#HowWeListen Live: In Conversation Podcast

About #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation Podcast

This podcast series, produced by Byta/ byta.com, is based on our monthly online, live and free event of the same name. This series of interviews is designed to deliver the knowledge to enable tomorrow’s artists, their teams and industry leaders to better manoeuvre their way through the music ecosystem. Each episode features an in-depth one-on-one conversation with someone with extensive experience with the business of music. #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation is hosted by Byta’s founder, Marc Brown, whose deep music business background and digital audio knowledge have helped him deliver unique insights to audiences from Tallinn to Toronto. Marc is a former label owner, manager and radio plugger.

Publisher

byta.com

Category

arts · music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 May 2022

Latest episode

29 Jul 2024

Latest episodes

32 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Jul 2024

   The Power of Targeted Music Marketing

   It’s all about people and its all about network. Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation is Alex Brees CEO and Founder of un:hurd music (https://www.unhurdmusic.com/), a music tech company that uses proprietary technology to help artists reach their most valuable fans via data-led marketing campaigns. Throughout this conversation, Alex offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the music industry, the importance of data in crafting effective marketing strategies, and the challenges and opportunities for artists in the digital age. He emphasizes the need for artists to be adaptable, understand their audience deeply, and leverage data not just for short-term gains like playlist placements but for building a sustainable and engaged fan base. The conversation begins with Alex detailing his educational path, studying psychology at university, which unexpectedly paved the way to a career in sales and marketing. Despite not having a formal education in sales, Alex highlights the crucial role that selling skills play in entrepreneurial success, a realization he came to understand during his university days. After university, he moved to London to tap into more significant opportunities in tech, driven by a fascination with data's power to influence marketing strategies as inspired by books like “Dataclysm: Who We Are (When We Think No One's Looking)” Transition to Tech and Data Analysis: In London, Alex transitioned from basic sales roles to more complex positions where he could analyze data to drive marketing decisions. Then his tenure at a Global Investment firm, Carlyle, where he worked as a trading analyst. Here, Alex's role was pivotal in converting consumer behaviour data into actionable marketing insights, helping the company optimize its advertising spend and grow its market presence rapidly. In the Music Industry: Parallel to his tech career, Alex's love for music led him to organize music events, particularly in the UK rap scene, which was then burgeoning. His efforts not only provided a platform for emerging artists but also challenged the negative stereotypes often associated with the genre, thus opening more venues to these performers. This side venture eventually steered his career fully into the music industry. Universal Music: Alex's passion for music and data culminated in a role at Universal Music as a global analyst. Here, he was responsible for using data to optimize marketing campaigns for top-tier artists like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. His work involved a mix of quantitative analysis—looking at streaming and social media data—and qualitative research, such as market surveys to better understand fan desires and expectations. un:hurd: Drawing from his many experiences, Alex founded un:hurd (https://www.unhurdmusic.com/), a platform designed to support underrepresented artists by using data-driven strategies to boost their careers. The platform helps artists understand their audience through detailed analysis and effective marketing strategies, mirroring the analytical approaches he honed in his previous roles but focusing on empowering smaller artists and indie labels. un:hurd music (https://www.unhurdmusic.com/)is powerful, seamless music promotion at your fingertips. It offers you the ability to build effective promotional campaigns across all of your platforms that matter. Their technology creates a tailored list of marketing suggestions based on the user’s data and in just a few clicks, one can pitch to playlists, reach new fans on social media and launch a fan hub. Since launching, un:hurd has worked with over 65,000 artists from 129 countries, has raised over £2mil from some of the worlds most influential music investors, been featured as one of Music Ally’s start-ups to watch and has featured on BBC Dragons Den. Show Notes: #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation (https://byta.com/howwelisten/in-conversation/) un:hurd (https://www.unhurdmusic.com/) 00:10 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 06:10 - London Drill and Trap promoting 08:14 - Being an analyst at Universal Music 10:17 - Major label resources, what that means 12:00 - The transition from Universal Music to un:hurd 12:50 - My Analyst superpowers 15:50 - Competitor analysis for music 17:30 - Wanting to scale up to help millions of musicians 20:45 - learn by doing 21:55 - What does un:hurd (https://www.unhurdmusic.com/) do for its clients 23:30 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 24:00 - Playlisting is important, but just a part of the puzzle 26:30 - Playlist is NOT the answer 28:30 - know what your goal is as an artist 32:00 - Spotify playlist pitching & third-party playlists 33:33 - Building momentum 35:00 - Be yourself? 36:00 - Be consistent & own your audience 39:00 - How do Majors do it and does it work for DIY? 42:00 - Create as much awareness as possible 43:15 - #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation (https://byta.com/howwelisten/in-conversation/sarah-hamilton-part-i/) 44:45 - ABT (Always be testing) test your content types 45:50 - Always create what feels true to you, 48:30 - rasing capital for Tech. 52:42 - It's all about people, and it's all about network 54:30 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) Music by Fin Productions and Oliver Lyu Episode Credits: Artwork by Jen Pmphrey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenpomphrey/) Hosted by Marc Brown (https://www.linkedin.com/in/viznomics/) Series coordinated by Jamie Ford (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie--ford/) Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincmackenzie/) Music by Fin Productions (https://www.premiumbeat.com/artist/fin-productions) and Oliver Lyu (https://oliverkeenanlyu.com/)

