Best SOFAR Podcasts (2024)

1
Livestreaming in 2024: what do artists and fans want from it now? And what about superfans? On Air CEO Jakub Krampl explains 28:40

38m ago28:40

28:40

Ep 157: Cast your mind back to 2020, when public spaces were shut down and the world suddenly felt insular and closed. Live-streaming became wildly popular overnight – in fact this podcast began in these circumstances – and many apps and platforms appeared and disappeared to feed the need for watching live events from our homes. A mere four years l…

1
Super-serving superfans – Jacquelle Horton of Fave on superfandom and superfan strategies for artists of all sizes 37:01

1M ago37:01

37:01

Ep 156: Superfandom, superfandom, superfandom. Unless you’ve been living on the moon for the last year, you’ll not have been able to avoid the latest obsession of pretty much anyone working in the music industry. We chatted to Jacquelle Horton, CEO/Founder of superfan platform Fave, about the nature of superfandom – and we also dug into how to nurt…

1
Finding your people: our tips and tricks 40:26

28d ago40:26

40:26

If you've just moved to a new town or are just looking to cultivate your *dream* community but aren't sure how, we've got you! More of That co-founders Meredith and Eric share their tips and easy actionable items to finding your tribe and becoming the community you're ready to attract, as well as deeper advice on cultivating meaningful friendships …

1
The Nations: from YouTube remixes to modern music radio – founder Andre Benz explains how he tries to meet the needs of young music consumers 34:08

2M ago34:08

34:08

Ep. 155: Andre Benz founded The Nations when he was in high school. What began as a Youtube channel uploading dance music remixes has transformed into a media conglomerate with a record label and various genre-focused channels. In the latest episode of the Music Ally Focus podcast, he explains the challenges of building a multi-faceted ecosystem th…

1
Rafe Offer (Sofar Sounds): bringing intimate music experiences to a global audience 1:04:39

2M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

If you live in a bigger city, chances are, there is a Sofar Sounds near you! Sofar Sounds is a pop-up music experience that brings presence and intimacy back to live music. It's now in over 300 cities globally! Today, we sit down with Rafe Offer, the founder of Sofar Sounds, to hear about how one fateful evening of wanting to hear the live music at…

1
"This isn't just another #MeToo issue... it's way bigger than that." Sexual violence, NDAs, and the music industry – with Caroline Heldman, PhD and Samantha Maloney of the Sound Off Coalition 46:20

2M ago46:20

46:20

Content warning: this episode discusses sexual abuse. Ep. 154: Caroline Heldman Ph.D and Samantha Maloney are co-founders of the Sound Off Coalition, which recently published a report that called out “the scathing history and financial impact of decades of sexual abuse and coverups in the music industry”. In the report, publicly-available informati…

1
"The music festival industry is suffering and there is something fundamentally wrong at its heart" – so what can be done to revive it? 40:03

3M ago40:03

40:03

Episode 153: What's the health of the music festival ecosystem like? Not great, says Nick Morgan, CEO of UK festival company The Fair. Nick, who is also vice chair of the UK’s Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), and his colleague Yasmin Galletti join Music Ally's editor Joe Sparrow and discuss the pressures festivals are under, in an enviro…

1
"We're not just creating musicians; we're shaping well-rounded individuals" – Young Voices CEO Ben Lewis and violinist Anna Phoebe on the impact of choir singing on children 43:57

3M ago43:57

43:57

Episode 152: Young Voices arranges huge, arena-sized, choir performances for school children, and we were joined by Ben Lewis, CEO of Young Voices, and Anna Phoebe, violinist who performs with Young Voices (and is on the Board at The Ivors Academy.) We spoke about the importance of music at the grassroots level, and encouraging children to sing and…

1
"The music industry's approach to mental health was disastrous” 43:29

3M ago43:29

43:29

Episode 151: We're joined by music industry psychologist and therapist Anne Löhr to get a snapshot of the state of mental health within the music industry, and her interpretation of how well the industry has supported the mental health of the people in it. SPOILER: uh-oh, it’s not been great – but it’s getting better. The music industry has, accord…

1
How to make disabled people’s access to live events environmentally sustainable – with Suzanne Bull, founder of Attitude is Everything & Dr Teresa Moore, Director at A Greener Future 36:03

