The Price of Music

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. Become a ⁠⁠⁠Superfan of the podcast for free – and enjoy a weekly Superfan Lock-in section!This week... Steve and Stu dig into the charts – and take a look at a load of data that's been released about singles, albums and streams:Do you know Japanese rock band Mrs Green Apple? They were the 13th biggest artist in the world last year. (Bigger than Eminem, Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber)The Fleetwood Mac chart syndrome: why are there so many old bands in the albums chart?And why are there so few bands in the Top 30 singles?Sam Fender and Olivia Dean are number one – but why has it taken 35 weeks after its release to reach the top spot?And in non-chart news: it's been dragging on for a while… but now EU regulators have approved Universal's deal to buy independent music firm Downtown Music. So what happens next? And why are so many people still so angry?Another children's music superstar for Stu and Steve to discuss: behold, it's The Wiggles!How to get tickets into the hands of fans, not touts,Streaming full songs inside of TikTok (kind of...).And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to discuss this week's bonus material:Gold discs: how much are they worth - and why does Steve have more of them than he knows what to do with? (and who did he give his Stone Roses gold disc to?)Why is Zara Larsson battling a Wikipedia editor about her Wikipedia photo?(And what vital – and incorrect – info did Steve wrestle with Wikipedia over?)The live music landscape is changing fast: artists are now playing sold-out multi-night residencies at big venues – so is there growing appetite for arena gigs? You can use AI powered apps to make your own remixes – but do you even want to?===================================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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works: don't forget - you can become a ⁠⁠Superfan of the podcast for free – and access an extra 20 mins of show each week!⁠This week, it's time for another interview with one of the people who make it all happen. Steve speaks to Niamh Byrne, who managed Blur, Elastica, and Turin Brakes, before founding Eleven management, which works with artists like Damon Albarn and Gorillaz – and she's also the chair of the Music Managers Forum, the global organisation that represents music managers.So... she is a great person to ask: what's it like being a manager today – and how is the role changing?(As ever, our Patreon Superfans⁠⁠ get a bit extra - you'll hear the full unedited interview, including Niamh's thoughts on AI and the future of management.)Niamh explains to Steve how:Great management is built on trust and vision — artists need operational backing while they create, and managers must hold the long-term destination and strategy.The manager role has expanded significantly — managers now carry much of the execution workload that labels historically handled.How labels are still important — even though managers can now replicate many label functions, access to capital keeps traditional deals relevant.Manager-led campaigns are increasingly viable — teams can now run marketing, digital, data and fan strategy directly (as with upcoming Gorillaz releases).Managers are undervalued — despite delivering end-to-end commercial and operational value, compensation models often still reflect a “deal-maker only” roleAdaptability is now a survival skill — with more release paths and tools available, managers must continuously evolve and build flexible, independent-capable business models.You can read Music Ally's full report on the chat here too: https://musically.com/2026/01/26/today-managers-could-probably-do-everything-but-funding-is-really-difficult===================================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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Why did Taylor Swift snub YouTube? Did Bad Bunny's Superbowl show boost his streaming numbers?Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works: don't forget - you can become a ⁠Superfan of the podcast for free – and access an extra 20 mins of show each week!⁠This week, Steve and Stu get stuck into:Stu's big number is $60 billion... and it's how much money YouTube made in 2025. But how much of this goes to music makers?Taylor Swift's new music video was deliberately delayed before it hit YouTube this week, but why?Who cares what the US president thought about Bad Bunny - after his Super Bowl half-time show streams of his music spiked - but by how much?Record Store Day is happening on 18th April in the UK: Steve and Stu discuss Elton John and RSD queuing strategies...Artists are selling their new albums on online stores before they go on streaming services - but why, and is it a good idea?A new company is selling off early demo tapes, studio kit and even instruments to superfans... so how much does this stuff cost?Steve and Stu discuss a message from Superfan Kate Collins about teenagers and their interest (or otherwise) in going to gigs.How much will you have to pay to play the video game Fortnite dressed as Chappell Roan in a Joan of Arc outfit?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about two juicy issues this week:Noel Gallagher has won the Brit award for best songwriter of the year – despite "not having written any songs for two years". Steve and Stu have plenty of thoughts…Superfan James Bennet asks where to find new artists in a fragmented world of new music discovery – Steve and Stu share their tips!(And Steve explains how he discovers good new artists despite being overwhelmed with suggestions)===================================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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: ⁠http://tpom.uk/⁠Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works – and this week Steve and Stu grapple with Harry Styles, Bonnie Tyler and Bruno Mars...Don't forget - you can become a Superfan of the podcast for free – and access an extra 20 mins of show each week!Stu's big number is $11bn - and that's ⁠how much Spotify paid out to the music industry in 2025⁠. But will that be enough to get its critics off its back?Apple Music ⁠identified up to 2 billion fraudulent streams on its service in 2025 alone⁠. But did it pay any money out for them?Music is now ⁠a third of all the time people spend watching YouTube⁠. But is that good news?UK venues complained bitterly about proposed changes to business rates tax which would increase ticket prices and force small venues to close: now the government has announced some changes…Remember when we talked about Bonnie Tyler's Spotify royalties in a show last year? ⁠Both Bonnie and Spotify have chipped in with a follow-up to that story⁠…Harry Styles' "world tour" is ⁠only playing in seven cities⁠. Is this a new model for superstar touring?Bruno Mars' latest concert ⁠attracted 12.8 million people⁠! But what's the twist?