Audible Treats’ Post

Posting on behalf of Music Australia: Make it count and participate in the Australian Music Economic Impact Study.   Disabled musicians make up an important part of Australia’s music sector. But this contribution is not always recognised.   Music Australia wants to ensure your work is counted in the first ever national, industry-wide picture of music in Australia, in all its breadth and complexity. The results will provide information to help us all advocate for the best outcomes for the music industry. It will also inform decisions about funding and investment.   Help ensure the results are reflective of the entire music community by sharing your part of the story and completing this survey.    The core part of the survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete, a little longer if you wear multiple industry ‘hats’. You will also be invited to answer some more questions if you have time.   The survey is anonymous and confidential, so you won’t need to give your name.   Click on the link below by 30 September to ensure your contribution is included. https://lnkd.in/g5ieFTep

The GRAMMYs: How They Work and Their Relevance in the Music Industry Welcome back to your weekly music industry breakdown! This week we’re taking a look at one of music’s biggest awards – the GRAMMYs. We’ll explore how the awards work, the nomination & winner selection process, plus, why some artists are against the GRAMMYs altogether… Unless you live under a rock, you know that the GRAMMYs, presented by the Recording Academy, are prestigious music awards created in 1959 to recognize outstanding achievements in the music industry across various categories. So, how do they work? To be eligible for a GRAMMY, music must be released within the eligibility year. However, submissions can ONLY be made by Recording Academy members and record companies. Once submitted, entries go through a review process to ensure they meet eligibility and category criteria. The selection of nominees involves a two-step voting process. First, members of the Recording Academy vote to determine the nominees in each category. Following this, a final round of voting decides the winners. GRAMMY voters are industry professionals, including artists, producers, and engineers. The idea is that members only vote in fields in which they are peers of the nominees and base their selection on quality over sales or popularity. However, the process is far from perfect… Winning a GRAMMY can have a significant impact on an artist’s career. It often leads to increased visibility, higher sales, and more opportunities within the industry. However, the GRAMMYs’ selection process has faced criticism for lack of transparency and perceived biases. Despite the awards’ aim to be ‘a true reflection of the music community at-large,’ not all artists feel that the GRAMMYs accurately reflect the music industry. Several prominent artists have spoken out against the GRAMMYs. Frank Ocean, for instance, refused to submit his critically acclaimed album "Blonde," arguing that the awards did not hold relevance for young black artists. Similarly, Drake has criticized the GRAMMYs for their failure to properly recognize Hip-Hop and R&B genres. In 2021, The Weeknd was notably snubbed despite his album 'After Hours' and the hit single 'Blinding Lights' achieving massive success. He labeled the GRAMMYs as corrupt and called for more transparency in the nomination process. Many artists have spoken out against the awards over the years yet, despite the controversies, the GRAMMYs remain a significant cultural event that provide a platform for artists to showcase their talents and for the industry to celebrate its achievements. So, while the GRAMMYs are likely here to stay, perhaps it's time to acknowledge their limitations and consider other measures of success and representation in music. What do y’all think? Are the GRAMMYs an accurate representation of the music industry, and if not, what changes would you make to enhance the representation, diversity and fairness of the awards? 💭

I’m very happy to announce a Call for Proposals for a new short-form series of peer-reviewed books related to any aspect of music business or its intersections with technology or culture. As you will see from the blurb below, the series is open to a range of theoretical approaches and foci, but with the overall intention to build a series of research-informed texts that enhance our understanding and knowledge of music business related topics in a global context. https://lnkd.in/gvpnfHwF The Anthem Impact in Music Business, Technology and Culture series showcases original scholarly research exploring the dynamic intersections of music business, technology and culture. Each work in the series is limited to 20,000 to 30,000 words. Delving into management and marketing strategies for artists and enterprises, including digital distribution and social media engagement, it navigates legal, contractual and copyright advancements. In addition, the series addresses the welfare of music industry professionals and creatives, while examining their intersections with audiences, fans and broader media contexts. Proposals from diverse territories and genres are encouraged, provided they contribute to global discourse. The series is tailored for a scholarly audience and professionals within the music industry. Proposals We welcome submissions of proposals for challenging and original works from emerging and established scholars and practitioners that meet the criteria of our series. We make prompt editorial decisions. Our titles are published in digital and print editions and are subject to peer review by recognized authorities in the field. Should you wish to send in a proposal, please contact us at: proposal@anthempress.com. Alternatively, if you have any questions or want to discuss an idea you have, please email me at chris.anderton@solent.ac.uk 😊

Creating a Music Commission A vast majority of respondents (76%) would like to see a music commission created at the city or county level. The study suggested many solutions, such as direct financial support for musicians, a better marketing approach for the music scene and venues as well as incentive programs for spaces that host live music, even if they don’t have a non-profit status. Only 17% of respondents have received assistance in the form of a grant, tax break or incentive. In Austin, a music commission advises the city council on issues pertaining to the music industry. The majority of respondents in every category reported a do-it-yourself approach to booking, publicity and more. Diversity and Inclusion Of the 2,768 respondents, 86% were white. Only 23% of those who did respond found the Cleveland music scene “racist,” but the census admits it “didn’t reach the Black community and where it did, there is work to do.”

