Billboard On The Record
Take a step inside the music business every week with unfiltered conversations with the executives, artists, and innovators shaping the industry, brought to you by Billboard's very own senior correspondent, Kristin Robinson. From billion-dollar catalog acquisitions to the next wave of music tech to the marketing moves driving headlines, "On the Record" cuts through the noise to uncover how boardroom decisions shape the music fans stream, buy, and experience live. Clear, sharp, and accessible, this is the podcast that explains not just what’s happening in music — but why it matters. "On the Record" is a Billboard original podcast in part...
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How the Role of the Record Producer Has Evolved w/ Finneas
<p>Finneas is known for producing some of the biggest records of the past decade — and his career also reflects how dramatically the record producer's role has evolved. He sits down on this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record to give listeners a peek inside his production process—from working with artists he knows closely, like his sister Billie Eilish, to collaborators he’s meeting for the first time—breaking down why he values the natural push-and-pull that shapes great songs. Finneas also explains how the job of a producer has evolved alongside technology, how he scores a hit TV ser...
How A Swiftie Turned Superfandom Into Big Business w/ Olivia Levin
<p>Taylor Swift is among the most powerful artists of her generation — and her fans, the Swifties, are among the most powerful fandoms. On this week's episode of Billboard On the Record, host Kristin Robinson explores the nature and business of superfandom with Olivia Levin, the New York Times best-selling author and founder of social media page @swiftiesforeternity. Levin shares how she turned her page into a six-figure income, spanning ticketing, social media management, writing and brand deals. She also explains why Taylor Swift continues to inspire such loyalty with her listeners, why her re-recordings changed the game and what sh...
How To Build A Setlist For The FIFA World Cup w/ Grayson Repp
<p>Ever wondered how the soundtrack to the world’s biggest sporting events gets made? On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, sports DJ and music curator Grayson Repp shares how he found himself at the intersection of sports and music — and what it takes to build the perfect setlist for events like FIFA, the Olympics, the NBA and the NFL. From playing local clubs to stadiums packed with tens of thousands of fans, Repp breaks down how every match, crowd and city requires its own approach, especially when top global leaders are watching. He also explains his Wo...
How To Build A Dance Music Empire w/ John Summit
<p>Is dance music coming back to the mainstream? On this week’s episode of Billboard On The Record, John Summit — DJ, producer and founder of Experts Only — discusses what makes the dance music industry unique, how DJs went from underground clubs to arena shows and festival headliner slots and why he decided to launch his own label. With his own discography evolving from singles to full album releases, Summit walks through how he laid the foundation for his upcoming arena tour while losing $1 million in the process — and yes, what led to him lighting a Rimowa suitcase on fire.</p> <p><b...
How To Create The Perfect Film & TV Soundtrack w/ Jen Malone
<p>Is music supervision the most misunderstood job in film and television? Jen Malone, music supervisor and founder of Black and White Music, sits down on Billboard On The Record to break down the art of building musical soundtracks. From her work on shows like Atlanta, Euphoria, Love Story and more, Malone explains how music supervisors shape a project from pre-production through post-production, collaborating closely with showrunners to build a series’ musical identity. She also breaks down the difference between composers and music supervisors, the process of clearing songs and how she approaches crafting each character’s sound.</p> <p><br><...
How So Much Music Ended Up Online w/ Milana Lewis
<p>With over 100,000 songs hitting streaming platforms every day, according to Luminate, is the music industry struggling to keep up? Milana Lewis, co-founder and CEO of Stem, sits down on Billboard On The Record to break down what this fast-growing number of daily uploads means for artists, discoverability and the future of music making itself. Lewis explores whether AI songs and white noise should be given the same royalty as human-made songs, how social media has rewritten the path to success and why artists today have more tools than ever to make music — but less clarity on how they can ac...
How Country Music Took Over Pop Culture w/ Seth England
<p>Country music has taken over the charts, and Nashville is no longer just a country town. Seth England, CEO of Big Loud, sits down with Billboard On The Record host Kristin Robinson for a conversation about how his label has helped shape the modern country landscape and how artists like Morgan Wallen, Florida Georgia Line and HARDY have driven the genre’s rise. England breaks down how Nashville has become a hub for songwriters across genres, what actually drives hit-making today and why artist development remains one of the most important pillars at Big Loud.</p> <p><br></p> <p>...
How Music Superfans Are Cashing In On Kalshi w/ Luana Lopes Lara
<p>Prediction markets have become mainstream and are changing the way fans engage with music and pop culture. Kalshi COO and co-founder Luana Lopes Lara joins Billboard On The Record to discuss how the platform is expanding into new categories and giving music superfans the ability to put money behind their favorite artists and predictions. She breaks down why she believes it was essential for Kalshi to be fully government regulated, how the company views insider trading and why she sees music and entertainment as essential to the platform's future.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Love what you hear? Don’t...
How Apple Music Is Redefining Streaming w/ Oliver Schusser
<p>Music streaming is a crowded market where platforms offer most of the same content, so how does Apple Music differentiate itself? Oliver Schusser, vp of Apple Music and international content, Apple, joins Billboard On The Record to break down how the service has transitioned from its early Beats Music roots into one of the world’s leading streaming platforms. He explains Apple Music’s focus on a curated, high-quality listening experience built around editorial expertise, artist relationships and product integration rather than scale alone. Schusser also discusses Apple’s stance on maintaining a paid-only model, how the platform uses AI in...
How Christian Music Became Big Business w/ Lecrae
<p>Christian and Gospel music are having a major moment. According to Luminate, Christian and Gospel has risen by 25% from 2024 to 2025 — making it the second fastest growing genre in America behind Rock. Lecrae, four-time Grammy-winning Christian artist and founder of Reach Records, joins Billboard On The Record to break down the genre’s rapid growth, how it’s attracting younger fans and the nuances of combining faith with business. From building his own independent label to staying tapped in with rising artists, Lecrae shares his journey creating a career outside the traditional system, why speaking out matters and what makes Christ...
