This week Ari sits down with John Summit, one of the most sought-after DJ/producers in the global dance world. John is a superstar DJ, producer, and owner of his own label, Experts Only. He has nearly a billion all-time global streams across his own catalog, two number 1 US dance radio hits, and two top 10 tracks on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Summit has sold out iconic venues such as BMO Stadium, MSG, the Forum, Coachella, EDC, Tomorrowland and other major festivals all across the globe.

John tells Ari all about how he got his start (making music with a day job, producing songs in his parents' basement), and how those humble beginnings led to him touring the world as a celebrated artist. He talks about how he got his career “break,” and gives practical advice to aspiring DJ/producers. John also talks about running Experts Only and how he hopes to develop the label.

Keep up with John Summit at: https://www.instagram.com/johnsummit/

00:00 Breaking Out of the Local Scene

06:07 Creating an Album vs Singles

08:59 Staying Inspired Creatively

12:12 The Evolution of Live Performances

14:53 Navigating the Pandemic: A Turning Point

17:47 The Power of Persistence

24:00 Collaborating Remotely

33:16 Designing Arena Shows vs Festival Shows vs Clubs

38:46 Behind The Curtain of Experts Only Label

47:20 Experts Only Party Nights and Community Building

51:14 Marketing Support for Artists on Experts Only

53:04 Advice for Aspiring DJ/Producers

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Tony Kiewel, the President of Sub Pop Records and co-founder of ORCA (Organization for Recorded Culture and Arts). Sub Pop has repped iconic artists like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Beach House, The Postal Service, Flight of the Conchords, Iron & Wine, Father John Misty, and many more. Tony’s organization, ORCA, is a “think tank comprised of international independent music labels committed to increasing music’s economic, social, and cultural value.” ORCA has done incredible research to demonstrate the tangible value of music in our society. ORCA also works with numerous record labels to increase financial and contractual transparency between labels and artists.

In this episode, Tony shares the inner-workings of his experience at Sub Pop. He breaks down how independent record labels function in 2024 and how exactly his label invests in the future of their artists. Ari and Tony discuss how ORCA’s research could help influence law and policy changes for the music industry and how the organization helps people outside of the industry understand how things work. Tony talks about what Sub Pop looks for when it comes to signing new artists, how they develop current artists on their roster, and how they go about working with undiscovered artists vs. artist on the cusp of stardom. If you’re interested in the inner workings of indie labels, you won’t want to miss this episode!

ORCA: https://www.orcaformusic.com/

“Setting the Stage: How Music Works” study by ORCA: https://aristake.io/orca

00:00 Understanding the New Music Business

05:26 The Formation of ORCA and Its Goals

10:16 The Importance of Transparency in the Music Industry

16:07 The Challenges Facing Independent Artists

22:42 The Role of Indie Labels in Artist Development

33:56 Artist Development Strategies at Sub Pop

42:58 Investments in Emerging Artists

51:15 Revenue Streams and Financial Models

01:00:19 Marketing and Tour Support Budgets

01:10:36 Trends in Physical vs. Digital Sales

01:17:26 Mutually Beneficial Artist-Label Relationships

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Ari sits down with Dorian Perron, the co-founder of Groover, a platform that connects artists who want to promote their music with media outlets, radio stations, record labels, playlist curators and industry professionals seeking emerging talents. Ari and Dorian go in depth about how artists can safely pitch their music and receive constructive feedback from industry professionals. They discuss the current state of playlisting—specifically how to avoid botted playlists and streaming fraud while promoting your music. You’ll also get to hear Ari’s unfiltered thoughts about Groover and other playlisting platforms in this deep-dive conversation. If you’re an artist who self-promotes their music, this episode is for you.

Get 15% off your first campaign with Groover with the code ARISTAKE

Website: Groover.co

Variety Article (Streaming Fraud): https://variety.com/2024/music/news/spotify-artists-streaming-fraud-1235965379/

00:00 Artists' Goals and Varying Needs

01:18 Introduction to Groover

02:08 Streaming Fraud and Shady Companies

03:35 The Ecosystem of Playlist Curators

05:28 What is Groover?

09:41 Evolution of Playlists and Curators

12:26 Starting Groover in California

13:21 The Rise of Playlists

14:17 Types of Playlists on Spotify

17:05 Groover's Focus on User-Generated Playlists

18:28 The Impact of Playlists on Artists' Careers

19:26 Nourishing Different Types of Playlists

22:38 Pitching Songs to Playlist Curators on Groover

26:53 Paying for Consideration, Not Placement

28:21 The Streaming Fraud Issue

35:42 Verifying Legitimacy of Playlists

40:26 Factors Affecting Success on Groover

44:46 Defining Success in the New Music Business

50:42 Tailoring Music to Please Curators

56:26 Quality vs. Tailoring in Groover Campaigns

01:05:39 Varied Results on Groover

01:09:18 Finding Your Own Pace in the Music Business

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.