TAXI TV

Would YOU Forward This Song_ (Real A&R Decisions)[030926] by TAXI Independent A&R

Is there an age limit for success in sync licensing?

For decades, the traditional music industry favored youth, image, and marketability — leaving many talented songwriters, composers, producers, and artists believing their window of opportunity had closed.

But does age actually matter when creating music for film, TV, advertising, and streaming media?

In this episode of TAXI TV, Michael Laskow — founder and CEO of TAXI and a 50+ year music industry veteran — shares an honest look at how age, perception, and experience really affect opportunities in today’s sync licensing world.

You’ll learn:
• Whether “older” musicians are at a disadvantage in sync
• Why film & TV music operates differently from the record business
• The surprising advantages experience can bring
• Common misconceptions that stop talented creators from submitting music
• How the sync industry evaluates music vs. record labels

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to break into music licensing, this conversation may change how you see your opportunities.

We’ve got a great show lined up for you today on TAXI TV!

Joining me is six-time Grammy Award winner Rob Chiarelli, one of the most respected producers and mixers in the music industry. Rob has worked with countless major artists across multiple genres, and today he’s sharing real-world insight into what it takes to build a successful music career —creatively and professionally.

We’ll be talking about:
• What separates music that gets used from music that gets ignored
• How to think like producers, labels, and decision-makers
• Career lessons Rob has learned working at the highest levels of the industry

If you’re serious about improving your music and your chances of success, this episode is packed with practical, experience-based advice.

Biagio Messina is a successful TV and documentary film producer, director, editor, and music composer! Those roles make him incredibly well-qualified to explain how and why music gets used in media. He’s been on the main stage at the 2023 and 2025 Road Rallies, and the audiences loved him and learned a lot!

I’m still many time zones away from Pacific Standard Time, and not able to do live shows until I get back in a few days, so I wanted to feature this interview I did with Biagio in 2025.

I especially want to encourage new TAXI members to watch this. It’s like getting a free year of school. Actually, school was never this informative (at least the classes I took). More importantly, it’s real-world information that I don’t think any music schools currently teach. And the tuition for an episode of TAXI TV is… wait for it… FREE!

If you want highly valuable sync tips and composing techniques that can help you navigate the music licensing world faster than you might have ever hoped, this is a great episode to watch!

Adonis Aletras is a long-time TAXI member and successful composer who lives on the island of Cyprus, several thousand miles away from the United States. But being thousands of miles away from the epicenter of the U.S. sync market hasn’t been an issue for him!

As a matter of fact, he’s repeatedly told me, “If I can succeed at this from a tiny island nation in the Mediterranean, I think anybody from anywhere can do it as well.”

I recently asked Adonis what he’d like to discuss on this episode of TAXI TV, and his answer was immediate: “Let’s talk about what composers and artists can do to make editors want to use their music more often!”

I’ve been talking about the “usability” factor when creating music for sync licensing for years, so I was excited that he suggested that topic! Please join Aletras and me for this frank and informative conversation that could help you succeed as well!