The Music Business Buddy
Business & Finance
About
A podcast that aims to educate and inspire music creators in their quest to achieving their goals by gaining a greater understanding of the business of music. A new episode is released each Wednesday and aims to offer clarity and insight into a range of subjects across the music industry. The series includes soundbites and interviews with guests from all over the world together with commentary and clarity on a range of topics. The podcast is hosted by award winning music industry professional Jonny Amos. Jonny Amos is the author of The Music Business for Music Creators (Routledge/ Focal Press, 2024). He...
Episodes
- Episode 96: How Indie X Turn Fans Into Income (Artist Ownership & Revenue Strategy)
This episode of The Music Business Buddy features an interview with Jack McCarthy from IndieX. They discuss strategies for independent artists to convert a fanbase into a sustainable income through artist ownership, data management, and e-…
- Episode 95: How SongPot AI is Changing Music Discovery (And What It Means for Sync & Creators)
Tiangu Zhu, founder of SongPot, explains how AI is changing music discovery by analyzing audio to find unspoken similarities, improving music search and sync licensing workflows. The episode also covers how AI can serve creators as a new i…
- Episode 94: How to Launch a Music Artist (The 6 Phases From Zero to Momentum)
This episode outlines a six-phase framework for launching a music artist career, focusing on building momentum through strategic release planning, data analysis, and brand narrative. It covers topics including identifying a niche, content…
- Episode 93: How Hit Songs Actually Happen (Inside A&R with Pete Ganbarg)
Grammy-winning A&R leader Pete Ganbarg discusses the mechanics of hitting songs, the importance of artist development, and the evolving music landscape on The Music Business Buddy. The conversation also covers career advice, the role of AI…
- Episode 92: How to Build a Music Career Without Permission (Audience, Data & Strategy)
Jason Hollis joins The Music Business Buddy to discuss building a music career through data-driven strategy and audience ownership. They explore tactical approaches for leveraging fan base analytics, generating industry interest, and maint…
- Episode 91: How to Become a Session Drummer (Real Career Path with Collette Williams)
Session drummer and multi-instrumentalist Collette Williams discusses her career path, including performing on live TV, transitioning from drum tech to playing live with Blossoms, and her experiences with the band Rews. She also shares ins…
- Episode 90: How to Release Music Independently (Tools, Strategy & Startup Insights)
Adriano and James from Release Assist discuss strategies for independent music distribution, focusing on goal-led planning, metadata optimization, and aligning release strategies with audience engagement. The conversation explores tools fo…
- Episode 89: How Fintech is Changing Artist Funding (What Artists Need to Know)
This episode explores how fintech is influencing artist funding, looking at how streaming data and fan engagement are used to underwrite advances. It also covers the impact of catalogue financing, the role of blockchain technology, and how…
- Episode 88: Understanding Music Supervision in Context
Music supervisor and consultant Drew Sherrod discusses the craft of music supervision, trailer music, and the business of sync licensing. The conversation covers legacy catalogue strategy, the importance of metadata, and the evolving role…
- Episode 87: How Artists Define Their Sound, Genre & Identity (Step-by-Step)
This episode explores how artists can systematically define their sound, genre, and identity. Discussions cover production choices, branding, and the importance of aligning musical and visual elements to build momentum and clarity for fans.
- Episode 86: Music Rights & Catalogues Explained (What Artists Must Understand)
This episode features Robin Maddicott discussing music rights and catalogues, highlighting the importance of metadata for success, catalogue as an asset class, and the implications of AI on music creation and licensing.
