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What happens to music when everyone is only listening to what they made themselves?  In this episode, Jade Prieboy sits down with Adam Neely, composer, bassist, and YouTuber educator with over 1.8 million subscribers. They go deeper than the usual AI debate, exploring what we actually lose when music stops being something we share.  Adam draws a clear line between stem separation tools he genuinely uses and commercial generative AI platforms like Suno and Udio, explaining why lumping them together under the AI label distorts how people understand the technology. He also shares why he is cautiously optimistic about attribution models and how AI-generated lyrics reveal the limits of what machines can feel.  The conversation turns philosophical when Adam introduces the idea of solipsistic listening, the tendency to only love music you personally generated while tuning everything else out. He then offers practical advice for musicians trying to build community and makes the case for why constructive critique from a real listen might be the most valuable thing a musician can receive  If AI is changing what music is for, Adam Neely is one of the people asking whether we actually want to go there     The news UMG's Michael Nash takes aim at 'false narrative of artist replacement' by AI – and 3 other things we learned from his HumanX panel with Splice's CEO Streaming platforms give us access to new music, so why are fewer people listening to it? Jury Finds Live Nation Acts as a Monopoly in a Victory for States Warner makes strategic investment in TuStreams – a distribution platform focused on Latin music Latin Music generated over $1 billion in US wholesale recorded music revenues in 2025, up 4.2% YoY   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter

What if every fight over music technology throughout history has actually been the same fight, and we're just now facing a version of it we've never seen before? In this special episode, Dmitri shares a keynote he gave at the Algo Rhythms conference last month called "Is Music Making Up For Grabs?" Drawing on four hundred years of disruption in music, from the harpsichord to amplification, Dmitri traces the pattern of how every generation has fought over new tools and every generation has been wrong about what those tools would destroy. But this episode isn't just a history lesson. It's a live argument, complete with the Kalyuka, the WARBL, and few sounds you won't expect. Along the way, the stories of T-Pain and Blanco Brown show exactly where the pattern holds and where it finally breaks. Because the question Dmitri lands on is one no generation before us has had to answer. Not what counts as an instrument, but whether the creator is still human.   The news Selling a $3B Spotify stake, Michael Ovitz as Chairman of the Board, and a $100B+ company: Welcome to Bill Ackman's plan for Universal Music Group. After Universal, Warner, and Merlin deals, now Udio inks licensing agreement with Kobalt https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/after-universal-warner-and-merlin-deals-now-udio-inks-licensing-agreement-with-kobalt/   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens when a beat-selling side hustle accidentally becomes a social media phenomenon?  In this episode, music producer and content creator Hunna G  (@hunnagbeats) joins Dmitri to talk about building "Take a Seat, Rap on the Beat," a series now sitting at over 150 million views and more than a million followers.  Hunna G covers the origin story, the most memorable guests (like 2 Chainz and MGK to name a few), what the music creator economy actually looks like, and how independent artists and producers can build a brand online.     The news OpenAI Is Shutting Down Sora, Its A.I. Video Generator WMG to buy Revelator in wake of UMG's Downtown Music acquisition https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/soundcloud-launches-superfan-feature-that-lets-artists-release-music-exclusively-to-followers-before-wider-release/ Rapper BigXThaPlug Sent Fans on a Scavenger Hunt — Here's What Happened. Instagram sets out its stall as a 'music superfandom' platform The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

