Episodes

  • Who Owns a Song an AI Helped Write? What the US Copyright Office Says

    Who Owns a Song an AI Helped Write? What the US Copyright Office Says
    Oct 15 2026
    If AI helped write your song, can you copyright it? This episode explains what the U.S. Copyright Office concluded in its January 2025 report on the copyrightability of AI outputs: prompts alone are not enough, but human-authored lyrics, melodies, selection, arrangement and creative edits can be protected, and using AI as an assistive tool does not by itself remove protection.
    This covers United States copyright policy only, and the law is still developing. Other countries differ, and platform terms are a separate question. This is general education, not legal advice. For your own work, speak to a qualified copyright attorney.
    Source named: U.S. Copyright Office, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, Part 2: Copyrightability (January 2025).
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    12 mins
  • How Much Does Spotify Really Pay Per Stream, and Who Gets the Money?

    How Much Does Spotify Really Pay Per Stream, and Who Gets the Money?
    Oct 14 2026
    How much does Spotify pay per stream? The honest answer is that Spotify does not pay a fixed rate. This episode explains the pro-rata payment model, why published per-stream averages are only estimates, what the commonly cited range of a few tenths of a cent really means, and how that money is divided between labels, distributors, publishers and artists.
    All math in this episode is a labeled illustration, not a promise. Sources named: Spotify's Loud & Clear report and published industry analysis of it. This is general education, not financial advice.
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    12 mins
  • He Signed the Deal in One Afternoon. It Took Nine Years to Read It. (A Fictional Story) | The Bad Record Deal

    He Signed the Deal in One Afternoon. It Took Nine Years to Read It. (A Fictional Story) | The Bad Record Deal
    Oct 12 2026
    A young songwriter, a label offer, one afternoon and a pen. A fictional story about the clauses nobody explained: the advance that was really a loan, the royalty rate that sounded generous, and the day nine years later when he finally read every page.
    This is a fictional story. Names, companies and events are invented. It is storytelling, not legal advice. Before signing any contract, speak to a qualified entertainment attorney.
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    13 mins
  • Music Royalties Explained: Who Gets Paid When a Song Plays?

    Music Royalties Explained: Who Gets Paid When a Song Plays?
    Oct 11 2026
    Every song has two copyrights and several different royalties. This episode explains in plain English who gets paid when a song plays: the songwriter, the publisher, the recording owner, the artist, and the organizations that collect the money. It covers performance royalties, mechanical royalties and recording royalties, and why one stream can trigger more than one payment.
    This is general education, not legal or financial advice. Rules and rates differ by country. Sources named: the U.S. Copyright Office, ASCAP, and Spotify's Loud & Clear report.
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    13 mins
  • The Harmonic Anatomy of Christmas with Charlie Puth

    The Harmonic Anatomy of Christmas with Charlie Puth
    Dec 30 2025
    In this Billboard podcast interview, Charlie Puth joins host Kristen Robinson to explore the musical theory and business behind holiday hits. Puth identifies specific chromatic chord progressions, jazz-influenced melodies, and the use of sleigh bells as the essential elements that define the "Christmas sound." The discussion highlights how the streaming era has turned holiday music into a massive annual industry, allowing older classics to dominate the charts every December. Puth also shares his personal affinity for R&B Christmas tracks and details the rapid, hour-long writing process behind his own festive single. Beyond seasonal music, he reflects on his upcoming album, which emphasizes human vulnerability and organic production over AI-generated perfection. The conversation concludes with a look at the evolving music industry, focusing on the shift from professional pitch-writing to artists crafting cohesive, personal bodies of work.
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    13 mins
  • The Future of Radio: Digital Evolution and Artist Compensation

    The Future of Radio: Digital Evolution and Artist Compensation
    Dec 29 2025
    This transcript from a Billboard podcast examines the enduring relevance and shifting landscape of the radio industry. Featured guest Michael Huppy, CEO of Sound Exchange, explains how terrestrial radio remains a massive business despite significant competition from streaming services and social media. The conversation highlights a controversial US policy where recording artists receive no royalties from AM/FM broadcasts, unlike the songwriters who created the music. Additionally, the sources address the rise of digital radio, the impact of corporate consolidation, and the emerging challenges posed by artificial intelligence in broadcasting. Future legislative efforts like the American Music Fairness Act are also discussed as potential solutions to modernise performer compensation.
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    12 mins
  • Music Industry Plants

    Music Industry Plants
    Dec 29 2025
    The provided text explores the nuanced phenomenon of the industry plant, categorizing artists into five distinct levels of commercial backing and artificial development. It highlights how organic plants like Billie Eilish maintain indie credibility despite deep-seated family connections, while obvious plants such as Ice Spice benefit from aggressive, high-level corporate pushes. The transcript also examines puppets who undergo drastic image shifts to suit market demands and nepo babies whose inherent privilege ensures success regardless of failure. At the most extreme level, super plants like Britney Spears or K-pop groups are described as highly controlled entities managed by labels from a young age. Ultimately, the source argues that modern musical stardom is often a manufactured product of access and strategic investment rather than purely spontaneous talent.
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    12 mins