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This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Matt Jones, the CEO and co-founder of Medallion, a platform helping artists own their fan relationships and build new revenue models. Matt was previously CEO of Songkick, another direct-to-fan platform that was acquired by Warner Music Group. He’s now developing new economic models for artists to own their fan relationships.
In this episode, Matt and Ari discuss the direct-to-fan experience and why it’s beneficial to give artists full ownership of their data. Matt explains why traditional models like Patreon and Substack don’t fit the creative rhythms of most musicians. They also dig into the shortcomings of streaming and the need for transparency in artist payments. Tune in to learn more about how major labels might adapt, what lessons can be learned from Bandcamp, and why the next decade of music will be defined by artist ownership and sustainability.
0:00 – Intro
10:45 – Why the term “superfan” has taken over the industry
13:20 – The challenges artists face relying on third-party platforms
15:50 – How Medallion lets artists own their data and build communities
18:30 – Why streaming’s economic model is outdated and unsustainable
21:50 – Why Patreon and Substack rarely work for most musicians
24:15 – The three main artist revenue streams: live, recordings, and merch
28:30 – How Bandcamp paved the way—but why it isn’t enough
31:40 – Handling rights, licensing, and label relationships on Medallion
38:00 – The future of transparency and fan-to-artist payment models
49:50 – Why blockchain and NFTs weren’t the right fit for Medallion
Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
