Episode 21: AI-Generated Music - The Greatest Threat to Artists' Income and How to Fight Back

Ep 24 | How Music Artists Should Plan 2026.

In this episode of The Band Life Podcast, Pete and Adam discuss how music artists and bands should plan their year. 📈 They go over objectives and SMART goals. They give examples of how to implement goals. Adam goes over his plans for  @theshallowsouls  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCJd2cj-iv2tSQ5P2fCx6J5A] , and Pete spills all about his plans for  @MyGodMachina  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ] . Who will be Adam's slap or clap in this compelling and exciting episode! Don't miss out and make a plan for success. Links: Please support our little podcast and buy us a coffee, we will love you forever and you will get a mention on the podcast! https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast] Web: Podbean: https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/ [https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/] Green Wave Productions - Pete: https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/ My God Machina YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ?sub_confirmation=1] TikTok: tiktok.com/@my.god.machina Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2 [https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2] The Shallow Souls - Adam: https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls [https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls] Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast] Thanks for Watching #podcast #goals #howtosetgoals #musicindustry

Has Modern Metal Lost Its Audience? Heritage Bands vs New Metal | Episode 23

Has modern metal lost its sense of community — or is something bigger happening beneath the surface? In Episode 23 of The Band Life Podcast, Pete and Adam break down the growing gap between heritage metal artists like Metallica, Linkin Park, Black Sabbath, and System of a Down, and modern metal bands such as Bring Me The Horizon, Spiritbox, Architects, Ghost, and Gojira. Using streaming data highlighted in a recent Rick Beato video, we explore why legacy metal bands continue to dominate monthly listeners and billion-stream songs — while contemporary metal struggles to reach the same cultural impact. We discuss: * Why heritage metal bands still outperform modern metal on Spotify * Whether oversaturation and too many sub-genres are hurting metal * The decline of music education and its impact on new artists * Why kids often connect more with their parents’ music * Whether modern metal has lost emotion, melody, and storytelling * What this means for metal musicians trying to grow an audience today This episode isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about understanding why certain music connects deeply and lasts, and what modern metal artists can learn from it. 🎸 If you’re in a metal band or building a career in heavy music, this conversation matters. Links: Please support our little podcast and buy us a coffee, we will love you forever and you will get a mention on the podcast! https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast] Web: Podbean: https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/ [https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/]  Green Wave Productions - Pete: https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/ [https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/] My God Machina YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ] TikTok: tiktok.com/@my.god.machina [http://tiktok.com/@my.god.machina] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2 [https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2] The Shallow Souls - Adam: https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls [https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls] Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast]   #ModernMetal #MetalMusic #MetalBands #MusicIndustry #MetalCommunity  #MetalMusicians #HeavyMusic #MetalPodcast #BandLife #RickBeato  #Metallica #BringMeTheHorizon #LinkinPark #Spiritbox #MetalDiscussion

Ep 22: Breaking the Rules: My God Machina — A Music Industry Experiment.

Welcome to Episode 22 of The Band Life Podcast with Pete Stannard and Adam West. In this wide-open, conversational and informed session, Pete pulls back the curtain on his bold new endeavour — My God Machina, a music-project-meets-industry-experiment. For over twenty years, Pete has been producing, performing and helping clients build careers in the music business. Now, he asks: Can a middle-aged artist starting from scratch build a real fanbase and succeed in today’s industry? The answer? He’s going to test it — live, public, documented. 🔍 In this episode, you’ll hear: Why Pete launched My God Machina — and what he discovered about artist behaviour, strategy and commitment. His first moves: story-based concept posts, TikTok/Instagram/YouTube Shorts, algorithm-testing from zero followers. The results: 13.2K views on TikTok, 210 views on Instagram, 787 on YouTube in the first 48 hours. The unconventional roadmap for the band: write → produce → release → market → then build the live band. No traditional order. What it means to remain independent, how to hold leverage, and how age and industry assumptions impact musicians. And of course … Pete’s metaphorical “slap” of the episode: a sharp call-out of Daniel Ek for stepping back as CEO of Spotify while still exerting influence — is this industry behaviour artist-friendly or just smoke and mirrors? If you’re an artist or band who’s ready to experiment, build a real fanbase, and navigate the modern music business on your own terms — this episode is for you. Tune in and let’s sow the seeds of a movement. ➡️ Follow My God Machina at TikTok, Instagram & YouTube (links in the description). ➡️Subscribe to The Band Life Podcast for more honest, actionable advice on music industry survival, growth and change with Pete and Adam. Links: Please support our little podcast and buy us a coffee, we will love you forever and you will get a mention on the podcast! https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast Web: Podbean: https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/ [https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/] Green Wave Productions - Pete: https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/ [https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/] My God Machina YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLcqzhEftbUI-aP2zchgsAQ] TikTok: tiktok.com/@my.god.machina Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2 [https://www.instagram.com/mygodmachina?igsh=NTZuejhxaHl1MTU2] The Shallow Souls - Adam: https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls [https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls] Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast]   #musicindustry #podcast #thebandlifepodcast #musician #musicindustryadvice #musicartist #musicbusinesspodcast #musicbusiness #MyGodMachina #artistexperiment #midcareerartist #independentmusic #musictips #bandlife #musicmarketing #TikTokMusic

