A guest this week who cares about helping musicians just as much as us.

You might know Sean as the founder of Drowned in Sound - a legendary music blog which at its peak had 3 million readers. You may know him as an artist manager. A guest on all of the sick music industry panel events you’ve been too.

Or you might just know him cos he’s very vocal about trying to make the world a better place - for musicians - and tbf, non musicians too.

SEAN IG - https://www.instagram.com/seaninsound/

DROWNED IN SOUND POD - https://pod.link/1037405920?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeZGjH2mDZAQ_4PrW6uMMd7DcHKJC2p0TifwQkWPWmplLdfdErMuAgRXYPIYw_aem_aqutVNv_vpb163cWGKHXaA

OUR IG - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

Episode Features:

- Sean’s top three things you can do to take steps towards a sustainable career.

- How do you define your artistic identity?

- The importance of world building - and how to start.

- Connecting with your audience.

- How tf do you navigate the ‘attention economy’.

- Some great stories of ways artists caught Sean’s attention.

- The importance of having an ‘offline’ strategy.

- Unique shows and environments to play shows in.

New episodes every Monday x

Today's guest is Ari Herstand, author of 'How To Make It In The New Music Business'.

Which, as you can tell from the title, means he is a human very aligned with us in trying to help you make a living from your music.

Not just that, Ari is a v talented musician himself too. He's been through the releasing music process, he's done those touring logistics. He has that empathy.

And now, tries his best to help musicians with the skills and information needed to live a fulfilling life from your music.

An incredibly valuable show. Whack open your Apple Notes and get involved.

ARI'S SHOW - https://aristake.com/new-music-business-podcast/

ARI'S BOOK - https://book.aristake.com

ARI'S IG - https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/

OUR IG - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

Episode Features:

- Why you need to set 'SMART Goals'.

- And how you can do that.

- Knowing your 'why' as a musician.

- The key challenges you face as an artist at the start of your career.

- New platforms which are great for helping you connect with your fans.

- How you can use that fan data.

- Why you want fans, not followers.

- Low hanging fruit - easy wins to help you take the next step.

- Some important music industry terms you may not be familiar with.

New episodes every Monday x

Over 400 million (!!) streams. Producer / DJ / Vocalist. And fresh from putting out a monster banger (we literally speak to him within hours of ‘Wacuka’ being released), this week’s show is with AVAION.

Considering his debut album is called ‘Self-Reflection’ this is a very apt episode, summarising the journey of going from your small home town to platinum records, and how to stay grateful. How to keep moving forward. And most importantly, why Empire of the Sun need to get on the phone ASAP.

AVAION INSTAGRAM - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/avaion/

OUR IG - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes Features:

- How to always keep moving forward / always striving to be better with each release.

- The importance of enjoying the moment.

- The pressure we put on ourselves, and the pressure that comes from family, friends etc. 

- Collaboration - how do you get good at it?

- A brilliant example of collaboration and butterfly effects - the story of how ‘Wacuka’ was born.

- Why you should defo be sending Instagram DM’s.

- What does that perfect reach out look like?

- Sharing top lines over DM? 

- How much time do you have to spend on social media per week? 

- A preview / bootleg of AVAION x BUNT. X Empire Of The Sun 👀

x

Founder of the legendary Data Transmission, an expert on social media for musicians (especially DJs / producers), and all-round 'how to smash your brand as a musician' G, this week's guest is Grahame Farmer

GRAHAME INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/grahamefarmer/

Episode features:

- Top three tips to help you as a musician to improve your socials.

- Why you need to 'cut the fluff'.

- Loads of content ideas for musicians. 

- One of the best examples of content strategy we've had on the show.

- Three things musicians should STOP doing on social media.

- How to get gigs as a DJ.

- How to send a strong cold call DM.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this episode we're gonna teach you how to make the algorithm your bitch. Feeding you only inspiration, plus feeding your music to more people that will love it. We also chat Spotify and their crossover with NFTS,

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Episode features:

- Why you should make a burner account on Tik Tok.

- Training the algorithm to only feed you content / music inspiration.

- How to train the algorithm to feed your music / content to new fans.

