The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

Ari's Take

**WEBBY AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC PODCAST**

“#1 music industry podcast to help keep you in the loop” -Spotify

“The 10 Best Music Business Podcasts of 2022" – Variety

Ari Herstand is the best-selling author of How To Make It in the New Music Business. Forbes calls him “The poster child of DIY music.” In this show, he deconstructs the brightest minds in the music industry, digging deep to find the tools, tactics, and strategies that listeners can use to run successful careers of their own. Ari offers straight talk with no fluff and doesn’t let his guests off easy. If there is a way, Ari will find it.

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Top 10 The New Music Business with Ari Herstand Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The New Music Business with Ari Herstand episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The New Music Business with Ari Herstand for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The New Music Business with Ari Herstand episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

How Neoni got 2 Billion Views & Streams as DIY Artists

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

06/19/24 • 63 min

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:

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Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

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X: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

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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.

1 Listener

House Concerts and Ticketed Livestreams with Side Door's Dan Mangan

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

02/23/22 • 66 min

Dan Mangan is a two-time JUNO award winning and two-time Polaris Music Prize listed musician and songwriter, based out of Vancouver, Canada. Mangan has released 5 studio LPs and has embarked on various worldwide tours, most notably performing at Glastonbury, Jimmy Kimmel Live and selling out Massey Hall. Additionally, Mangan has scored for feature film, as well as television for Netflix and AMC. As of 2017, Mangan co-founded the Side Door alongside Laura Simpson. The “any space is a venue” marketplace platform ultimately matches creatives with spaces to host shows anytime and anywhere they choose. To learn more visit: https://sidedooraccess.com

04:56 Welcome

06:26 How Side Door started

15:05 Connecting with your audience

17:45 How Side Door benefits artists

24:58 Tier ticketing integration

28:08 How artists are using Side Door

38:10 The state of performance venues post-pandemic

42:36 Protecting artists with an automatic pro-remittance

46:34 Average ticket prices and artist earnings

50:46 The future of Side Door: in-person or online?

57:07 Building artist communities by becoming hosts themselves

1:00:09 Dan Mangan’s music career

1:04:24 Final question

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb

Ari's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.com

Watch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMY

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake

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

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Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand

Connect with Dan Mangan (Side Door):

Website: https://sidedooraccess.com/home

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sidedooraccess

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidedoor.access

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

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

1 Listener

How YouTube Works for Music

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

01/15/25 • 74 min

This week Ari sits down with George Karalexis & Donna Budica, the co-founders and CEO/COO (respectively) of TEN2 Media, a content distribution and marketing company that helps artists and labels maximize revenue and growth on YouTube. TEN2 Media partners with Warner Music Group, UnitedMasters, Travis Barker, Benson Boone, Brent Faiyaz, and more. They specialize in marketing, monetization, and collection on the YouTube platform, all of which you’ll hear about in this episode.

This entire episode is dedicated to YouTube for music—artists and labels in particular. Donna and George share stats about how listeners interact with YouTube, how people discover new music on the platform, and what it means that YouTube is the #1 music discovery platform right now. They break down the components of YouTube monetization and do a deep dive into companies that help artists manage their YouTube channels and revenue. If you’re wondering how to up your YouTube game, the most effective ways to use YouTube these days, and all the various tools that exist on the platform (shorts, music videos, vlog content, lyric videos, playlists, storytelling, UGC [user-generated content], etc.), this is the episode for you.

https://www.ten2.media/

Kristin Robinson Billboard Article: How Did Two Unknown Latin Music Operators Make $23 Million From YouTube? The IRS Says They Stole It

