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Break the Business

Break the Business Podcastwww.breakthebusiness.com
A show for indie creators and the people who love and support them. Break the Business Podcast is a fun and informative discussion of entertainment law (for non-lawyers), independent artists, and popular culture. Break the Business is recorded live on Thursdays at 9pm Eastern at twitch.tv/breakthebusiness. Catch the show on Mondays at 6pm on SiriusXM Channel 145 SLAM Radio and on all major podcast platforms! If you'd like to be a guest or have any questions, please send us an email at breakthebusiness@gmail.com

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Episodes

BTB Ep 454: Lessons from Wicked’s marketing campaign; Rod Yancy from Bootleg

OPICS: Ryan and Zak Sloan talk about what indie creators can learn from the marketing campaign for the “Wicked” motion picture; public domain day; we interview Bootleg CEO Rod Yancy. Bootleg is a live music merchandising company that captures and distributes fully licensed and high-quality concert recordings for artists and fans. Find out more by visiting bootleg.live. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair...

Dec 09, 202459 min

BTB Ep 453: Drake diss track legal filings; Adewale Ogunleye interview

TOPICS: Drake’s camp made two legal filings involving the Kendrick Lamar “Not Like Us” diss track—is Drake going to sue his record label?; Gibson sends a cease and desist about Trump-branded guitars; our guest this week is former NFL all-pro and UBS head of sports and entertainment Adewale Ogunleye. Youcan follow our guest on Instagram @waleogunleye. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the ...

Dec 01, 20241 hr 10 min

BTB Ep 452: Should artists move to Bluesky?; we interview singer - songwriter Sabrina Monique

TOPICS: Twitch requires labeling for political content, which might be taking money out of streamers' pockets; Bluesky is growing as a social media platform—should creators consider creating an account there?; ElisaRockDoc Career Update; we interview singer-songwriter and American Idol alum SabrinaMonique about overcoming adversity in her career and finding her authentic self as an artist. Sabrina’s new album “It’s Not Me It’s You” dropped on September 27th and is available on all major music pl...

Nov 25, 20241 hr

BTB Ep 451: The “waterfall” release strategy; we interview Nick from Yacht Rock Revue

TOPICS: Ryan loves rapping grandma music; Ryan and Katie talk about the “waterfall” release strategy and how artists can utilize it to maximize the promotional power of their music releases. Our guest this week is Nicholas Niespodziani, the vocalist and guitarist for Yacht Rock Revue. Nicholas talks to Ryan and Kate about how his band captures the Yacht Rock vibe in their performances and gives advice on how musicians can create effective cover and tribute band projects. YRR’s The band’s new con...

Nov 17, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 450: Making one change to the music business; we interview musician and tech CEO Eric Hirshberg

TOPICS: SoundExchange asks “If you could change one thing about the music industry tomorrow what would it be?”; Ed Sheeran gives a speech about how the role of record executives is changing; UMG suesTuneCore for $500 million for copyright infringement. Our guest this week is musician and former Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg. Eric’s latest album “Second Hand Smoke” is available now and you can find out more by visiting erichirshbergmusic.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcas...

Nov 10, 20241 hr 8 min

BTB Ep 449: Promoting music on podcasts; Kanru Hua of Dreamtonics

TOPICS: Are music business college programs worth it?; Ryan and Gideon talk about the promotional potential of podcasts for music; we interview Dreamtonics CEO Kanru Hua. Dreamtonics is a provider of AI vocal software solutions for songwriters and engineers. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.dreamtonics.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the Business Podcast...

Nov 03, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 448: Why is everyone on TikTok being mean to Lawrence?; music executive Paula Park

TOPICS: Ryan does a rant about falling back in love with Network Television; Ryan and ElisaRockDoc love TikToker James McNicholas and his dramatic monologue versions of pop songs; we ask why it seems like everyone on TikTok being unnecessarily mean to the (awesome) band Lawrence lately; we interview music executive Paula Park and talk about her work in developing social impact campaigns for the biggest artists in music. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundClou...

