Business Side of Music

The Business Side of Music Podcast
  • 4.9 (38)
  • Music Interviews
  • Weekly

The Business Side of Music podcast features interviews with leading industry professionals and working musicians, offering real-world advice to help artists grow their careers and incomes. Founded by Tom Sabella and Traci Snowe in 2008, the show has a rich legacy of empowering musicians. For many years, the podcast was hosted by Bob Bender, a respected industry veteran known for his work with Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, and Curb Records. Bob's passing in 2023 left a lasting impact, and we continue to honor his legacy. Today, the podcast is hosted by Sarah Fleshner, a music industry professional with over 12 years of experience in artist management, live sound, touring, and business development. As owner of 362 Entertainment, Sarah brings fresh insights while carrying forward the show's mission: pulling back the curtain on the business side of music and helping artists succeed.

  1. 2d ago

    Why Indie Artists Stall: Lessons From a Spotify, Meta & Sony Insider | JC Sanchez, Orphiq

    Why do so many independent artists stall out? JC Sanchez has seen it from inside Sony Music, Spotify, and Meta, and his answer is simpler than you’d think: artists mistake one busy week for consistency, then disappear for three months. JC is a creative music strategist and the founder of Orphiq, an AI artist management platform built to answer the question every indie artist asks: what do I do today? Sarah sits down with JC to talk about what actually moves the needle for artists in 2026 and what’s just noise. In this episode: Why Spotify monthly listeners is a vanity metric, and the number you should be watching insteadHow over half your streams likely come from fewer than 20% of your listenersThe streaming and social signals the algorithm actually responds toWhat record labels do on every release that indie artists can copy for freeWhere to spend a $200 music promotion budget for the biggest returnThe patterns JC saw in artists who broke through versus artists who stalledHow AI tools like Orphiq can build a release plan in minutes, and where they stopWhy building superfans matters more than chasing playlist spikes Whether you’re a self-managed artist, an independent musician, or working on an artist’s team, this conversation will change how you read your Spotify for Artists data. Book a one on one strategy call with Sarah Fleshner, host and artist manager: https://businesssideofmusicpodcast.com/#bookacall To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.Follow us:Facebook: @tbsompodcastInstagram: @bsompodcastTikTok: @bsompodcastwww.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    Why Indie Artists Stall: Lessons From a Spotify, Meta & Sony Insider | JC Sanchez, Orphiq

  2. Oct 13

    The Modern Record Deal: What Indie Labels Actually Offer Artists Now | Sandy McGraw, President Melody Place Records

    Thinking about signing a record deal? Or wondering if you even need one anymore? Sandy McGraw has worked full time in the music business since he was 15. He started in publishing doing archival work on his great grandfather’s songwriting catalog, worked at a boutique jazz label in high school, moved to Los Angeles at 19 to work with Michael Feinstein, and went on to tour manage and day to day manage for Liza Minnelli. Today he runs Melody Place, an independent record label in Nashville. Sarah sits down with Sandy to talk about what a record deal really looks like now, and why the old “sign it, take the advance, see you later” model doesn’t hold up anymore. Sandy explains why his label structures deals as 50/50 net profit splits, why he thinks the master ownership fight will matter less over time, and why he treats streaming as a marketing expense instead of an income source. If you’re an independent artist, artist manager or young music industry professional trying to figure out how labels, 360 deals and artist development work today, start here. In this episode: How the modern record deal is different from deals 10 or 20 years agoWhy indie labels do the artist development majors won’t360 deals explained, and why aligned interests can mean bigger budgets for the artistWhat an A&R person actually looks for (hint: it’s still the song)Master ownership, net profit deals, and why your masters are your 401kStreaming royalties vs. real income: touring, superfans, merch, PROs and SoundExchangeWhy sync licensing is more crowded than people thinkWhat labels offer now beyond distribution: management help, booking, networking and time to developWhere record deals are headed in the next five yearsHow labels and artists are using AI music tools, and why transparency mattersSandy’s one piece of advice: passion isn’t enough The Business Side of Music helps independent artists and entertainment professionals understand the business so they can focus on the art. To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us: Facebook: @tbsompodcast Instagram: @bsompodcast TikTok: @bsompodcast www.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com © 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    The Modern Record Deal: What Indie Labels Actually Offer Artists Now | Sandy McGraw, President Melody Place Records

  3. Sep 22

    Navigating Overconsumption: Essential Steps for Artists | Dave Rose, Deep South Entertainment