How impactful has Beyoncé's foray into country music been on the live music industry? A new study by SeatGeek, which surveyed over 3,300 music fans, found that Beyoncé's venture into country music through her album Cowboy Carter has influenced an entirely new generation of fans to explore the country genre and driven more interest (and $$) in live country music. Here are a few of SeatGeek's findings: 🎤 Gen Z's Country Music Surge: 19% of Gen Z identify as "die-hard" country fans, the highest among all generations surveyed. This younger demographic is driving the genre's growth, with 12% of Gen Z fans discovering country music for the first time within the last year. 🎤 Beyoncé's Genre-Defying Influence: More than one-third of Gen Z respondents credit Beyonce's Cowboy Carter album for inspiring them to explore the diverse sounds of country music. 🎤 Fans Want Pop-Country Collaborations: The prospect of collaborations between Beyoncé and established country artists has fans buzzing with excitement. Chris Stapleton (20% of fans), Zach Bryan, Shania Twain, and Kacey Musgraves are among the top picks for potential duets that could further bridge the gap between pop and country. 🎤 The Summer of Country Tours: Country music is set to take center stage this summer, with over one-third of survey respondents planning to attend a country concert. Major tours from artists like Morgan Wallen, Kane Brown, Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, and Kenny Chesney are highly anticipated from fans in the survey. Which insights from the report did you find most interesting? Drop your comments below ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eG7j_tyq #CountryMusic #LiveMusic #MusicIndustry #MusicBusiness

About 2 Batons Music Enterprises: 2 Batons Music Enterprises, LLC has blossomed in 2025 as the fruit of many years of labor that each of the two owners and founders bring from their years of experience in the music field both separately and together, with many signs ultimately pointing toward forming a central base for the many music endeavors that encompass a musician’s world in the 21st Century. The brainchild of husband and wife team Dr. Juan Gallastegui and Dr. JoAnna Cochenet is what they bring to you as 2 Batons Music Enterprises, LLC. The 2 Batons (2BME) team brings you its namesake—two conductors—and lifelong musicians with a wide-range of individual experiences combined into a formidable force to create impactful contributions to individuals, organizations, and communities alike through the power of music, practical experience, relationships, intellect, skill, a passion for continuous learning, and a dash of humor. If you’re looking for a conductor (or conductor’s perspective), music consultation or coaching services, artistic or organizational leadership or industry guidance, training workshop or retreat leader or clinician, event clinician, administration services, or lecturer, look no further than 2 Batons Music Enterprises.

Learning about the impact music (and the arts as a whole) can have on a city's economy is not only mind blowing, but extremely relevant in today's climate - especially for music industry up-and-comers. It's no secret that the United States hubs for music business are located in areas where the cost of living is incredibly high. With efforts like this to foster music and arts related economic growth, which are growing in popularity (rightfully so), I hope to see American music hubs expand to new locations.

Oliver Anthony has shocked the music world after announcing he is leaving the music industry, just over a year after his breakout single, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. By all intents and purposes, Anthony experienced a meteoric rise to stardom. For context, in November 2022, Oliver Anthony had just 83 monthly listeners on Spotify according to data from Chartmetric. Fast forward to today, and he boasts over 3.52 million monthly listeners, with “Rich Men North of Richmond” amassing over 262.18 million streams on Spotify alone. This remarkable journey began with a single viral TikTok video that catapulted him to unprecedented fame. What’s even more fascinating is Anthony’s decision to walk away from the traditional music industry. Instead of chasing the typical trajectory of fame, he’s pivoting toward a deeply personal mission—launching a traveling ministry focused on revitalizing rural communities and small towns. Through his “Rural Revival Project,” Anthony aims to stimulate local economies, promote sustainability, and inspire a cultural reset. It’s a path that circumvents major industry players like Live Nation and Ticketmaster, embodying his DIY ethos and staying true to his roots. Reflecting on Anthony's bold move, I’m reminded of a critical lesson I often emphasize in the artist management classes I teach: not all artists aspire to be global superstars. Success in the music industry isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. For some, like Anthony, success is about using their platform to create impact beyond the charts. It’s a powerful reminder that artists’ goals are deeply personal—and that fulfillment often comes from staying authentic to those values. Anthony’s story raises an important question: How can we, as managers, educators, or fans, better support artists in defining and pursuing their own unique visions of success? https://lnkd.in/e2wZtq7s