- Why you should check out - https://www.tiktok.com/@madrealities

- Why NFTs and Spotify could be really exciting - exclusive experiences.

- New music from an Indie Disco.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Should you buy your tick on Instagram? Is Google going to write the next number one hit? Are you screwed if you've bought followers in the past? These are just some of the questions we try to answer on this pod, whilst delusionally recording on a Sunday morning.

Tried, is the key word there.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Episode features:

- The new Meta Verified - eg - buying a tick on Instagram and Facebook.

- If you've bought fake followers in the past - why you might wanna not go down the verified route.

- Google's Music AI tool - MusicLM - and how crazy this tech already is. 

- KINGSHIP and their Spotify NFT playlist.

- New music straight from a sauce shop in Hackney.

- Sam's Apple Watch stealing the show.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

BBC Radio 1 presenter, new music obsessive, and all-round lovely human. You'll find Maia Beth all over the British new music world.

And for you, as a musician at the start of your career, this *might* be the best episode we've shared in terms of actionable insights, tips, and value to help you get to that level where you make a living doing what you love.

MAIA INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/_maiabeth/

Episode features:

- Maia's top three tips for getting radio play.

- The power of manifestation.

- What is Maia looking for when she finds a new artist.

- How does Maia like to receive new music.

- One of the best *hustle* stories you will ever hear. 

- The power of saying yes.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

The first episode without a guest in a while so we've tried to squeeze in all of the social, music tech, and industry news and tips into one episode. 

Tried, is the key word there.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

COLIN & SAMIR YOUTUBE EPISODE - https://youtu.be/XJO4I3vKbis

Episode features:

- Taking advantage of YouTube as a musician in 2023.

- YouTube shorts and making $$$.

- Instagram's new Notes feature and taking advantage of it as a musician.

- Twitter's subscription feature, and why you should use it as a musician.

- Artificial Intelligence (ooer) and how it can affect the music industry.

- Sam & Mark's favourite tunes from the past few weeks.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

A man who wears many music industry hats. Thankfully, they almost all involve helping musicians in different ways. From co-founding Power Up which supports Black music creators and professionals, through to starting his own talent management company Unstoppable Music Group. This week's show features Ben Wynter.

Ben's also a ninja when it comes to musician funding, and making sure you get paid for your work. This episode even features a story of an artist missing out on millions (yes, millions) of £££ because they didn't fill in a form.

BEN INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/billionaireben/

Episode features:

- Ben's top three tips to help a musician make a living from their music in 2023.

- A breakdown of PRS, PPL, and all the other key collection organisations.

- A story of an artist missing out on millions cos they didn't fill in their forms correctly.

- An overview of the UK funding route (from starting out, to established).

- The common mistakes artists make when writing funding bids / applications.

- Ben's favourite new music right now.

New episodes every Monday.

OUR INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Something a bit different this week. We speak to Jay Clouse - an expert in helping creators make a living doing what they love. 

Not specifically music, but that's what makes this episode so valuable. This isn't just the obvious, get your royalties paid type advice. It's actionable, insightful advice to help increase the chances, and the speed of you making a living doing what you love. In this case, probably music.

JAY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/jayclouse/

JAY'S PODCAST - https://www.instagram.com/creativeelements.fm/

Episode features:

- Jay's top three tips for a musician in 2023 who wants to turn their hobby into a career.

- Why email / email lists are still so valuable. 

- How would you build an email list in 2023?

- How to give value on social media, not just advertise on social media.

- How to increase your chances of getting your DM opened.

- Should a musician should care about Twitter and LinkedIn?

- YouTube shorts and why you NEED to get on them right now.

- How Jay sets his goals.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

50 million (!!) plus streams. The princess of Tik Tok. And arguably most importantly, an incredibly authentic, lovely human being. This week's episode features Piri (who ya may know from Piri & Tommy).

On this ep, Piri shares how to build a strong team around you, how to deal with trolls, and how to make yourself actually enjoy using social media.

PIRI INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/piri.io

Episode features:

- Piri's top three things she wishes she knew when starting her music career.

