The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Ropeadope Records:

Website: https://ropeadope.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ropeadope/

Bandcamp: https://ropeadope.bandcamp.com/

X: https://x.com/ropeadope

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ropeadope99

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

R&B Artist Jaylon Ashaun on World Building and the Hustle Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

This week, Ari sits down with Jaylon Ashaun, a talented R&B artist currently based in LA via Atlanta and Houston. Jaylon found success by regularly releasing music and building a direct artist-to-fans community online. His song “Strawberries and Wine” took the digital music world by storm, with over 25 million streams of its various versions. Last year, Jaylon toured the US with major R&B acts Xavier Omar and Hojean. Ari and Jaylon discuss the importance of connecting with fans directly, how to capitalize on and move past viral moments to build a sustainable career, and how Jaylon has built his superfan community, Global Nomads, online.

Chapters:

00:00 Taking Risks and Putting Out Music

14:24 The Power of Regularly Releasing Music

19:37 Developing a Super Fan Community

27:52 Perseverance, Collaboration, and Artistic Identity

28:22 Building a Community and World Around Your Music

31:16 Engaging with Fans and Nurturing Your Community

33:06 The Power of Physical Merchandise

40:18 The Evolving Music Industry and the Importance of Adaptability

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Jaylon Ashaun:

Website: https://www.jaylonashaun.me/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaylonashaun

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jaylonashaun

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dhseP7KiICmkxT5waM1Md

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids-Ergas

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Singing Couple is Making It by Diversifying their Business and Writing Great Songs Jul 31, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

This week, Ari sits down with Ni/Co, the musical duo of LA-based couple Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones. Their most recent song “On Purpose” has taken the internet by storm with over 6.2 million streams on Spotify and YouTube. Ni/Co built their early career by releasing covers on YouTube and placing their songs in sync. They have garnered over 75 million views on YouTube and have landed 6-figure sync deals with their music. However, as their covers became more popular and they wrote under various monikers for sync, Dani and Colton had to make a decision: did they want to prioritize these paths or re-center their career around original music? This conversation dives into the details of publishing and label deals, Ni/Co’s journey through sync, their experience going viral on TikTok, and how they clarified their artist identity to stay true to their vision along the way.

00:00 - Introduction and Background

10:39 - The On Purpose Journey and Release

15:47 - Meeting and Starting as a Couple

26:23 - Signing a Publishing Deal and Sync Placements

30:11 - Separating Covers and Originals

42:52 - The Success of 'On Purpose'

49:05 - Influencer Campaigns, Viral Songs, and the Importance of Diversifying Revenue Streams

1:13:20 - Challenges and Scams in Revenue Collection

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Ni/Co:

Website: https://nicomusicofficial.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ni.co_official

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ni.co_official

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IR0GSCHsTo7gSw8HHLBnr

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A New Kind of Record Label Jul 25, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Ankit Desai is the founder and CEO of Snafu Records, the world's first AI-enabled artist services company. Snafu's algorithms identify talented artists from all over the world, which the company then invests in growing and supporting. Before starting Snafu, Ankit was at Universal Music, where he worked with artists like Tove Lo, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, and Shawn Mendes. For his work at Snafu and Universal, Ankit was recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 Europe, and Nordic Music Business' 20 under 30.

Mira Howard currently serves as the head of Snafu's Song Fund. While she has an education in physics and economics and an MBA from Cambridge, she also has had a lifelong love for music and writes and plays music in her own time. In her career Mira has worked scaling creative startups, and is passionate about bringing Snafu to the artists of the world.

This week, Ari is joined by Ankit Desai and Mira Howard of SNAFU records, to discuss how they built a completely new type of record label from the ground up. They aim to change the way artists think about their music as a business asset, encouraging artists to invest in their catalogs and not just focus on new releases. Ankit and Mira explain how SNAFU aims to change the game and create a win-win situation for all of its artists, maximizing success and longevity all while keeping the rights in the hands of the artists.

00:00 - Discovering and Investing in Unsigned Artists

13:05 - Improving and Increasing Artists' Listenership

29:34 - Don't Give Up on Your Catalog: The Value of Old Songs

39:29 - Social Media Strategies: Coaching Artists for Success

44:53 - Playlist Power: Investing in Catalogs

51:48 - Snafu's Business Model: Partnering with Undervalued Artists

56:31 - Supporting Female Creators: The Snafu Women's Creator Fund

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

X: https://twitter.com/ArisTake

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@aristake_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Snafu Records :

Website: https://www.snafurecords.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/snafurecords/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@snafurecords

X: https://x.com/snafu_records

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/snafu-records/

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Fly By Midnight Went From YouTubers to Sold Out Tours Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Fly by Midnight is comprised of Justin Bryte and Justin Slavo, two best friends who honed their craft in New York and are now making waves in Los Angeles, creating and self-distributing emotive pop music.