2. 

   27 Jun 2024

   Music Publicity 101: Your Next Release

   I think PR today is more of a content coordinator or content facilitator because content right now is so fragmented across so many different mediums. Our job is really to generate awareness for what our clients are doing. Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation, in Nancy Lu a seasoned New York-based publicist with over a decade of experience, she describes her journey from healthcare consulting and tech startups to establishing her own PR firm, Fancy PR (https://www.fancypr.com/about). Nancy discusses her initial reluctance to pursue a career in the arts due to the instability perceived by her immigrant family background and societal expectations. However, her passion for music and involvement in the music scene in Washington D.C., where she made significant connections and wrote about music for pleasure, eventually led her to shift her career path toward her true passion. Nancy explains the complexities of modern public relations, which has transcended traditional media to include various content platforms, making the role of a publicist more about content coordination and opportunity creation. She emphasizes the importance of understanding and personally connecting with artists to effectively communicate their stories and project visions. This approach not only enhances campaign strategies but also aligns with her belief that resonating with an artist's work can significantly improve a publicist's efficacy. Throughout the conversation, Nancy discusses the strategic aspects of PR, such as managing expectations, defining the scope of work with clients, and the importance of strategic planning in campaign success. She touches on the challenges faced by independent artists and the role of publicists in amplifying their existing momentum rather than building it from scratch. Nancy also addresses the critical need for more inclusivity in the industry, praising initiatives like incubator programs aimed at underserved communities. During their conversation Marc and Nancy also explore how the digital age has changed the expectations and methodologies in PR, requiring publicists to be more creative and integrated in their approach to media and content. They discuss the importance of data and analytics in shaping PR strategies and the continuous need for adaptation to the ever-evolving media landscape. The conversation wraps up with Nancy advocating for a realistic and informed approach to PR, where understanding the artist's current standing and potential trajectory is crucial for effective publicity. She stresses that while AI may assist in streamlining processes, the creative and human aspects of public relations remain irreplaceable, underscoring the artistry behind crafting impactful public relations campaigns. Fancy PR The Fancy PR (https://www.fancypr.com/about) Story – Founded in 2013, Fancy PR is a boutique full-service public relations agency committed to storytelling. From crafting artists’ narratives to placing high-impact stories and driving cultural conversations, they love what they do. As an AAPI woman-owned Business, we’re moved by diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts and believe in the power of fans and building community. Show Notes: #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation (https://byta.com/howwelisten/in-conversation/) Fancy PR (https://www.fancypr.com/) 00:10 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 02:44 - from Health Care to Tech to Music (https://www.fancypr.com/) 04:24 - Wanting music but no one to look to 07:00 - DC and music connections getting started 10:15 - Moving to NYC and Girlie Action (https://www.girlieaction.com/) 11:36 - Post intern and Vitalic Noise (https://vitalicnoise.com/) 13:17 - move to Fancy PR and getting started 14:39 - Is PR today all about being a content coordinator or content facilitator 16:22 - Define the scope of work 17:30 - strategy for small vs bigger artists 20:37 - Onboarding a new client and transparency, goals 23:25 - PR usually works on retainer 24:39 - Live events are now key 26:00 - #1 set up foundation of awareness… 30:00 - Integrate your publicist into the team, share the stats 31:00 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 32:00 - “The Report”, delivering good and bad news 36:00 - Timelines, when to pitch & when to go back 38:30 - The cold call 39:00 - Do not paste a press release into a DM 40:30 - Where do new artists need to start 42:55 - Make it personal, its not just about the music 46:00 - Don’t be a clown, unless you are a clown 48:00 - Timelines, scheduling 50:00 - Too early, too late 50:30 - Do you need a PR? 54:30 - AI, Publicists are humans 56:00 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) Episode Credits: Artwork by Jen Pmphrey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenpomphrey/) Hosted by Marc Brown (https://www.linkedin.com/in/viznomics/) Series coordinated by Jamie Ford (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie--ford/) Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincmackenzie/) Music by Fin Productions (https://www.premiumbeat.com/artist/fin-productions) and Oliver Lyu (https://oliverkeenanlyu.com/)

