Business Side of Music

Why Indie Artists Stall: Lessons From a Spotify, Meta & Sony Insider | JC Sanchez, Orphiq

Why do so many independent artists stall out? JC Sanchez has seen it from inside Sony Music, Spotify, and Meta, and his answer is simpler than you’d think: artists mistak

The Modern Record Deal: What Indie Labels Actually Offer Artists Now | Sandy McGraw, President Melody Place Records

Thinking about signing a record deal? Or wondering if you even need one anymore? Sandy McGraw has worked full time in the music business since he was 15. He started in p

Navigating Overconsumption: Essential Steps for Artists | Dave Rose, Deep South Entertainment

There's more advice for new artists than ever: TikTok tips, podcasts, books, platforms pitching a "must-have" tool every week. Most of it never gets acted on, and chasing

The Royalty Registration Playbook Every Independent Artist Needs | George Macias, Lumoza

Uploading your song to Spotify is not the same as registering it, and that gap is costing artists real money. Every stream actually generates three separate royalties, bu

How to Price a Gig So You Actually Make Money | Gary Arbuthnot & Craig Meyer Giglogic

Why do artists get busier than ever and still go broke? Because most musicians treat the paycheck as profit and forget the costs that consume it. In this episode, Sarah

The Manager-Artist Relationship No One Explains to You Before You Sign | 30-Year Artist Manager Veteran James Hodgin

Most artists sign with a manager and have no idea what they're actually agreeing to. In this episode, Sarah sits down with James Hodgin, an artist manager since 1995 who

He's Distributed 2 Million Songs. Here's Why Most Don't Break Through | Jorge Brea, CEO of Symphonic

Jorge Brea has spent 20 years watching songs succeed and fail at scale. As founder and CEO of Symphonic, he's distributed over two million songs, and in this episode he g

The Music Video Strategy Every Independent Artist Needs in 2026

Music videos are no longer just promotional tools. In today's music industry, they are one of the most powerful ways to drive discovery, build fandom, and create new reve

Stop Giving Away Your Rights: Dina LaPolt on AI, Ownership & Artist Power

What does it really take to build power in the music industry? In this episode of The Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with renowned entertainment a

The Battle for the Future of Live Music

In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with Stephen Parker, Executive Director of the National Independent Venue Association, for an in-

Execution Over Perfection: Real Music Industry Leadership for Indie Artists & Managers

In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with artist manager and branding expert Leigh Holt to break down what it really takes to build a

Built to Last (Or Built to Break?)

What does it really take to build a long-term career in the music industry? In this special anniversary solo episode of The Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner r

What It Really Takes to Build a Sustainable Music Career

What does it really take to build a sustainable music career? In this episode of The Business Side of Music Podcast, Sarah Fleshner talks with Dillon Carmichael about nav

The Business Setup Every Independent Artist Needs

Most independent artists focus on making music and plan to figure out the business side later—but that approach can lead to missed income and unnecessary headaches. In t

The Live Show Formula: Moments That Move Tickets & Merch

What separates a good live performance from a show that builds lifelong fans? In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with live music pr

The Touring Playbook for Independent Artists

In this solo episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner breaks down the step-by-step touring framework every independent artist needs to tour professionally,

5 Moves Artists Should Make to Start the Year Strong with Sarah Fleshner

In this episode of Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner breaks down 5 moves artists should make to start the year strong from a business-first perspective. This e

Breaking Artists in the Algorithm Era with Scott Welch

In this episode of The Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with legendary artist manager and music tech investor Scott Welch — the man behind careers fo

Healing the Music: Inside the Work of Music Health Alliance

In this episode, we sit down with Shelia Shipley Biddy, CFO and Certified Senior Advisor at Music Health Alliance, to explore how this remarkable organization is helping

The Business Behind NAMM with John Mlynczak

In this episode of The Business Side of Music Podcast, NAMM President & CEO John Mlynczak shares what it takes to put on the world's largest music trade show. We cover NA