Chapters

00:00 The Evolution of YouTube in Music

03:13 Understanding YouTube's Unique Role

06:02 Strategies for Artists on YouTube

08:49 The Power of YouTube Analytics

12:07 Monetization Mechanics on YouTube

15:00 Navigating YouTube's Revenue Streams

37:12 Understanding YouTube's Viewer Demographics

40:09 The Evolution of Cover Videos and UGC

42:55 The Long Game: YouTube vs. TikTok

43:51 Strategies for Emerging Artists

48:03 Navigating YouTube's Complex Revenue System

56:13 The Future of Distribution for Indie Artists

01:01:25 Filling the Void for Emerging Artists

01:09:01 When to Start Taking YouTube Seriously

01:12:07 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

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

1 Listener

TikTok Music Marketing Grows Up

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

07/05/23 • 57 min

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

Joining us this week on the New Music Business is Johnny Cloherty, the founder and CEO of Songfluencer. Songfluencer is a global, innovative creative marketing agency of music experts that turns followers into fans by strategically pairing songs, artists, and brands with key tastemaker influencers on music-forward social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They’ve worked with artists such as Lil Nas X, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.

04:47 Welcome

07:17 Music industry gatekeepers

10:48 Explosion of influencer marketing, working with every major label

12:43 How the TikTok platform has matured

17:03 Artists targeting the correct demographics

24:24 How Songfluencer runs campaigns and achieves artists' goals

32:33 Is it necessary for artists to have a presence on TikTok?

38:20 Advice for artists for don't understand the platform

42:44 Collaborating with both legacy and emerging artists

52:00 Social media posting schedule

56:11 What it means to make it in the new music business

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb

Ari’s Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off!): https://aristakeacademy.com

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

Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/aristake_

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@aris.take

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTake

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

Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstand

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Connect with Songfluencer:

Website: https://songfluencer.com/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/songfluencer

Edited and mixed by Maxton Hunter

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

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

1 Listener

He Wrote/Produced 10 #1 Hit Songs: Stargate's Tor Hermansen on How To Do It

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

01/22/25 • 65 min

This week Ari sits down with Tor Hermansen, half of the production/songwriter duo Stargate. Stargate has written and produced major hit songs for artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, and Coldplay, to name a few. Tor has billions of streams, has written and produced 10 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles in the US and 11 in the UK. He has won 2 Grammy Awards and received the ASCAP songwriter of the year award twice. Stargate’s writer and producer credits include Beyoncé’s global hit “Irreplaceable,” Beyoncé and Shakira’s “Beautiful Liar,” extensive work with Rihanna including “Rude Boy,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” “Only Girl (In the World),” What’s My Name, “S&M, “Diamonds,” Selena Gomez’ “Come & Get It” and “Same Old Love,” Fifth Harmony’s “Worth It” and Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Most recently, the team produced Coldplay’s album A Head Full of Dreams, co-wrote and produced Julia Michael’s current hit “Issues.”

Tor talks about the process of songwriting and producing, working with artists and topliners. He shares great advice on how to write and work in the room with other songwriters, producers, and topliners. Tor also shares valuable insight on demoing, writing, re-writing, scaling up a musical production, and more. Ari and Tor dive deep into the business end of songwriting and producing as well; they discuss the 9-month intensive LAAMP program (Los Angeles Academy for Artists and Music Producers) Tor and his Stargate partner Mikkel Eriksen created for aspiring artists, songwriters, and producers in LA and how to get involved. If you’re interested in how songwriting and producing works at the hit level, this episode is for you!

https://www.instagram.com/stargate/

https://www.laampmusic.com/

Chapters

00:00 No Compromising in Music Creation

00:33 Introduction to Tora Hermanson and Stargate

02:51 Songwriting and Production Process Insights

04:41 The Evolution of Music Production

10:19 The Pitch Game: Is It Dead?

13:14 Identifying a Hit: The Unpredictable Nature

16:03 The Role of Social Media in Music Success

18:52 Adapting to New Mediums: TikTok and Streaming

21:27 The Creation of 'Issues' with Julia Michaels

24:41 Evolving Production Techniques

27:51 Collaboration and Song Development

30:33 Creative Freedom in the Final Product

32:11 The Art of Collaboration in Songwriting

37:01 Navigating the Songwriting Process

46:59 The Business of Songwriting and Representation

49:16 Building a Career as a Songwriter

56:45 Creating a Nurturing Environment for Artists

01:04:50 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

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

1 Listener

How This DIY Darkwave Band From Texas Sells Out Venues Around The World & Gets Millions of Streams

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

02/05/25 • 57 min

This week Ari sits down with Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. of the duo Twin Tribes. This dark wave band out of Brownsville, TX has been gaining impressive momentum on the gothic scene—and they’re doing it entirely DIY. Twin Tribes releases their music through DistroKid and has over 30 million streams with nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. They have toured the world and managed their growing success completely independently.