4M ago36:03

36:03

Episode 150(!): Suzanne Bull, founder of Attitude is Everything – which connects disabled people with music and live event industries to improve access – and Dr Teresa Moore, Director at A Greener Future – which helps organisations, events, festivals and venues be more environmentally sustainable – join Music Ally's editor Joe Sparrow. They spoke a…

1
Local, independent artists want to play gigs – but it's increasingly hard to make money or find a venue. Sofar Sounds CEO Jim Lucchese, talks about the economics of live music – and what should change 30:33

4M ago30:33

30:33

Ep 149: Sofar Sounds CEO Jim Lucchese joins Music Ally editor Joe Sparrow to talk about the current economics of live music and its impact on local, independent artists. Live music is a hard business at the best of times, but for smaller and emerging artists, it can be brutally tough. A good number of artists now get their start playing Sofar Sound…

1
Marketing music to Gen Z: hyper-authentic, and always online – how do you connect with this elusive audience? Keturah Cummings of Forward Slash explains 27:31

4M ago27:31

27:31

Ep 148: Gen Z music fans are able to immediately sense when an artist’s communications with fans feel inauthentic. But marketing has in its nature an element of inauthenticity – so how do you maintain a feeling of authenticity when marketing to this young, online-only generation? And how can artists and teams market effectively directly to these yo…

1
The biggest questions that music streaming platforms face in 2024 – Music Ally's Head of Insight, Stuart Dredge, answers them. 37:47

4M ago37:47

37:47

Ep. 147: Stuart Dredge, Music Ally’s Head of Insight, joins Editor Joe Sparrow to answer some of the biggest and most complex questions in the DSP space in 2024. This podcast is aligned with Music Ally’s new quarterly report and the Big Questions they chat about include: • Who are the winners and losers from artist-centric payment systems – and wil…

1
How do people search for music – and what do they really want in their results? 29:07

4M ago29:07

29:07

Ep. 146: In this episode we ask: how do people search for music today and what do people really want in their results? We welcome Einar Helde, AIMS API co-founder and CCO, to the Focus podcast to answer that question, as well as to explain how technology is allowing people to search in novel and nuanced ways – and what that means for people who mak…

1
Susan Mactavish Best (POSTHOC Salons): Igniting belonging through intimate events 1:09:32

4M ago1:09:32

1:09:32

In this episode, we explore the artful world of intimate gatherings and deep connections with Susan McTavish Best, the mastermind behind POSTHOC salons. With a background as a silicon-valley PR maestro and city guide writer she has woven together communities from the ground up, one meal and conversation at a time. This episode explores and celebrat…

1
How will AI-generated music be used in virtual spaces like metaverses and video games? And do we lose a communal experience if we all hear different music? Verses' Sean Lee & Kyungtae Kim explain. 34:54

5M ago34:54

34:54

Ep 145: Joe Sparrow is joined by Sean Lee, CEO/co-founder and Kyungtae Kim, co-founder and Audio & AI Specialist, of Verses, an AI music platform that powers music generation in virtual spaces. We wanted to talk about the use of dynamic AI-created music in the metaverse, and how that music then connects to virtual items. Essentially: where three of…

1
Should music streaming platforms charge to store music? Con Raso of Tuned Global explains the potential impacts on indie and major rightsholders. 31:08

5M ago31:08

31:08

Ep. 144: Tuned Global's CEO Con Raso joins Joe Sparrow to talk about something that sounds a bit intangible and distant: the cost of storing all the music that gets streamed. If it’s essentially free for owners of huge catalogues of music to upload their files to someone else’s server, then they will – and smaller rightsholders like DIY artists and…

1
Marie Clausen, Merlin's Managing Board Director, on mentoring women to help them rise to senior positions in the music industry 30:39

5M ago30:39

30:39

Ep 143: Marie Clausen worked hard to rise to a senior position in the music industry, only to find that she was often the only woman in the room. So she’s now driven to change that – and she explains to Joe Sparrow how she initiated Merlin’s Engage mentorship program, designed to boost the representation of women in the top ranks of the music indus…

1
Ep. 235 Gabrielle Chapman & The Vortex 1:02:41

5M ago1:02:41

1:02:41

ABOUT THE EPGabrielle Chapman & The Vortex proudly releases their debut EP, A Castle On Lava; A dark yetwhimsical coming of age story. This 6 track EP serves as a musical voyage, exploring the depths of radical accountability, conquering inner demons, and embracing the transformative journey towards self growth. Their performance merges sultry voca…

