Infinite Stream
86 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsInfinite Stream is a podcast that explores how technology changes people's lives.
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Episodes
Has The Definition Of A "Favorite Artist" Changed?
February 28, 2014 03:30 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBIn this episode of the Upward Spiral, a music business podcast, we talk to artist manager and music producer JJ Italiano about whether the concept of a “favorite artist” has changed. Today’s music listener has unlimited access to streaming music across any connected device. They can follow the activities of favorite artists on a variety of social media platforms. We share stories from our history as music fanatics and industry professionals. We dive deep into a wide ranging discussion about ...
CASH Music's Maggie Vail – Make Sure Today's Artists Are Paid For Creative Works
February 10, 2014 03:03 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBIn this episode of the Upward Spiral, a music business podcast, we talk to Maggie Vail, who is the co-executive director of CASH Music, a nonprofit group that is building both open source tools and an educational curriculum for artists. Previously, she spent 17 years at the indie label Kill Rock Stars. She talks with us about how to make sure indie artists are paid for their creative works.
Union Square Venture's Partner Andy Weissman Talks Music Startups
February 06, 2014 22:41 - 55 minutes - 51 MBn this episode of the Upward Spiral, a music business podcast, we talk to Andy Weissman, who is a partner at Union Square Ventures. Prior to USV, Andy co-founded betaworks, which both created and invested in social, real time applications and services. We ask him how he thinks about the current music startup landscape and why people choose one music service over the other.
Can Beats Music Crack The Mainstream Market?
February 01, 2014 22:46 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBWhen news broke that Beats Music would be developing a music service, I got so excited. Finally, a company would make a product that regular people might care about. The reality is that most music services are for music fanatics — people who care about music. But most people don’t care about music. They do not make time to discover music or put together playlists. They want popular music — curated by experts — while they wash dishes and feed the cat. That is the promise of Beats Music, and th...
Can Beats Music Crack The Mainstream Market?
February 01, 2014 22:46 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBWhen news broke that Beats Music would be developing a music service, I got so excited. Finally, a company would make a product that regular people might care about. The reality is that most music services are for music fanatics — people who care about music. But most people don’t care about music. They do not make time to discover music or put together playlists. They want popular music — curated by experts — while they wash dishes and feed the cat. That is the promise of Beats Music, and t...
Why Having To Constantly Hustle Is Bad For Artists
January 26, 2014 19:23 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBIn this episode of the Upward Spiral, a music business podcast, we talk to Alina Simone, who wrote an op-ed in the New York Times called “The End of Quiet Music.” In the piece, she depicts the struggles that artists face and the sacrifices they make. She has released albums sung in both English and Russian, and is the author of an essay collection called "You Must Go and Win." We discuss the myths about the artist-as-entrepreneur and why having to constantly hustle is bad for artists.
"Can Big Data Help Artists Make Smarter Choices?" ft. Daniel Savage (Musicmetric)
January 22, 2014 03:53 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBIn this episode of the Upward Spiral, a music business podcast, we talk to Daniel Savage, who leads North American operations for Musicmetric, a startup which offers behavioral data for the music industry. He gives us his perspective on the Iron Maiden story that recently made headlines around the interwebs and what role behavioral data plays in helping artists make decisions.
How Secret Album Solidified Brand Beyoncé
January 13, 2014 06:48 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBWhen Beyoncé dropped her fifth album on iTunes on December 13, it was a complete surprise. This has led many people to declare that she has changed the game by releasing an album that didn’t have any marketing or PR efforts behind it. So what should we make of all this? What does it mean for the music industry? Beth Martinez of Danger Village, a PR company that promotes emerging artists, and Alicia Yaffe of the Spellbound Group, a firm that develops online marketing and brand management for ...
36: "How a NYT Reporter Approaches Trade Journalism" ft. Ben Sisario (New York Times)
December 12, 2013 09:12 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBIn episode 36 of the Upward Spiral, we talk with Ben Sisario, who reports on the changing landscape of the music industry for the New York Times. Sisario shares his thoughts on the beat he covers and how the stories he writes develop, YouTube’s plans for an music award show and subscription music service, and why streaming services more broadly haven't gained a larger foothold. We also deconstruct the recent virality of Miley Cyrus.