⁠No one wanted a global chart for AI-generated music⁠ - but here it is anyway!And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Steve and Stu reflect on last week's excellent interview with Ricky from Southampton Joiners - and the pressures on venues; and the changes in touring routes.... and also the dubious reality for young gig-goers: who's putting gigs on for them – and do they even want gigs?Football's January transfer window has just closed in most of the big countries, which made us think: what if there was an equivalent for bands...If you've been wondering what Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel and the Pope think about AI music… it's your lucky week!===================================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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works – and this week they speak to Ricky Bates, head of booking and promotion at the Joiners in Southampton - one of the UK's great grassroots venues. But first they chat about:Half a million pounds is being distributed in the UK to grassroots venues artists and events - and it's money gathered from the levy on ticket sales in the UK. Steve and Stu discuss how this money is being spent – and how it will make a difference.Last week, Steve spoke to highly successful UK manager Niamh Byrne (Blur, Gorillaz and more)  and you'll be able to hear that interview in a couple of weeks. But one notable thing she spoke about was how managers are working harder than ever, and need to provide more services than before. So what is a manager's job now?Also at the Music Ally Connect conference, a key Universal music exec spoke about how AI can create new songs when one song is “covered” by AI versions of other artists: “I really want to hear what it sounds like for Jimi Hendrix to play Bitches Brew”. But do people really want to hear AI-generated cover versions?Then the duo speak to Ricky Bates and he discusses the reality of running a local grassroots venue in 2026 – and it's a solid-gold local venue that has hosted most of today's biggest bands on their way up. It's where both Coldplay and Manic Street Preachers signed their first deals, and how Green Day "accidentally" played their Kerplunk! album launch show at the Joiners. The public podcast contains highlights of the interview – however Patreon Superfan listeners can hear the whole interview as this week's lock-in content! (Become a Patreon Superfan here! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠)Ricky speaks about:How he started at the venue  by being thrown in at the deep end – and how he cleared a huge rent debt (with help from some Frank Turner gigs)How a “reset button” has been hit in the last few years – and how people's gig-going habits have changed recentlyWhat the hidden costs are of running a venue – and why the profit margins are so tightThe stressful process of buying the venue with the help of the Music Venue TrustHow artists are starting to book shorter “big city” tours that avoid the regional towns and cities, leaving local fans with fewer options.How under-18s fans are often drawn to the huge arena shows at the expense of cheap local shows.The future of the venue and what decades of moshing has done to the floor of the dancefloor!===================================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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works – and this week, Stu's Big Number is also the Big Story – and here are some mind-boggling facts to bewilder your friends with: There are now 253 million tracks available on streaming sites… and 55.3 million songs were not played even once in 2025(And, over 100 million songs have been played less than 100 times)Over 50 million songs - 20% of all the music available on streaming – were uploaded in 2025106,000 songs were uploaded each day - that's 7,000 hours of music or 10,000 albums per dayNaturally, this gave Steve and Stu a lot to talk about, including:On many platforms, artists don't get paid until their song gets over 1000 streams – is this fair?Nearly half of those daily song uploads might, data suggests, be AI-generated – and this means more noise for real artists to fight through to be heard.How much does it cost a company like Spotify to host all this music? (And what about the carbon footprint?)Should the platforms pay money out when AI-generated songs are played?If there were 50m+ new tracks last year, doesn't that mean there will be even more this year - and who wants this AI slop?Also this week: the UK's Music Venue Trust released it's annual report which revealed, amongst the data, that the profit margins for its member venues are razor thin – under 3%. The state of play for grassroots venues is still precarious – Steve digs deep into the data. Plus – music platform Bandcamp has banned all AI-generated music from its platform.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:A question for you, dear listener: have you ever missed the last bus or train home after a gig? Did you end up sleeping in a bus shelter? Let us know! thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com(Steve remembers spending a lot of time trying to nap at Liverpool Street station having missed the last train home… and which superstar band was “so bad” that Stu got accidentally drunk and fell asleep on the train on the way home?)Steve's Shameless Plug – after months of praise, he finally got Little Grandad into the famous BBC Maida Vale studios for a live session [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ps7b]Which big towns and cities are starting to be left off touring schedules in the UK? (people in Coventry, Stoke and Milton Keynes may wish to avert your ears)And what happens to artists and music fans if quality emerging artists are not able to go and perform in cities (very slightly) off the beaten track?Some of the biggest songs on YouTube are… nursery rhymes. One Wheels on the Bus video got over 2 BILLION streams in 2025, and Bah Bah Black Sheep is the 15th biggest video of ALL TIME.And finally… a company called Alan's Factory Outlet has a  fascinating/hyperbolic piece of indie band data.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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works – and this week, it's a Billionaire Special!Stu's big figure has three commas: Beyonce is now worth a billion dollars – the fifth musician to do so, according to Forbes. (Experience being ultra-wealthy by listening to TPOM's extra content for FREE here: https://www.patreon.com/12218634/join)Elon Musk versus the music industry: the world's richest man doesn't like paying for musicThe head honcho of Universal Music has thoughts on how AI slop shouldn't be paid in the same way as human artistsThe state of the UK industry – people are streaming more and spending more on music than everClassic label Sun records have been selling records at 1952 prices – so what could you have bought?There's a listener question from Martin Bull, who asks about making a short run of vinyl records: Steve explains how to do it, how pricing can vary a lot – and how to make money doing it.(Also check out this earlier episode on physical album sales https://open.spotify.com/episode/40JrxtmsGfZwzPki0HFGzC?si=GQgiojyrTU2Io7XADcHTUA) Spotify has a new feature that lets you see what friends are playing - but why?And finally, a rare feel-good internet story: there's now a “London Metal Ladies” WhatsApp group.