1
The enshittification of music – Cory Doctorow explains how a monopolistic music industry's rush to claw back value might also kill it. PLUS! An exclusive extract from Cory's new audiobook 1:11:16

5M ago1:11:16

1:11:16

Ep 142: Cory Docorow is a highly regarded sci-fi author, activist and journalist who is in favour of the liberalisation and modernisation of copyright laws. He recently coined the concept of "enshittification", which is when monopolistic digital platforms offer increasingly worse services to continue making money... and then they die. We talk about…

1
Kyle Kazanjian-Amory (Don't Tell Comedy): building a global network of secret pop-up comedy shows 1:08:38

5M ago1:08:38

1:08:38

In this episode, we talk with the founder of Don't Tell Comedy, Kyle Kazanjian-Amory, about how a desire to perform more in the stand-up circuit in LA led him to hosting backyard comedy shows with friends. This ended up scaling into what is now known as Don't Tell Comedy, a global network of secret pop-up comedy shows. Kyle gives us the low-down on…

1
How can you unlock more value from music catalogues using AI? Harmix CTO Dmytro Lopushanskyy explains how this AI tech works – and how artists should be able to opt music out of AI model training 32:57

5M ago32:57

32:57

Ep 141: Dmytro Lopushanskyy, CTO of AI-powered song analysis and discovery tool Harmix, joins Joe to explain how tools like his actually work, and how they can find overlooked songs that are buried deep in catalogues. Dmytro also talks about what life in the music industry may be like when we have useful AI assistants, and how artists and rightshol…

1
Ep. 234 SANTRISTÁN 1:11:21

6M ago1:11:21

1:11:21

Filmmaker • Musician • Talent • Producer of All GOD, IF ONLY. [EP] OUT NOW ½ of @plannediridescence Dir/Prod @ave.maria.doc Music Links Film Works

1
Will this idea disrupt the record label model? Sherry Saeedi says that her company Verswire – “a venture capital model alternative for signing musicians” – is the future of music. We ask how and why. 37:34

6M ago37:34

37:34

Ep. 140: Joe is joined by Sherry Saeedi, founder & CEO of Verswire. Sherry says that Verswire is a new alternative to record labels – or “a venture capital model alternative for signing musicians” as she puts it. We ask her why she believes it is “the future of music” and Sherry talks with the passion and language of a tech founder. She thinks that…

1
Justine "Magic" Bean: building community from the ground up 1:17:54

6M ago1:17:54

1:17:54

Justine, also known as the Queen of Venice Beach and a real life Mermaid, is a maritime archeologist turned community builder. She has started over half a dozen whatsapp groups with over 500 people per group and is currently putting her IRL expertise of community building to use in the digital world as head of community for two apps currently in st…

1
What's it like to manage the Black Eyed Peas? Co-manager Rachel Strassberger explains the challenges of managing a household name artist, and how managers will need to change in the coming years 31:49

6M ago31:49

31:49

Ep. 139: The Black Eyed Peas have sold an estimated 80 million records, are one of only a handful of artists to have simultaneously held the number-one and number-two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and have headlined the Super Bowl half-time show. We were very happy to talk to Rachel Strassberger, one third of the Black Eyed Peas' management…

1
What next for song lyrics? From autonomous cars to AI chats, we discuss lyrics' future with Darryl Ballantyne of LyricFind 36:37

6M ago36:37

36:37

Ep. 138: Lyrics are now everywhere - in our streaming apps, on short form social media, and in the now ubiquitous lyric video. So how might lyrics be used in the future in ways we may not have thought of? Joe Sparrow is joined by Darryl Ballantyne, founder & CEO of LyricFind, one of the oldest companies to license lyrics on behalf of rightsholders …

1
Be Your Own Catalyst: A meditation to take inspired action 17:56

6M ago17:56

17:56

At More of That, we love the phrase "be the catalyst." It's the idea of being the agent of change rather than waiting for something to come to you and finding ways to spread that change for others who need it. We love it so much that we've hosted 2 events called just that. One of the things we mean by being the catalyst is becoming what you're read…

1
Gender representation in the music industry, and how to undertake a "total restructure" – with Marie Fol, of the Keychange initiative 48:48

7M ago48:48

48:48

Ep. 137: Marie Fol, Lead of the Keychange initiative, joins Music Ally’s Editor Joe Sparrow and they takes stock of gender representation in the music industry in 2024. Keychange is a global network and movement with a wide ranging remit to works towards what it calls “a total restructure of the music industry in reaching full gender equality.” Joe…