35: "What This New Age Means For Indie Artists" ft. Matt Voyno (New Rockstar Philosophy)
December 04, 2013 16:40 - 51 minutes - 47.8 MBIn episode 34 of the Upward Spiral, we talk with Matt Voyno, co-author of the New Rockstar Philosophy, a book that strives to be a road map for starting a musical project in the digital age. We were excited to interview Matt, because we have been virtual colleagues and friends through about five years now. We discuss how Matt and his co-author started blogging, what has changed in the music and technology sector since then, how theory of one thousand true fans and direct-to-fan marketing has...
Goldiblox — Justified Parody or Obvious Ad?
December 02, 2013 17:01 - 32 minutes - 30 MBThe story of Goldiblox and the Beastie Boys has gained traction in recent days, and for good reason — it's a nuanced conflict with no obvious resolution. Goldiblox is a start-up toymaker with the noble goal of getting girls into engineering and teaching them STEM skills. Their viral video gave the Beastie Boys' "Girls" a female-empowerment lyric makeover without the band's permission, and then Goldiblox slapped the Beasties with a lawsuit as a pre-emptive defense against any legal action. Sh...
The Deep Dive: "What Do The Streaming Layoffs Mean?" ft. Jason Herskowitz (Tomahawk)
November 26, 2013 09:30 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBLast week TechCrunch reported that a huge percentage of Rdio staff were laid off. Months earlier, Slacker and Rhapsody also laid off staff. This trend begs several larger questions: Are these layoffs just the start of a correction and we will being seeing more soon? Are we on the verge of a major consolidation in the online music sector? Are the growth strategies and business models at the streaming companies sustainable? The Deep Dive examines these difficult questions alongside startup fou...
34: "Why Booking Agents Are Wrong About The Midwest Market" ft. Jade Nielsen (Jade Presents)
November 21, 2013 01:14 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MB1: Jade Nielsen, founder and president of Jade Presents, a North Dakota based concert and events promoter, talks about how he got started in the concert business and what it took for him to take his career seriously, what he thinks about the consolidation of the business over the last decade, and the different tactics he has tried out in recent years to sell more tickets. Nielsen has brought tons of national and emerging acts to Fargo, ND and the surrounding Midwest region, as well as launch...
33: "New Music Industry Beholden To Old-School Benchmarks" ft. JJ Italiano (Artist Manager)
November 18, 2013 15:13 - 1 hour - 56.7 MBIn episode 33 of the Upward Spiral, we talk with JJ Italiano, who is a manager, producer, and major label veteran. Italiano got his start managing Flobots, who rose to alt-stardom with “Handlebars” and then signed a major label deal. After parting ways with them, he managed I Fight Dragons and MC Lars, among others, and also worked at Universal Music Group on the Gotye album. But more than any of this, Italiano is one of our favorite people to talk with about why the new music industry is st...
32: "What's Happening Now: The State of the Music Business" ft. Aaron Ray (The Collective)
November 07, 2013 04:52 - 1 hour - 62 MBIn episode 32 of the Upward Spiral, we are talking with Aaron Ray, who is a former Partner and Head of New Media at the Collective, a leading talent management firm, and co-founder of CDS, a multi-channel network on YouTube about the state of the music business and where it’s going. Ray used to handle traditional management as well as oversee and run all strategies, assets, and communities worldwide for clients such as Linkin Park, Enrique Iglesias, Counting Crows, and Slash, among many othe...
31: "Will The EDM Explosion Continue?" ft Kerri Mason (Billboard)
October 28, 2013 01:37 - 44 minutes - 41.4 MBIn episode 31 of the Upward Spiral, Billboard writer Kerri Mason talks about the rise of EDM to prominence over the last few years and how it has changed the musical and business landscape. Mason is recognized as one of the leading experts on the business of EDM — she has written features on major EDM festivals, Baauer and his rise to the top of the Billboard charts, and Robert FX Sillerman’s world domination attempts. We discuss the continued investment in EDM and whether there is a bubble.