- Her journey with labels and management, and how to build your own team.

- How to stay authentic and true to you.

- How to fall in love with social media.

- How to build a community / friends in the music industry.

- How to deal w trolls and morons online.

- How Piri sets her goals for the year.

- And what those goals are for 2023.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

World tours. Unmissable, international press coverage. And one badass performer. Kelsy Karter is this weeks guest on The Helping Musicians Podcast.

On this episode Kels shares how to stay authentically you, how to reframe making content as a good thing, plus the power of having good people around you.

KELSY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/kelsykarter/?hl=en

Episode features:

- Kelsey's top tips for musicians starting out.

- How to find musicians/creatives to work with.

- Why sometimes just getting sh*t done yourself is the best way.

- How to reframe making content as an opportunity, not a chore. 

- How to deal w the difficult sides of making a career out of something you love.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

After the bazillion shows we've recorded this past week or so, we felt it was apt to attempt (key word that) to summarise some of the key points mentioned in our chats with Danny Howard, Tarot, Nick Raphael and Kelsy Karter.

Plus far too many dick jokes. Delusional dick jokes.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

A badass producer / DJ. Hundreds of millions of streams. Main stage Tomorrowland appearances all over the place. And most importantly, a really nice dude (he was even a teacher)!

On this show Yves digs into his journey from playing in small bars, thru to putting on his own parties, and then ending up touring the world and playing some of the most iconic stages on the planet. Full of insights that will hopefully re-assure you that not everything happens overnight, this is Yves V.

YVES INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/yves_v/

OUR IG - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episodes Features:

- The three things Yves wishes he could tell himself starting out in music.

- Why you need to set goals!

- The benefits of taking time out (in Yves' case - COVID).

- Playing Tomorrowland since the second edition.

- Why all DJs should learn to produce / make their own music.

x

Potentially the most important A&R of his generation, Nick Raphael signed some small names ya might of heard of... like Jay-Z and Sam Smith. And that's just the headline of his wild music industry journey.

As a key part of so many of this century's key artists, we speak to Nick about themes he's noticed in the artists that make it, things an artist at the start of their career can do to help them take their next step, plus why talent is the 10th most important quality of a musician. 👀

Episode features:

- Why instant gratification has harmed our perception of success.

- Key character traits in successful musicians. 

- How a bloke from North London ends up signing Jay-Z.

- Why you shouldn't be scared to put your first song out. 

- The democratisation of the music industry. 

- The importance of tenacity.

- Anything actionable a musician can do right now to increase their chances of success.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Badass new music host (BBC Introducing London), bezzie w loads of famous people (Record Club UK), daytime radio host (Magic Chilled), and basically just the coolest nice person ever that you defo want as your best mate - this week's episode is w Jess Iszatt.

In this episode Jess shares tips to increase your chances of being played on the radio (including how to send her music), how to get yourself in the room with people that you want to work with, a

JESS INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/tarotsings/

Episode features:

- Jess's top three tips for getting played on the radio. 

- How to create your network.

- The time Jess almost got arrested. 

- How does Jess discover new artists. 

- What's important for an artist to have on their social platforms.

- What piece of new music is Jess loving right now (Thursday 12th January 2023)

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Spiritual Queen of web3, TAROT is a badass indie-pop artist that has not just seen some success in the web3 / NFT space, but also is a human that values sharing what she's learnt. Whether that's officially as a consultant, or more openly via Twitter and via this show.

On this episode she shares loads of actionable advice, from the best ways to get started in web3, who are the best people to look to for advice / inspiration, and she even shares some precise figures on how much she's made from some of her projects. 

TAROT INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/tarotsings/

TAROT TWITTER - https://twitter.com/tarotsings

Episode features:

- Tarot's top three tips for an artist that wants to start in web3.

- Which resources / accounts are best for a beginner to learn more.

- Precise examples of artists closer to the start of their career who have made a significant living / income from web3.

- How Tarot builds community / what experiences she has been able to give her fans.

- Tarot's favourite piece of new music right now.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Host of BBC Radio 1's Dance Party (Friday's 6 - 8), record label owner (Nothing Else Matters), superstar DJ, and all-round lovely dude. This week's guest is Danny Howard.

