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Music Ally Focus

Music Ally Focus

By: Music Ally
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Analysing vital music business topics in detail, as they emerge: Joe Sparrow breaks down important stories with expert guests in about 25 minutes. It'll keep you on the cutting edge, and it'll take about the same time as making and eating a good sandwich! (We recommend doing both simultaneously for maximum deliciousness.) 🌍 Music Ally provides analysis and context for the global music business: musically.com Ⓜ️ Music Ally's industry-leading subscription service: https://musically.com/subscribe 👋 Music Ally’s free weekly newsletter, The Knowledge: https://musically.lnk.to/knowledgepoMusic Ally Music
Episodes
  • What are the global music biz trends that can help artists break through? Shortform-video-first discovery, live music decentralisation, localised marketing, and more – with Stuart Dredge

    What are the global music biz trends that can help artists break through? Shortform-video-first discovery, live music decentralisation, localised marketing, and more – with Stuart Dredge
    Jun 17 2026

    Ep. 184: We’re thrilled to be joined once again by Stuart Dredge, Music Ally’s head of insight, as we chat about our June 2026 Insight Report. This one is the International Issue (https://musically.com/category/reports/) and is the result of spending 12 months speaking to local experts who know how to break artists in each territory. It's packed with on-the-ground insight and marketing advice.

    We’ve picked out three key global issues from the last 12 months to discuss here:

    • Trend 1: Transition to video-first discovery and "seamless funnels"
    • Trend 2: Decentralisation of live music and infrastructure challenges
    • Trend 3: Localised marketing: sincerity over stardom

    You can also hear more of Stu 'n' Joe each week on The Price of Music: https://tpom.uk

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    38 mins
  • The UK's fan-led live music revolution: saving grassroots venues & fixing ticket rip-off pricing – with Lord Kevin Brennan and Shain Shapiro

    The UK's fan-led live music revolution: saving grassroots venues & fixing ticket rip-off pricing – with Lord Kevin Brennan and Shain Shapiro
    Jun 10 2026
    A little bonus cross-over episode for you Focus listeners. On our The Price of Music Podcast, we had two very special guests talk about how to actually make important change happen in the UK’s live industry at grassroots level, and improve the live music fan's experience: Lord Kevin Brennan of Canton⁠, Labour member of the House of Lords – and a ⁠recording musician⁠ himself. We also speak to ⁠Shain Shapiro⁠, who amongst other things is author of ⁠This Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better⁠. (They are both speaking about this on 10th June at the ⁠Music Cities Convention in Hull⁠, FYI.)** As ever, our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ get the full interviews – with 50% extra conversation! Become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Superfan of the podcast for free – and enjoy the exclusive weekly Lock-in bonus section! ⁠⁠⁠⁠**We talk about the important stuff that fans care about: surge ticket pricing, local grassroots venues, music fan associations and more – and it’s all built on the results of the ⁠UK’s Fan–led Review of Live and Electronic Music⁠, the House of Commons committee special report that Lord Brennan oversaw. He explains what he learned and what can – and should – be done next. Then Shain explains why live music must be treated as a "vital public good" – i.e. just like libraries or the NHS – and how people like you can build real political heft, in order to save their struggling local spaces. Lord Brennan reflects on his past work with the Music Streaming Inquiry, examining how parliamentary reports can ripple out to create real-world impact for creators, even when they don’t instantly become law.Essential learnings from the live fans' report: From transport and safety to fair ticketing, Lord Brennan boils down the core pillars that everyday music lovers actually care about.The surge pricing backlash: The data doesn't lie – fans are united in their hatred of dynamic ticket surging. We discuss the urgent need for primary market transparency and why standard "free-market" arguments don't apply to the emotional experience of a gig.Shain Shapiro breaks down how society has prioritised the passive consumption of music (the noun) while deprioritising community participation (the verb), leading to the isolation of modern music fans.Why you should know your ward councillor. Shain outlines how forming local "Music Fan Associations" can force local councils to unlock underutilised property and rethink how spaces are used.The 24-Hour Dictators: Both guests flex their imaginary emergency powers to fix the ecosystem, including slashing VAT on tickets, restructuring property business rates, and mandating grassroots funding.As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stuart and Joe======TPOM online: ⁠http://tpom.uk/⁠Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠⁠joe@musically.com⁠
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    51 mins
  • Running an indie label for 30 years – Hospital Records founder Chris Goss on three decades as a cutting-edge drum 'n' bass label

    Running an indie label for 30 years – Hospital Records founder Chris Goss on three decades as a cutting-edge drum 'n' bass label
    May 1 2026

    Ep. 182: 30 years of running an indie record label is a monumental milestone. We speak to Chris Goss about exactly that – three decades after he co-founded the highly influential jungle / drum and bass label Hospital Records.

    Chris has lots to say about the "blood, sweat, and tears" required to stay independent for three decades; modern A&R and how Hospital balances a classic "gut feeling" with data; why drum n bass is currently enjoying its most prolonged "hot streak" in history; and the future of the label.

    Founded in West London in 1996 by Chris Goss and Tony Colman, Hospital didn't start with an aggressive business plan. Today, Hospital stands as - possibly - the largest independent drum n bass label in the world.

    Hospital records: https://hospitalrecords.com/

    High Contrast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoSscshAG-4


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    59 mins
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