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Rapper La Russel sells $57,000 of records to Superfans in one day, selling albums on a pay-what-you-want basis.Steve has a neat idea: what if Bandcamp was a touring festival?The Charlatans' Tim Burgess had Merch Market last week - and how has he become such an interesting and multi-faceted influence in UK music?And speaking of artist merchandise: Elton John has released his own zero-alcohol, vegan-friendly sparkling wine (and how does a product like this come about in the first place?)Plus, Stu reveals that he's a Norwich City fan.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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======TPOM online: http://tpom.uk/Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. And it's a bumper episode as Steve and Stu take a look ahead into 2026: what will the big stories be in the coming year? Here are their predictions:It's a year of change for the UK record industry, and where the UK stands in terms of influence in a global context – including acts like Sleep Token who have broken through in the USA.And there's been a lot of layoffs at UK major labels – why might that be good for indie artists? (BTW - get a free trial of our extra content, The Lock In, right here! ⁠https://www.patreon.com/12218634/join⁠)AI inevitably will be playing a major role (again) – but what are the potentially erosive impacts now that it's an established technology, what difficult decisions might the streaming platforms need to make, and how might it be used by indie music-makers?Live music will reach a pivotal point this year: the mega stadium shows will continue – but will people keep paying mega ticket prices? And what about the smaller venues who are under more pressure than ever?And will Oasis play Knebworth in 2026 – or 2027? The rumour mill is aggregated by Steve.Those reunion tours will keep coming – but can the bands keep doing it; and what happens when they find they can't sell any more tickets?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our ⁠Patreon Superfans⁠, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Are bigger gigs becoming like Premier League Football - where tickets (and everything else at the show) are expensive, gigs are once-yearly events, and people with less cash are being priced out?And what do people want from smaller, cheaper gigs these days anyway? Steve has been jostling shoulders with The Kids to find out.In TPOM fandom news: Steve has already seen Little Grandad in 2026! Stu squeezes in the first Black Crowes mention of the year!Stu tries to create an AI version of a Dry Cleaning song – how did he do it and what did it sound like? And what if a human band took his song, developed it, and performed it live?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.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Here it is! The long awaited, much feared Great Price of Music Christmas Quiz 2025 – which sees Steve pitted against Stu in a battle for the ages, as both vie to be crowned QUIZ CHAMP 2025.Our daring duo face questions about the show, band names, and each other – as well as especially tricky questions submitted by our Patreon Superfans, plus one question from a Very Special Indie Guest Star. Spoiler alert: it was a fiendishly tricky quiz, and a very close-run race.Look, the best thing to do is to hit play and just listen (Superfans get an extra 30 mins in the Lock-In, where Steve and Stu answer their questions about favourite gigs, best new bands, frozen toilets and much more.)We will be back after Christmas in the first full week of January. But until then, grab a glass of sherry and a mince pie and enjoy the sound of your two favourite music biz commentators squirming in the face of of some tricky trivia.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.com⁠⁠Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu get stuck into a late-year flurry of big news:"This could be the death knell for small venues" – enormous increases in business rates are coming for UK venues – Steve has a lot to say about how a seemingly-innocuous business rates policy point in the recent UK budget may prove to have a devastating effect;UK band Los Campesinos! have laid bare their streaming royalties – by publishing some numbers for their 2024 album ‘All Hell' – and it's fascinating (and sobering) info;The UK government has launched an urgent major inquiry into how the country's live industry works – but why, and what are they trying to find out?How safe is the music industry to work in for young people?Stu's big number is 200 million – and there's a good chance you're one of them;More evidence that the music biz might not be ready to truly deal with AI-music;Christmas is coming, so for the heritage-rock-music fan in your life, what stocking-fillers are Mick Jagger and The Kinks selling?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:In Spotify Wrapped, Stuart's ‘listening age' was a sprightly 20... so why is that?And what is Steve's 'listening age'?Which of Steve and Stu are most anxious about next week's TPOM Christmas Quiz?A veteran DJ thinks that phones are ruining dancefloors. His solution... is hardly less dystopian.In Stu's quest to make up for insulting the whole of Australia (see last week's show...) he has news of something positive Olivia Dean is doing down under.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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu pull on their Santa hats and get stuck in to:Spotify Wrapped 2025 has just launched (and has now taken over your social feeds) But why is it such a big deal this year?Steve answers a great listener question: "why don't more bands and venues do afternoon gigs for people who can't stay out late?"Olivia Dean is the breakout British star this year... and is now taking on Ticketmaster – but why?Is it or isn't it Jorja Smith? (It isn't). She's at the centre of a row about AI technology and vocal soundalikes.Stu's big number this week is £134 million – and indie labels have spent it... but on what?Part 654 of the "Universal wants to buy indie firm Downtown Music" storyLast week we predicted that AI music firm Suno might finally sign licensing deals... and two hours after we recorded, they did! So who's the partner?Why have Oasis reopened their pop-up merch stores in London and Dublin? (VFX: Sleigh bells jingling)And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:When bands implode spectacularly: Steve and Stu revel in the story of Portland death metal band Vitriol, who abandoned their frontman at a remote gas station, mid tourIs Spotify Wrapped a good thing?Stu accidentally insults all of AustraliaSteve and Stu chat more about matinee gigs and weigh up the pros and cons (and their boozing opportunities)Stu has a news based joke about Johnny Cash, his song ‘A Boy Named Sue', and the Coca-Cola corporationWould you like an art print of Amy Winehouse in the bath? (It's not as creepy as that sounds…)

Get more TPOM in the post-show "lock-in" – try it for FREE!: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership⁠====Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu unwrap the week's music biz goings-on:An exploding toilet caused a gig cancellation – but what now for the band, fans and the venue?Stu's Big Number is $2.45bn - it's big, but why might it feel scary to artists and labels?Spotify might also put their prices by a dollar in the US - who will welcome this (and who won't?)Three AI music-making companies have struck deals with major labels - but who and why?The UK ticket levy to help smaller grassroots venues is taking off – so what's next? Stu's been chatting to an MP to find out.TPOM's continued role as your Primary Baby Shark News Resource continues as Stu explains how many millions of dollars it made last year (it was a lot).And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Steve once flew several thousand miles to watch a band, only for them to quit after a mere three songs. But which now-massive band was it?Who are Steve and Stu's artists of the year? (Including Wet Leg and Self Esteem)What was the annual Reader's Poll like behind the scenes at the NME for Steve?More unusual gig cancellation stories - including pigeons pooping on Kings of Leon, Neil Young's sandwiches, and moreWhat's the city of Manchester doing to support local venues and promoters?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

One more round? The post-show "lock-in" is just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠ - try it for FREE!: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership====Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu pour a couple of foaming pints of:Stu's Big Number is 10 million – but how does it relate to the premature jingling of Christmas bells?The UK government has announced that tickets will soon only be able to be resold at face value – but will the law work in reality?Why don't some venues share set times for concerts? (And if you knew when the artists were onstage would you arrive earlier or later?)Paul McCartney's released a completely silent song - but why?Why has a UK radio DJ spent 24 hours playing songs that peaked at number two in the charts? (‘Number two' is a clue.)Metal legends Megadeth have released their own beerSpotify is shaking up its subscription tiers as a test in five countries. What does it say about its future plans elsewhere in the world?Veteran British band Squeeze are releasing a brand new album... of songs written when they were teenagers.Why is streaming service Tidal adding an ‘upload' feature for DIY artists?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Steve weighs in on venues and artists announcing venue stage times - who is it good for, and how might doing this harm venues? (Read the piece this relates to here: https://markdavyd.substack.com/p/the-room-where-it-happens)Stu's Megadeth beer taste test (spoiler: it's very hoppy)Steve recalls a time when he and Suggs were forced to drink Madness' own beerMariah Carey is starting to dominate the charts again… so when is it appropriate to start playing Christmas music?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Have you heard the now-legendary post-show "lock-in" section, just for our ⁠Patreon Superfans⁠? Try it for FREE!: https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership=======Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, our dynamic duo Steve and Stu grapple with the following:Stu's Big Number is 713 million – and you are quite possibly one of them. But what is it?Can YOU tell the difference between human-made music and AI-generated music? A study suggests: almost certainly not.The 1975 have deleted a song from their last album on streaming services... because frontman Matty Healy didn't like it any more. (And are artists, as Steve says, often bad judges of whether their songs are actually any good?)Music contributed a record £8 billion to the UK economy last year... but why is there still a reason to be concerned?Last week Steve said he couldn't understand why Fleetwood Mac's ‘Rumours' is still popular … well, it turns out someone literally wrote the book that answers the question.A quick update on the music biz deals with AI companies and what they mean for musicians;Music Venue Properties, which saves UK grassroots venues from closing, has bought two more venues;A vinyl record made using… coal dust?Thundercat's remix of Diana Ross' ‘Upside Down' can be listened to via – oh yes – a ‘bone-conduction lollipop'.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:97% of people can't tell AI music from human music. Stu is going to put Steve to the test by playing an AI song about… rock bands in Camden.The Grammy Awards nominations have been announced - including one for… Milli Vanilli?More on the ‘live show value for money' debate… featuring Radiohead!All-seater shows in small venues – Steve's got a puzzler for Stu about Southampton Joiners...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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. And in this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu grapple with:Stu's Big Number is 11.5 million – but what does it have to do with Billie Eilish and a room full of billionaires?One AI-music company is working on a new service with the world's biggest major label... so will be be able to create our own sound-a-like tracks?How Spotify is coming under fire in the US over controversial ICE ads running on its service.For the first time in 35 years, there are no rap tracks in the US Top 40 singles chart. So what's happened?A new tech startup in the UK wants to help musicians ‘poison' their own recordings - how is that a good thing?Also! Please let us know what you'd like to hear more of in TPOM in our listeners' poll! Click here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/listeners-poll-142732962 – or if you're on Spotify you can find the poll beneath the show!And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Steve went to see his favourite new band Little Grandad again. But how much should emerging artists charge for tickets?And how long should a band's set be, does a three-hour stadium set make your heart sink, and what its your ideal set length?Why are so many people treating the lyrics from the new Lily Allen album as if they are literally true?What are Steve's (frank) thoughts on Fleetwood Mac's “Rumours”?Which albums are hanging around in the charts for years – and how many weeks has ABBA Gold been in there?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Bonus episode! Steve is joined by Lord Kevin Brennan, the ex-MP – and now member of the UK's House of Lords – who is also a musician, and has been described as “a writer of songs and a righter of wrongs.”He talks to Steve about his leadership of the UK parliament's new fan-led review of live and electronic music, with the aim of improving the sustainability of grassroots live and electronic music to safeguard the success of the wider UK music industry.. You can take part in this review right now – just go to https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9161The initiative seeks to place fans' voices at the centre of decisions about ticketing, venues, accessibility, and transport, similar to football's fan-led reform from a few years ago. Lord Brennan stresses that live music depends on fair treatment of fans and transparency over ticket pricing, fees, and resale practices. Lord Brennan argues for a “fans' charter” to ensure shared values across the live sector, from small venues to major promoters. Drawing from his experience in Parliament and his previous inquiry into music streaming, he also explains how policy can protect grassroots venues, improve access and late-night transport, and encourage community ownership models. He also exclusively reveals the future plans for his cross-party, all-MP band with the pun-tastic name of... “MP4”.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.com⁠⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu dip into the postbag and answer some very astute listeners' questions which get to the heart of music streaming and live music!Matt asks why ticket prices can vary so much at the same venue? And he has a good real-world example: Maximo Park and Suede are playing Cambridge Corn Exchange soon – and tickets for Maximo Park £36.50 and Suede's are £45.50. If they both sell out, Suede will be making an extra £12,600 a night by his calculations. But does it really work like that? And why do the prices vary? Steve has dug in and found out.Richard asks about the credits information for songs on Spotify – and he has noticed that there's missing or incomplete information – so does this mean the songwriters don't get paid properly? Where is all this information anyway? And how is this one of the music industry's “big, big problems,” as Stu puts it? AND: look out later this week because we've got a bonus episode on its way . We'll bring you an actual Lord: Steve will be joined by Lord Kevin Brennan, the ex-MP – and now member of the UK's House of Lords – who talks to Steve about his leadership of the UK parliament's new fan-led review of live and electronic music, with the aim of improving the sustainability of grassroots live and electronic music to safeguard the success of the wider UK music industry.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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu crunch the numbers and figure out...Exactly how much does a Mercury prizewinner's streams really go up after a win?Spotify is going to make a licensed AI music something – but what is it going to be? And will artists get paid?Is TPOM now a Baby Shark fan-podcast? Steve politely requests that Stu stops singing a mooted Peppa Pig/Baby Shark collaboration.In Australia, people are listening to less music by Australian artists (and it's the same in the UK too) … so what are they listening to instead? And what can be done to increase fans' local listening?MTV is shutting down its last music channels – so are we witnessing the death of the music video?What about Ireland's idea of a basic minimum income for musicians?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Festival Goose Poo Vacuuming!What did Steve chat about with Damon Albarn in the 100 Club last week (and what drink did he order?)Steve has some exclusive hints about the forthcoming John Niven-penned Britpop musical!More on the UK's Mercury Music prize - and the growing gap between the pop-single megastars at the top and the more niche album-oriented artists at the bottom.What are the benefits of Neil Young being grumpy (or bold and individualist, depending on your perspective)?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

A special episode for you this week - where TPOM wonders: just how hard is it to run a festival in 2025, anyway? Spoiler: it's tricky, but rewarding! To find out more, we spoke to John Rostron, who started in the festival world when he co-founded the award-winning multi-venue festival Sŵn in Cardiff in 2007.He's now CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals which represents over 150 independent UK Music Festivals – making it the single largest collective of festival audiences in the UK, with 1.3 million tickets sold.So, we wanted to know what challenges festivals are facing today, and he shines light on what goes into putting a festival on, including sharing some astonishing facts and figures around the economics of it all. It's a fascinating interview!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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. And in this week's episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu wrap their minds around...How much would it cost to buy Coldplay's very first single today?; Steve reveals the “best new band he's seen in months”;A proper AI vs human band dust up!;Are the major labels about to sign deals with music-generating AI platforms?A splendidly indignant speech from RAYE;Major labels are buying up indie businesses – and now hundreds of indie labels are very angry;The Spotify CEO is “stepping down” (and yet is still somehow the boss);How have Steve and Stu finally removed ‘Baby Shark' from their music algorithm?;Listeners' letters: how on earth did the UK once have four weekly music newspapers? And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Steve and Stu wonder exactly why second-hand records are so expensive at the moment (and how disappointingly little is Steve's teenage copy of “Message In A Bottle” on green vinyl worth?)And more on Slady - the only all-female Slade tribute band, don't forget – and on buying tickets in advance.Do bands get a better reception when they travel to remote cities to perform?Should we call AI artists “artists” – or something else entirely?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. And goodness me, there's a lot in this week's episode of The Price of Music for our dynamic duo to get stuck into...Listener Richard sent us a great question about music journalism – and Steve has a lot to say when answering: what's changed about music journalism, whether music journalism is still important, where the music print media has gone, and what the future of music writing holds. (Plus - does Steve get paid when his 1991 “Nevermind” NME review is re-printed today?)Stu's Big Number is 75 million – and they are “spam tracks” that Spotify has removed from its service in the last year alone. But what on earth is a spam song anyway?What extra information do artists need to attach to their songs when they upload music? Spotify has new rules around AI music – so what's banned, and what's not banned?TikTok is apparently about to be sold in the US (maybe) – but why is TikTok so important to the music industry?Why are old Billie Eilish and Rihanna songs re-emerging to huge popularity?The Great Record Shop Album Filing Debate rumbles on – where would you file Elton John – “E” or “J”? (Plus: a listener report from the Resident Records shop that started it all…)And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:More on music journalism: are video creators being ‘encouraged' to do certain reviews? (And in what ways in the past were journalists persuaded to write reviews?)Doing an artist interview in real life versus doing it over ZoomShould online influencers who help songs become successful get a cut of the song's profits?Introducing Slady – the all-women Slade tribute band! (And why did they have to cancel a gig?) Why are people now buying tickets at the very last minute - and why does the economics of ticketing mean artists won't be able to do as many gigs?Do you always turn up early for support bands – and have you ever discover a new favourite band this way?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's multi-faceted episode of The Price of Music our intrepid duo get to grips with...Stu's Big Number is One Hundred Billion Dollars… but who has paid it to whom and should that number actually be bigger?Ticketmaster is being sued by the US government for ‘illegal ticket resale tactics' and deceiving artists and fans - but what will happen now?Why have Massive Attack also pulled their music from Spotify everywhere? (and how does it relate to AI drone weapons?)And why have hundreds of artists pulled their music from streaming platforms in Israel?The Great Album Filing Debate: If Ben Folds is filed under "F" is Ben Folds Five filed under "B"? What about Prince when he was a symbol?More AI-artists are finding success – including Steve's nightmare: an AI-generated Country music album. Artist Lizzo thinks that music videos are dead and that authentic self-videos are key; meanwhile, major research says that "going viral" on social media may not help artists build their fanbases after all. So who is right??Stu once again gets excited by Taylor Swift (and this time it's a cinema-based launch party)Why are people suddenly listening to "My Humps" again?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Which instrument did Steve (reluctantly) learn at school? (And how did he get tricked into learning it again just after he'd given it up?)Which nationality of people travels abroad the most to visit music events?How does learning an instrument make you a better doctor?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's action-packed episode of The Price of Music: a bunch of extremely interesting music biz questions are answered by our intrepid duo...Stu's Big Number is 30,000 and relates to the number of AI-generated songs… but why so many songs and where are they going?Why are Radiohead's fans getting angry about tickets (“that don't exist”)?The Great TPOM Record-Filing Debate continues: do you file Van Morrison under ‘V' or ‘M'? And where does a record by the band 86TVs go?Why has Spotify given paying users lossless music for free (and is ‘Lossless' a long-lost My Bloody Valentine album?Did Steve and Stu cause Morrissey to get so many offers for his Smiths songs that he deleted his email address?How did King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard fill the entire Top 30 album chart on Bandcamp (and why)?What is the (depressing) reason that Bad Bunny has chosen not to tour in the mainland USA?How much is Bjork's VR album re-master?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:The UK's Mercury Prize shortlist has been announced – what do Steve and Stu think of the finalists and why is Steve “flabbergasted” by one specific missing nominee?Steve and Stu's true feelings about lossless audio - is it actually worth it?What is the sole record on Steve's Discogs Want List, and why does he regret not buying it when it came up for sale recently?What is Stu's ideal Christmas gift? And could it possibly be connected to The Black Crowes, much to Steve's amusement?Can you guess Steve's response to Stu saying “I should now give you a lecture on The Black Crowes' ‘Amorica' album”?What is the best song about the fans of The Smiths?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.com⁠⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's The Price of Music: an urgent-ish delve into the news that Morrissey has announced he wants to sell his ownership of The Smiths' songs… including a suggestion from Steve and Stu about how Johnny Marr might buy the songs off Morrissey via a gmail address that Morrissey put online.And then Steve and Stu take a deep dive into a fantastic question from listener Simon who asked: artists often say that they are not making enough money from music streaming but are artists REALLY worse off today in the music streaming age?To answer this, Steve and Stu wander down some... interesting pathways. They:talk to their Top Secret Sources in the artist and label world, and found out the answer… (which may surprise you);hypothesise about both Mazzy Star AND Bonnie Tyler's record contracts;chat to Spotify, which reveals to our dynamic duo about how much they paid Mazzy Star and Bonnie Tyler(!);wonder how being a ‘radio artist' pays compared to a ‘streaming artist';dig into artist deals: because the money paid from streaming doesn't go to the artist first;ask why the artists who ARE doing well from streaming platforms aren't talking about it?…and tangentially… is TPOM better to listen to on a treadmill than Hi-NRG house music? A brief discussion.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:The time Steve worked in a record shop for a day; and he immediately faced a quandary: which letter should he file PJ Harvey under?Steve gently chides Stu over his love of a Songs Of The Summer Stats List from TikTok, which includes a load of old nostalgia songsRadiohead are back – and how do you sell tickets to shows that will be massively-oversubscribed and make sure those tickets get to real fans?After Covid's impact, money spent on live music is up - and more popular than ever.  But what were Steve and Stu's first gigs after Covid?A call for your suggestions of hard-to-file records!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.com⁠See you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - ⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week's The Price of Music:Steve takes over Big Number duties to reveal how many weeks ‘ABBA Gold' has been in the UK's album chartThe Weeknd's ‘Blinding Light' hits 5bn Spotify streams – but what is he raising $1bn for?Why has Spotify reintroduced messaging inside its app, and would Steve or Stuart use it?Apple Music's radio stations are expanding beyond their parent serviceSad TikTokers have given Radiohead a new chart hit in the US with an old songBandcamp is enlisting DJs and journalists to curate $13-a-month clubs for music and community.More shade for The Smiths' tracklisting skills.Plus music speakers made out of rocket-fuel tanks, which we almost certainly can't afford.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:Why Stuart never liked The Smiths – and Steve's recommendation of the perfect song to explain thatHow Steve and family arrived three hours early to queue for a Conan Grey gig – and still found hundreds of people ahead of themThe tale of Stuart accidentally queuing for a selfie with Grumpy Cat in the days of Peak YouTube Cat VideosAs ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!Email us: thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com

If you want an easy guide to the music biz and how it all works – here we are! In this week's The Price of Music:Stuart's Big Number involves Coldplay, a lot of sold-out Wembley stadium gigs, and the band raising money for grass roots venuesHas Steve actually “gone deaf for a living?”Chinese streaming platforms have a “Super VIP” subscription that costs 5x as much (and 15m people are paying for it…)Ticketing re-selling platform StubHub: how does it work, how many tickets are being sold by users, and what on earth is “speculative ticketing”?Bandcamp processes $3.5m of sales on the most recent Bandcamp Friday, where all money goes to artistsThe soundtrack from animated pop group Netflix film K-Pop Demon Hunters has now had billions (and billions… and billions) of streams in just a few months(Also: 25% of US kids say that K-Pop is their favourite music genre)More badly-tracklisted albums! • Due to high demand: more of Stu's thoughts on Taylor Swift (her approach to buying back her recordings, not her music, honest)And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart loosen their ties, lean against the bar a bit more, and chat about:Why Liam Gallagher has been banned from throwing his tambourine into the crowdWhich 80s pop-soul singer did Steve write the tour programme for?Olivia Rodrigo's $38 tour book – how much would you pay for your favourite artist's book?How much will fans pay for unreleased demos and live tracks? • And how much stuff like that does Radiohead have in their (allegedly giant) bunker of songs?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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.com