In the episode, they discuss their journey as independent artists, starting with cover videos on YouTube and transitioning to original music. They talk about the intentional decision to release covers alongside their original music to maintain their existing fan base. The duo reflects on the importance of DIY and the value of creating high-quality content on a low budget. They also discuss the challenges of gaining industry recognition and label interest, as well as the changing landscape of virality on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Fly By Midnight discusses their approach to creating viral videos and their experimentation with different types of content. They also talk about their experiences with booking agents and their plans for future releases.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:53 The Thrill Tour

08:17 From Covers to Originals

19:10 Content on a Budget

28:50 Label Involvement

37:59 Balancing Virality and Authenticity

44:46 Animation and Video

52:42 Keeping Content Fresh

1:00:21 Distribution

1:11:12 Making it in the New Music Business

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Fly by Midnight:

Website: https://www.flybymidnight.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rQTEdG6hDVOlDUFKs9EjZ?si=fsDqg7-6RbiEWV5diJGkTA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flybymidnight/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flybymidnight

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJDQtPgwh6oV5MbPmclqIAg

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Backyards to Coachella, How The Red Pears Built it The Old Fashioned Way Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

This week, Ari is joined by Henry Vargas and Jose Corona of the band “The Red Pears,” an indie band who has seen recent success particularly in the live performance scene, coming hot off the heels of their Coachella performance. They discuss their journey in the music industry, from playing backyard concerts to opening for bands like Interpol and performing at iconic venues like The Greek and The Forum. They share their insight on the importance of building relationships, treating people with respect, and staying true to themselves, attributing their success to their hard work, determination, and the support of their dedicated fan base.

The Red Pears also highlight the significance of live shows and the impact they have on their audience, sharing their experiences of connecting with fans and the importance of showing gratitude for their support.

Chapters

00:00 - Welcome

03:38 - From backyard concerts to Coachella

13:43 - On their recording process

24:45 - Balancing your career and booking shows

33:09 - How did they start touring?

38:25 - Building a fanbase from word of mouth

48:25 - Finding your booking and management team

1:01:27 - Meeting your idols

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with The Red Pears:

Website: https://theredpears.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3FRYBFCNEBWMjk6kvwjHQT

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theredpears/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theredpears_626

X: https://x.com/TheRedPears

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Neoni got 2 Billion Views & Streams as DIY Artists Jun 19, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

This week, Ari is joined by sisters Caitlin & Sid Powell, the artists behind the hit group Neoni, to discuss the shift in the industry towards video content, and how they were able to capitalize on their own TikTok virality. Additionally they explain why they chose to stay independent despite being approached by numerous labels, and how staying DIY has helped their career. They also discuss their release strategy and how they go about maximizing attention on various platforms despite not yet touring. To wrap up the interview, they provide insight into how other artists can find success while remaining independent.

Caitlin and Sid blend Alternative Pop with electronic music, creating a unique sound as Neoni. Since 2020, they have steadily built a substantial catalog, releasing their breakout debut album, Wars in a Wonderland, in the fall of 2021, followed by All My Favorite Monsters in 2022. With two viral TikTok hits, "Darkside" and "Royalty," amassing over 2 billion views, and a rapidly growing social media presence, Neoni continues to gain organic traction with each new release.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

04:35 New project releases, live shows, and YouTube covers

09:22 Neoni’s journey and evolution

16:33 How DJs influenced their sound

21:03 From 20k to 250k streams a day

28:42 What taking meetings with major labels is like

36:02 How they convert listeners into fans

43:27 Leaning into social media for promotion

49:36 Why they still release horizontal videos

56:06 On live performing and touring

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Neoni:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/38wxcfNEqMwuPniHvplin5?si=NYWsV7e1TdCSFD9bqdu_yw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareneoni/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareneoni

Website: https://weareneoni.com/

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Haley Joelle on Staying DIY With TikTok Fame and Spotify Love Jun 12, 2024

Show notes

Order THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Haley Joelle is a 24-year-old songwriter and artist from outside of Portland, OR, currently based in LA. Haley is known for her unique and specific approach to storytelling in her songs that have resonated with millions of people around the world. Her lyrics touch on family dynamics, the complications of growing up, grief, and heartbreak - all lending themselves to help her listeners feel less alone.

Haley’s songs have been discovered on popular playlists including Spotify’s Chilled Hits, Chill Pop, Fresh & Chill, Sad Hour, Sad Songs, Today’s Singer-Songwriters, Morning Commute, Mellow Evening, and Apple Music’s Breaking Pop, In My Room, Acoustic Chill, Today’s Acoustic, Acoustic Memories, and New Music Daily. Her songs have been streamed more than 100 million times, and featured in Amazon Prime Video’s #1 most watched non-English language original movie, ‘Culpa Mía’ as well as the popular TV shows ‘Love Island USA’ and ‘Love Island Games.’

After a couple tour support slots, and with 450k+ engaged fans around the world, she embarked on her first mini headline tour in December 2023 after the release of her album ‘Me And My Past.’ Haley’s next album is due September 2024.

00:00 - Intro

03:55 - Haley’s songwriting and album process

15:52 - Alternative music programs and networking

21:50 - How did Haley find other collaborators?

29:29 - Haley on music videos

34:07 - On staying independent and talking to labels

43:07 - Pitching for playlist inclusions

55:23 - Where does the money go?

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

Ari's Take Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://bit.ly/3LavMpa

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com