30: "What Music Fans Want From Subscription Services" ft Jon Maples (Rhapsody)
October 16, 2013 04:07 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBIn episode 30 of the Upward Spiral, digital music veteran Jon Maples talks about his decade long tenure at Rhapsody and what the future holds for the subscription music company. At the time of recording, Maples served as VP of Product Management and spoke to his vision for the website and suite of mobile applications. In the following weeks, Hypebot learned that he was no longer with Rhapsody. We have decided (of course, with his blessing) to publish the episode, because Maples provides a tr...
Deep Dive #4: Curation's Long History, Many Challenges
September 12, 2013 18:52 - 40 minutes - 37.8 MBIn this episode of the Deep Dive, Cortney Harding and Kyle Bylin discuss music curation with outspoken tech exec and startup founder J Herskowitz. Curation is a topic that just keeps coming up in the press. Spotify buys Tunigo. 8tracks revamps its website. Songza introduces a paid tier. And Beats Music poaches several high-level people in preparation for a U.S. launch. Meanwhile, Rhapsody and Google Play are talking about how they have been using humans to curate all along. What does all of ...
29: "Fractured: The State of the Online Music Market" ft Jason Herskowitz (Tomahawk)
September 03, 2013 21:26 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBJason Herskowitz, an outspoken technology executive, talks about the fractured state of the online music market and how music sharing could be improved. Herskowitz is a core contributor and co-founder of Tomahawk, an open-source music platform; he also recently co-founded a stealth music startup, called Hatchet Industries. In this episode, Herskowitz also answers questions like why is Pandora only available in the U.S.? Why is Deezer avoiding the U.S? Is the reality that launching in the U.S...
Deep Dive #3: Do Music Charts Still Matter?
August 23, 2013 02:34 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBThe question of what music charts should count has defined a debate in the music industry that has been going on for several years. Because what gets counted — i.e. what data gets included and weighted in a chart — determines what artists are praised as “successful.” Most recently, a controversy erupted around the Jay Z and Samsung partnership, because Billboard decided that it would not count the album downloads offered through a mobile app. One million copies of “Magna Carta Holy Grail” we...
Interview Series 5: David Dufresne of Bandzoogle
August 15, 2013 04:45 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBBandzoogle CEO David Dufresne tells the story of how he went from placing bets on technology companies as a venture capitalist to running one as chief executive. Dufresne runs Bandzoogle, a powerful platform that enables artists to to build their website, engage their fans, and sell their music and merch directly. He also touches on the challenges of the music startup sector and why Bandzoogle recently acquired Onesheet.
28: "An Outsider's View of Music Startups" ft David Dufresne (Bandzoogle)
August 06, 2013 14:29 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBBefore he became CEO of Bandzoogle, David Dufresne spent a career as a venture capitalist. For more than a decade, he helped firms invest in tech startups -- but music was his true passion. From his vantage point in Montreal, Canada, he brings an outsider's perspective to the music/tech bubbles that exist in certain American cities. Hear his take on artist services, streaming, and why Bandzoogle recently purchased OneSheet.
Interview Series 4: Steve Knopper
July 30, 2013 05:51 - 43 minutes - 40.6 MBHear the story of journalist Steve Knopper's career -- from writing obituaries in the local paper to covering festivals for Rolling Stone and publishing a book on the history of digital music. His passion for music is rivaled only by his keep capacity for asking great questions and telling a captivating story. Anyone who wants to write about music (or the music business) would do well to learn from his example. Listen to our interview, and then check out Episode 27 for his take on the wars &...
27: "The Music Wars" ft. Steve Knopper (Rolling Stone)
July 17, 2013 06:33 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBJournalist/author Steve Knopper ("Appetite for Self-Destruction") discusses the music biz wars of the past 10+ years. Labels vs. pirates! Consumers vs. DRM! Scrappy startups vs. tech giants! We can learn a lot by revisiting the battlegrounds of the modern music era. Listen to this great conversation, and look for an interview coming soon about Steve's fascinating history of writing about the music industry.
Interview Series 3: Jay Frank
July 09, 2013 17:54 - 45 minutes - 42 MBFrom Yahoo! to CMT, from writing books to founding a label, Jay Frank has covered a lot of ground in the music industry. Hear his story in this interview, as Kyle and Jason delve into Jay's fascinating career. And listen to Jay's thoughts on record labels big & small in Episode 26 of the Upward Spiral.
