAYTRANADA” / “top 1% fans”
B: “endless stream of their music” / “PLAY RADIO”
Notification as advertisement: The future of marketing on Spotify
The gamification of the global music business
Cherie Hu
2019-12-13
marketing
macro view
business models
metaverse
The “celestial jukebox" era is dead. What's next for music streaming?
Cherie Hu
2019-12-13
business models
macro view
streaming
But first: A brief history of the “celestial jukebox”
The celestial tollbooth: Market control
The “managed marketplace”: Technological control
Alternative metaphors: From objective to subjective value
The paradox: Are these actually disruptive?
Corporate brand record labels
Cherie Hu
2019-11-21
marketing
rights
business models
The state of music-tech startups, through the lens of its top investors
Cherie Hu
2019-11-07
product
macro view
startups
But first: A reality check on music’s market size
Redefining the “music-tech” company
How much should artists get involved in building a music startup?
Tl;dr tactical advice: Please know your shit
Will podcast playlists elevate the microcast?
Cherie Hu
2019-10-15
marketing
streaming
"Rhythm + Flow" Proves Netflix Is Done With Niche
Cherie Hu
2019-10-12
marketing
streaming
Netflix Is Becoming Its Own Commentator
Where is the artist development in India's music industry?
Cherie Hu
2019-08-31
a&r
"Willingness to pay" for music in India: It's not low, but it's complicated
Cherie Hu
2019-08-26
business models
streaming
Four initial observations on India's music industry
Cherie Hu
2019-08-25
macro view
Equity crowdfunding for indie artists: An overview of emerging models (and why it's so hard to make them work)
Cherie Hu
2019-08-08
business models
macro view
startups
Cool. But will these models actually work?
No, equity crowdfunding won’t replace labels — but it can be a powerful stepping stone
Why brand deals are primary, not supplementary, revenue sources for Indian artists
Cherie Hu
2019-08-01
marketing
business models
The heavily skewed music-tech startup landscape in India
Cherie Hu
2019-08-01
macro view
startups
Apple Music and exclusive podcasts: a primer
Cherie Hu
2019-07-23
business models
streaming
The music industry needs its own "no-code" awakening
Cherie Hu
2019-07-11
creation
macro view
startups
The “no-code” movement in tech: A brief primer
What is the equivalent of a “no-code” marketplace for music?
The problem: “Rapid prototyping” won’t give you a hit song
What kinds of artists — and companies — win out in a “no-code” music world?
Software will raise the floor of creativity — but humans need to raise the ceiling
Why hasn’t the music industry’s pro-UGC mentality translated to merch?
Cherie Hu
2019-07-07
marketing
fandom
merch
Traditional artist merch is “official,” “high-end” and wholly owned
The “micro-licensing” gap between digital music and physical retail
What would a solution look like — and what examples already exist?
Beyond music: UGM inspiration from other industries
In conclusion: the existing solutions aren’t perfect, but almost all the tech required for UGM is there
Streaming services finally care more about old* music
Cherie Hu
2019-06-27
rights
marketing
streaming
Catalog: The (forgotten) gift that keeps on giving
Why are streaming services finally taking catalog more seriously?
Metadata is to catalog what impressions are to frontline
The Messy Mystery of Spotify’s “This Is” Playlists
Cherie Hu
2019-06-24
marketing
streaming
Spotify’s search function prioritizes “This Is” playlists above nearly everything else
Who qualifies for a “This Is” playlist?
Who gets a hand-curated “This Is” playlist?
Unclear standards for hand-curated vs. algorithmic “This Is” playlists: Key themes
How much control do artists really have over their marketing on streaming services?
The inevitable onslaught of music podcast spam
Cherie Hu
2019-06-03
distribution
streaming
The bigger picture: Podcasts as vehicles for content infringement
What Stem’s upheaval reveals about music distribution’s new “middle tier”
Cherie Hu
2019-06-02
distribution
startups
Why did Stem decide to let go of the majority of its customers?
Visualizing distribution’s new “middle tier” — and where Stem fits in