Danny shares tons of insight & tips for any producer / DJ / artist looking to get their music in front of more people.

DANNY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/dannyhowarddj/

Episode features:

- Danny's top three tips for getting your music on the radio.

- How to refine your track so it's 'ready'.

- How to trick the Tik Tok algorithm into pushing your music in front of people that like similar artists.

- Danny's contact info for sending music.

- What platforms Danny uses to discover new music.

- How does Danny set his yearly goals?

- Which file sharing services should you share your music with?

- Danny's favourite tune right now (Friday 6th Jan 2023).

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this week's show...

- Three channels/accounts you should watch over the Christmas break to help inspire your January 2023 music masterplan.

- A debate on how easy/fair it is to get your music out there in 2022 / 23. 

- Is Tik Tok going to be banned in the US?

- Tik Tok is your billboard - it shouldn't be your only platform.

- The latest moves from the major labels in Web3 / NFTS.

- Starbucks' big move in Web3 and how it's relevant to musicians.

- Another quick chat about Twitter's subscription feature - Twitter Blue.

LINKS:

- Mango Street - https://www.youtube.com/@MangoStreet

- Colin & Samir - https://www.youtube.com/@ColinandSamir

- Elijah - https://twitter.com/eli1ah

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

This week's show features Atlanta Cobb, better known as @musicindustrymentor. 

A music pro with a decade-plus of working w some of the biggest artists in the world, the biggest labels in the world, and best for you as a musician - she is one of the most consistent, value-sharing humans on social media for musicians like you.

On socials you'll find her sharing actionable tips, festivals you can apply to, guidebooks / workbooks to help you plan your socials. All you could ever need.

ATLANTA'S TIK TOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@musicindustrymentor

On this week's show: 

- Why asking yourself 'how much do I want this'? is a key question for helping your music career.

- Is there a defining age where you need to get clearer on your plan for your music career?

- Top tips to take advantage of this time over Xmas and New Year.

- And how to really smash 2023 once it begins.

- A fair few references of... Tik Tok. 👀

- Atlanta's Top 3 actionable tips to help your Top Three music career.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this week's show...

- We share our Spotify Wrapped and how totally diverse, eclectic, and memorable they are.

- Producer Tyler joins us to help decide who has the less awful music taste.

- We share a one-stop shop article for a lot of the big Web3 bits going on right now.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this week's show...

- How you can use Spotify Wrapped to build deeper relationships with your fans. 

- Some ideas how ya can use the whole 'you can send a video to your top fans' on Spotify to sell merch + more.

- Nike 🤝 Web3 / Metaverse.

- Twitter's new 'pay to be verified' feature (Twitter Blue) and how you can use it to reach important people.

- The tunes Sam & Mark are loving this week.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this week's show...

- Instagram's new 'music on photos' feature.

- And how you could use it to get your music in front of hundreds of thousands of people.

- Using Instagram meme pages to your advantage.

- Goth-core bikini pictures.

- Is Instagram pushing photos more?

- NFTs and royalties every time you sell.

- KINGSHIP and their groupie flamingo.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

This week's show features Charlie Tee, host of BBC Radio 1's Drum & Bass show, record label owner, and holder of 'the nicest human in the music industry' award. Alongside our usual jabber about social media and NFTs, Charlie shares top tips for getting radio play, why making bootlegs can be a great strategy for a producer, plus how she finds new music herself.

Also on this week's show...

- The importance of having the same social media handle on all platforms.

- Easy ways to use Twitter to boost your profile.

- Instagram NFTS.

- Selling your music through Instagram.

- A breakdown of the four key areas of Web3.

CHARLIE TEE - https://www.instagram.com/charlieteedj/

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

As one of our most listened to episodes, we thought it was only right to bring Jess Iszatt back for a 2025 chinwag.

Still smashing it as host of BBC Introducing London, playing epic DJ sets all over the shop, plus interviewing your fav artists, but since we last spoke she is now host of BBC Introducing on BBC Radio 1 - arguably the most important new artist show in the country.