26: "The State of Record Labels" ft Jay Frank (DigSin)
June 25, 2013 05:02 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBDigital thought-leader Jay Frank joins us for a conversation about record labels. From majors to indies, where do they stand? How are they innovating? How is Jay's label DigSin different? Listen to this fascinating discussion, plus get recommendations on apps, books, movies, and comics. Look for an Interview Series with Jay Frank coming soon!
Interview Series #2: Emily White
June 21, 2013 17:20 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBIndustry pro Emily White tells the story of her career in music. From her internship with Amanda Palmer and The Dresden Dolls, to her time at Live Nation, and finally to founding her own management company & record label, Emily led with her positive spirit, business smarts, and can-do attitude. Hear her stories and learn from her lessons in this Interview Series episode of the Upward Spiral podcast.
25: "Think Different" ft. Emily White (Whitesmith Mgmt/Readymade Records)
June 12, 2013 05:42 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBManager, label founder, and entrepreneur Emily White shares a TON of great insights! Hear her unique perspectives on listener habits, music industry success, and staying true to yourself. This is a great conversation; maybe one of the best episodes we've ever done. Check it out -- and look for an Interview Series episode coming soon, where Emily discusses her long and fascinating career in music. Enjoy!
Interview Series #1: Amber Horsburgh
June 12, 2013 05:18 - 31 minutes - 29.5 MBAmber is a marketing & social media expert. She's worked all over the music biz, from EMI to MTV to promoting huge EDM concerts. Listen to this interview about her professional history and learn how she got to be the powerhouse marketer she is today!
24: "Best Practices for Social Media" ft. Amber Horsburgh
May 30, 2013 17:42 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBIndustry expert Amber Horsburgh offers tips on content strategy, fan engagement, and understanding the stages of growth an artist must undergo on their way to success. Also, check out our interview with Amber in the Upward Spiral Interview Series!
23: "10 Years of iTunes (Part 2)" ft. Solveig Whittle
May 09, 2013 14:18 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBSolveig Whittle joins us again to take a look at iTunes' current status in the market, evaluate its competitors, and peer into the future of Apple's devices.
23: "10 Years of iTunes (Part 1)" ft. Solveig Whittle
May 01, 2013 06:07 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBPart 1 of this episode looks at how iTunes has impacted music consumers, artists, and the overall industry over the past 10 years. In Part 2, we'll discuss iTunes' current challenges and what the future might hold for the #1 music retail platform.
22: "Evolution of Music Blogs" ft. David Greenwald (Rawkblog) + Nicole Cifani (Moheak Radio)
April 17, 2013 15:34 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBBloggers and music fanatics David Greenwald of Rawkblog and Nicole Cifani of Moheak Radio talk about the past, present and future of music blogs. We discuss the role of technology in curation and ask if social media makes music blogs obsolete. Plus news on Twitter, Songza, Universal, and recommendations for apps, drinks, and secluded islands off the Pacific coast!
21: "Music Discovery, Online and In the Flesh" ft. Frank Woodworth
April 17, 2013 15:20 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBFrank Woodworth of live-music ticketing app Thrillcall joins us to talk about music discovery. We tackle the topic from all angles -- streaming services, blogs, radio, and also the discovery of live music events. Plus a review of the week's news and recommendations for clothes, apps, and tunes.
Deep Dive #2: EMI's "1 Million Consumer Interviews" Panel at SXSW 2013
March 21, 2013 06:34 - 33 minutes - 31 MBWe drill down into the stats from EMI's consumer interview panel at SXSW and ask what it means for the music industry. Do we live in a bubble? Will casual listeners ever move past radio and physical media? Listen as we tackle these big questions and the data that supports them.
20: "Artists as Entrepreneurs + The Promise of Direct-To-Fan" ft. Rob MacArthur
March 06, 2013 15:00 - 1 hour - 67.5 MBMeet us at SXSW for a chance to hear your voice on an upcoming show! This episode, we're joined by Rob MacArthur of ioumusic.com. We discuss how the tenets of entrepreneurialism and the "lean startup" apply to bands, and we evaluate whether the Direct-To-Fan business model has reached its full potential. Plus news on industry revenues, Amanda Palmer's TED talk, and recommendations for beer, apps, and more!