SAM is a series of conversations between Scott Kirby and Eric Rodriguez about what’s really happening in the music industry- helping listeners understand the forces shaping its future and why the time to act is now.
5. WHAT VALUE DO MAJOR LABELS ACTUALLY BRING TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TODAY?
EPISODE 5 — WHAT VALUE DO MAJOR LABELS ACTUALLY BRING TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TODAY?
What do major record labels actually do today that creates value for the music industry—and does the power they hold reflect the value they provide?
In this episode, Scott Kirby and Eric Rodríguez look at the efforts artists have made to challenge the status quo, why so many artist organizations have struggled to achieve meaningful change, and what has been missing from those attempts.
The conversation also examines questionable and potentially unlawful industry practices, and why artists need something more than another organization: a strong, unified voice capable of representing their interests where laws and policies are actually shaped—including Washington.
Finally, we discuss how the collective movement we are inviting artists to join is designed to work differently—and why building real representation may be one of the most important steps toward changing the music industry.
Join the movement at musicrevolt.org.
24 Aug 2026
4. IF ARTISTS CAN REACH FANS DIRECTLY, WHY DO WE STILL NEED THE MIDDLEMAN?
EPISODE 4 — IF ARTISTS CAN REACH FANS DIRECTLY, WHY DO WE STILL NEED THE MIDDLEMAN?
George Howard, one of Berklee College of Music’s prominent educators, once argued that every unnecessary layer between artists and fans is detrimental to the music industry.
Today, technology can bring creators and audiences closer than ever before. Platforms like YouTube demonstrate how a technological intermediary can create real value by connecting content creators directly with the people who want what they create.
So how did major record labels acquire so much power—and why do they continue to hold it when the value they add is increasingly open to question?
In this episode, Scott Kirby and Eric Rodríguez examine the role of intermediaries, the difference between enabling connection and controlling it, and what a more direct relationship between artists and fans could mean for the future of music.
23 Aug 2026
3. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PROMISE OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION?
EPISODE 3 — WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PROMISE OF THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION?
The music industry went from physical products to an almost entirely digital world. Napster disrupted the old model, the iPod changed the way we consumed music, and new technologies seemed to promise a better future for artists, creators, and the industry itself.
So what happened?
In this episode, Scott Kirby and Eric Rodríguez revisit that turning point, explore why so much of the promise of the digital revolution was never fully realized, and ask what today’s music economy has actually become.
The technology exists to build something better. The question is whether we are finally willing to use it to redesign the industry.
Join the movement at musicrevolt.org, and find THE LAST CALL on Amazon to go deeper into the issues shaping the future of music.
20 Aug 2026
2. DO YOU CARE ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?
The music industry generates enormous value—but too much of that value is diverted away from the creators and rightful owners of the music.
In this episode, Scott Kirby and Eric Rodríguez examine some of the structures behind this imbalance, why previous attempts at change have fallen short, and how today’s technology could make a more transparent and functional industry possible.
The tools already exist. What’s missing is a strong collective voice. Before the industry can be redesigned, artists and fans must come together, organize, and build enough collective power to have a meaningful seat at the table.
20 Aug 2026
1. WHAT WILL THE MUSIC INDUSTRY LOOK LIKE IN 10 YEARS?
In this episode, Scott Kirby and Eric Rodríguez look at the decisions that shaped today’s music industry—and the choices being made now that could define its next ten years.
They explore who is really shaping that future, what scenarios may lie ahead, and whether the structures driving the industry are truly beneficial—and even legally sound.
The conversation closes with an urgent question: does the music industry need a collective organization capable of representing and protecting creators, much like SAG-AFTRA does in film and television?
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