So, probs worth listening to her advice for 30 mins we reckon. 👀

JESS INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/jjiszatt/

OUR IG - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠

Episodes Features:

- Jess's top three tips for an artist dreaming of making a living from their music.

- Why it's so important to reflect on your achievements / your past year etc.

- The importance of going to gigs, events, spaces where you want to play.

- What can you do to stand out when sending music to Jess / BBC Introducing.

- What should you defo NOT do when sending music.

- Do followers matter? And what does the perfect social media profile look like?

x

On this week's show...

- A greatest hits on how to smash social media as a musician.

- Including loads of things you can do right now. 

- What to say at gigs to sell merch / drive followers.

- The power of Tik Tok search.

- Free, easy to use software which can get you the vocal from any song.

- Ticketmaster's onboarding of 10 million NFTs. Yup. 

- Our fav records from this past week.

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

On this week's show...

- How to get National radio play, regardless of your genre.

- Changes at YouTube and how they can benefit you. 

- A summary of NFTs / web3 from the Summer. 

- Our fav records from this past week. 

New episodes every Monday.

INSTA - www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod

Non-stop DNB bangers. World tours. And responsible for one of our personal favourite records of the year.
On this show we speak to Ben - one half of Delta Heavy - about everything from responding to all (well close) comments and DM’s, through to the straight up importance of just being… nice. Oh, and potentially the best butterfly effect story we’ve had in 108 episodes.

DELTA HEAVY INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/deltaheavyuk/ 

OUR IG - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠

Episodes Features:

• The three things Ben wishes he could tell DH starting out.
• A banging butterfly effect story.
• The importance of being nice.
• How did Delta Heavy build an international audience.
• Why you should be replying to every single comment on social.
• The importance of authenticity vs the ‘mysterious’ artist.
• Creating a visual identity. 

x

Producer / DJ. World Tours. Loved by your favourite artists like Bonobo, Four Tet, Disclosure. O'Flynn (human name Ben), is one of those humans that's so talented it's almost annoying (almost).

This episode is an epic example of a few things. 1) The power of just doing it for the music. 2) The importance of believing in yourself. And 3) Why sometimes you just need to get out there and push your music in front of people.

OFLYNN INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/oflynnmusic/

OUR IG - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠

Episodes Features:

- Focus on the music, not the music industry.

- Getting good at collaborating / collaborations.

- Focussing on your strengths.

- What are the happiest moments of O'Flynns career.

- An epic story of how Four Tet first heard Ben's music.

- The importance of experimenting in music / production.

x

Regardless of if you’re in music for the money - one thing we can all agree on - having more of it is very useful to allow us to focus on our music careers.

So, we’re gassed to share the insights from today’s guest. Sarah Anderson, who used to head up Finance at Boiler Room - and now works with some of your favourite rappers / musicians helping them smash their finances.

We talk about some heavy stuff on this episode like VAT returns, but Sarah does an awesome job of making it relatable and easy to understand even if you’re new to all of this.

ICONAC - https://iconac.com/

OUR IG - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

Episodes Features:

- The top three things you need to be thinking about finance wise as a musician.

- Common money mistakes musicians make.

- How to learn from financial failures.

- Case studies of musicians who have smashed the money thing.

- A break down of some key financial terms / jargon.

- Navigating Record Label Deals, money wise.

- VAT, and why it can help you get more money.

x

Billions on billions of streams. World tours. And an all round gem of a human being - this weeks episode is Jonas Blue.

Starting out hustling at the age of 11 (!!) on this episode JB shares all the lessons learned he wishes he could go back and tell his younger self - from record labels to management, and everything inbetween.

JONAS INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/jonasblue/

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

• The top three things JB wishes he could tell his younger self.
• Having a radio station and record label whilst in secondary school.
• The importance of being fearless.
• Standing out in the 2024 / 2025 music industry.
• How does JB keep a positive attitude in the world of social media and content?
• Record labels for a new artist - are they worth it?
• How to build a good team.

Follow us for weekly episodes. x

Visual creator. MC. And the man behind some of the past decades iconic artworks - we’re talking Anderson .Paak, Future, plus brands such as Levis and Vans.