Steve and Stu have questions – so many questions. Fortunately they also have answers! In this episode:Stuart's Big Number is 217.5 million... and what does it have to do with a B-side by US indie rock icons Pavement?Steve wants to know which albums have the songs sequenced in the "wrong" order? (And which Blur album does he have a controversial tracklisting opinion about?)Spotify's prices go up (again) – and who is happy about it and why?How easy is it to get a #1 album now – and did indie band The K's do it by selling CDs?Live-show promoters Live Nation have made "stonking" profits – and have sold 130m tickets. And it's because stadium shows are incredibly popular at the moment – but why?Napster are being sued by Sony Music... so have Stuart and Steve accidentally travelled back to the year 2000, or is something else happening?Donating a kidney for a sold-out festival ticket;Stuart waits up all night for the Taylor Swift album announcement – or is it a pre-pre-pre-announcement announcement?And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart chat about:The time when the man in front of Steve in the guestlist queue claimed that he was Steve Lamacq;(And the time when Steve claimed he was someone else to get into a Bob Mould gig);Steve's top tip for legitimately getting into a sold-out gig;The time Stuart accidentally ended up at a minor reality TV star's birthday party;Stuart CONFESSES ALL about his ILLEGAL Napster use in 1999 (and how he downloaded the pop songs he felt too ashamed to buy in the shops);How Stuart was once gifted - and then lost - a $2000 bottle of tequila.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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.com

This week, Steve and Stuart find out that they both went to see Oasis last week, but try not to spend the whole show talking about it; and instead get stuck into all this:Beyoncé's tour is the most successful country tour of all time; Steve and Stu both go to watch Oasis - but what did they think?;Stu's Big Number: Spotify wants One. Billion. Subscribers; Tomorrowland festival gets 74 million viewers on Tiktok; Hayley Williams lets fans who buy her hair dye listen to her songs first;and Cardi B has “a full-on cheese experience” with “drippy cheese” (Stuart's words, not Cardi B's)And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu chat about:Steve and Stu check out the Oasis merch (official and unofficial); They compare their experiences of seeing Oasis at Wembley - and which member of Oasis looked “a bit glum”?;How much do ticket holders spend in total when they go and see Oasis?They find a few more interesting points in Spotify's earnings call – what does the company say about AI and music?Steve recounts when his label released Elastica's debut album and what happens when no-one can agree on the track listing (They also further explore the world of “drippy cheese”)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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.com

Steve and Stuart rummage through the TPOM inbox and pull out some brand new listeners' questions to answer (send yours into us here: thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com) – Does the money from a stream get split evenly?Do artists get paid if a festival is cancelled?How do music-making AIs get trained?What is Spotify's Discovery Mode?PLUS: they go over the UK government's reforms for artists.And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu chat about:Is the music industry really ready for the AI revolution or is it about to be caught on the hop?How many author pseudonyms has Steve used over the years?Which fan club was Stu in, and why did someone burp at him down a telephone as a result?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.com======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.com

In this week's show, Steve and Stuart get to grips with government legislation and bands turning down big bucks:Stu's Big Number: after some gentle ribbing from Steve on last week's (small) Big Number, Stu returns with a whopper: 2.5 trillion - but what is it?Will Drake face Kendrick Lamar in the witness box?Steve takes a 13-point "personality test" to see if he's a music SuperfanBreaking news from the UK governmental inquiry into streaming payments to artists and songwriters;Los Campesinos! turn down a $60,000 offer from Airbnb to use their music in an advert – but why?...and how does music sync – where songs get put into TV ads and movies, etc – work anyway?What's the connection between Taylor Swift and Five Finger Death Punch?And in the special post-show section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu get classical and chat about:Which fanclub Steve was a member of as a 14-year-old;Steve visits the First night of the PromsIs classical music expensive – or actually cheap in the era of £250 tickets?Are too many heritage bands touring now? Will people stop buying tickets?What's the average price of a gig ticket now, anyway?In the era of no physical tickets, are selfies at the show the new "keeping the ticket stub"?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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.com