Oct 27, 20241 hr 7 min

BTB Ep 447: The healing power of music; we interview Bill “Downupright” Boulden

TOPICS: Katie Zaccardi talks about the Vanderbilt field goal posts being carried through the streets of Nashville and her recent attendance at a Sabrina Carpenter concert; Evan Bogart has a mind-blowing story about how he wrote the Rihanna song “SOS”; we talk about the healing power of music in honor of World Mental Health Day; we interview Bill “Downupright” Boulden about their new album “ManicEpisode,” which is available now on all streaming platforms. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Bu...

Oct 21, 20241 hr 2 min

BTB Ep 446: Rewarding your most loyal fans; jazz singer Lizzie Thomas

TOPICS: Ryan rants about reality shows conducting psych evaluations on its participants; Ryan and Zak talk about a BandzoogleBlog article detailing 71 ways to reward your music fan subscribers; we interview NYC jazz singer Lizzie Thomas. Lizzie’s latest single “Community” is available now and you can find out more about her work by visiting lizziethejazzsinger.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and...

Oct 13, 20241 hr

BTB Ep 445: Donnie Kehr and Rockers on Broadway; New Age artist Kevin Keller

TOPICS: Ryan and Gideon King talk about the Miley Cyrus “Flowers” copyright case and the rising influence of private equity in music copyright; acclaimed Broadway actor and musician Donnie Kehrdrops in to talk about the annual Rockers on Broadway benefit event. Our guest this week is new-age musician Kevin Keller. You can find out more about Kevin’s latest ambitious album project “Evensong” by visiting www.kevinkeller.com. Tickets for Rockers on Broadway are available at rockersonbroadway.com Ra...

Oct 06, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 444: Google makes AI generated podcasts; we interview Sean and Matthew from Musical AI

TOPICS: Google rolled out its new AI podcast feature for its Notebook LM platform; new copyright lawsuit against Miley Cyrus; ElisaRockDocCareer Upda te. Our guests this week are Matthew Adell and Sean Power, the COO and CEO of Musical AI. You can find out more about our guests' work by visitingwearemusical.ai. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the Business Podcast @ thebtbpodcast . Like ...

Sep 29, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 443: Is the music streaming model broken?; we interview music luminary Charlie Peacock

TOPICS: Do music streaming services need to change their models amid recent Justice Department actions; indie tour cancellations are continuing to pile up; our guest this week is Grammy-winning music luminary Charlie Peacock. Charlie's new album “Every Kind of Uh Oh” dropped on August 30th and his memoir “Roots and Rhythm: A Life in Music” will come out early next year. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting charliepeacock.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Po...

Sep 22, 20241 hr 2 min

BTB Ep 442: Should Rockstar Games pay royalties to musicians?; we interview Trevor Hinesley of Soundstripe

TOPICS: Martyn Ware of Heaven 17 posted on X that Rockstar Games did not offer him royalties to have his song featured in the latest Grand Theft Auto game; the AI Overlord gives advice on how to create fan pages successfully; Our guest this week Trevor Hinesley, the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Soundstripe. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting soundstripe.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Pla...

Sep 15, 20241 hr 6 min

BTB Ep 441: The Justice Department is indicting for artificial streams; we interview the founders of 800 Pound Gorilla Media

TOPICS: The Justice Department has indicated someone for using AI-generated songs to manipulate royalty payouts on music streaming services; the rise of fan pages; our guests this week are DamionGreiman and Anthony Leo of 800 Pound Gorilla Media, producers and distributors of hit comedy specials from Matt Rife, Nick Offerman, David Cross, Kelsey Cook, and many more. You can find out more about our guests’ work by visiting 800poundgorillamedia.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business ...

Sep 08, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 440: “Very Demure, Very Mindful” trademarks; singer - songwriter Lauren Ann

TOPICS: Ryan and Producer Lauren talk about the “Very Demure, Very Mindful” trademark legal drama and whether catchphrases can receive trademark protection; getting signed releases for your recording projects; we interview Northern Ireland singer-songwriter Lauren Ann about making music videos and performing as an alter ego. Lauren Ann’s latest single “bite” off her upcoming EP is available now and you can check out our guest’s Instagram @laurenann_music. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the B...

