How pop stars make money

10/08/24 • 6 min

The business of music has been radically transformed in recent decades. Anthony Hamer-Hodges, principal of the London College of Contemporary Music, explains how.

The business of music has been radically transformed in recent decades. Anthony Hamer-Hodges, principal of the London College of Contemporary Music, explains how.

Previous Episode

Pop stars, boundaries and toxic fandom

Music artists are cancelling gigs to protect their mental health but what do they owe their fans?

American singer Chappell Roan pulled out of two appearances at short notice - not for the first time - saying she needed a few days to prioritise her health. Earlier in the summer, she called out fans’ “creepy behaviour” and said abuse and harassment of famous people shouldn’t be normalised. Her critics say she’s ungrateful and her cancellations cost fans money. But supporters argue she represents a new generation of artists who are no longer willing to put up with the industry’s damaging demands.

How has Chappell Roan’s relationship with fans evolved as her career has taken off? How have radical changes to the music industry’s business model affected demands on artists? And what has social media done to the connection between pop stars and their followers?

Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Maybin, Ellie House, Caroline Bayley Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Richard Vadon

Archive: British Pathe; Netflix.

Next Episode

Breeding for Britain

Deaths have outnumbered births in the UK for the first time in nearly 50 years, new figures show. Should we encourage people to have more babies?

With an ageing population and not enough babies born to fully replace the older generations, some people are warning of population collapse. It was a hot subject at this year’s Conservative Party Conference - one fringe meeting discussed how to encourage people to have more children - and the phrase ‘Breed for Britain’ was soon trending on X.

Some people say that conversations like this are bad for women, and our total population is still growing - thanks to net migration. Others argue that immigration isn’t the solution, and we need to increase our fertility rate.

What do the figures show about demographic trends? How have other countries tried to boost their birth rates, and have they succeeded? And how has a conspiracy theory about the so-called ‘Great Replacement’ shifted into the mainstream?

Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Ellie House, Simon Maybin, Caroline Bayley Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Penny Murphy