The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Jess Furman—a creative executive, Emmy-nominated composer, and music industry leader whose work spans TV, film, Web3, and beyond. Named one of Billboard’s Top 40 Industry-Shaping Executives, Jess blends creative vision with business savvy. She founded Sound Revolver (now part of Big Noise Music Group), where she led award-winning music campaigns and earned Tellys, Clios, and RIAA Gold certifications. Her credits include Moonlight, Westworld, My Little Pony: Pony Life, Littlest Pet Shop, and campaigns for brands like Ralph Lauren. As a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Jess’s music has been featured on Sesame Street, MTV, Drop Dead Diva, Sundance, and SXSW. In this episode, we follow Jess’s journey from New York singer-songwriter to a leading force in the world of sync licensing in Los Angeles. She shares what it takes to write custom music for film, TV, and branded content—and breaks down the creative and business challenges that come with it. In the second half, things get lively as she and Ari debate the future of AI in music. Jess previews her next project: an AI-generated artist built to test a blockchain-driven brand model. The music is created by AI, refined by humans, and designed to support real artists through tech. Jess sees promise in it. Ari isn’t so sure—and questions the ethics and long-term effects of AI-generated content on platforms already flooded with music. https://www.instagram.com/jessfurmanmuse [https://www.instagram.com/jessfurmanmuse] 05:45 Introduction and History 11:16 Journey to Sync Licensing 21:31 Founding Sound Revolver 31:06 Custom Music for TV and Film 45:56 AI in Music Creation 1:01:16 Debating The Future of the Music Industry 1:15:46 Final Thoughts and Making It in Music Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com [https://book.aristake.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Matt Graham, founding manager partner of Range Media Partners and head of Range Music. Range Music represents artists like Jack Harlow, Shaboozey, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Pentatonix, Rita Ora, Saweetie, Noah Cyrus, Midland, and Dylan Gossett—as well as emerging talent. Originally launched as a management company, Range has grown into a multi-division operation spanning music, film, TV, publishing, composing, and sports. Matt was named to Billboard’s 40 Under 40 list and recently recognized as one of Billboard's Country Power Players. In this conversation, Ari and Matt take a big-picture look at how Range is structured, how the music team works together internally, and how artist management continues to evolve. They touch on deal structures—both traditional and emerging—and discuss how representation models are shifting across the industry. Matt also shares insights into his work in country music and how he’s thinking about developing both established names and new talent. They also touch on generative AI music and where we’re heading with all of it. If you're interested in the business of management, this conversation offers a thoughtful look behind the scenes. https://www.instagram.com/itsmattgraham/ [https://www.instagram.com/itsmattgraham/] https://rangemusic.com/ [https://rangemusic.com/] 00:00 - Introduction to Matt Graham and Range 03:05 - Building Range Media Partners’ collaborative management model   08:14 - Partnering with Big Loud and Mercury on Dylan Gossett   13:20 - The role of management in structuring label partnerships   17:45 - Global strategy for country and genre-fluid artists   21:55 - How Range Media supports career development beyond music   26:10 - Composer division and expansion into scoring and sync   31:05 - Why AI music is disrupting the music industry   35:45 - Labeling and regulation for AI-generated content   40:28 - How AI could reduce artist costs for visuals and production   45:50 - Blockchain’s missed opportunity in music   48:15 - What it means to "make it" in today’s music business   51:00 - Final thoughts and Matt’s outlook on the industry  Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com [https://book.aristake.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with indie artist Michael Seyer, who’s spent the last decade shaping his artistic identity through nostalgic albums like Ugly Boy and Bad Bonez. His latest release, Boylife, blends dream pop and indie-folk into a heartfelt coming-of-age soundtrack, written between LA and tour stops across Asia and North America. Self-released through his new label, Seyerland Records, Boylife marks a new chapter—one where Seyer deepens his artistry while uplifting fellow independent musicians. Ari and Michael dive into the making of Boylife, collaborating with a young producer, shooting music videos guerrilla-style in Japan, and staying fully independent—from DIY vinyl runs to self-funded tours. Seyer also shares how he’s building worlds around his