Episode 21: AI-Generated Music - The Greatest Threat to Artists' Income and How to Fight Back

Join The Band Life Podcast as we expose the biggest threat facing music artists in 2025: AI-generated music. Discover why AI bands like Velvet Sundown are earning $50,000+ annually on Spotify while real musicians struggle, and learn proven strategies to protect your income. We reveal shocking statistics about AI music's explosive growth, compare streaming platform pay-outs (Tidal vs Spotify), and share actionable tactics to help artists compete in an AI-dominated landscape. Whether you're an independent musician, songwriter, or producer, this episode provides essential insights on navigating the music industry's most challenging disruption. Plus, get Pete's no-nonsense take on why great music without smart marketing won't cut it anymore. Essential listening for every serious music artist. Links: Please support our little podcast and buy us a coffee, we will love you forever and you will get a mention on the podcast! https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/thebandlifepodcast] Web: Podbean: https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/ [https://petebandlifepodcast.podbean.com/]  Green Wave Productions - Pete: https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/ [https://greenwaveproductions.co.uk/] The Shallow Souls - Adam: https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls [https://linktr.ee/theshallowsouls] Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebandlifepodcast] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLr-aMTZjsYB7ZUly1e21vA?sub_confirmation=1] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/the_band_life_podcast/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast [https://www.tiktok.com/@the.band.life.cast]   #AIMusicThreat #MusicIndustry #SpotifyRoyalties #IndependentArtists #MusicStreaming #TidalVsSpotify #AIGeneratedMusic #VelvetSundown #MusicMarketing #BandLifePodcast #MusicBusiness #StreamingRoyalties #AIMusic #MusicTech #ArtistIncome #MusicProducers #SongwriterTips #MusicCareer #StreamingStrategy #MusicAI

"Is the Digital Era Destroying the Music Industry? The Truth About Streaming, AI, and Artist Rights.

In this compelling episode of The Band Life Podcast, we dive deep into the controversial question: Is the digital era destroying the music industry? Pete and Adam explore four critical areas transformed by digitalisation - production, distribution, marketing, and consumption - examining both the revolutionary benefits and devastating consequences for artists. From the democratisation of music production to the exploitative practices of streaming platforms, we uncover how digital transformation has fundamentally altered the music landscape.  This episode reveals why 120,000 songs are released daily on streaming platforms, creating unprecedented saturation while major tech companies extract billions from the industry without reinvesting in artists. We expose the harsh reality of streaming economics, where artists earn fractions of pennies per stream, forcing musicians to become digital marketers rather than focus on their craft.  Plus, discover the shocking truth about AI music licensing and why industry leaders like Nick Clegg believe requiring permission would "kill" the AI industry. Key topics covered: * How digital production democratized music creation while decreasing quality standards * The collapse of traditional distribution networks and its impact on industry economics * Why streaming platforms are extracting money from the music industry rather than supporting it * The transformation of music consumption from album-focused to single-track listening * Big Tech's exploitation of musicians and the urgent need for regulation * The controversial firing of copyright official Shira Perlmutter over AI licensing reports Whether you're an independent artist, music industry professional, or passionate music fan, this episode provides essential insights into the digital disruption reshaping our industry. Join us as we separate the hype from reality and explore potential solutions for a more sustainable musical future. Perfect for: Independent musicians, music industry professionals, streaming platform users, and anyone interested in the economics of digital music.     #MusicIndustry, #DigitalTransformation, #StreamingEconomics, #IndependentArtists, #MusicProduction, #AIMusic, #CopyrightProtection, #MusicTech, #ArtistRights, #BigTech, #MusicBusiness, #Podcast, #MusicEconomics, #CreativeIndustry, #MusicStreaming, #DigitalMarketing, #MusicDiscussion, #IndustryInsights, #MusicNews, #EntertainmentBusiness