1
AI and music marketing – how will artificial intelligence help marketers reach new fans and grow audiences? Music tech expert Virginie Berger makes some predictions... 39:57

7M ago39:57

39:57

Ep. 136: AI is promising fundamental changes to the business of music and its creation. But what about the part where music is connected to the fans? Virginie Berger is a long-established music-tech industry expert and like many people working in innovative areas of the music industry, she’s been doing deep research into the role AI will play now, …

1
Ep. 233 Kayla Oh 26:58

7M ago26:58

26:58

Kayla Oh is an up and coming indie singer-songwriter studying contemporary voice at NYU. At just 19 years old, she has developed a stark, diaristic writing style that captures the experience of being a teenage girl: navigating first loves, overcoming heartbreak, grappling with insecurity and comparison, and simultaneously never wanting the teenage …

1
Best Morning Ever: a recap and takeaways from our consistent series! 32:07

7M ago32:07

32:07

This year, we hosted a consistent series, Best Morning Ever, born out of Meredith's desire to share her Monday morning routine with the community. Every week for 36 weeks, we started our Monday with the More of That community at Best Morning Ever where we'd connect, do yoga, breathwork, meditation, journaling, and have delicious matcha- all before …

1
Ep. 232 Jordin Sparks Listening Session 20:20

7M ago20:20

20:20

Jordin Sparks has signed with Epidemic Sound. The deal kicks off with a collection of Christmas songs that we are playing here today.

1
Ep. 227 Vessna Scheff 32:22

7M ago32:22

32:22

Vessna is super excited to share the first single off this forthcoming record, "BUTTER", (+ the accompanying visualizer) set to release This Friday, September 29th! With mesmerizing vocal harmonies, shimmering 90’s to early 2000’s synths, and an 80’s club backbeat, 'BUTTER' drops you right into the feeling of swooning when you see your crush under …

1
Ep. 231 Arden Alexa 24:59

7M ago24:59

24:59

Taking inspiration from Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and the pop princesses who soundtracked her childhood and teen years, Arden Alexa's unique sound has been developed by infusing her own quirky and youthful indie style into the upbeat anthems she knows and loves. Born and raised in San Francisco, Arden spent the after-school hours of her high school…

1
Oliver Evans (The KINN): Creating a hub for community and innovation 1:21:21

7M ago1:21:21

1:21:21

Oliver Evans is the founder of The KINN, a co-working space, community space, and incubation space in the heart of Venice (also where we've hosted many More of That events). Oliver talks about his early entrepreneurial pursuits - from working in nightlife and events in NY, to pivoting his purpose, getting into endurance events, and eventually endin…

1
Ep. 230 Izzy Pingrey 48:04

7M ago48:04

48:04

At just 17 years old, New York City native Izzy Pingrey is using music as a diary to document her coming-of-age journey in real time. She first picked up songwriting at 13 during the loneliness of pandemic lockdowns, using it as an emotional outlet. Now a high school senior preparing to release her debut EP junior, Izzy’s confessional lyrics and en…

1
Ep. 229 Liv Hanna 25:18

8M ago25:18

25:18

Liv Hanna kicked off the summer with the fiery track, "Back To Hell." The songstress now returns to close out the fall with her new single, "Lonely." Similarly to "Back To Hell," Liv Hanna puts her unique, distinctive twist on the Pop genre. "lonely" may best be viewed as an Alt-Pop/Dark Pop record, but the song is more eclectic as it features synt…

1
YouTube's Artist & Label Development team for Europe, Middle East & Africa: what does it do, and how do they choose which artists to support? YouTube's Nur Ozdamar explains all. 29:51

8M ago29:51

29:51

Ep. 135: YouTube's Nur Ozdamar joins Music Ally's editor Joe Sparrow to explain how her Artist & Label Development team for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) supports the careers of artists and its label partners. She describes the help that they provide, how they choose which emerging artists they eventually partner with – and how her team consi…

1
Meditation Episode: Listen to this before your holiday socializing! 19:28

8M ago19:28

19:28

With the holiday season upon us, which can be both beautiful and triggering, we wanted to provide you with tools to navigate social activities, release social anxiety, and show up as your best self. Through a guided meditation and questions for reflection, you'll feel reset, empowered, and ready to own your energy in any social interaction. We hope…