- Episode 85: How to Write Music for TV (Inside the World of TV Composers)
Composers George Warren and Nico Pacella of Bleeding Fingers discuss the professional craft of scoring music for TV and film. They explore technical workflows, the role of sound design, industry business practices, and career advice for as…
- Episode 84: How Artists Can Fund Their Music Without Giving Up Ownership
Jonny Amos discusses music funding with Duetti's Head of Growth, Elliot Bahmoul. They explore how artists can sell portions of their music catalogues to gain upfront capital while retaining ownership, and how to utilize data-driven marketi…
- Episode 83: How Brands Choose Music (And How Artists Get Selected)
Creative Director Ryan Dickinson joins The Music Business Buddy to discuss how brands select music, his composer-led production model, and the role of AI in commercial composition. The episode explores his process for creating brand-defini…
- Episode 82: Napster Explained: How It Changed the Music Industry Forever
This episode traces Napster’s history from its impact on the music industry in 1999 to its current pivot toward AI and immersive experiences. It examines the brand's ownership changes and evaluates whether modern technology trends in music…
- Episode 81: What is Sonic Branding? How Music Shapes Brand Identity
Host Jonny Amos interviews Erik Reiff, CCO of Black Cat White Cat Music, about the process of creating sonic branding and musical identities for brands and film. They discuss the craft of composing under constraints, working with directors…
- Episode 80: Music Marketing Strategies That Actually Work (For Independent Artists)
Mike King, VP of Enrolment Management and Marketing at Interlochen Center for the Arts, discusses music marketing strategies for independent artists. The conversation covers evolving marketing trends, the importance of community building,…
- Episode: 79: How Musicians Can Access Session Players On Demand (Musiversal Explained)
Xavier Jameson, Co-Founder of Musiversal, joins The Music Business Buddy to discuss their model for accessing remote studio musicians. The episode covers the workflow for live sessions, their community features, and the importance of profe…
- Episode 78: Best Music Business Lessons of 2025 (What Artists Should Know)
This episode summarizes key professional music business insights from the past year. Topics include using streaming data, the collaborative nature of music production, navigating AI ethically, developing fan relationships, diversifying rev…
- Episode 77: Music Business Q&A: Royalties, Publishing & Common Mistakes Answered
In this Q&A session of The Music Business Buddy, the host answers listener questions on royalties, publishing, AI ethics, growth strategies, and career management. Topics include practical advice on IP audits, distributor services, EPK req…
- Episode 76: How to Turn a Band Into a Business (Step-by-Step Guide)
This episode provides a guide on professionalizing a band by managing paperwork, royalties, and legal structures. It covers royalty registration, trademarking, interband agreements, financial management, and business entity options to ensu…
- Episode 75: How Music Management Connects Artists to Opportunities
This episode features Waylon Barnes, CEO of C2 Management, discussing how modern artists can leverage data and social listening to grow their audience and build a sustainable business through sync deals, brand partnerships, and more. Barne…
- Episode 74: Music Publishing Explained (Inside One of the World’s Biggest Publishers)
This episode features Ralph W. Peer of peermusic, explaining music publishing, its legacy, and how songs gain value. It covers cross-cultural collaboration, AI in music, and licensing frameworks for creators.
- Episode 73: How Music Industry Pioneers Built Their Careers (Lessons for Today)
This episode features Russell C Brennan discussing his journey building Future Legend Records, breaking artists with unique strategies, and maintaining independence. Topics include indie label longevity, royalty management, lessons from ma…
- Episode 72: How Cruise Ship Gigs Can Build a Music Career (Pros, Pay & Reality)
This episode discusses the opportunities and realities of performing music on cruise ships. It covers potential earnings, the skills needed, and how ship gigs can accelerate a musician's career and personal development.
- Episode 71: What Does an Artist Manager Actually Do? (Full Breakdown)
This episode details the role of an artist manager, covering business strategy, creative development, and soft skills. It discusses identifying when to seek management, how to approach potential managers, and typical commission structures…
- Episode 70: How Music Supervision is Broken (And How It’s Being Fixed)
Award-winning music supervisor Frederic Schindler has launched Catalog, a platform to modernize the music licensing system. It streamlines the process for brands and independent labels, addressing the shift towards library music by unlocki…
- Episode 69: The Virality Trap - Why Going Viral Doesn’t Build a Music Career
This episode discusses research suggesting viral social media moments do not reliably translate into music streams or dedicated fans. It explores the disconnect between visibility and consumption, questioning the effectiveness of viral mar…
- Episode 68: How Artists Grow on Social Media (Real Strategy, Not Luck)
Anya Jasmine discusses her social media growth strategy, emphasizing consistent quality content and identifying trending audio. She also shares insights into platform differences between Instagram and TikTok, her experiences as a session g…
- Episode 67: Music Production Tips That Actually Matter (Producer Playbook)
This episode details the evolving landscape of music production, covering diverse roles, compensation strategies like hourly vs. per-track and rights exchanges, and alternative income streams such as sample packs and beat licensing. It als…
- Episode 66: How A&R and Music Publishing Work (Inside K-Pop & Global Markets)
Host Jonny Amos talks with K-pop A&R professional Kristin Hurst about how A&R and music publishing work in K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop markets. The episode covers pitching songs internationally, cultural differences in music markets, and advic…
- Trailer
This is a trailer for The Music Business Buddy podcast. It encourages listeners to reach out and support the show.
- Episode 65: What Happens When Music Collides with the Creator Economy?
