21khz: The Art of Money In Music
Jeff Price (Founder TuneCore, spinART Records and Audiam) and journalist Ted Gerstein (Author: Bomb Squad, Former Producer ABC News Nightline) explore the behind the scenes mechanisms of the music industry allowing artists, producers, record labels, songwriters and technology innovators to make money off music. Learn why $30 billion dollars is generated off of music and whose pockets it ends up in.
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Why Are Comedy Albums Being Taken Down From Spotify and other streaming services
12/06/2021
Why Are Comedy Albums Being Taken Down From Spotify and other streaming services
Right before Thanksgiving, 2021 Spotify took down a large number of comedy albums. The question is why.
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You Know What’s Not Funny- One Trillion Streams and One Billion Dollars In Unpaid Royalties For Comedians
10/04/2021
You Know What’s Not Funny- One Trillion Streams and One Billion Dollars In Unpaid Royalties For Comedians
Comedians' works are streamed and broadcast across Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, SiriusXM, and more. However, unlike music where royalties are paid for two copyrights (composition and master recording), Comedians have only ever been paid royalties on the recording of their performance, not on the underlying literary work (equivalent of a composition).
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The Full Brain Workout
02/27/2019
The Full Brain Workout
Season 2/ Episode 7 Rachel Francine/ Co-Founder and CEO, SingFit Andy Tubman/ Co-Founder and Chief of Therapeutics and Music, SingFit If there is one that I have learned doing this podcast for the past two years, it’s that music contains value beyond the cost of a CD, an iTunes download or a Pandora stream. This show proves that music has a value beyond money. Rachel Francine and Andy Tubman are a brother and sister pair of entrepreneurs who have taken the best from each of their careers and combined them into a new company with a mission. Andy Spent years working as a music therapist, working with patients with brain trauma or dementia utilizing difference musical processes to help retrain the brain and to attain clinical goals. Rachel spent years working in the worlds of technology, media, and entertainment. This particular set of skilled gave her the perfect background to deal with the ins and outs of music publishing and copyright. A few years back the two realized that both of those parts make the perfect whole. Andy, with a background in music therapy, and Rachel with a background in music publishing. They formed, SingFit, a company with the goal of bringing music therapy to the largest audience possible. From the … SingFit™ PRIME is a turnkey solution that allows even those with no musical experience to facilitate group activities, tailored specifically for their participants’ age and musical tastes as well as cognitive and physical health. An award-winning therapeutic music solution, SingFit™ PRIME is created specifically for older adults in senior living communities, adult day programs, and skilled-nursing facilities. The unique Lyric Coach means even those with dementia can joyfully take part in the turnkey SingFit PRIME sessions. It’s an interview that meanders from music cues for forgetful opera divas, Gabby Giffords love of Tom Petty, and finally ends up on BlueBerry Hill.
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A Black Rubber Juice Bar
02/11/2019
A Black Rubber Juice Bar
Gregory Roach Season 2/ Episode 8 Sometimes, you just want to sit back, have a cup of coffee and listen to war stories from a bygone era. This is that kind of Podcast.. Gregory Roach has had an eclectic career. He worked at "Grendel's Lair", the storied nightclub in Philadelphia, worked as the lighting guy for a comedy club in New York City, went on the road with Billy Joel and Pat Benatar, he even designed a "Rubber Juice Bar" for Studio 54. It's a conversation that proves that sometimes it's the guys behind the scenes that have all the fun.
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A Whole Series of Music Events
01/28/2019
A Whole Series of Music Events
Judith Finell - Judith Finell, Music Service Season 2/ Episode 8 You probably didn't watch, but on a Saturday night in April of 1983, "The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair," aired on NBC. Trust me on this; it was a classic of 1980s television - paunchy middle-aged heroes, central casting villains, backlot sets, stock footage explosions - The 12-year-old me could not get enough. Our intrepid heroes even cross paths with a fellow spy - a suave Brit, wearing a dashing tux, driving an Aston Martin (complete with the license plate, "JB"). His car featured cool gadgets, he had a starlet on his arm, and there was that memorable James Bond theme. "James Bond!!! They got James Bond - Cool" The 12 year old me was - again - thrilled out of his mind. The thing is, "they" didn't, "get" James Bond. They got an actor (admittedly, the actor happened to be George Lazenby, reprising his role as James Bond, so there wasn't much question), they got an Aston Martin, they even got the James Bond theme (sort of). All the clues were there, I was supposed to think it was James Bond, but they never once uttered the words, "James" or "Bond." The music was the giveaway, it sounded "Bondian," it was almost the famous Monty Norman theme from the 1960s, but it just wasn't. The ersatz, "NBC Saturday Night Movie" music came right up to the edge of being James Bond but was afraid to jump. That's the subject of this podcast. A few weeks back we pushed our podcast with Judith Finell, Judith was the lead musicologist in the "Blurred Lines" case involving Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and the Marvin Gaye State Estate. This episode is part of 2 of that interview. When we finished discussing the subtler points of copyright and plagiarism we ended delving into another area of Judith's expertise. "Sound-Alikes." Frankly, since that Saturday Night in 1983, I've always been fascinated by these, "almost" songs. TV throughout the 1980s and 1990s were full of them. Songs where it was clear the producers wanted a top 10 hit but also apparently didn't want to pay top ten prices. So what does it take to come right up to the edge in music? How can you evoke the James Bond theme, without paying James Bond Prices? We also discuss Stairway to Heaven, the sound the Transporter makes in Star Trek, the Mission Impossible theme, and a little 45 record McDonald's gave away in the 1990s.