Sep 01, 20241 hr 4 min

BTB Ep 439: Distrokid artists are not getting paid on Roblox; we interview Darryl Ballantyne of LyricFind

TOPICS: DistroKid is partnering with Roblox—DistroKidwins, Roblox wins, indie artists get nothing; President Biden speaks at the White House's first Creator Economy Conference; advice for how to deal with dead crowds; our guest this week is LyricFind CEO Darryl Ballantyne. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.lyricfind.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the Bus...

Aug 18, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 438: Lou Pearlman’s legacy; we interview rock singer and Idol winner David Cook

TOPICS: Ryan and Gideon King review the new Netflix documentary “Dirty Pop” about boy band manager and convicted Ponzi schemer Lou Pearlman; we talk about the latest developments in the record labels’ lawsuit against Suno AI; we interview platinum rock singer-songwriter and Season 7American Idol Winner David Cook. David's latest single "Dead Weight" dropped on July 19th. Find out more about our guest’s work by visiting davidcookofficial.com and volume.com/davidcook. Rate/review/subscribe to the ...

Aug 11, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 437: How to get your mechanical royalties; we interview drummer and motivational speaker Ray LeVier

TOPICS: Ryan and ElisaRockDoc obsess over the Olympics; we answer a question about the different ways that songwriters can efficiently collect their mechanical royalties; ElisaRockDoc breaks down her experience working as a performer at Gen Con in Indianapolis; we interview drummer and motivational speaker Ray LeVier about his approach to drumming and how he uses breathwork to improve his focus and performance. Ray’s new book “Drumming in Flow” is available now and you can learn more about his w...

Aug 04, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 436: Copyright holders are suing the NBA; Hadley Spanier of Yousician

TOPICS: The benefits of getting into podcasting, even without a big audience; copyright holders are suing NBA teams for using music in social media videos; we interview Hadley Spanier, the global head of Global Head of Artist Partnerships and Industry Relations for the music education platform Yousician.Find out more about our guest’s work by visiting yousician.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair an...

Jul 28, 20241 hr 2 min

BTB Ep 435: Musicians are suing AI companies; we interview singer - songwriter Ryan Wright

TOPICS: Creed is selling out concerts again; does the “Trump Trump Baby” RNC song violate copyright law; musicians are suing AI companies; Congress unveils the COPIED Act to address using copyrighted works in AI; we interview singer-songwriter Ryan Wright about her new EP and have her do impressions of Disney princesses. Ryan's new EP “I Was Happy” is available now and you can follow her on Instagram@ryanwrightmusic. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, ...

Jul 21, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 434: Why aren’t artists paid when their music is on the radio?; we interview singer - songwriter Happie Hoffman

TOPICS: The US is one of only a few countries that still does not require radio stations to pay artists when their music is played on the radio. Why is this the case, and will Congress fix it this year?; Ryan and Gideon King talk about using backing tracks in live shows; we interview singer-songwriter Happie Hoffman. Happie’s latest single “Shooting Star” is available now and you can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.happiehoffman.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Bu...

Jul 14, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 433: Chappell Roan’s rise to stardom; we interview artist - entrepreneur Chris Bullinger

TOPICS: Ryan is deliriously happy that the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup; Ryan and Katie Zaccardi talk about Chappel Roan’s Rise to Stardom; we interview artist and energy industry entrepreneur Chris Bullinger. Chris’ latest album “Waitin’ to be Seen” will drop on August 16th. Find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.chrisbullinger.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break...

Jun 30, 20241 hr

BTB Ep 432: Licensing your music for sync projects; Dmitri Vietze from Rock Paper Scissors

TOPICS: Ryan and Zak Sloan answer a listener question about how artists can make sure that they own the rights to their music before they license their music for sync projects; why does Spotify have problems with streaming bots; we talk about 90s Nickelodeon shows with the AI Overlord; our guest this week is Rock Paper Scissors Founder/CEO Dmitri Vietze. Check out his Music Tectonics Podcast and find out more about our guest’s work by visiting musictectonics.com Rate/review/subscribe to the Brea...

