Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast

What does the future really hold for music in 2026?In this solo episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle Podcast, Bobby delivers a rapid-fire rundown of where the industry is headed, and what musicians, producers, and music pros need to prepare for right now. From AI-generated music to streaming platform shifts, gear market slowdowns, and major label controversies, these predictions cut through the hype and hit the heart of what’s changing.If you care about the music business, you can’t afford to miss this one.KEY TAKEAWAYS:• Streaming prices are rising as subscriber growth plateaus• YouTube is quickly becoming the #1 music streaming destination• AI slop is clogging platforms and turning off listeners• Major labels are cutting deals with AI music generators, often at artists’ expense• Human musicianship is making a comeback• Another round of venue closures is coming• Big music gear consolidation and fewer product releases ahead• Social media fatigue is real, artists are quietly pulling back• A Grammy nomination for an AI music designer is highly likely• NAMM and other major industry shows continue to shrinkBEST MOMENTS:00:01:02. “There will be a revolt against AI, yes and no.”00:02:07. “I predicted a new artificial reality experience... that didn’t happen at all.”00:04:28. “In 2025, I predicted the TikTok ban in the US would hold.”00:08:39. “Private equity investment in record labels, yes, this did come to pass.”00:11:08. “Fintech for musicians takes off.”00:15:23. “Let’s get to 2026 predictions.”00:16:45. “I predict AI slop becomes intolerable.”00:18:13. “Artists will leave major labels over Suno and Udio deals.”00:29:10. “I predict an AI music designer will be nominated for a Grammy.”Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrLThank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.Produced by APodcastGeekhttps://apodcastgeek.com/

2025 was wild. Is the music business finally changing for good?In this solo edition of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby breaks down the most important developments across music, audio, and tech in 2025. From AI-generated hits to Spotify insiders cashing out, this episode is packed with sharp insights that every music creator, producer, or business insider needs to hear. Whether you're trying to keep up or stay ahead, this annual year-in-review will leave you better informed and ready to thrive in 2026.KEY TAKEAWAYS• AI-generated artists like Velvet Sundown gained massive traction - before the truth unraveled• Major labels settled lawsuits with AI platforms instead of protecting artists• Streaming growth has stalled, and Spotify execs are quietly cashing out• Gen Z is consuming less music, with a shift toward video platforms like YouTube Shorts• Copyright rulings now require human authorship to qualify for protection• Touring is becoming unaffordable for 82% of independent artists• Live venues face financial collapse, despite the boom in live music revenue• New immersive audio format “Eclipse” launches from Samsung and Google• The DAW Project exchange format could finally fix cross-platform session sharing• TikTok’s fate remains uncertain, and its music influence is fading fastBEST MOMENTS00:01:13. “This was a big year for AI and especially AI music.”00:02:00. “We’re trying to show the flaws in the streaming distribution system.”00:03:00. “It underscores the importance of authenticity.”00:04:00. “They settled - because they want more money in their pockets.”00:07:07. “If there’s no human author, there is no copyright.”00:08:06. “You are now an AI music designer.”00:10:29. “Now your mailing list and brand matter more than SEO.”00:13:05. “Daniel Ek is a founder of a European AI military company.”00:21:01. “The state of live music is indeed fragile.”Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrLThank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.Produced by APodcastGeekhttps://apodcastgeek.com/

Is your music really yours in the age of AI?In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Marc Gray, CEO of SonicOrigin, dives into the future of audio verification. From watermarking that survives TikTok filters to tracking AI-generated content, Marc shares why authentication is becoming essential in today’s music and media industries. If you’re a creator, label, engineer or just curious about where music tech is heading, this episode will open your eyes to the tools that may soon become standard.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Why people no longer trust what they see or hear online• What makes content “copyrightable” when using AI tools• How SonicOrigin’s watermarking survives pitch, speed, and format changes• Why mastering engineers are ideal for embedding watermark tech• How new California laws will impact AI content labeling• Differences between watermarking, signal injection, and fingerprinting• How multiple payloads allow metadata to be private or public• The role of distributed ledgers in proving content provenance• Why industry-wide buy-in is essential for adoption• How watermarking could extend into advertising, podcasts, and deepfake detectionBEST MOMENTS00:02:23. “We have created the most resilient watermarking technology ever created.”00:03:03. “It survives pitch changes, speed adjustments, stem separations.”00:03:55. “Most AI-generated content will soon be required to carry a watermark.”00:04:49. “The minute one artist hears one artifact, you’ve lost all credibility.”00:08:47. “You cannot escape the underlying code.”00:10:15. “Only works if there are maybe one or two watermarks, not 85.”00:12:22. “Nobody trusts what they see on the Internet anymore.”00:14:04. “The commercial aspect is stopping piracy. The other is deepfake detection.”Ad link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrLThank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.Produced by APodcastGeekhttps://apodcastgeek.com/