We’ve wanted to get Dewey Saunders on for a while, as in our opinion he’s one of the best creatives out there for helping turn already awesome musical art into visual art. And on this show he breaks down how you can do that too as a musician starting out.

DEWEY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/deweysaunders/ 

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

• Wtf is branding as a musician?
• And why it is important.
• Some epic examples of artists (big and small) who have smashed their aesthetic and branding.
• How you can maximise your merch - which means more $$$.
• A ‘how to start building your branding’ checklist for musicians starting out.
• How visuals can attract new fans.
• The importance of staying authentic in your creative expression.

Follow us for weekly episodes. x

We think it’s fair to say in over 100 episodes of this show, one of the most common pieces of advice shared is ‘get a lawyer, even at the start’. 

But, obvs lawyers can be expensive - so we’ve tried our best to find an absolute guru, to share some top tips to stop you getting screwed whilst you build up to that point.

Danyel Semple has a badass job title - Director, Business & Legal Affairs at Interscope Records. One of the recent projects she worked on was negotiating Billie Eilish’s soundtrack deal for Barbie. Ya know, just one of the biggest artists and biggest movies in the world.

We should make clear - the opinions on this show are Danyel’s, and not representative of her employer. But we do thank Danyel for sharing a bunch of wisdom that could really save ya getting screwed.

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

• Danyel’s top three things a musician can do at the start, to stop them getting screwed when they are successful.
• What is a morality clause?
• The importance of building a good team, and liking the people in that team.
• Actionable things you can do right now, to help protect yourself.
• What are the most common legal mistakes in the music industry?
• How do you know if a lawyer is the right lawyer?
• Making sure people in your team know who is responsible for what.
• Managers - and the art of saying no.

Follow us for weekly episodes. x

A gent with a very impressive CV - having worked with BMG, Warner, Ticket Master on the organisation side, and Kylie, KSI, and Craig David on the artist side. 👀

Sunjay Kohli has seen many sides of the industry - and now having set up his own business 'AAA Media' - we thought it was time to pick his brain about what you should be focussing on as a musician if you wanna make ££$$ from your music.

Lots of interesting stories on this one - and especially valuable if you've been considering delving into YouTube.

SUNJAY INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sunjaykohli/

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

- Sorting out your rights!

- Diversifying your revenue streams.

- The power of YouTube.

- Plus an awesome case study of taking advantage of YouTube.

- Sunjay's own journey - and 100+ emails later.

- If you have a small amount of money to spend on your music - where should you spend it?

New episodes every Monday.

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Something a bit different this week - no guest - so instead we dig into the new Spotify Loud & Clear Report - and try our best (pinky promise) to pull the data from it that is inspiring for you as a musician at the start of your career.

We get a bit number heavy on this one - but the good news is there are genuinely quite a few stats in here that are positive for you if you're dreaming of making a living from your music.

OUR IG - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

LOUD & CLEAR - https://loudandclear.byspotify.com/

Episode Features:

- How many artists on Spotify are making a living from their music?

- Some positive stats on the diversity of artists making a living from their music.

- How many artists are uploading to Spotify in 2025?

- Wtf was Snoop Dogg on about in that viral clip of getting basically no money from a song that has a billion streams?

- The differences in streaming revenue splits.

- How many songs are now in the million streams club?

New episodes every Monday x

A band that are the true definition of putting in the work.

From unfathomable amounts of shows. Hours upon hours speaking to fans at every gig. And nurturing a really special online community, Tors are an amazing band to draw inspiration from as a musician.

In this episode - Theo of Tors shares what they've learnt from those crazy support tours, all those fan interactions, plus why you should never underestimate a Wetherspoons in Guilford.

TORS INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thetorsband/⁠

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

- The three things Theo wishes he could go back and tell Tors starting out.

- Finding positives in moments like COVID.

- Building a studio space and becoming self-sufficient.

- Dealing with imposter syndrome.

- Building a fan base and creating a community.

- The importance of feedback from fans.

- A great story about Ed Sheeran.

