Break the Business Podcast

TOPICS: Gideon King and Ryan discuss the Winter Olympics; what does it mean to be a human creator in an AI-driven world? Our guests this week are Ian and Danielle from the alt-rock act Orphan Prodigy. Orphan Prodigy's debut album “Medication for a Modern World” is out now, and you can find out more by visiting orphanprodigy.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and ElisaRockDoc talk about the Bad Bunny halftime show; Ben Thornewill'sValentine's Day song for Ryan and his wife; Jonny Greenwood is upset about his song being used in the Melania documentary; we talk to Andrew Corbett of fan-controlled multi-streaming platform VOLTA. You can find out more about our guest's work by visitingwww.volta.live.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is obsessed with the new Muppet Show; musician Ben Thornewillhas a great Valentine's Day micro-commission strategy; Ryan and Katie have networking tips; we interview New Jersey-based indie artist Gregory McLoughlin. Gregory's new self-titled album is available now, and you can find out more by visiting www.gregorymcloughlin.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and ElisaRockDoc talk about how artists can build moments of crowd unity in their live shows; are artists more likely to peak with their debut album?; our guest this week is electropop artist and entrepreneur Bill “Downupright” Boulden. Support Bill's latest Kickstarter for their upcoming album “Don't You Put Words in My Mouth” by visitingtinyurl.com/dont-put-words.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Bandcamp has announced a ban on AI music on its platform; Stacie Orrico sues her former manager and label for sexual abuse; we interview social entrepreneur Kimball Gallagher of music NGO 88 International. You can find out more about our guest's work byvisiting 88international.org.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come and join Ryan Kairalla and Zak Sloan as we celebrate the 500th Episode milestone of Break the Business. Ryan reflects on what 500 episodes mean to him and what the plans are for the show going forward. Episode #1 guest Meri Amber joins the program for a musical performance. Our guest this week is Hans Schuman of nonprofit JazzReach. Find out more by visiting jazzreach.org.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is happy that The Muppet Show is coming back in 2026; we answer a listener question about Christmas Carols being in the public domain, and Ryan, Zak Sloan, and Producer Lauren play a Public Domain game show; we interview Jill Goyeau of indie rock band Talking Violet. Talking Violet's new single “Destroy” is available now, and you can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.talkingviolet.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Katie Zaccardi's Les Mis party; we discuss Katie's latest TikTok video; New Year's resolutions for indie creators; we chat with acclaimed indie blues rock artist Leanne Binder. Leanne's new EP “I Got Something to Say” is available now. Visit www.leannebindermusic.com to learn more!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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: If band names were literal, what would be the worst concert to go to; Ryan and ElisaRockDoc discuss the Cox v. Sony Music Supreme Court case about whether internetservice providers can be liable for the copyright infringement of their users; ElisaRockDoc Career Update; we answer a listener question about the differences between Corporations and LLCs and which type of entity should indie artists start up.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Break the Business is back! Ryan's son Nathan helps us celebrate our return by inexplicably crashing the show; Warner Music settles its copyright suit with Suno; Ireland expands its basic income program for artists; our guest this week is acclaimed artist wealth advisor Rick Morse. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting https://advisor.ml.com/sites/ny/melville-ny/morse-group.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Open AI is requiring that copyright holders opt out of having their works used in the latest version of their Sora video generator; we interview recording artist, musician, comedian, and writer Victor Jones. You can find out more about our guest'swork by visiting www.victorjonesisaconstruct.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is obsessed with indie artist Victor Jones; people are listening less to ad-supported music streaming services— we talk about why and what impact it has on indie artists; should reality show contestants be classified as employees?; we interview Geoff Cubitt, the North American CEO of Strm Music, an AI-powered music distribution and artist services platform. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.strmmusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Katie Zaccardi talk about overcoming your “fear of being perceived” as an indie creator; a new report from MIDiA casts doubt on TikTok's effectiveness as a music discovery platform; our guest this week is Neil Sheehan, CEO of indie-focused music streaming platform Vocana. You can find out more about our guest's work by visitingvocana.co.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Everyone in the media seems to think that digital creators will be able to write offtheir tips on their income taxes, but Ryan is skeptical; ElisaRockDoc Career Update; we interview Chordal CEO Grayson Sanders about advances in sync licensing technology and what indie creators can do to create more sync opportunities for themselves. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.chordal.comRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Producer Lauren talk about the fast-approaching Episode 500; Rep.Rashida Tlaib reintroduces the Living Wage for Musicians Act; we interview music merchandiser Seamus Meniane of merch services company Armada. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting poweredbyarmada.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan rants even more about the Muppets on Broadway; Ryan and Zak talk about a Reddit post about lessons musicians have learned that they wish they had learned when they were younger; we interview musician and social entrepreneur Tiff Randol. Tiff is the Mamas in Music, a global nonprofit that supports mothers and caregivers in the music industry. You can find out more about our guests' work by visiting mamasinmusic.org, iameveami.com, and tiffrandol.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: We talk about the Taylor Swift episode of the New Heights Kelce Brothers Podcast; Ryan is upset that the Muppets Broadway show won't have any Muppet singing or dancing; we interview Lanz Pierce, the recording artist, entrepreneur, and the founder of the Luminary Creative Agency. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.luminarycreativeagency.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is back from China, but he apparently left his hair there; we answer a listener question about band agreements; M&A activity is spiking in the creator economy—what does that mean for creators?; our guest this week is electro pop artist and entrepreneur Bill“Downupright” Boulden. Bill's new album “Radical Honesty” is available now. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting downupright.bsky.social.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan's still away, Zak is hosting; in the first segment, Zak chats with Debbie Scheer aboutWorking as a Stand up comedian, posting other people's jokes. Guest: CEO and Co-Founder of SongTools, Danny Garcia.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even though Ryan is still out, the show must go on! We discuss lyric writing and the Rap Act in addition to having Zoe Espitia, founder of Zojak World Wide, on with us.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is out of town, and Zak and ElisaRockDoc are holding down the fort. We discuss the future of video games, 5 easy hacks to make your cover song stand out, and in the second segment, we are joined by guest Frank Handy, National Chair of AIMP.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Zak Sloan talk about the “Velvet Sundown” fake AI band and how Spotify is allowing them to proliferate; the HITS Act has passed as part of the latest budget bill; our guest this week is acclaimed music publicist and Cyber PR founder Ariel Hyatt. Ariel's latest book, “From Buzz to Bond: How to Stop Chasing Hype and Build a Lasting Music Career,” is available now. You can find out more about our guest's work by visitingcyberprmusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan shares a story about whether AI will replace lawyers; Ryan and guest co-host Jasmine Ortiz talk about the latest crop of allegedly AI-generated artists popping up on streaming platforms; Ryan answers a listener's question about registering trademarks; our guests this week are indie folk artists aibai & vinny. Their self-titled EP is available now, and you can follow our guests on TikTok @aibaiandvinny.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: CNBC is reporting that Google is using YouTubers' content to train its Veo video platform; Katie Zaccardi's engagement hacks; we interview Jeremy Sirota, CEO of indie music licensing network Merlin. You can find out more about the Merlin Connect platform and about our guests' work by visiting merlinnetwork.org.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: ElisaRockDoc co-hosts this week and discusses the “mental health gap” that creators are dealing with; Ryan answers a listener's question about copyright ownership of a track they recorded with a producer; ElisaRockDoc career update; our guest this week is musician Jeff Michaels. Find out more about our guest's work by visitingwww.jeffmichaelsband.comRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Gideon King and Ryan talk about how AI is disrupting the entertainment industry and the impacts that it will have on creative professionals; the Congressional Creators Caucus has been launched, but is it positioned to actually help creators? Our guest this week is artist, radio host, and entrepreneur Jasmine Ortiz. Check out The Jasmine Ortiz Show on iHeart Radio and follow our guest on Instagram @iamjasmineortiz.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is podcasting from the APME Conference in Memphis; artists are pretending that their videos are AI-generated; Taylor Swift bought her original master recordings back and Ryan and Zak Sloan discuss; our guest this week is Kate Sheeran, the Dean of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting esm.rochester.eduRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Katie Zaccardi talk about innovative ways that artists can promote their music; Ryan answers a listener's question, registering copyrights in CD releases; we interview Cat Henry of Live Music Society about the Society's “One Night Live” touring project. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.livemusicsociety.org.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: We interview artist Lana Love about her experience on the Nathan Fielder HBO program “The Rehearsal”; we interview indie artist Talia Keys about her latest album being released as part of the “Buy Before Your Stream” initiative. Check out Lana's latest single, “Antidote,” and find out more about Talia's work by visiting www.taliakeys.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Break the Business guest Lana Love was tricked into competing in a fake reality singingcompetition on Nathan Fielder's “The Rehearsal” program; the Copyright Office issued a report onwhether using copyright works to train AI platforms is considered fair use; we interview Doug Martin(Doug Martin Quartet) and Chris SD (Sync Songwriter), two music professionals who were valuedcontributors to the soundtrack of Best Picture Oscar winner Anora. Visit wwwsyncsongwriter.comRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Sam Smith is the latest victim of copyright litigation run amok; Ryan and Zak answer a listener's question about “cancellation fees”; we interview Dynamic Talent International CEO Trevor Swenson about his company's recent expansion into K-pop and what artists can learn from that genre of music. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.dynamictalent.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is upset at Mariah Carey's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Snub; tips for managing stress as a creator; we answer a listener's question about copyright ownership and working with freelancers; we interview artist, producer, and theramin product Clara Venice. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting claravenice.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is obsessed with @tampa_bre's real estate videos; Ryan and ElisaRockDoc talk about the new CGA rider that has protections for creators when they do brand deals; ElisaRockDoc career update. We interview music industry legend Ralph Tashjian. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.interceptmusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Why don't we see garage bands anymore? The Creators Guild developed a rider agreement for brand partnership deals; we interview Harvard Business Review Senior Editor Kevin Evers about his new book “There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift.” Kevin's book is available now wherever books are sold!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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan is obsessed with TikTok artist Antronsongs new track “For You”; the Senate re-introduces the NO FAKES Act; Utah passes a new law to protect child influencers; we interview artist and copyright advocate Lana Love. You can follow our guest on Instagram @lanalovemusic.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Katie Zaccardi speak about the “All I Want for Christmas is You” copyright lawsuit getting dismissed and what it means for creators; “One Night Live” creates a sustainable model for indie musician touring; we interview recording artist Nicki Richards. You can find out more about our guests' work by visiting www.nickirichards.com. Check out her new single “Tether Me”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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Doechii's2019 song “Anxiety” hit the Hot 100 Top 10 this week, and how it got there is an amazing story of music promotion in 2025; Ryan breaks down the Miami Music Tech Summit; ElisaRockDoc career update; we interview Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Idania Valencia(Charli XCX, Benson Boone). You can follow our guest on Instagram @idaniava.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan, Gideon King, and Lauren try to figure out what state Creighton University and other NCAA Tournament teams are in; Ryan and Gideon talk about theLiving Wage for Musicians Act; we interview music and social entrepreneur Rudy Love, Jr. of Wichita-based band 2lot. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting 2lot.com and somewhere-fest.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan continues to be frustrated with the lack of “transparency” from the President and TreasuryDepartment about the Corporate Transparency Act and its impact on indie artists; Spotify has released its latest “Loud and Clear” report and Ryan and Zak Sloan talk about how the report continues to traffic in misleading statistics; our guest this week is blues singer-songwriter ZZ Ward. She talks to us about creating a blues album about being a mother of two and gives us an intriguing window into her song writing process. ZZ's new album “Liberation” is available now and you can find out more about her work by visiting www.zzward.comRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Do artists still need to comply with the Corporate Transparency Act?: how to avoid copyright lawsuits when you work with music collaborators (split sheets and releases are important!); we interview entertainment lawyer Mimi Camara. You can follow our guest on Instagram at@itsmimimartine.