    There's more advice for new artists than ever: TikTok tips, podcasts, books, platforms pitching a "must-have" tool every week. Most of it never gets acted on, and chasing all of it can keep independent artists from moving forward. In this episode of the Business Side of Music, host Sarah Fleshner sits down with Dave Rose, owner of Deep South Entertainment and an artist manager since 1995. They strip the noise away and walk through the ten basics every developing artist should focus on to build a music career with a real strategy. You'll hear how to tell the difference between an opportunity and a strategy, and Dave's three-month notepad trick for testing shiny objects before you spend time or money on them. You'll also hear why the order of your steps matters (one artist showed up with an LLC, a website, and a checking account, but no songs), how to record without spending your life savings, and how to define your brand as a voice and values rather than a logo. They also cover why you should claim every social platform but only focus on the ones where your fans actually are, how to set six-month, one-year, and five-year goals, and how to release, measure, and adjust. Sarah also shares a fan campaign that tripled a young artist's pre-saves. You'll also learn why an email address or phone number is the most valuable thing a fan can give you, and why social media is rented space you don't control. If you're an independent artist, songwriter, or musician trying to figure out where to start, or an artist manager or music professional who wants to help clients cut through the noise, this one is for you. Dave also leaves you with the one question to answer before anything else: what does success mean to you? The Business Side of Music helps independent artists and entertainment professionals understand the business so they can focus on the art. To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us: Facebook: @tbsompodcast Instagram: @bsompodcast TikTok: @bsompodcast www.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com © 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    Navigating Overconsumption: Essential Steps for Artists | Dave Rose, Deep South Entertainment

  4. Sep 8

    The Royalty Registration Playbook Every Independent Artist Needs | George Macias, Lumoza

    Uploading your song to Spotify is not the same as registering it, and that gap is costing artists real money. Every stream actually generates three separate royalties, but most artists only ever collect one. In this episode, Sarah sits down with George Macias, founder of Lumoza and a music industry veteran from EMI Music Publishing and Universal Music Group, to break down what a royalty actually is, why your song has two halves (composition and sound recording) that both need separate registration, and what happens to royalty money that never gets claimed. What you'll learn: The three royalty streams one stream can generate, and why distributors only cover oneWhat "registering" a song actually meansHow long you have to claim unclaimed royalty money before it's gone for goodThe exact checklist: a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC), the MLC, and SoundExchangeHow Lumoza automates the whole process Lumoza is a music rights platform that automatically registers your songs with the right organizations so you get paid everything you're owed. Register your first song for free at lumoza.io/bsom To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us: Facebook: @tbsompodcast Instagram: @bsompodcast TikTok: @bsompodcast www.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com © 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    The Royalty Registration Playbook Every Independent Artist Needs | George Macias, Lumoza

  5. Aug 18

    How to Price a Gig So You Actually Make Money | Gary Arbuthnot & Craig Meyer Giglogic

    Why do artists get busier than ever and still go broke? Because most musicians treat the paycheck as profit and forget the costs that consume it. In this episode, Sarah sits down with Gary Arbuthnot and Craig Meyer, co-founders of GigLogic, a pricing and negotiation tool built for touring artists. Craig is a lifelong performer with Broadway, film, and Disney voice credits, and creator of the touring show Rocket Man: The Elton John Experience. Gary is a classical flutist turned booking agent who spent 20+ years headlining on cruise lines before moving to the agency side of the business. They break down the one cost almost every artist forgets (it's taxes, and it can catch you owing thousands), how merchandise sales trigger tax filings in every state you sell in, and how to choose between a flat guarantee, a straight door split, or a back-end deal depending on where you are in your career. They also get into what real negotiating leverage looks like for a new artist, why 100 true fans beat 10,000 passive followers, and the red flags in an offer sheet that mean it's time to walk away. What you'll learn: Why artists can be busier than ever and still be losing money on every gig The most common cost musicians forget to factor into an offer How merchandise sales create tax obligations most artists don't see coming How to evaluate a flat guarantee, a door split, and a back-end deal What real negotiating leverage looks like for a new or independent artist Why organic, local fans matter more than a big but passive following The red flags in a contract that signal a gig isn't worth taking "Most artists think that the paycheck is the profit." — Gary Arbuthnot "The sustained artist is the free artist." — Craig A. Meyer Learn more about GigLogic at giglogic.com To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us: Facebook: @tbsompodcast Instagram: @bsompodcast TikTok: @bsompodcast www.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com © 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    How to Price a Gig So You Actually Make Money | Gary Arbuthnot & Craig Meyer Giglogic

  6. Aug 4

    The Manager-Artist Relationship No One Explains to You Before You Sign | 30-Year Artist Manager Veteran James Hodgin