Jun 23, 20241 hr 2 min

BTB Ep 431: How is AI impacting music; we interview documentary filmmaker Bill Teck

TOPICS: Music attorney Cassandra Spangler joins Ryan and Gideon King to talk about how AI is affecting music and the law; battling stage fright; Spotify is raising its prices—is this good or bad for artists; we interview documentarian Bill Teck to talk about his new film Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple. The film will be premiering on HBO on June 22nd and you can find out more about our guests’ work by visiting www.billteck.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundC...

Jun 16, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 430: New rules for celebrities in 2024; we interview Angela Tyler of Muddy Paw PR

TOPICS: Ryan and ElisaRockDoc talk about a recent article in Vulture about the “new rules” for stardom in 2024 and how these changes in what it means to be a celebrity offer lessons for indie creators; ElisaRockDoc Career Update; we interview Angela Tyler of Muddy Paw PR to get music publicity tips. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.wearemp.co and angelatyler.substack.com. Link to Elisa’s new audiobook that she is narrating: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Redemption-of...

Jun 09, 20241 hr 4 min

BTB Ep 429: “I’m Looking for a Man in Finance” record deal; interview with CeCe Teneal

TOPICS: Why was the Memorial Day box office so disappointing?; how the “I’m looking for a man in finance” TikTokergot a record deal; how to operate a tribute band legally; we interview award-winning recording artist CeCe Teneal. CeCe’s new single “Try” is available now and you can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.ceceteneal.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the Bu...

Jun 02, 20241 hr

BTB Ep 428: The end of mechanical licenses?; Prof. Alyse Lancaster on the Taylor Swift brand

TOPICS: Can Scarlett Johansson sue Open AI for (allegedly) using her voice for ChatGPT 4o; the NationalMusic Publishers Association is mad at Spotify and wants Congress to get rid of compulsory mechanical licenses; the Justice Department is going after Ticketmaster; we talk to University of Miami Professor Dr. Alyse Lancaster about her “Mastermind of the Taylor Swift Brand” course. Find out more by visitingcom.miami.edu. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundClo...

May 26, 20241 hr 1 min

BTB Ep 427: Working with singers; we interview award - winning composer Pete Calandra

TOPICS: Ryan thinks that the new GPT 4o is flirting with us; the forced TikTok sale; Gideon King Wheel of Topics; advice on working with singers; we interview award-winning composer and pianist Pete Calandra. Pete’s new album “Spirit” is available now and you can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting www.petecalandramusic.com. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Break the Business Podc...

May 19, 20241 hr 3 min

BTB Ep 426: TikTok sues the government; we interview rock country artist Rockie Lynne

TOPICS: Artists seem to universally hate Apple’s new “Crush” iPad commercial; TikTok is challenging its U.S. ban by filing a First Amendment lawsuit; we interview rock country artist Rockie Lynne about his new Amazon Prime Documentary “Where I Belong” and his latest album. You can find out more about our guest’s work by visiting https://www.rockielynne.com/. Rate/review/subscribe to the Break the Business Podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Follow Ryan @ ryankair and the Br...

May 12, 20241 hr 5 min

BTB Ep 425: UMG and TikTok make peace; Children’s Artist Mama B

TOPICS: UMG and TikTok make peace, but is a US ban on the horizon after recent Congressional action?; we interview Annie, Dee Dee, and Michelle from the UniPhi Space Agency about National Astronaut Day and the inaugural Astronaut Rock Star Awards; we interview Children’s artist Mama B. Mama B’s new album “Imaginology” is available on Mother’s Day. Music: “Old Cartoons” by Just Seconds Apart (www.justsecondsapart.com) Mama B Instagram: @mamabsongs Astronaut Rock Star Awards: www.nationalastronaut...

May 05, 20241 hr 1 min
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