In this week's show, Steve and Stuart cover a lot of ground, including:Stu's Big Number: it seems small (1000), but that's how many days Ed Sheeran's “Shape of You” has topped the Apple Music chartHow do songwriters actually earn their money – a new report reveals the truth (part of which is that a lot of them are struggling)Which well-known bands are also performing as cover bands to make cash?Why Spotify are under investigation in Turkey – and what does it have to do with golden toilets?How fictional (but not AI!) bands from a Netflix K-Pop animation are getting lots of listeners on streaming platformsAnd much, much more (including Ozzy Osbourne's chimpanzee collaboration)And in the special post-show section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu chat about:Steve's latest new band tip,Unusual merch (including poorly-timed mug purchases, and expensive AA batteries),Steve's Noel Gallagher spoon-in-a-champagne-bottle anecdote origin story,The duo pitch for podcast sponsorship from the Milk Marketing Board,Dad-dancing at gigs, and more…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.comSee you next week!Steve and Stuart

Steve and Stuart are back in the new and - oh yes - improved The Price of Music!In this episode:The Velvet Sundown are a fully-AI-generated band that have over a million listeners on Spotify – is this a tipping point – and should human artists worry?Oasis are back – so how much money did each show make (and how much of it is VAT?The band Deerhoof have pulled their music from Spotify in protest at co-founder Daniel Ek's investments into a weapons startupThe proposed takeover of indie conglomerate Downtown Music by Universal Music is starting to get tetchy...Steve wonders: who owns your songs if your record label goes bust?and more!As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any niggling questions you might have about how the music biz works that Steve and Stuart can answer.Email us: thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.comSteve and Stuart======Support The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.comThe Price of Music is a Music Ally production:https://musically.com

The Price of Music is returning on Wednesday 9th July 2025– and each week we'll be exploring some of the big music stories of the past seven days. Steve and Stuart will be finding out where the money's going and attempting to explain how the industry works.We'll bring you the headline figures, the hot topics of the week; and discussing what it all means for us as music fans.So whether it's record deals or streaming royalties; ticket prices or technology, we'll be helping to demystify what goes on behind the scenes and what makes the music industry tick.We will also be answering your questions and interviewing key music biz people, from artists to A&R scouts; from managers to moguls.

Steve and Stuart look at Spotify's response to Kate Nash's latest comments about streaming royalties, and discuss the news that Warner Music is in the final stages of testing its superfan app, with heavy involvement from Ed Sheeran.Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.comFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodSupport The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.comThe Price of Music is a Music Ally production:https://musically.com

Steve and Stuart find out why AI music startup Suno is in hot water again, and discuss the news that South African artists have doubled their Spotify payouts over the last three years.Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.comFollow Steve on X - @steve_lamacqFollow Stuart on X - @stuartdredgeFollow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpodSupport The Price of Music on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusicFor sponsorship, email - joe@musically.comThe Price of Music is a Music Ally production:https://musically.com

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that PPL, the UK's music licensing company, has posted the highest annual revenues in its 90-year history, and find out why England captain Harry Kane has invested in a ticketing firm. Steve and Stuart discuss the news that the US has hit 100 million paid music subscriptions, and find out why Mariah Carey has been cleared of copyright infringement in a case over her 1994 Christmas staple, All I Want for Christmas Is You. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that the US has hit 100 million paid music subscriptions, and find out why Mariah Carey has been cleared of copyright infringement in a case over her 1994 Christmas staple, All I Want for Christmas Is You. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart take a look at the money behind SXSW in Austin, Texas, and discuss a new report on the music economy of Gloucestershire. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stuart speaks to Matt Griffiths, chief executive of the charity dedicated to helping marginalised young people, Youth Music. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart dissect the various comments from artists at the BRITs 2025 about grassroots music venues, youth-music education, and the government's AI policies, and find out why Snoop Dogg has sparked a disagreement with Spotify. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart find out why over 1,000 artists are backing a 'silent' AI protest album, and discuss thew news that Casey Lowery is funding the production of his debut album through a Kickstarter campaign. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that Spotify is considering introducing a new superfan tier, and analyse the reasons why Sony generated $2.7bn from recorded music and publishing in the last three months of 2024. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart find out why several people have received an email from Ticketmaster cancelling their Oasis tickets and accusing them of being bots, and discuss the news that The Black Crowes have relaunched their Crowe-Mafia club for superfans. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss James Blake lifting the lid on the music industry, and find out why The Libertines are performing as holograms. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that Spotify and Universal Music Group have signed a new licensing deal, and that music streaming service Deezer says around 10,000 ‘fully AI-generated tracks' are being delivered to its platform every day. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve speaks to Simon Raymonde, formerly of Cocteau Twins and now running the Bella Union record label and management company Bella Union Artist Management, about his long career in the industry. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that Travis Scott, SZA and Future are being sued by Victory Boyd, and find out more about Ed Sheeran's new music education foundation. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that UK recorded music revenue has hit an all-time record, and find out what's going in between Neil Young and Glastonbury Festival. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that Virgin Music Group is buying Downtown Music Holdings, and find out why Bad Boy Chiller Crew have filed a legal claim against their record label. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss how much artists make when they're tracks are featured on adverts, and analyse the costs of cancelling a live tour. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve and Stuart discuss the news that Kate Nash has launched an OnlyFans account to help pay for her music tours, and find out why Drake has launched legal action against Universal Music and Spotify over a Kendrick Lamar track. Send in your questions for Stuart and Steve on thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod Support The Price of Music on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic For sponsorship email - info@adelicious.fm The Price of Music is a Dap Dip production: https://dapdip.co.uk/ contact@dapdip.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices