The Price of Music

• Exploding toilet cancels gig - but will the band and fans get their money back?; Is Spotify putting up prices again?; and yet more Baby Shark news

  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: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠See 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 - ⁠⁠[email protected]

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• Why don't venues advertise set times for gigs?; Ticket resale prices capped in the UK; Megadeth brew beer; *How many* people are already listening to "All I Want For Christmas Is You"?; & much more...

  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: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠See 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 - ⁠⁠[email protected]

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• Why have The 1975 deleted a song? Can YOU tell the difference between AI music & real music (Answer: no.); An answer to why Fleetwood Mac are *still* popular; And music made £8bn for the UK in 2024…

  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: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠See 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 - ⁠⁠[email protected]

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• Major label Universal to make AI-music service with Udio; How did Billie Eilish annoy Billionaires?; Spotify under fire over controversial ICE ads; Why are there no rap tracks in the US Top 40?

  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: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠See 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 - ⁠⁠[email protected]

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• Fans First: Lord Kevin Brennan on fixing live music from the ground up - Bonus Episode

  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: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠See 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 - ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

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