The Future Of What Podcast
A Podcast and Radio Show About the Music Industry
Founded by Music Biz President, Portia Sabin as a way to educate musicians on the realities of the music business, The Future of What Podcast has become a forum where the most significant voices in our industry discuss important issues of the day. Tune in as she hosts important industry figureheads and innovators alike in exciting discussions on where the music business is headed next!
June 29, 2022 – The Future of What Episode #196: Pride Month & Queer Representation in the Music Business
Now more than ever, it is vital to amplify and celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in an industry like ours where they’ve had an immeasurable impact. In honor of Pride Month, we discuss the state of queer visibility & representation in the music business, both for artists and executives, with Joshua Dickinson of Queer Capita and Sydney Christensen of Kill Rock Stars!... Listen
May 25, 2022 – The Future of What Episode #195: New Models of Funding Indie Artists
The financing options available to artists at all levels of their career are much more robust today than they’ve ever been, allowing them to accelerate their exposure and access tools to create music more in-line with their original vision. In our latest podcast, Music Biz President Portia Sabin talks to Andrew Bergman, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings and Alex Heiche, Founder and CEO of Sound Royalties about what’s out there and how to find assistance!... Listen
May 4, 2022 – The Future of What Episode #194 — Record Store Day 2022
What began as a way for independent record store owners to bolster foot traffic and sales has grown into a shining example of, “if you build it, they will come.” In celebration of Record Store Day’s 15th anniversary in 2022, Music Biz President Portia Sabin discusses the origins of the event and its affect on the recent resurgence of U.S. vinyl sales with: Brittany Benton, Brittany’s Record ShopCarrie Colliton, Record Store DayLarry Jaffee, Making VinylCarl Mello,... Listen
March 28, 2022 – The Future of What Episode #193 — The Orchard’s 25th Anniversary
From its humble beginnings on Orchard St. in NYC 25 years ago to the use of wide-reaching distribution tools used by artists & their teams across the globe today, The Orchard’s mission has not changed in its first quarter-century: working to help indie artists get their music out to the masses. In the latest episode of The Future of What, listen in as The Orchard’s Co-Founder, Richard Gottehrer and COO, Colleen Theis discuss the company’s past,... Listen
March 7, 2022 – The Future of What Episode #192 — An Overview on Streaming Fraud
We’re excited to bring you the first new episode of The Future of What since 2020! Listen in for expert insights from Beatdapp co-founders, Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk, as they discuss the ins-and-outs and different types of fraud which are present in the streaming ecosystem and how they can be detected. Plus, Melissa Morgia from the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry)shares perspectives on the impact of streaming fraud outside of the U.S., its effects on music consumers,... Listen
June 8, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #191 – Music Biz LIVE with The MLC
One of the more important pieces of the Music Modernization Act passed in 2018 was the establishment of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Similar to SoundExchange, the MLC (as it’s commonly referred to) is a third party organization that exists for the purpose of collecting the royalties (mechanical) that are generated from plays on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. In addition to collecting said royalties, the MLC (like SoundExchange) is also responsible for dispersing those royalties to self-publishing artists and publishers alike,... Listen
June 3, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #190 – Music Biz LIVE with Live Music Venues
With states opening up more and more spaces to the public, the question on some minds is “When will live music return, and what will it look like once it does?” Can venues enforce social distancing responsibly? Will half capacity be enough to sustain artists, venues and crew financially? What can venues do now to assure that they will survive long enough to re-open down the road? We get answers to these questions and more from the audio taken from a recent Music Biz LIVE session.... Listen
May 26, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #189 – Music Biz LIVE re: Music Consumption Metrics
While the long term effects of the COVID-19 quarantine on the music business are yet to be known, there are lots of real-time metrics to be analyzed in the interim. With the postponement of Record Store Day, and most record shops being closed to the public, the effect on physical sales during this time should be obvious to most. The less obvious changes to global music consumption are the ones that are happening in the digital space,... Listen
May 18, 2020 – The Future of What Episode 188: Music Biz LIVE, Mental Health Focus
While many have speculated about what the long term economic impacts of the COVID-19 quarantine might be, fewer have openly discussed what the long term psychological impacts on society might be. In this episode, Portia speaks with several mental health experts who were actively working with musicians before the quarantine began, and gets their take on what was working for their clients pre-quarantine and what should happen next, if those mental health gains are to be maintained.... Listen
May 8, 2020 – The Future of What Episode #187 – Music Biz LIVE with EU & UK Music Organizations
Over the past several episodes, Portia has had countless discussions with the heads of music business organizations who represent various facets of the industry within the United States. This week, she’s speaking with their peers and equivalents in the U.K. and E.U. about how they’re weathering the pandemic, and what efforts their various governing bodies are making to aid musicians and other cultural workers in this time of crisis. The six person panel also speculates on what happens next within the industry,... Listen
