Music Moneyball is a podcast about the future of music rights investment. Inspired by the Moneyball philosophy, we spotlight the funds, investors, and innovators using data, strategy, and creativity to unlock hidden value in catalogs and define music as one of today’s most compelling alternative asset classes.
There are billions of dollars looking for a way into music. So where are the opportunities to put that capital to work?
In this episode, we’re joined by Fred Davis, Partner at The Raine Group, to explore where he sees growth, what makes a business worth backing and why capital doesn’t always find its way to the right opportunities.
His work spans advising on major acquisitions and capital raises, alongside investments through Raine’s own funds. We get into the firm’s bets on the independent artist ecosystem, including Firebird, Duetti and SoundCloud, and what he sees in the entrepreneurs behind them.
Fred also helped Spotify and Napster co-founder Shawn Fanning secure music licenses during a period of enormous disruption. We explore the parallels with AI today and what it takes to make new business models work for rights holders, technology companies and consumers.
Brought to you by Standard Innovation.
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd (https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd)
► About Standard Innovation
Standard Innovation is the data consultancy that helps music investment funds unlock higher valuations and exit multiples through better infrastructure.
► Episode Links
The Raine Group: https://raine.com (https://www.turnmusic.co/)
► Credits
Guest: Fred Davis, Partner, The Raine Group
Host: Tom Mullen and Emma Griffiths, Standard Innovation
Theme: “Meet Me” — Outlines (Written by Sam Cox) — Courtesy of Bespoke Records
22 Sept 2026
Music Fastball: How to build a data-driven sync operation w/ Tim Hayes
Sync income can be unpredictable, but there is plenty music rights investors and operators can do to improve their odds.
In this Music Fastball episode, Tim Hayes draws on over 13 years in sync, including at Recognition Music Group, formerly Hipgnosis, to explain how better data and processes can help funds get more from their catalogs.
We start with diligence: what to look for when assessing a catalog’s sync potential, what income you can reasonably forecast, and whether the upside you’re planning for is actually achievable.
We then move into day-to-day operations: tracking sync requests through to payment, using data to prioritise catalogs and inform pricing, and working more closely with administrators and their local teams to develop sync opportunities.
We finish with practical advice on where to start and how to build on the sync data you already have.
Brought to you by Standard Innovation.
► Stay up to date
Newsletter: https://standard-innovation.com/subscribe/music-moneyball (https://standard-innovation.com/subscribe/music-moneyball)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd (https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd)
► About Standard Innovation
Standard Innovation is the data consultancy that helps music investment funds unlock higher valuations and exit multiples through better infrastructure.
► Episode Links
Turn Music: https://www.turnmusic.co (https://www.turnmusic.co/)
► Credits
Guest: Tim Hayes, Founder, Turn Music
Host: Emma Griffiths, Standard Innovation
Theme: “Meet Me” — Outlines (Written by Sam Cox) — Courtesy of Bespoke Records
8 Sept 2026
The Duetti engine powering music investment at scale w/ Lior Tibon
Raising capital and putting it to work are two different challenges. What does it take to build a music investment business that can consistently execute at scale?
In this episode, we’re joined by Lior Tibon, CEO and co-founder of Duetti, to explore the engine behind its music investments, from its capital structure and technology to the people and processes supporting more than 80 deals a month.
Lior explains why Duetti was built as a company rather than a fund, and how that decision allowed it to invest in data infrastructure, engineering and operations from day one.
We discuss how its underwriting models and portfolio approach give it the confidence to acquire catalogs as young as six months, and why making sense of the data still depends on deep industry knowledge and relationships with artists and their teams.
The conversation also gets into the practical choices that make the model work: keeping agreements simple, building local expertise and earning repeat business from creators. Together, these offer a look at what it takes to turn a music investment strategy into an operation that can deliver it.
Brought to you by Standard Innovation.
► Stay up to date
Newsletter: https://standard-innovation.com/subscribe/music-moneyball (https://standard-innovation.com/subscribe/music-moneyball)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd (https://www.linkedin.com/company/standard-innovation-ltd)
► About Standard Innovation
Standard Innovation is the data consultancy that helps music investment funds unlock higher valuations and exit multiples through better infrastructure.
► Episode Links
Duetti: https://www.duetti.co (https://www.duetti.co)
Standard Innovation: https://standard-innovation.com (https://standard-innovation.com/)
► Credits
Guests: Lior Tibon, CEO and Co-Founder of Duetti
Hosts: Tom Mullen and Emma Griffiths, Standard Innovation
Theme: “Meet Me” — Outlines (Written by Sam Cox) — Courtesy of Bespoke Records
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