In this episode, Twin Tribes tells Ari all about how they’ve built their DIY operation from the ground up. They share about how they’ve partnered with record labels to utilize their physical product offerings (CDs, cassette tapes, vinyls, etc) while still maintaining full independence as artists. Luis and Joel also break down the potent visuals behind the Twin Tribes brand and how they developed their aesthetic. This conversation is an inspiring example of how finding your niche and building a DIY community can help catapult your career.

https://www.instagram.com/twin_tribes/

Chapters

00:00 The Genesis of Twin Tribes

02:53 Building a DIY Community

06:03 The Role of Aesthetics in Music

08:51 Discovering the Gothic Scene

12:13 The Cassette Era and Initial Releases

15:10 Growing Through Live Performances

17:58 Transitioning to Full-Time Musicians

20:51 Strategic Partnerships and Touring

24:04 The Evolution of Their Sound and Success

28:21 Navigating DIY Music Partnerships

30:42 Building a Digital Strategy for Streaming Success

36:24 Creating Ambitious Music Videos

44:23 Crafting a Cohesive Aesthetic and Vision

50:36 Engaging with Fans and Community

53:04 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Twin Tribes

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

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

1 Listener

Lyor Cohen on YouTube Music's Future and the Music Industry's Past

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

04/09/25 • 40 min

This week, Ari is joined by Lyor Cohen, the Global Head of Music at YouTube. Earlier in his career, Lyor led Def Jam Recordings, where he worked with artists such as Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Ludacris. He eventually sold Def Jam to Universal and helped create the Island Def Jam Music Group. After Def Jam, Lyor became Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group. He went on to co-found 300 Entertainment (repping artists like Fetty Wap and Young Thug) before landing at YouTube in 2016.

In this episode, Lyor and Ari discuss artist development, the state of the industry, and music’s digital revolution. Lyor shares what it was like to lead Warner Music at a time when both Spotify and YouTube launched. If you’re curious about the trajectory of tech in music, how generative AI can bring artists and fans together, or how you can use YouTube to build momentum in your career, this episode is for you.

Chapters

00:00 The Pursuit of Artist Success

05:23 Navigating the Music Industry Landscape

12:11 User-Centric Approach in Music

20:34 Building Artist Communities

27:14 The Evolution of Music Consumption

33:30 Embracing Generative AI 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

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

1 Listener

Can The Music Industry Be a Safe Place?

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

12/18/24 • 60 min

This week Ari sits down with Katie Tucker, a double-platinum songwriter, vocal producer, studio owner, and the visionary behind Sharp Edges Records with its accompanying recording studio. As a songwriter, Katie has crafted hit songs for renowned artists like Namie Amuro, BoA, and Jota Quest. She has amassed millions of streams as a recording artist and her music has been featured on major platforms including ABC, USA, VH1, Fox, Disney, Peacock, and Hulu. A defining moment in her career came with "Do It For Love," featured on Namie Amuro's album Finally, cementing her status as a double-platinum songwriter.

These days, however, Katie spends most of her time in advocacy and running Sharp Edges Records. One of the main reasons Katie started her record label/studio was to create a safe space for her clients within the industry. Katie started No Creeps!, an event and movement advocating for mental health, safety, and inclusivity in the music industry as a further expression of her advocacy. This conversation goes deep into safety and inclusion in music and recording. In this conversation, Katie offers tangible resources for how we can all participate in making this industry a safer and more supportive place for everyone.

Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesharpedges/

Women In Music Safe(r) Spaces Resource Directory: https://www.womeninmusic.org/saferspaces

No Creeps! Digital Resource Zine: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uk87S0hmxSsHaEXCTieSuz3AiwcaKs-x/view?usp=drivesdk

Chapters:

00:00 Creating Safe Spaces in the Music Industry

03:08 The Journey to Sharp Edges Records

05:56 The Importance of Vulnerability in Music Creation

09:06 Navigating Safety and Inclusivity in Recording Studios

11:52 Concrete Steps for a Safer Music Environment

15:11 Understanding the Spectrum of Safety Concerns

18:00 Educating for Change: The Role of Communication

20:50 Empowering Artists Through Advocacy

30:20 Addressing Abuse of Power in the Music Industry

32:11 The No Creeps! Initiative: Creating Safe Spaces

36:19 Empowering Voices: Sharing Experiences and Education

41:11 The Importance of Allyship and Advocacy

46:24 Navigating Imperfection: Learning from Experiences

52:35 Resources for Safety and Support in the Industry

56:21 Redefining 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

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

1 Listener

Oprah's Drummer Madame Gandhi on Feminism, Activism, Music Video Budgets as an Indie Artist

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

05/13/20 • 63 min

Today's guest is with Madame Gandhi (birth name Kiran Gandhi). She's an incredibly inspiring person, an activist, and feminist. She started her career drumming for M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, and embarked on Oprah Winfrey's Vision 2020 tour before the COVID-19 pandemic. Gandhi is also a recording artist and speaker. She also holds an MBA from Harvard University.

We talk about release strategy, how she creates her music and high production value music videos as an independent artist.

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2:25 - Madame Gandhi's tour with Oprah Winfrey

7:00 - Kiran getting her MBA and how she did it with her touring schedule

8:50 - Kiran's Indian heritage and culture

15:12 - When Kiran Gandhi came up with the name and project Madame Gandhi

18:04 - What Madame Gandhi thinks an activist is

19:30 - How Kiran chooses which companies/brands to work with

27:15 - Switching sides: Going from employee to employer and what the responsibilities are like

31:10 - How often Madame Gandhi does high production music videos

31:46 - Staying healthy on the road and when you're away from home

33:28 - Madame Gandhi's viral moment running the London Marathon

36:27 - The 'Visions' EP's story

38:04 - Madame Gandhi's creation process - is there a lot of collaboration? What DAW Madame Gandhi uses

41:50 - Maintaining Gandhi's sound and why her drumming skills are vital when writing music

43:33 - Gandhi's independent career and why she hasn't signed to a major label

47:20 - How many shows Gandhi has performed as Madame Gandhi

48:20 - The independent musician hustle - Gandhi's Instagram strategy and understanding your brand

56:40 - The release strategy for Madame Gandhi and the thought process behind her methods

59:30 - Remaining close to the original message of the song when creating music videos and visuals

1:01:38 - What it means to Madame Gandhi to make it in the new music business

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Connect with Ari’s Take:

Website: https://aristake.com

Academy: https://aristakeacademy.com

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take

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Connect with Ari Herstand:

Website: https://ariherstand.com

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstand

YouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstand

Facebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstand

Connect with Madame Gandhi:

Website: https://www.madamegandhi.com/

Facebook:

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Sync Agent Breaks Down TV, Film, Advertising Music Licensing

The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

11/15/23 • 67 min

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

Learn more about Jen and Low Profile: https://www.lowprofilenyc.com/

Jen Pearce is the Founder of Low Profile, a music licensing & consulting agency based in Brooklyn, NY. After working in the music industry for years at companies like Warner Bros. Records & Downtown Records, Jen decided to open up her own shop after being fed up with the status quo. Low Profile was born out of a need for radical transparency in the music industry and a dedication to helping musicians build sustainable careers. Since launching in May of 2017, Low Profile has become the go-to source for innovative brands and content creators looking to partner with the most cutting-edge artists from all over the world. With their unparalleled access to artists, global reach, and early detection of new currents and trends, Low Profile is able to facilitate meaningful collaborations that are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. Some of the artists on Low Profile’s roster includes Solange, FKJ, Boy Harsher, Nation of Language, Empress Of, JR JR, YACHT and more.

Subscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmb

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.take

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