music, launching his label, and navigating the tricky balance between art and promotion. https://www.instagram.com/michaelseyer/ [https://www.instagram.com/michaelseyer/] Chapters 05:20 – Getting Started with Internet Music & Early DIY Releases   08:15 – Collaborating with Producer Christian Taylor on Boylife   12:10 – How Making Boylife Reignited His Passion for Music   14:45 – Staying Fully Independent in a Label-Dominated Industry   16:50 – Seyer’s Licensing Deal with Virgin Records Explained   22:05 – Pressing Vinyl & Distributing Music Through DistroKid   25:50 – Behind the Scenes of Filming “Fiend” on the Streets of Japan   35:40 – Launching Seyerland Records to Support Local Artists   42:30 – What Artist Development Means & How He Approaches It   52:30 – Navigating Social Media, Burnout, and Self-Promotion   57:10 – Defining Success & What It Means to “Make It” in Music Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com [https://book.aristake.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Justin Gammella, a hit songwriter, producer, top liner, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. With over a billion streams to his name and more than 100 released cuts, Justin’s catalog includes Bella Poarch’s viral hit “Build a Bitch” and collaborations with artists like Benson Boone, Lennon Stella, Steve Aoki, and FINNEAS. A true “working class” pop songwriter, Justin brings a decade of professional songwriting experience to the table and is also the host of the Producer Points podcast. In this episode, Ari and Justin dive into the realities of professional songwriting in today’s music industry. They explore how songwriters get paid, how publishing works, and the controversy around non-writing artists receiving songwriting credit. They also touch on newer developments like songwriters earning master points and how the industry continues to evolve in the streaming era. This episode also takes on the growing role of AI in music—how Justin uses it in his workflow, the ethical questions it raises, and the need for safeguards across the industry. https://instagram.com/justin_gammella [https://instagram.com/justin_gammella] http://instagram.com/producer_points [http://instagram.com/producer_points]  Chapters 00:00 The Role of Songwriters in the Music Industry 05:12 Journey to Becoming a Professional Songwriter 10:04 Understanding Publishing Deals 17:30 Monetization in the Streaming Era 23:15 The Songwriting Process and Collaboration 31:54 Vocal Production: The Heart of Music Creation 39:08 The Art of Pitch Songs: Collaboration and Emotion 42:17 Navigating the Modern Music Landscape: Major Labels vs. Indie Artists 45:57 Songwriting Credits: The Controversy of Co-Writing 50:11 The Evolving Role of Songwriters in the Streaming Era 54:56 AI in Music: Opportunities and Ethical Considerations 01:01:36 Defining Success in the New Music Business Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com [https://book.aristake.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

This week on the New Music Business [https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/] podcast, Ari sits down with Oscar Höglund, the co-founder and CEO of Epidemic Sound. Epidemic Sound is a leading music and soundtracking platform for content creators. They have garnered attention for its digital rights model and soundtracking tools that help creators to elevate their content with music, while simultaneously supporting artists financially. Oscar shares insights from his journey launching Epidemic after working with Sweden’s renowned Zodiak Television. In their episode, Ari and Oscar unpack critical issues impacting independent artists, including royalty structures, streaming economics, and the evolving landscape of music licensing. They explore Epidemic Sound’s unique approach to artist compensation, discuss how digital streaming has pushed music toward playlist-driven consumption, and tackle the creative tension artists face when making commercially viable music. This episode offers an in-depth look at one of the industry's most influential platforms shaping the future of music in content creation. Chapters 00:00 The Changing Landscape of Music Royalties 06:00 Epidemic Sound: A New Model for Music Distribution 12:14 Artist Compensation and Ownership Rights 17:46 Innovative Approaches to Music Licensing 24:09 The Impact of Epidemic Sound on Independent Artists 29:53 Future of Music in the Digital Age 42:16 The Evolution of Music Consumption 46:21 Negotiating with DSPs and Licensing Rates 49:52 The Rise of Epidemic Sound 55:31 The Artist's Identity Crisis 01:08:01 Future Innovations and AI in Music 01:21:12 Becoming a Full-Service Music Platform Edited and mixed by Ari Davids Music by Brassroots District Produced by the team at Ari’s Take Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com [https://book.aristake.com] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.