How Mixcloud Solved Music Copyright & The "Instagramification" of DJ Culture | Nico Perez cofounder

In this episode of Frames of Tech, host Giorgio Ponticelli sits down with Nico Perez, co-founder of Mixcloud, to discuss how the platform became the only safe haven for long-form DJ mixes in a world of copyright takedowns.

Nico breaks down the immense complexity of music licensing—from distinguishing between sound recordings and publishing rights to navigating international jurisdictions - and how Mixcloud spent years negotiating with major labels to solve it. We also dive deep into the startup journey, moving from bootstrapping in an industrial warehouse to raising capital and surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, Nico shares his controversial take on the "Instagramification" of club culture, the impact of TikTok on attention spans, and why AI will never replace the human connection in music curation.

Topics Discussed:

- Why big platforms like Instagram and Twitch struggle with music copyright.

-The difference between "master" rights and "publishing" rights.

- Leadership lessons: Delegating design work and making tough decisions during the pandemic.

- The "Zombie" dancefloor: How phones are killing the club vibe.

- Why Mixcloud focuses on community vs "single-player mode".