- Tips on smashing funding applications as a musician.

- How to find enjoyment in crazy / intense touring schedules.

New episodes every Monday.

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Episode 100 baby! We celebrate by having one of our most qualified, most prolific at making bangers, and most handsome guests - Joel Corry.

Joel kindly invited us into his bungalow to chat everything from having a huge hit whilst still not having a manager, the importance of routine & health + fitness in this chaotic industry, plus why you should always try DMing artists you look up to.

Oh, and the value of playing a Nan's 60th.

JOEL INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/joelcorry/⁠

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode features: 

- How Joel got his first gigs.

- Making your own work experience.

- Getting Joel’s first hit at 30.

- Trying to stay present in the moment / focus on gratitude.

- Learning from mistakes and accepting sometimes things just don’t work. 

- Why regret is the biggest waste of time.

- How did Joel build a (mostly) positive relationship with social media?

- And the power of Instagram DM’s.

New episodes every Monday.

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An incredibly talented songwriter, performer, and now label owner - Kris Allen has seen many different corners of the music industry.

From winning American Idol and that mainstream side, through to now being independent, running his own label, and just as we speak releasing his first album in eight years - 'Pole Vaulter'.

On this episode Kris is very candid about lessons he's learnt along the way, the importance of mentors and self-reflection, plus the one mistake he made that hopefully can help you avoid making one yourself.

KRIS INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/kris_allen/

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠

Episode features: 

• What does Kris wish he could tell himself when he was starting out?
• The importance of trusting your gut.
• Finding mentors.
• Why you should learn production.
• How do you tell the difference between your gut signals and fear?
• What is Kris' self-reflection process.
• What's the starting point for a new piece of music for Kris?
• What mistakes in his career has Kris learned from?
• Differences in songwriting splits.
• Who should you add to your team first?

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Where to begin? Jamie Dee Hart is a badass human being who has helped artists secure more than one million $ in unclaimed royalties, manages some incredibly talented artists at multiple different levels, plus someone really f*cking passionate about metadata (more on that later).

This show is a goldmine if ya wanna make sure you're not missing out on things. Whether that's unclaimed royalties. Whether that's the opportunity to have tens of thousands of fans make videos with your music. And so so much more.

JAMIE INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/jamiedeehart/

PDF OF ORGANISATIONS MENTIONEDhttps://www.jamiedeehart.com/beyondtheclassroomguide

OUR INSTAGRAM - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠

Episode features: 

• PROMOTE your music!
• Why metadata is really really... REALLY important.
• Avoiding the comparison trap.
• How to encourage fan engagement.
• Catalogue marketing - why you should be promoting all your songs not just your latest release.
• Artists who 'found' 10k in royalties they didn't know they were owed.
• Quick wins: who to register with.
• Best educational resources for musicians.

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Sometimes it’s easier just to let the guest’s own one-liners do the talking, and in this case, Nik Cherwink has two that summarise what to expect from this episode. 👀

“I help artists get their sh*t together”

“Your favorite DJ’s life coach”

This episode is full of gems for any musician, not just DJs, that want to help themselves understand what they really want, how to put build a plan towards that goal, plus most importantly - how you can stay sane and happy through it all.

NIK INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/nikcherwink/

OUR INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

Episode features: 

• Three ways to start getting your musical sh*t together.
• Wtf is a life coach, and what can you learn from those ideas as a musician.
• How do you find what’s authentic to you.
• The power of gratitude.
• Proving some of the spiritual shizz with science. 

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It's easy as a musician in 2024 to get really down on streaming. Feeling like it's ruined the music industry, and that your dream of making a living from music has never been harder.

Well... it's all about perspective. And we try our best on this show to focus on the positives that streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music bring. Plus Sam chimes in with some social media bits that should cost thousands of £££... 👀

Episode Features:

- The (first) six positives of streaming.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

In Sam’s opinion - ‘one of the most inspirational things he’s ever seen’ (🫣) - Haliey Welch - AKA Hawk Tuah girl - has easily been the most viral moments of July 2024.

On the episode - we try and break down what a musician at the start of their career can learn from Haliey's success. