Royalties
Spotify And UMG Rigged The Game a Long Time Ago
The news broke this past Sunday that Universal Music Group and Spotify have struck a new, multi-year licensing deal.
Resources
Resources, Support and Financial Aid for Music Industry Professionals Affected by the LA Fires
As the long road to recovery begins for our Los Angeles community after the wildfires upended our city, many organizations are doing their part to support the musicians and other music industry professionals who have lost their homes. Here is an updated list with links on how to apply.
Attitude
What’s Your Legacy (Drones, Orbs, and the Dylan Movie)
So it seems we are just 17 days away from a US TikTok ban.
sync
How To Get Your Music on TV, Video Games and in Movies (Sync Licensing)
I study the sync licensing realm (getting songs placed in film, tv, commercials, video games) quite a bit.
On the New Music Business podcast, I've had as guests:
Music Supervisors:
Deva Anderson - Greyhound, Band of Brothers, The Pacific
Jen Malone -...
Podcasts
How Sub Pop Records Develops and Funds Artists
This week, Ari is joined by Tony Kiewel, President of Sub Pop Records and co-founder of ORCA, to discuss the inner workings of artist/label relationships.
Distribution
Amuse Distribution Review 2025: An In-Depth Assessment of the Platform
Over the past few years, Amuse has established itself as one of the most popular music distribution services for DIY artists. I sat down with Amuse to get a deeper understanding of how they have evolved since their inception in 2017.
Income
Best Music Distribution Companies in 2025 – Full Comparison Chart
This is the most comprehensive digital music distribution review comparison between Amuse, AWAL, CD Baby, DistroKid, Ditto Music, LANDR, TuneCore, Songtradr, and more.
Spotify
20,500 Artists Made $50K+ From Spotify Last Year
Spotify just revealed its annual Loud and Clear report revealing some top level numbers with some granular insights from 2023.
Podcasts
Theo Katzman (of Vulfpeck) on Recording, Songwriting and Staying Independent
To celebrate the third edition of How to Make It In The New Music Business, the Ari’s Take team collaborated with Shuttershot Productions to capture Ari Herstand’s special interview and Q&A with the incomparable Theo Katzman (of Vulfpeck). This episode was recorded live at The Grove’s Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles on January 17th.
Podcasts
Billie Eilish Booking Agent Tom Windish on Touring, Opening Slots and Artist Development
This week on the New Music Business podcast, we are joined by Veteran booking agent Tom Windish. As Head of A&R and Business Development at Wasserman Music, Windish has developed the touring careers of some of the hottest names in music, including Billie Eilish, Lorde, alt-J and The xx. In this episode, Ari and Tom discuss the state of the live music industry, how booking agents operate, why tour buy-ins are unethical, the process of signing new artists, running a record label, and much more!
Latest News
How This DIY Darkwave Band From Texas Sells Out Venues Around The World & Gets Millions of Streams
This week, Ari is joined by Twin Tribes, a popular dark wave duo, to discuss how they’ve reached global success without a label.