3. 

   29 May 2024

   Cultivating Mental Wellness While Building a Sustainable Music Career‘

   "When you create the conditions to be able to cultivate the work that you want, then that's what's going to allow you to thrive." Today’s guest on #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation, in Emily White. Host Marc Brown sits down with Emily White to discuss her inspiring journey from Wisconsin to New York, and how her educational and professional experiences have shaped her successful career in the music industry. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily recounts her time at Northeastern University in Boston, where she balanced her studies in the Music Industry program with being a Division I scholarship athlete. She shares how her internships at Powderfinger Promotions, Live Nation, and ones in New York, provided her with practical, hands-on experience and helped her build a strong network within the industry. Emily highlights the importance of real-world experience, encouraging aspiring music professionals to immerse themselves in the field, make connections, and learn from their experiences. She also delves into her transition from internships to a full-time role as a tour manager for The Dresden Dolls, which ultimately led to her founding a successful music management company. Throughout the conversation, Emily emphasizes the significance of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-evolving music industry. She discusses her work as an author, where she distilled her extensive knowledge into the Amazon bestseller "How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams," and her podcast, which is a top music business podcast globally. Emily also touches on her advocacy work, particularly her efforts to increase voter turnout through the #IVoted initiative, showcasing her commitment to using her platform for social good. This episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice for anyone looking to navigate and succeed in the music industry. Collective Entertainment (https://www.collectiveentinc.com/) is a 100% women-run & owned company based in New York, Miami, & North Carolina. Their clients & projects span the entertainment industries specializing in music, sports, content creation, activism, & production. Show Notes: #HowWeListen Live: In Conversation (https://byta.com/howwelisten/in-conversation/) Collective Entertainment (https://www.collectiveentinc.com/) How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams (https://www.collectiveentinc.com/store) #IVoted (https://ivotedconcerts.org/) 00:10 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 02:51 - Wisconsin to New York 06:00 - Internships / Amanda Palmer / Dresden Dolls 14:02 - The 2nd Book How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams (https://www.collectiveentinc.com/store) 16:35 - Get your art together & other tips to get started 21:00 - Understand what music publishing is & Performing Rights Organizations 23:17 - Publishing administrator 30:30 - my next series of books…. 31:50 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) 33:25 - Full night's sleep, daily movement, and then a short meditation 36:23 - #IVoted (https://ivotedconcerts.org/) 38:28 - Taylor Vs Drake 40:00 - Elections are often decided by the size of a concert venue 46:31 - Voting, it's been a real problem in the USA 49:10 - Michelle Cable (https://byta.com/howwelisten/in-conversation/michelle-cable-part-i/) 52:48 - Things don’t always go the way you expect it to, that can be good too 56:25 - What is your WHY 58:00 - Byta.com (https://byta.com/) Episode Credits: Artwork by Jen Pmphrey (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenpomphrey/) Hosted by Marc Brown (https://www.linkedin.com/in/viznomics/) Series coordinated by Jamie Ford (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie--ford/) Produced and edited by Colin MacKenzie (https://www.linkedin.com/in/colincmackenzie/) Music by Fin Productions (https://www.premiumbeat.com/artist/fin-productions) and Oliver Lyu (https://oliverkeenanlyu.com/)

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.