The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

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.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Adam Gross, the president of Ineffable Records. Adam founded Ineffable Records in 2019 and later became a co-owner of Ineffable Music Group, now Billboard’s top independent reggae label for six consecutive years. Ineffable works with artists such as Stick Figure, Collie Buddz, Protoje, The Elovaters, and O.A.R., and many more.

In this episode, they discuss the recent unauthorized viral AI remixes of Stick Figure’s song “Angels Above Me.” At its peak, the unauthorized remix was #2 on the global Shazam charts and reached #1 on several different iTunes charts across Europe. They discuss the legal challenges of unauthorized AI remixes, the ethical considerations, and how the story led to a David Guetta x Alok version surfacing. Adam discusses the operational reality of dealing with this in real time, and how strategy to combat unauthorized AI remixes changes everyday.

Follow Adam Gross:
https://www.instagram.com/adam.g.r.o.s.s/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgross2018/

Check out Stick Figure:
https://stickfigure.com/
https://www.instagram.com/stickfiguremusic/

Chapters

05:07 Navigating Copyright in the Age of AI
10:03 The Bootleg Remix Phenomenon
14:58 The Role of Labels and Distributors
19:59 Ethics and Future of AI in Music
25:07 Navigating Major Label Deals
28:24 The Impact of Viral Trends on Music
30:43 Whack-a-Mole: The Challenge of Unauthorized Remixes
32:30 Collaborating with Major Artists
36:51 Ethics and AI in Music Production
39:35 The Future of Derivative Works
42:36 User-Centric Payment Models in Streaming
50:52 Building Timeless Music and Community

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 Joseph Pepin, artist manager, producer manager, and founder of a boutique management company that has helped artists like GoldFord build massive audiences while remaining independent.
Joseph has spent nearly two decades in the music industry, working across artist management, producer and songwriter representation, touring, marketing, and fan development. His roster includes artists, producers, and songwriters spanning multiple genres, and he's become known for his innovative approach to audience building, fan data collection, and sustainable artist growth.

Follow Joseph Pepin:
https://pepin.works/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joe_pepin

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

00:06:14 - Intro & How Goldford Broke Through
00:08:56 - Why Most Artists Fail to Keep Their Viral Fans
00:12:28 - Understanding the Marketing Funnel for Musicians
00:16:09 - Social Media Strategy: Hooks vs. Deep Content
00:19:25 - Building a Fanbase Without Chasing Trends
00:39:42 - The B-Side Touring Model vs. Ticketmaster
00:43:09 - Why Artists Need Emails, Phone Numbers & Fan Data
00:47:20 - Goldford’s Viral Growth Strategy Revealed
00:58:57 - Songwriting Camps, Producers & Building Opportunities
01:06:18 - 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.