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: ElisaRockDoc gives her thoughts on the Chappell Roan Grammy's story; Facebook and Twitchare both limiting the amount of videos that creators can store on their platforms;ElisaRockDoc career update; we interview musician John Modell of Casa Del Sol. Casa Del Sol's debut album “Strange Angels” dropped on January 24th and you can find out more about our guest's work by visitingcasadelsolmusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Original Break the Business Co-host Metal Dave is joining us to talk about entertainment industry news (and other silly stuff); we interview acclaimed singer, songwriter, and educator Regina Sayles. Her latest single “Quiet Room” was released on January 30th off her new EP “This Love”. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting http://www.reginasayles.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominees; songwriter Kay Hanley stops by to talk about herHollywood Reporter editorial about Chappell Roan's Grammy speech; our guest this week is musician and author Ben Neill. Ben's new book is “Diffusing Music: Trajectories of Sonic Democratization”, which explores the role that technology is playing today in making the production, performance, and distribution of music more accessible and democratized. You can find out more about our guest's work by visitinghttps://www.benneill.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Chappell Roan gave a powerful speech at the Grammys about how record labels should do moreto support artists, but at least one editorial writer had some issues with her approach to activism; weinterview Gaelen McCormick, the Director of the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center at theUniversity of Rochester, an organization that aims to leverage the potential of the performing arts in thehealthcare environment, while also supporting the medical needs of artists. You can find out moreabout our guest's work by visiting https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/eastman-performance-medicine.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: BTB Guest Bill Teck is nominated for a Grammy; Ringo Starr has never ate pizza; we talk about why influencers should not be afraid of supplementing their income as a freelancer; our guest this week is Daniel Brindley, co-founder of venue operator Union Stage Presents. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.unionstagepresents.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Gideon King talks to Ryan about the economics of music festivals; are people drinking less at concerts?; how the HITS Act would help musicians save money on their taxes; TikTok is saved (for now), but its long-term prospects are uncertain; our guest this week is Tim Walther, co-founder of the AllGood Now Music Festival. You can find out more about our guest's work by visitingallgoodpresentslivemusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Elisa answer a listener question about whether artists still need to file their Beneficial Ownership Information Reports; Nintendo launches a new streaming service; we interview Marc Caruso,CEO and Co-Founder of LA based indie publisher Angry Mob Music. Ryan and Elisa talk to Mark about his80s cover band and Marc's recent op-ed in Billboard about why indie publishers should unite to level the playing field against the major publishers in the music industry. You can find out more about our guest's work by visiting www.angrymobmusic.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan talks to entertainment lawyer Mark Jaffe about the “Success Kid” copyright lawsuit and the copyrightability of internet memes; we are also joined by law professor Alexandra Roberts about her recent article talking about kid fluencers being able to revoke their consent to using their names for trademarks created by their parents. Our guest this week is country musician and veterans advocateJessica Lynn. Jessica talks to Ryan about her music and her work with Armed Forces Entertainment and the State Department's American Voices Program. Jessica's new album “All I Own” comes out onJanuary 17th and you can find out more about our guest's work by visiting jessicalynnmusic.orgRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: “Ghosts in the Machine”: Is Spotify pumping up royalty-free tracks to drive money away from indie artists?; legal things that you need to do when making a documentary; our guest this week is show favorite Bill “Downupright” Boulden. We talk to Bill about the Spotify story as well as Bill's new“Tartarus” EP. Find out more by visiting downupright.bsky.socialRate/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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: Ryan and Gideon King discuss possible new trends in the music industry in 2025 and what they mean for indie artists; our guests this week are Channing Moreland and Makenzie Stokel, the co-founders of gig booking platform EVA. You can find out more about our guests' work by visiting www.bookwitheva.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 @thebtbpodcast. Like Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOPICS: An appeals court has kept the TikTok ban in place, but will the Supreme Court save the app?; we break down The Game Awards; ElisaRockDoc Career Update; we interview Joseph Perla, founder and CEO of music social listening platform Hangout. Find out more by visiting www.hangout.fm.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 Break the Business on Facebook and tell a friend about the show. Visit www.ryankairalla.com to find out more about Ryan's entertainment, education, and business projects.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.