    Most artists sign with a manager and have no idea what they're actually agreeing to. In this episode, Sarah sits down with James Hodgin, an artist manager since 1995 who has worked with Thousand Foot Krutch, Chris August, Zane Williams, Kylie Rae Harris, and has managed Michael Martin Murphy since 2018 — taking his Spotify audience from 75,000 to 850,000 monthly listeners. James breaks down what actually makes an artist-manager relationship work, why he compares it to a marriage, and why trust — not talent alone — is what determines whether that relationship survives. He also introduces the "grief to income ratio," the unspoken math every manager runs on whether an artist is worth the headache, and explains why he doesn't use contracts with his artists at all. Sarah and James also get into what it actually takes to break a new artist in 2026, why viral moments don't always translate to ticket sales, and why relationships — not metrics — are still the thing that moves a career forward. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the artist-manager relationship is the closest thing to a marriage in the music industryThe "grief to income ratio" and how it determines whether a manager stays or walks awayWhy James doesn't use contracts and what he does insteadHow to know when trust has broken down beyond repairWhat it actually takes to break a new artist in 2026 without a labelWhy viral views don't always translate to a paying audienceHow artists can build the kind of relationships that actually move their career forwardThe one piece of advice James gives every artist and manager starting outIf you're an independent artist, aspiring manager, or anyone trying to understand what a real artist-manager relationship should look like, this episode pulls back the curtain on a side of the business almost no one talks about honestly. To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us:Facebook: @tbsompodcastInstagram: @bsompodcastTikTok: @bsompodcastwww.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    The Manager-Artist Relationship No One Explains to You Before You Sign | 30-Year Artist Manager Veteran James Hodgin

  7. Jul 7

    He's Distributed 2 Million Songs. Here's Why Most Don't Break Through | Jorge Brea, CEO of Symphonic

    Jorge Brea has spent 20 years watching songs succeed and fail at scale. As founder and CEO of Symphonic, he's distributed over two million songs, and in this episode he gets refreshingly honest about what actually separates the records that break through from the ones that disappear. Sarah and Jorge dig into the three things breakthrough songs have in common, why release day is the start of your campaign and not the finish line, and the uncomfortable truth about the six-week lead time (spoiler: even the distributors don't love it). Jorge also explains why he tells independent artists to skip the album, how to know when it's time to stop pushing a single and move on, why collaborations are one of the most underrated algorithm plays available, and what major labels buying up distributors really means for independent artists. Plus: the release planning tools Symphonic is building, a new feature that will show artists their skip rates and saves on Spotify, and the one piece of advice Jorge gives every artist about control, contracts, and staying in it for the long haul. Whether you're releasing your first single or your fiftieth, this one will reset your expectations in the best way. Connect with Jorge and Symphonic: symphonic.com To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes.Follow us:Facebook: @tbsompodcastInstagram: @bsompodcastTikTok: @bsompodcastwww.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com© 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

  8. Jun 23

    The Music Video Strategy Every Independent Artist Needs in 2026

    Music videos are no longer just promotional tools. In today's music industry, they are one of the most powerful ways to drive discovery, build fandom, and create new revenue streams. In this episode of The Business Side of Music, Sarah Fleshner sits down with Jordan Glickson, Vice President of Music and Talent at VEVO, to discuss how artists can use visual content to grow their careers in 2026 and beyond. Jordan shares how VEVO approaches artist development, why music videos remain at the center of successful release strategies, and how independent artists can compete without massive budgets. From short form content and YouTube algorithms to connected TV and fan engagement, this conversation is packed with practical advice artists can apply immediately. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why music videos are still essential for artist growth• How visual content turns casual listeners into loyal fans• The ideal content rollout strategy for a new release• How often artists should be releasing video content• Ways to create high impact visuals without spending a fortune• What VEVO looks for when spotlighting emerging artists• How to maximize discovery across YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, and connected TV• The biggest mistake artists make with visual marketing Whether you're an independent artist, manager, marketer, or music entrepreneur, this episode will help you build a smarter visual strategy that drives long term career growth. To stay in the loop, follow Business Side of Music on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for updates, resources, and new episodes. Follow us: Facebook: @tbsompodcast Instagram: @bsompodcast TikTok: @bsompodcast www.businesssideofmusicpodcast.com © 362 Entertainment 2026. All rights reserved.

    The Music Video Strategy Every Independent Artist Needs in 2026
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4.9
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

The Business Side of Music podcast features interviews with leading industry professionals and working musicians, offering real-world advice to help artists grow their careers and incomes. Founded by Tom Sabella and Traci Snowe in 2008, the show has a rich legacy of empowering musicians. For many years, the podcast was hosted by Bob Bender, a respected industry veteran known for his work with Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, and Curb Records. Bob's passing in 2023 left a lasting impact, and we continue to honor his legacy. Today, the podcast is hosted by Sarah Fleshner, a music industry professional with over 12 years of experience in artist management, live sound, touring, and business development. As owner of 362 Entertainment, Sarah brings fresh insights while carrying forward the show's mission: pulling back the curtain on the business side of music and helping artists succeed.

Information

  • Creator
    The Business Side of Music Podcast
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    309
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Business Side of Music Podcast
  • Show Website
    Business Side of Music

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