We’re in a song economy but not yet a songwriter economy, according to a landmark report by MiDiA Research. In this episode: the report’s co-author Tatiana Cirisano, and two new-school independent music publishers rewriting the rulebook, Evan Bogart from Seeker Music and Lylette Pizarro from Influence Media.

Spotify started offering limited audiobook listening late last year for no extra charge – after the first price increase in the company’s history went through for all US premium subscribers. What Spotify did was bundle their paid-for music subscriptions in the US with its nascent audiobook service in an attempt to lower the rates it pays to songwriters and music publishers. Spotify says it’s entitled to bundle services in this way. In this episode, why former Spotify Global Head of Music Publishing Adam Parness sees it differently.

A live interview at NYU with David Israelite. United States Copyright Office Register Shira Perlmutter oversees a team of 500 people and advises the U.S. Congress and the executive branch on copyright policy.

By definition her office is the foremost expert on copyright in the country. But she is the foremost expert, as a person, on copyright in the country. If you’re excited or terrified by how music policy is being made around AI — especially deepfakes and digital likeness — you won’t want to miss this wide-ranging public conversation with Register Perlmutter and NMPA President David Israelite. Special thanks to peermusic.

This week we unpack the full year 2023 RIAA data. Are we too dependent on subscription growth? Larry Miller and Billboard Power 100 music lawyer Lynn Gonzalez debate. Also: What happened at Hipgnosis and putting the Shot Tower Capital report in context; why we love Cowboy Carter, the new Beyoncé magnum opus; and Larry gets a sneak peek at the sparkly new Brooklyn Paramount.

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