This week, Dmitri is joined by Dom McLennon, artist producer, and creative strategist from Hartford, Connecticut. Best known as a lead vocalist and assistant producer for BROCKHAMPTON, Dom also runs COURTVISION, a creative agency connecting artists and brands across gaming, education and community.    We cover a lot of ground on this one, from treating music technology as a sandbox, to bringing music-making tools into public libraries, to why community outreach is actually a smarter marketing play than chasing virality.    Along the way, we dig into gesture-based instruments, creative strategy for independent artists, music education, and how the history of Black artists reimagining technology laid the foundation for modern music innovation. Dom also shares how he has been integrating the Orchid by Telepathic Instruments and the Tembo by Musical Beings into his creative process in ways their makers probably never imagined (To see Dom demo these instruments, check out the video version on YouTube.    It's a wide ranging conversation you won't want to miss.  The news Study reveals €1.06bn of private copying royalties in 2024 This Music Festival Company's $30 Million Fundraise Proves AI Isn't the Only Hot Sector for Investment Live tours face a huge challenge this summer   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens to an artist's reputation the moment they admit they used AI? Does admitting how they used AI make a difference? New research suggests the stakes are higher than most realize, and the answer is far from simple.  This week on the podcast, Dr. Joel Carnevale, assistant professor of Management at Florida International University, joins Dmitri to break down the findings from his recent article in The Conversation that put that question to the test. Using a music composition scenario with Hans Zimmer asa stand-in for established reputation, Joel and his co-authors designed experiments to find out how disclosure affects the way listeners evaluate a creator's competence and credibility. The conversation covers why authenticity is at the heart of the debate, what different types of AI disclosure actually signal to audiences, and why how you disclose may matter more than whether you disclose  Dmitri and Joel also explore what all of this means for a music industry where nearly every working producer is already using AI in some part of their process.    The news Global recorded music revenues hit $31.7B in 2025, up 6.4% YoY; users of paid music subscriptions reach 837M Why Mark Cuban Thinks Music Is (Basically) 'the Worst Industry Ever' for Investors Live Nation Employees Bragged About 'Gouging' Customers and 'Robbing Them Blind' In Dozens of Leaked Exchanges—Here's a Look at the Unsealed Documents   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Everyone's talking about the AI boom in music, but is the industry's infrastructure actually ready for it? Bjorn Lindvall, CEO and co-founder of MusicInfra, has spent his career at the intersection of music rights and finance, first as co-founder and COO of Hipgnosis Songs, where he helped build a multi-billion dollar catalog acquisition business, and now building the infrastructure to fix one of the music industry's oldest and most expensive problems: getting rights holders paid correctly and on time. In this episode, Bjorn breaks down what it actually means to prepare the music supply chain for the AI boom. We dig into why the royalty math is about to get dramatically more complex, what the wave of generative AI licensing deals signals for publishers, labels, and everyone downstream, and why fixing the back end of the music industry might be the most important thing the industry does this decade  If you work in music rights, royalties, music technology, or music publishing, this one is essential listening.    The news Could you tell if your favourite song was made with AI? The viral Papaoutai cover controversy suggests not Gaming giant Steam faces legal action from the UK's PRS over alleged music copyright infringement US blindsides states with surprise settlement in Live Nation/Ticketmaster trial YouTube now generates more ad revenue than Disney, NBC, Paramount, and WBD — combined Survey suggests TikTok may be losing its lustre for Gen-Z   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Is gaming really the next frontier for music, or is that just wishful thinking?  In this episode, Dmitri sits down with Jenn Garcia, co-founder and CEO of Metamoki, the mobile gaming studio behind Mob Wars and Wiz Khalifa's Weed Farm. With nearly two decades of experience in mobile gaming, social gaming, and community building, Jenn brings a fresh outside perspective on where the music industry is leaving opportunity on the table. They dig into what early social gaming taught Jenn about monetization and emotional connection, why artist involvement is the single biggest factor in whether a music game succeeds or fails, and what music startups can borrow from gaming's rapid prototyping and product cycles.  If you work in music tech, music marketing, or the creator economy, this conversation will challenge how you think about fan engagement, music monetization, and building products that actually last.    The news An open letter to Suno's Mikey Shulman. WMG boss: 'There's clearly more share of the wallet left for music' Apple Music Introduces Tagging for AI Songs, Its First Regulation on AI Use Qobuz/Deezer High-res music service Qobuz joins France's Deezer in flagging AI-generated tracks on its platform Feds point to Taylor Swift ticket fiasco as evidence of Live Nation and Ticketmaster's monopoly https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/as-live-nation-antitrust-trial-begins-doj-tells-jury-the-concert-industry-is-broken/   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

What happens to a rock band's legacy when the touring stops forever?  When Pophouse acquired the KISS catalog, brand, name, image, and likeness rights, they didn't just buy music. They bought the blueprint for keeping one of rock's most iconic bands alive indefinitely through digital avatars, biometric data, and AI-driven live experiences. This deal, built on the success of ABBA Voyage and developed in partnership with Industrial Light and Magic, may be the most forward thinking music IP acquisition ever negotiated.  In this episode, Dmitri unpacks it all with Spencer Klein, chair of Morrison Foerster's Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group, who represented KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in the deal. Together, they explore how music catalog valuation is expanding beyond audio rights into merchandise, transmedia storytelling, and immersive concert experiences. They also dig into what this means for the broader music industry as artificial intelligence and digital avatar technology begin reshaping how artist IP is valued, monetized, and preserved for future generations. Whether you follow KISS, entertainment law, or the future of artist brands, this episode offers a rare inside look at how the music industry is evolving beyond the limits of what any band can do in a lifetime.    The news Mogul says it has tracked $1.5B in music royalties, raised $5M in funding | TechCrunch Neptune Raises $1.5 Million to Scale Digital Music Education in the UAE AI Sample Generator Just 4 Noise Closes $1 Million Round   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Most founders think about building. Fewer think carefully about selling. In this episode, Dmitri talks with Phil Barry, the founder of music rights and licensing platform Blokur, about what he learned from nearly a decade of building and ultimately selling his company to Music Reports in 2024. Phil opens up about the early challenges of finding product-market fit, the long relationship-building that made the acquisition possible, and the operational details that can make or break a deal. He also reflects on what he'd do differently, why he'd push back harder on pressure to grow too fast, and what it felt like to finally step away after years of startup intensity. Whether you're an early-stage founder or mapping out your exit strategy, this episode is full of honest, practical perspective from a founder on the other side of the exit   The news Why YouTube Is the Sleeping Giant of Music Catalog (Guest Column) Did Taylor Swift and Lyor Cohen Just Give the Music Streamers a Video Strategy? Apple Music's iOS 26.4 beta introduces AI-powered playlist tool Deezer debuts 'Flow Tuner' to help listeners tune its algorithm TikTok tests letting users stream full songs through Apple Music without leaving the app Apple Music Strongly Hints That It Won't Be Lowering Prices Following Spotify and Amazon Music Increases — How Much Will This Matter In 2026? The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Where does AI stand in the music industry as we move through 2026? In this conversation, Dmitri talks with Mike Pelczynski, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer at Voice-Swap, about the evolution from fear to curiosity around AI in music, and why building ethical AI systems from the ground up creates long-term value.  Mike shares about how his work architecting fan-powered royalties at SoundCloud connects to his current mission of building fair, creator-centric AI voice models. We explore VoiceSwap's approach to licensing, attribution, and ongoing royalties for artists whose voices power AI models, and discuss what happens if the broader marketing doesn't prioritize fairness. Mike also introduces the concept of voice models as a "source of truth" for identity and ownership in an AI-powered future    The news the musical self-expression spectrum Spotify eyes AI 'derivatives' as new revenue stream for artists – says its tech to let fans make remixes and covers is ready - Music Business Worldwide The music industry's boiling frog moment New York Senator Wants to Ban Ticket Scalping Forever The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

For Part 2 of our NAMM 2026 recap, we explore how music creators are building sustainable careers outside of the traditional music industry model. As streaming revenue continues to fail musicians and CD sales decline, artists are pioneering new paths through direct-to-fan experiences and developing products instead of traditional merchandise.  One great example of this shift is Tarun Nayar from Modern Biology. After going viral on TikTok making music with plants and mushrooms, Tarun reinvented his music career by skipping traditional album releases, creating immersive live performances like Mushroom Church, and co-developing the Pocket SCÍON, an affordable biodata sonification device that lets anyone make music with plants. His journey from viral content creator to instrument developer reveals emerging opportunities for artists beyond streaming platforms and merchandise sales, showing what creative sustainability looks like in the modern music industry. Pocket SCÍON- https://modernbiology.xyz/products/pocket-scion    The News DistroKid is latest music firm rumoured to be exploring a sale Fan burner accounts: music's latest dirty secret So, AI music charts are a thing now…   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

For the next two weeks we'll be talking about all things NAMM and getting into some of the exciting innovations we spotted on the show floor, along with some trends that we noticed this year, starting with AI's inflection point in the music industry. Last year, the conversation around AI was tense with creators expressing fear over being replaced by AI. This year, we saw more AI tools designed to support creators, and in some case, become integrated directly into software and hardware that musicians already know and use.In this episode, you'll hear two conversations from NAMM that capture this shift.  Daniel Roland from LANDR discusses how creator-first AI tools are evolving, LANDR's new Layers feature that adds real musician performances through AI, and why the technology is becoming less about replacement and more about expanding creative possibility. (Recorded in the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus). Jun Usui from Yamaha demos a prototype that integrates Boomy's AI sample generation directly into Yamaha's Seqtrak hardware, showing a glimpse into a future where AI lives in your instruments, not just the cloud.   The news US TikTok App Uninstalls Jump 150% Following Transfer to US Ownership TikTok users in the US can't write 'Epstein' or see anti-Trump videos Social network UpScrolled sees surge in downloads following TikTok's US takeover | TechCrunch Report: music is now a third of all viewing time on YouTube Stationhead and Mellomanic Merge, UMG Invests In 'Ultimate' Direct-to-Fan Platform Native Instruments GmbH is in preliminary insolvency - CDM Create Digital Music   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!    Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.  

What happens when AI starts reflecting an artist's voice back to them? This week, Dmitri talks with artist, songwriter, and producer Blanco Brown. Blanco first broke through with the viral hit "The Git Up," becoming a defining voice of the intersection of country and hip hop, also known as "country trap."  Last year, an AI generated artist called Breaking Rust released a song called "Walk My Walk," in which many listeners noted a striking resemblance to Blanco's voice and style. So what does Blanco do? He re-records the song himself, bringing his own humanity, faith, and musicianship into a track originally created by AI.  We talk about what that process was like, questions of ownership and likeness, and why Blanco believes soul and lived experience are things technology can't replicate. We also explore what embracing AI, rather than fearing it, might look like for artists navigating what comes next.  It's a great conversation about AI and what comes next for musicians.    The news Investor Who Helped Lead Kobalt Acquisition Launches Artist Advance Platform Pipeline raises over $200m to fund independent music firms Sphere Entertainment reveals first 'mini Sphere' location in US - Music Business Worldwide On… Warner's cutbacks, and the bigger story. - Music Business Worldwide   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

This week, Dmitri chats with Russell Wedelich, the President and CTO of Eventide Audio. Eventide has been shaping Eventide has been shaping recorded music since 1971, and Russell has used his background in both electrical engineering and musical engineering to help create products like the Space Stomp box, H9000, Physion, and Temperance reverb just to name a few.  They talk about Eventide's history and philosophy of creating audio tools, re-releasing legacy software, and why Russell believes fear and creativity are opposite's when it comes to AI's impact on music. They also talk about NAMM and why it is still worth going in 2026 (if you're going this week, make sure to check us out at Booth 10607 in Hall A.   The news Spotify hikes price for Premium subscribers in the US, other markets Music streaming platforms now host quarter of a BILLION tracks. Where does it end? Matthew McConaughey tackles deepfakes with trademark filings   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

Episode 400! This week, we thought we'd do something a little different and talk about trade shows and whether or not they're still worth it in 2026.  Fresh from CES 2026, Dmitri shares why trade shows remain valuable for business development and lead generation in the music tech industry. He also discusses innovations at CES from companies like Crosley, Sleevenote, Vrch, and Vobble, along with what the team is looking forward to at NAMM next week. Whether you're considering NAMM, SXSW, or the Music Tectonics Conference in October for your 2026 strategy, this episode makes the case for why IRL experiences still drive real business results in an increasingly digital world.   The news Spotify expands messaging feature with live friend activity and 'Request to Jam' Spotify Is Now Sunsetting the 'Basic' Music-Only Subscription Tier — And Further Reducing Songwriter Royalties In the Process UMG's latest major AI partnership arrives via tech giant NVIDIA, with promise of 'antidote to generic AI slop' Report: 56.9% of new independent songs in China are AI-generated Musician Sues Stability AI for Training Despite Opt-Out Requests   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.