The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Andreas Schuller, hit songwriter, producer, and co-founder of music publishing company Honua Music. Andreas has written and produced songs for artists including The Weeknd, Jason Derulo, Madison Beer, and many more, accumulating billions of streams and numerous gold and platinum records.

Andreas breaks down how hit songs are actually created, how publishing companies develop songwriters, and why today's music industry is more relationship-driven than ever. He shares the story behind Jason Derulo's smash hit "Wiggle," explains how songwriting camps work, discusses the evolution of professional songwriting, and offers practical advice for aspiring songwriters trying to break into the industry.

Follow Andreas Schuller:
https://honuamusic.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:
https://aristake.com

03:48 - Meet Andreas Schuller: Hitmaker Turned Publisher
12:19 - Music Publishing Explained: How Songwriters Make Money
18:39 - The Story Behind Jason Derulo's "Wiggle"
22:02 - Songwriting Splits, Credits, and Industry Politics
30:37 - How Professional Songwriting Has Changed Since 2010
34:46 - Breaking Into the Music Industry as a Songwriter
39:03 - Originality vs. Trend Chasing: What Actually Works?
49:37 - Building Great Writing Rooms and Finding Creative Chemistry
52:39 - AI, the Future of Music, and What's Next for Songwriters

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with legendary A&R executive, publisher, and educator Pete Ganbarg.
With more than three decades in the music industry, Pete has helped shape the careers of artists, songwriters, and hit records across multiple generations. In this conversation, he breaks down how A&R has evolved from the days of artist showcases and long-term development deals to today's algorithm-driven landscape. Pete explains why great A&R is still about connecting great artists with great songs, even as technology and discovery platforms continue to change.

Follow Pete Ganbarg:
https://substack.com/@peteganbarg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peteganbarg/

Check out Ari’s Take:
https://aristake.com

04:21 – The True Role of A&R: What Has Changed and What Hasn't
09:00 – Artist Development vs. Chasing Quick Hits
13:20 – Why Live Performance Still Matters to Labels
16:05 – TikTok Stars, Viral Songs, and Building Careers
20:50 – The Difference Between a Song, an Artist, and a Career
25:55 – How Pete Discovers and Develops Songwriters
30:10 – Michael Pollack's Journey to Writing "Flowers."
35:15 – Songwriting by Committee, Sampling, and Publishing Trends
40:50 – AI, Songwriting, and the Future of Music Creation
48:15 – What Excites Pete Most About the Future of Music
54:07 – What It Means to "Make It" in the New Music Business

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Dee Diaz, Vice President of Marketing at Reach Records.

At Indie Week 2026, Dee shares the innovative marketing strategies behind Lecrae’s Reconstruction album campaign, which helped propel the project to a Billboard Top 10 debut. From sending exclusive mailers to the label’s most loyal fans. To building a gamified direct-to-fan platform called The Workshop, Dee reveals how Reach Records prioritized community, superfans, and authentic artist engagement over chasing algorithms.

Find Dee Diaz:
https://www.instagram.com/deediaz_/
https://www.instagram.com/reachrecords/

Check out Ari’s Take:
https://aristake.com

05:06 - Meet Dee Diaz and Reach Records
08:47 - The History of Reach Records and Lecrae
12:31 - Building the Reconstruction Campaign
15:07 - The 1,000 Fan Mailer Strategy
16:19 - Creating The Workshop Fan Community
19:37 - Turning Superfans Into Brand Ambassadors
29:09 - Community Service as Music Marketing
37:39 - The Story Behind “Coming In Hot”
43:29 - Why TikTok Doesn't Convert Like It Used To
46:17 - What It Means to Make It in the New Music Business
47:00 - Audience Q&A

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Nicole Abea, Director of Influencer & UGC Promotions at Hopeless Records.

Over the last decade, Nicole has helped evolve Hopeless Records’ marketing strategy from traditional social media campaigns to modern influencer marketing, user-generated content (UGC), and TikTok-driven discovery. Starting as an intern and rising to lead influencer and UGC promotions, Nicole has worked with artists including Scene Queen, THXSoMCH, Neck Deep, Melrose Avenue, Autumn Kings, and more.

Nicole pulls back the curtain on how music marketing actually works in 2026. They discuss influencer campaigns, fan accounts, micro-budget marketing strategies, TikTok trends, BookTok, DSP pitching, and how artists can build communities that translate into real fandom.

Follow Nicole Abea:
https://www.instagram.com/nicolethedesigner/
https://www.instagram.com/hopelessrecords/

Check out Ari’s Take:
https://aristake.com

03:57 Nicole Abea on Influencer & UGC Marketing at Hopeless Records
08:44 The Reality of TikTok Seeding, Fan Accounts & Music Promotion
15:20 How to Market a Song with a $2,000 Budget
18:25 BookTok, Online Communities & Finding Your Audience
23:29 What Spotify and DSPs Want from Artists
26:26 Why Record Labels Are Signing Influencers
33:21 Scene Over Genre: How Modern Fandom Has Changed
42:41 How All Time Low's “Dear Maria, Count Me In” Went Viral Again
45:22 Rage Bait, Algorithms & The Future of Music Marketing
51:00 Closing Thoughts

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Molly Neuman, President of CD Baby, one of the largest independent music distributors in the world. Molly has spent decades advocating for independent artists and labels, helping shape the modern music industry through leadership roles at CD Baby, Downtown Music Holdings, and the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).

In this conversation, Ari and Molly dive into some of the most pressing issues facing musicians today, including artificial intelligence, streaming fraud, artist compensation, customer support, and the evolving role of music distribution. They discuss whether AI-generated music should exist, how streaming platforms are responding to generative AI, why artists are increasingly being affected by fraudulent streams, and what distributors like CD Baby are doing to protect independent musicians. Molly also shares her perspective on artist ownership, independence, and what success in the music business looks like in 2026.

Follow Molly Neuman:
https://www.instagram.com/mollydneuman/
https://cdbaby.com/

Check out Ari’s Take:
https://aristake.com

03:45 – Molly Neuman's Journey to Becoming CD Baby President
11:32 – Is CD Baby Still Independent?
18:04 – Universal Music's Acquisition & What It Means for Artists
27:41 – The State of Independent Music Distribution in 2026
39:18 – What Artists Get Wrong About Distribution
49:07 – AI Customer Support: Does It Matter if It's Human?
52:11 – Should AI-Generated Music Exist?
1:03:47 – Streaming Fraud, Bot Plays & How Artists Get Penalized
1:12:56 – What "Making It" Really Means in Today's Music Industry

Edited and mixed by Ruben Zarate
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.