The creator economy is shifting, moving away from fleeting viral moments and toward sustainable success for musicians. With audiences preferring authentic, DIY content over overproduced material, artists are diversifying income through non…
- Episode 64: Inside the World of Music Publishing with DWB Music's Greig Watts
Greig Watts details DWB Music's growth into an international publishing company, highlighting success in East Asian markets and strategic use of Eurovision. He also explains his mentorship approach, likening songwriter development to a tea…
- Episode 63: Web3 Meets Music with IYK CEO Ryan Ouyang
Ryan Ouyang, CEO of IYK, explains how their NFC-embedded products connect physical merchandise to exclusive digital experiences for music fans. The technology, used by artists like Disturbed and Chance the Rapper, allows fans to authentica…
- Episode 62: Understanding Medallion With Music Tech Innovator Matt Jones
Matt Jones, CEO of Medallion, explains how the platform enables artists to own their fan communities and data, addressing the current imbalance where artists capture only 10% of their economic value. Medallion offers a solution for artists…
- Episode 61: Beat Matching to Business Success - Amani Roberts on Music Entrepreneurship
Amani Roberts shares insights on music entrepreneurship, highlighting the evolution of the industry through technology and emphasizing the importance of experience over technical skills. He also discusses factors influencing the decline of…
- Episode 60: An Assessment of The Current State of AI
This episode assesses the state of AI in music as of 2025, highlighting companies like DAACI, VoiceSwap, and RoEx Audio. It discusses how AI is increasingly used to assist human creativity, manage tedious tasks, and establish ethical frame…
- Episode 59: Blanket Licensing Demystified
This episode explains blanket licensing, a system where broadcasters pay a fixed annual fee for access to vast music catalogs. It covers how blanket licenses work, territorial differences between the UK and US systems, and the payment stru…
- Episode 58: AI Powered Mixing With RoEx CEO David Ronan
David Ronan, CEO of Roex Audio, explains how AI tools like Mix Check Studio and Automix handle corrective mixing tasks, freeing up music creators to focus on artistic elements. With a background in music technology, Ronan highlights Roex's…
- Episode 57: The Next Generation of The Music Industry
This episode examines the "Sound of the Next Generation" report, highlighting challenges faced by young musicians due to the pandemic, economic hardship, and funding cuts. It reveals a decline in young people identifying as musical and dis…
- Episode 56: Exploring Mental Health with Tonic Music's Jeordie Shenton
Host talks to Jeordie Shenton of Tonic Music about mental health challenges in the music industry. The discussion covers the impact of isolation across the music ecosystem and the importance of moving from awareness to action through tailo…
- Episode 55: AI Vocals and Voice Swap with Declan McGlynn
Jonny Amos interviews Declan McGlynn, Chief Creative Officer at VoiceSwap, to discuss the implications of AI voice technology in the music industry. The episode explores VoiceSwap's ethical approach to AI voice models, including artist con…
- Episode 54: How to Pitch Your Music For Sync
This episode explains the sync licensing ecosystem, detailing how to connect with agents and music supervisors. It covers contractual considerations, fee negotiation, composition vs. master licenses, and the emerging micro-licensing sector.
- Episode 53: The Key Steps to Sync Placements
This episode of The Music Business Buddy features Jonny Amos discussing crucial preparation steps for sync licensing. He emphasizes understanding song essence, the importance of detailed metadata for discoverability, and the necessity of c…
- Episode 52: Setting Up Your Own Remote Marketplace
This episode of The Music Business Buddy explores how remote marketplaces like SoundBetter and Fiverr enable musicians to earn income globally by offering their skills. It provides guidance on crafting service offerings, pricing, managing…
- Episode 51: Hits, Syncs and Serenada - The Lloyd Perrin Story
Lloyd Perrin, creator of the Serenada streaming platform, aims to revolutionize artist compensation by implementing a user-centric model where subscription fees directly support artists. This platform contrasts sharply with current streami…
- Episode 50: Q & A with Jonny Amos
In this milestone 50th episode of The Music Business Buddy, host Jonny Amos answers listener questions covering music distribution, publishing, the role of AI in music creation, and social media strategies. Amos discusses ethical AI applic…
- Episode 49: Ethical AI Music Creation with DAACI's Annemarie Gaillard
Annemarie Gaillard of DAACI explains their approach to ethical AI music creation, which is based on musicology and theory rather than scraping existing works. DAACI's tools act as creative co-pilots, ensuring traceability, attribution, and…
- Episode 48: The Roots of Music - An Interview with Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths
Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, discusses the UK's music crisis, where funding cuts threaten youth music programs. Youth Music turns away 83% of applicants, and 41% of funded partners face closure, despite music being a favorite activi…