1
Ep. 228 Raquel Liane 37:03

8M ago37:03

37:03

Gaining her background in musical theatre and growing increasingly tired of being forced into a box that she never fit into Puerto Rican American Electronic Rnb Artist Raquel Liane began writing music to find herself and create her narrative of who she was. Her music grew into a journey of self-love and became love letters to herself to connect to …

1
Lior Tibon, co-founder of Duetti, and former COO of TIDAL, talks artist-centric payment systems and Duetti's music financing platform 37:09

8M ago37:09

37:09

Ep. 134: Lior Tibon is former COO of TIDAL, and now co-founder of music financing platform Duetti, which aims to let smaller and mid-range artists sell part or all of their catalogue. He’s got experience in both the investment and streaming sides of the industry and so we talk about two things that are distantly, yet directly, connected: the recent…

1
Leah Zaccaria (shefayoga): from corporate burnout to wellness leader 1:24:20

8M ago1:24:20

1:24:20

Leah Zaccaria is founder of shefayoga studio here in Venice (where we've hosted many More of That events!), Shefayoga studio and Hauteyoga in Seattle, and author of Seen: A memoir. Leah is an absolute force in the Venice wellness scene and shares her inspirational story of going from being a burnt out CPA to finding her true passion in yoga and wel…

1
Licensed music: what YouTubers and TikTokers really need, according to Lickd's Paul Sampson (Plus: will generative AI music take a slice out of his business?) 35:33

8M ago35:33

35:33

Ep. 133: we’re joined by Paul Sampson, CEO and founder of Lickd, the licensing startup that supplies music to creators on YouTube and other platforms. We seem to be shifting into an era where a new and widespread use of music is emerging – where music is a component of a wider experience: for instance in the background of short/long videos, live st…

1
Making vinyl records with 85% lower energy consumption – we get hands on with Sonopress's new EcoRecord 34:15

8M ago34:15

34:15

Ep. 132: Making vinyl records requires a lot of heat and energy, and uses plastics that are bad for the environment. But vinyl records are an old technology - so how might a modern record be made? Sven Deutschmann is Managing Director of Sonopress, a company that makes vinyl records and other physical media. He showed Music Ally’s Editor Joe Sparro…

1
Helping your different worlds collide (solo episode with Mer + Eric) 35:11

8M ago35:11

35:11

In this mini solo episode, we talk about their tactics within and beyond More of That (especially recounting Meredith's recent festival wedding in the desert) to help friends and family from different worlds feel comfortable enough to expand outside of their comfort zone. Expect interesting tales and tactical takeaways of how you can host unforgett…

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Ep. 226 Ultra Silk Gallery Series featuring Ramsess 1:21:55

8M ago1:21:55

1:21:55

Ultra Silk Gallery 3808 Lancaster Avenue Philadelphia Pa 1904 Links:https://www.pbssocal.org/arts-culture/ramsess-portraits-honor-historic-figures-in-black- historyhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-26-cl-58975-story.html RAMSESS Biography: Chance encounters often produce wondrous results. As a young man, Ramsess watched a documentary…

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IP Lawyer Eliane Ellbogen answers our questions on how copyright laws will apply to AI-generated music – and the human artists whose music it sounds like. 32:15

9M ago32:15

32:15

Ep 131: We have been puzzling over the impact of AI-generated music and how it will align with the laws that have made the music business, well, the music business. Eliane Ellbogen is an intellectual property lawyer at Fasken law firm in Montreal, and has spoken at a number of conferences about the legal implications that accompany AI Music. She jo…

1
Ep. 225 Sanovia 59:07

9M ago59:07

59:07

Sanovia is a Music and Movement Artist from Muncie, IN, based in Philadelphia, PA. An energetic storyteller on a mission to wake up the world with conversations, movement, and music that bring heaven to earth, she sparks her audience to infuse more authenticity and joy in their everyday lives. With a balance of high energy and the comforting nature…

1
“It’s common to see fraud between 20-60% of all streams on multiple distributors” – Beatdapp's Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk talk streaming fraud 30:05

9M ago30:05

30:05

Ep. 130: Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk are both co-CEOs & co-founders of Beatdapp, a platform which processes huge quantities of data to detect streaming fraud for clients like labels and streaming platforms. Editor Joe Sparrow welcomes them back to the podcast to update us on the state of streaming fraud – and they have some truly shocking statis…

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