What happens when a teenage house party promoter takes on one of the biggest forces in live music?In this episode of Bobby Owsinski's Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Tommy Dorfman, a veteran club promoter and founder of Juice Entertainment. Tommy shares how he built a powerhouse promotion empire from scratch, packed out venues across New Jersey and New York, pioneered the East Coast house music scene, and went head-to-head with Live Nation. His story dives deep into the grind of promotion, the mafia encounters, and a David-versus-Goliath lawsuit that could reshape the live music industry. If you've ever wondered how the live music machine really works, this one is unmissable.Key Takeaways:• How Tommy started promoting events at age 15 to pay his own rent• Why house parties were the gateway to building a nightlife empire• The moment Tommy packed 1,500 people into a club on a Wednesday night• Inside the gritty hustle of street-level promotion before social media• How Tommy ran Myspace’s live events division on the East Coast• A firsthand account of mafia threats and how he stood his ground• How Live Nation allegedly forced him out of a major festival deal• The 15-year legal fight against Live Nation and what’s at stake• Why ticket prices are skyrocketing—and who’s really to blame• What Tommy hopes to change for fans, artists, and independent promotersBest Moments:00:00:07. “I started off throwing parties because of a necessity. We lived in houses of my own. At 15 or 16 years old.”00:01:02. “People were like, yeah, this is awesome, man. You just get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to chill with celebrities and drink champagne. Nah. You work your ass off for it.”00:02:52. “I do my first successful solo party in New Jersey, like in 1997. Packed it out with over 1,500 people. On a Wednesday night.”00:03:35. “Then I started on a Thursday party packing that was one of the most successful parties in New Jersey history.”00:04:14. “We started promotingExplore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrLThis edition adds chapters on intelligent processor plugins, saturation and distortion, and mixing in small studios. Learn to use reference tracks, mix in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360RA, and master modern techniques like MS processing, frequency-based panning, and sidechain compression, all to make your mixes sound pro. Thank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.Produced by APodcastGeekhttps://apodcastgeek.com/

What makes a brand partnership truly authentic in music today?In this episode of Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, Bobby sits down with Katie Nowak, VP of Marketing and Partnerships at TBA Agency, to explore how meaningful collaborations are redefining success for artists. Katie shares behind-the-scenes stories about building the “Here and There” festival with Courtney Barnett, partnering with brands like Microsoft and Levi’s, and using creative strategy to connect niche artists with deeply engaged audiences.Whether you're an artist, marketer, or industry insider, this episode reveals the power of authenticity, community, and strategy in today’s evolving music business.KEY TAKEAWAYS: • The origin and mission of the “Here and There” festival with Courtney Barnett • How TBA Agency built brand partnerships with Microsoft, Levi’s, and more • The role of AI in enhancing, not replacing, artistic expression • Why niche artists can offer deeper engagement than mainstream acts • How to pitch brand partnerships around authenticity and connection • Insights into building private and corporate event activations for artists • Katie’s personal journey through major industry roles and companies • The evolution of her role from tour marketing to strategic leadership • Why social media and PR require constant experimentation and community input • How being nice and staying true to yourself drives long-term career successBEST MOMENTS: 00:02:49. “Levi’s created custom denim jackets for all of the artists that participated in the festival.” 00:03:42. “We uploaded all of Courtney’s drawings into Microsoft’s AI tools... it was a love letter to each city.” 00:05:12. “This was a way to show that humans using AI can still make something creative with human hands.” 00:06:51. “Microsoft was very open to any and all ideas... they trust your creative mind.” 00:08:06. “These are niche artists... they bring a certain edginess that makes the brand feel cool.” 00:10:15. “I grew up doing musical theater and performing… I’ve always been in the arts.” 00:14:32. “Being at TBA and building it from the ground up has allowed me to grow into the best version of myself.” 00:19:01. “The things that do best on social are new signings, big press looks, and artist mAd link: Explore The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for modern mixing: https://a.co/d/eEEpPrLThank you for tuning in to Bobby Owsinski’s Inner Circle, the podcast that takes you deep inside the music industry. Each week, Bobby shares insights, news, analysis, and conversations with the movers and shakers shaping today’s music world.📌 Explore Bobby’s best-selling books:https://bobbyowsinski.com/best-selling-books/📘 The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook (6th Edition), the go-to guide for nailing that polished, pro mix sound:https://a.co/d/eEEpPrL🎧 Free “Magic Frequencies” mini-course, learn the EQ secrets behind pro mixes: https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/magic-freqs-registration🎙️Nail that pro vocal sound: clear, upfront, and mix-ready.Learn how in Bobby’s Vocal Mixing Mini-Course: https://tinyurl.com/bdhud2bv🎧 Discover more mixing and production courses:https://www.bobbyowsinskicourses.com/📲 Follow Bobby for more tips, insights, and updates:• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbyOwsinskiBiz/• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyo/• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyowsinski/• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bobbyowsinski.bsky.social🎙️ New episodes release every Tuesday at 9AM Pacific on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.Music. Business. Creativity. Straight from the Inner Circle.Produced by APodcastGeekhttps://apodcastgeek.com/