The New Music Business with Ari Herstand
**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" – VarietyAri 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...
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Artist Managers on Music Videos, Artist Development, Long-term Strategy and True Fandom
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Aaron Greene and Neal O’Connor of Slush Management, the artist-first team behind Porter Robinson, Eden, Jai Wolf, and more. Slush has helped their artists generate billions of streams, sell millions of tickets, and craft long-term careers rooted in creativity rather than quick wins. With 15 years of experience across touring, branding, and global fan development, they’ve become leaders in sustainable artist strategy and innovative experiential storytelling.</p><br><p>In this episode, Ari Neal and Aaron dive into what modern artist development truly looks like. From buil...
Doja Cat's Managers Have It Down
<p>This week on the New Music Business, Ari sits down with powerhouse managers Gordan Dillard and Josh Kaplan, the team behind global superstar Doja Cat. Together, they break down how they helped build one of the most influential, multi-hyphenate artists of the decade. Gordan and Josh share early viral moments of Doja Cat's diversified empire spanning music, brand partnerships, and new business ventures.</p><p>Other topics discussed here include: how features really work, how producers differ from beatmakers, what modern record deals look like at the highest level, and why short-form content has completely reshaped the career-building playbook...
DIY Band Couch on World Tours, Self Managing, and Fan Building
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Tema Siegel and Zach Blankstein of the band Couch. Tema is the singer and Zach is the guitarist/manager of this seven-piece soul-pop band from Boston. Their explosive live shows and fully DIY approach have helped them sell out major venues across the country. Formed from lifelong friendships and built during the pandemic, Couch has grown into a globally touring act while self-producing their acclaimed debut album 'Big Talk'.</p><br><p>In this episode, Tema and Zach break down how they built an engaged fanbase without...
Come visit me in 1974 LA
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari hops on for a solo episode to talk about Brassroots District—a decade-long passion project fusing immersive theater, hard-grooving funk, and 1970s world-building. He shares how the project grew from DIY LA shows into a scripted parking-lot production during COVID, and how it’s finally taking over a premier LA venue. If you're in LA, come catch Brassroots District LA ’74, opening February 7th at Catch One in Koreatown. Check out the trailer and grab your tickets here.<p > Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.</p>
LaRussell Built His Empire Brick by Brick
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Bay Area rapper, LaRussell. Known for his backyard shows, revolutionary ticketing and release practices, and motivational freestyling, LaRussell has become a blueprint for modern DIY artistry. His business, Good Compenny, is a multi-media brand that puts on shows, sells merch, and empowers independent artists.</p><br><p>In this episode, Ari and LaRussell discuss when and why it’s important to stay independent as an artist. LaRussell tells Ari how he continues to find joy in making music, even after releasing over 700 songs. He also breaks down hi...
How These DIY Artists Won a GRAMMY
<p>This week on the New Music Business Podcast, Ari sits down with recent GRAMMY Award winners Matt B and Angela Benson. Matt B is a GRAMMY-winning R&B singer, songwriter, and global recording artist whose career spans over a decade. His most recent project, ‘Alkebulan II’, earned him and Angela a GRAMMY Award, following years of DIY artistry. Over the course of this album, Matt and Angela recorded across Africa, collaborated with artists like Eddie Kenzo and Oxlade, and worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. As a label owner, producer on ‘Alkebulan II’, and longtime Recordin...
Is This The Future of Superfandom?
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Matt Jones, the CEO and co-founder of Medallion, a platform helping artists own their fan relationships and build new revenue models. Matt was previously CEO of Songkick, another direct-to-fan platform that was acquired by Warner Music Group. He’s now developing new economic models for artists to own their fan relationships.</p><br><p>In this episode, Matt and Ari discuss the direct-to-fan experience and why it’s beneficial to give artists full ownership of their data. Matt explains why traditional models like Patreon and Substack don’t fit...
How Classical Pianist Chloe Flower Collabed with Cardi B, Meek Mill, Babyface and Built Her Career
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with acclaimed pianist and composer, Chloe Flower. Born in Pennsylvania, Chloe began playing piano at age two, later studying at the Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege and London’s Royal Academy of Music. A classically trained pianist turned genre-bender, she calls her unique style “popsical” (a fusion of classical, pop, and hip-hop). She has collaborated with major artists like Céline Dion, Babyface, Nas, and Cardi B (whose 2019 GRAMMY performance she helped elevate). Beyond performing, Chloe is a passionate advocate for music education.</p><br><p>In this epis...
How a Mastering Engineer Works With (and Without) AI
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Daniel Rowland, a rare combination of audio engineer, producer, tech executive, and educator. The music he’s worked on has amassed over 15 billion streams, earning Emmy and Oscar wins, Grammy nominations, and multiple platinum certifications. His credits span an eclectic range of artists and projects, including Nina Simone, Nine Inch Nails, Thundercat, Star Wars, Pixar, and John Wick. Beyond the studio, Daniel serves as VP of Strategy and Partnerships at LANDR Audio and a longtime professor at MTSU, where he champions ethical, AI-driven tools that empower creators.</p>...
How A&R at Publishing Companies Work
<p>This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Ralph Torrefranca, Executive Director of A&R at Angry Mob Music. With nearly two decades of experience, Ralph has championed emerging songwriters, artists, and producers, working with talents like Jake Scott, Bailey Bryan, and Joe Pepe. He is also the founder of Angry Mob’s New Normal Writing Camp, a diversity-driven initiative, and a respected voice on equity in the music industry. Beyond his A&R work, Ralph fronts the post-punk band Cuffed Up and is an award-winning filmmaker.</p><br><p>In this episode, Ralph offers a...
