Nicky Reardon

And how can we look at this to decide the best path forward for an industry as a whole? Well, that is exactly the question we've set out to solve here today. I am sitting down with Sam Duboff. He's the global head of Spotify for Artists, Marketing, and Policy, and here to answer some questions about exactly all of these topics here today. Sam, I'm so excited to have you on. Thanks for being here.

And how can we look at this to decide the best path forward for an industry as a whole? Well, that is exactly the question we've set out to solve here today. I am sitting down with Sam Duboff. He's the global head of Spotify for Artists, Marketing, and Policy, and here to answer some questions about exactly all of these topics here today. Sam, I'm so excited to have you on. Thanks for being here.

Excited to get into it. It's going to be good. I have many things to say, and I'm honestly very interested to hear your opinions on this topic. And I also would like to really commend, like, I really appreciate the transparency. I know that this is a very sensitive topic, and it has been very easy for many people in the past. from all sides of the industry to just not talk about it at all.

Excited to get into it. It's going to be good. I have many things to say, and I'm honestly very interested to hear your opinions on this topic. And I also would like to really commend, like, I really appreciate the transparency. I know that this is a very sensitive topic, and it has been very easy for many people in the past. from all sides of the industry to just not talk about it at all.

And I would really like to commend you for being willing to sit with me and have an open dialogue about this. And I think that speaks a lot to both your character and the character of the company.

And I would really like to commend you for being willing to sit with me and have an open dialogue about this. And I think that speaks a lot to both your character and the character of the company.

And it's cool to do that as the biggest figure, like to be like, we will be transparent about this as the biggest company. We would appreciate it if all the other companies were also as transparent, even though many times they aren't. That does not go like unnoticed and unappreciated. But something I'd really like to say is like, what exactly, before we dive into this all, like what is your role?

And it's cool to do that as the biggest figure, like to be like, we will be transparent about this as the biggest company. We would appreciate it if all the other companies were also as transparent, even though many times they aren't. That does not go like unnoticed and unappreciated. But something I'd really like to say is like, what exactly, before we dive into this all, like what is your role?

You know, like when does something come across your desk at Spotify versus Selena's desk, for example?

You know, like when does something come across your desk at Spotify versus Selena's desk, for example?

No, that, that's very, very cool. So in my mind, it's like Selena's side of the music is like the consumer facing side, how you're discovering music, how you're interacting, what's your new favorite song, what sort of music is popular, uh, Whereas yours is like the artist side of the music. Dealing with artists, dealing with the label, dealing with the publisher, blah, blah, blah.

No, that, that's very, very cool. So in my mind, it's like Selena's side of the music is like the consumer facing side, how you're discovering music, how you're interacting, what's your new favorite song, what sort of music is popular, uh, Whereas yours is like the artist side of the music. Dealing with artists, dealing with the label, dealing with the publisher, blah, blah, blah.

Yep, you nailed it. Okay, that's super, super interesting. When I have done this, again, this is like independent research from me. I have the laptop, Sam does not. And I think the way I want to structure this is like, I want to present the way I see this problem. And if I'm wrong, I want you to tell me that I'm wrong.

Yep, you nailed it. Okay, that's super, super interesting. When I have done this, again, this is like independent research from me. I have the laptop, Sam does not. And I think the way I want to structure this is like, I want to present the way I see this problem. And if I'm wrong, I want you to tell me that I'm wrong.

And, you know, if I'm right, then like we'll go through and we'll have a dialogue at the end about like why that is. Because I think what's very fascinating about this problem of streaming revenue is is I think the first big issue is this misunderstanding of the way that music streaming monetizes, like the way people actually make money off of music.

And, you know, if I'm right, then like we'll go through and we'll have a dialogue at the end about like why that is. Because I think what's very fascinating about this problem of streaming revenue is is I think the first big issue is this misunderstanding of the way that music streaming monetizes, like the way people actually make money off of music.

The first big assumption is that there is this idea that it goes from consumer to streaming platform to artist. And that is just not true at all. The way I found it is that it goes from consumer to the app store to the streaming platform to the music label or publisher to the artist. Spotify is never paying an artist directly.

The first big assumption is that there is this idea that it goes from consumer to streaming platform to artist. And that is just not true at all. The way I found it is that it goes from consumer to the app store to the streaming platform to the music label or publisher to the artist. Spotify is never paying an artist directly.

So that is like a really interesting thing. And when I was doing a lot of research about this there, something was very fascinating to me was I think we look at it from like two perspectives. The thing people are always talking about is consumer streaming platform artists. And I want to like first analyze the two players in this. I think they're missing.

So that is like a really interesting thing. And when I was doing a lot of research about this there, something was very fascinating to me was I think we look at it from like two perspectives. The thing people are always talking about is consumer streaming platform artists. And I want to like first analyze the two players in this. I think they're missing.