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Judith Has Perfect Pitch
12/17/2018
Judith Has Perfect Pitch
Judith Finell, Musicologist, president of Judith Finell Music Services Season 2, Episode 6 Ever started explaining something to a friend, and you can tell, usually, immediately, this person has no idea what you're talking about (you can see it in the eyes). When that happens, I always make up a little story... “It’s like trying to describe the idea of fusion to a clueless platypus.” Or... “It’s like explaining the theory of general relativity to a stupid rabbit.” Or... “It’s like discussing the concepts of thermodynamics with a slow turtle. ” With that in mind, the best way to describe this podcast would be, "Trying to describe Music Theory to a Dimwitted Penguin." And, in this case, the "Dimwitted Penguin" happens to be me. That's mainly because this episode covers the ideas of plagiarism, music, copyright, and the law. Three things I can't always wrap my brain around. The background for this episode revolves around the "Blurred Lines" court case from a few years back. It started back in 2013 when the Marvin Gaye Estate sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over their single, . The Gaye Family claimed that Thick and Williams didn't so much write a song as they just stole the music from Marvin Gay's 1977 song, "Give it up." To me, it seemed like a pretty straightforward case - they did steal it, or they didn't? But nothing is ever easy. How do you prove, prove to a jury that something is a copy? Two songs may sound the same - but are they the same? How can you prove plagiarism and how can you prove it in a court of law. Can you even copyright a sound? So, in the case of, "Blurred Lines," the Marvin Gaye Estate turned to Judith Finell. Judith is a musicologist, and she happens to understand music, the law, plagiarism and copyright better than anyone... From her ... She has testified in disputes for Michael Jackson, Sony/CBS, Warner-Chappell, the estates of Igor Stravinsky and Bob Marley and before the Copyright Royalty Board in Washington on behalf of the National Music Publishers Assn. in a dispute with the RIAA. Ms. Finell’s firm regularly advises entertainment company clients on licensing and risk avoidance in copyright matters, including HBO, Sony Pictures, Disney, Grey Advertising, Lionsgate, LucasFilms, CBS, and others. It's an insightful conversation. We discuss the definition of, "musicologist," how Judith, "sees" music in her head, How copyright law forced her to play the piano in court, and how she was able to convince a jury that two songs are indeed the same. Plus, Judith tells us what exactly is, "Perfect Pitch."
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"Blurred Lines" was it Plagiarism?
11/26/2018
"Blurred Lines" was it Plagiarism?
Paul Resnikoff - Founder, Digital Music News Season 2/ Episode 5 The second season finale of the original Star Trek back in 1969 was an odd episode. You will see where I am going with this in a moment..... Yes, Kirk and Spock are in the top of the show, Kirk and Spock are at the close of the show, but the meat of the show, the entire episode, is taken up with the story of some guy named - "Gary Seven." Gary Seven is a human who, as it turns out, was kidnapped by aliens and sent back to earth to protect us from... whatever, that's not the point... The point is (and was), Gene Roddenberry was using one show - Star Trek, to promote another show, in this case, a show about some guy named - Gary Seven. (In the end the show, something of a Doctor Who Ripoff, never got picked up and the whole affair is now nothing more than a fantastic bit of a Star Trek Trivia... but, again, that's not the point.) So with all that in mind you will notice that Jeff and I are in the top of today's show, we are in the close of the close of today's show, but the meat of the episode, most of this show is taken up by a guy named Paul Resnikoff. Paul Resnikoff is no Gary Seven. Paul created and runs - Digital Music News (www.digitalmusicnews.com), the most comprehensive and up to date site on the current state of Digital Music. "Digital Music News is the information authority for music industry and technology executives." We’re a highly influential source of news and industry analysis for millions of readers worldwide. Our audience is comprised of highly-targeted decision-makers from every segment of the business, including recordings, publishing, streaming, live concerts, talent development, venture capital, and broader tech. Digital Music News Gary Seven Paul also happens to run a podcast of the same name, and if you like 21Khz, you'll love the Digital Music News podcast. This particular episode we're sharing focuses on the lawsuit surrounding, "Blurred Lines." That was the 2013 Robin Thicke/ Pharrell Williams song that, because of accusations of copyright infringement by the Marvin Gaye Estate, ended up in some five years of litigation. The central issue in that case, Who wrote the song? Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams or Marvin Gaye? It's one of those stories that hits the sweet spot for music, and business and copyright. PLUS... Come back in a few weeks; we'll have our take on the "Blurred Lines" case, we'll have an interview with Judith Finell. Judith was the world-renowned musicologist with the unenviable assignment of having to convince a jury that, the music they were hearing, didn't just sound like something Marvin Gaye might have written. It was a piece of music indeed written by Marvin Gaye.
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Really Cool Uncorrelated assets
11/07/2018
Really Cool Uncorrelated assets
What a piece of the Merrie Melodies? How about Bette Midler? Etta James? Santana? Well, they have all been for sale. One of the goals of this podcast has been to figure out all the ways music can generate money. We know about album sales, we've talked endlessly about streaming rights, we've discussed those "big fat juicy contracts" (that don't exist anymore). But what about music futures? Ever wanted to be modern versions of Randolph and Mortimer Duke? (Go ahead look it up, I'll wait). What if you could buy the rights to a piece of music that already exists, and is already generating an income? Well, Royalty Exchange, a company based out of Denver, Colorado allows you to do just that. But buying a song is different than buying Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice futures. Music brings along its own set of regulations and mechanisms for reporting and tracking sales and distribution. The ASCAP's and BMI's of the world see to it that music is monitored and reported with the idea of eventually paying the owner any particular piece of music. So in the case of a song, past performance may be a predictor of future earnings (with, of course, all the usual caveats). It's a conversation that fascinated me from the beginning.
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Monetizing a mood
08/27/2018
Monetizing a mood
Music, sight, sounds, smells. Everything you need to create the perfect mood for your shopping mall, high-end hotel or corporate lobby. Mood Media yanked the "The Girl from Ipanema," kicking and screaming away from the relaxing beaches of Rio de Janeiro and dropped her right into the middle of the edgy world of modern consumer culture.
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So ... What is Music Publishing Administration?
07/20/2018
So ... What is Music Publishing Administration?
This is one of the episodes where we ask the questions you didn't know needed to ask. We talk with John about licensing your music, why it's crucial to do so, and what happens if you don't. John Barker knows these things, for nearly 20 years John has run his company, Clearbox Global out of Nashville to help artists deal with exactly these kinds of questions.
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"It's Carin - Like Car in the Garage"
06/29/2018
"It's Carin - Like Car in the Garage"
When Opera isn't paying the bills, Carin Gilfry pivoted away from arias to voice-overs.
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The Dead Kennedys: Safe Harbors, Cheap Cotton & when Google bought YouTube
08/23/2016
The Dead Kennedys: Safe Harbors, Cheap Cotton & when Google bought YouTube
“People need to look at the Internet as a plantation sharecropper system - Yeah, you got your cotton really cheap but is that how you want society to go forward?” Episode 012: East Bay Ray - Safe Harbors and Cheap Cotton. From its infancy in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1970s to today, the enduring legacy of the Dead Kennedys, is due in no small part to its founding member, East Bay Ray. Ray’s Music, The Oakland Tribune cited ray as penning, “some of the most recognizable and memorable guitar riffs to emerge from the initial West Coast punk movement”, and Ray’s drive have kept the band alive and relevant for more than three decades. So how does a self described, “middle class band”, one who managed to survive, Napster, The PMRC, and the wrath of local sheriffs survive in age of the internet? It’s not easy. As someone who considers himself a modern, “Renaissance Man… someone who thinks with both sides of his brain”, Ray is worried about the future of music. Since Google purchased YouTube, Ray argues, he has seen local artists in the Bay area’s, “income cut by half.” He’s seen the Dead Kennedy’s music, - music he wrote, owns and preformed - misused and abused on YouTube; ”Our song, ‘holiday in Cambodia,’ there, a video of just our DK logo and our song playing, and it has I think 14 million “views and that's money for Google is not money for dead Kennedy’s.” As for the future? He doesn’t see much hope for another band like the Dead Kennedy’s to break through the noise, “There will be music, but it will be blander - because you need an audience 11 times bigger.” And thanks to the fact that some of the internet giants of the world hide behind the nation’s “Safe Harbor” laws, there isn’t much money there for the musicians in any case. “People need to look at the Internet as a plantation sharecropper system - Yeah, you got your cotton really cheap but is that how you want society to go forward?” Its a fascinating look at the past, present and future of Music, through the eyes of one of the music industry giants.
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Punk Rock - By Way of Capitalism
06/27/2016
Punk Rock - By Way of Capitalism
Shawn Stern didn’t set out to become a Punk Rock Icon. When he - along with his two brothers - created the (now) seminal band Youth Brigade back in 1980, all they really wanted to do was play music and hang with friends. Punk Rock, he quickly realized, was the perfect venue for that lifestyle, “We (could) play music, we don’t have to be really good,… and you could talk about the problems - that really still exist - that (pop music) won’t talk about.” But Punk Rockers need to eat. So, when the major labels couldn’t care less about distributing BYO’s albums, when club owners didn’t want to book the band, and when promoters wouldn’t return his phone calls - Shawn went DIY. Again with his brother, “This is a family affair,” Shawn cashed in his Bar Mitzvah Bonds (in the process screwing Bank of America) and started his own label - BYO Records. “It’s not rocket science, We learned early on how businesses work without ever taking a business class, I don't know to me it's just logical.” Suddenly, Shawn was more than Youth Brigades lead singer, he was an entrepreneur, de-facto CEO, and both President and CFO of his own company. In this episode of 21KHZ, How Shawn Stern managed to run a punk rock label and still keep his soul.
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Hey! Let’s Not Pay the Americans!
02/24/2016
Hey! Let’s Not Pay the Americans!
“This is a labyrinth of rules…. “
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So what happens AFTER you disrupt an entire industry?
12/21/2015
So what happens AFTER you disrupt an entire industry?
So what happens AFTER you disrupt an entire industry?
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How, “two letters and a number" disrupted the music industry, had a multi-billion dollar IPO and then got sued
12/03/2015
How, “two letters and a number" disrupted the music industry, had a multi-billion dollar IPO and then got sued
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Will Musicians Survive in the Age of Free When the "Bottle" is worth more than the wine:
10/01/2015
Will Musicians Survive in the Age of Free When the "Bottle" is worth more than the wine:
Episode: 007
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Intent, Licenses and “Sweat of the Brow”
08/18/2015
Intent, Licenses and “Sweat of the Brow”
“Musicians say they want to be in the business of music and yet they don’t understand the very basic concepts - it’s very strange to me.”
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so... Why does Liza Minnelli get paid when the Sex Pistols Stream?
08/06/2015
so... Why does Liza Minnelli get paid when the Sex Pistols Stream?
Why are artists so angry about their royalties from streaming music services like Spotify? Is there really no money or is there money but a crazy math formula that calculates who gets what is, well, just wrong.
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Don't Even Try To Get Signed
07/09/2015
Don't Even Try To Get Signed
“Our function is to create new acts. Our function is to make famous. That is what we do, that is our unique skill set. We take artists, we develop them, we promote them, we make them the biggest most popular artists in the world.”
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Can you Sell Something that Doesn't Exist?
05/18/2015
Can you Sell Something that Doesn't Exist?
“There is a wonderful moment in Spinal Tap where the manager says to the artist, ‘look, it doesn’t matter how much we talk about it, there is no way to promote something that doesn't exist’. And what occurred to me back in 2006, when I was living on an air mattress in my mom’s spare room, was that the internet has shattered that paradigm, you can sell something that doesn’t exist.”
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The Weighting Formula and a Giant Tivo
05/11/2015
The Weighting Formula and a Giant Tivo
“The ones that are in control are very happy with the system. They are making a disproportionate amount of the collection and the distribution - wrongfully in my opinion, unethically and immorally…..We’re out there everyday standing at the mountaintop saying - Guys! There is another way to do this where Everybody wins!”
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What the heck is public performance and why does it generate $6 billion dollars
04/16/2015
What the heck is public performance and why does it generate $6 billion dollars
In this Episode, meet Scott Schreer. Scott wrote the music for "Have A Coke and A Smile", the NFL theme Song for Fox along with a myriad of jingles and scores for Snickers, Volkswagen, The Cosby Show and many many others. So how does Scott, and the rest of the world's songwriters and composers, make money from the use of their music? Scott takes us behind the scenes of a rubber band and glue bizzare and unbelievable system that tracks what the world listens to then collects and pays out over $6 billion dollars annually for the right of Public Performance. It might just be the most valuable music copyright you never heard of....
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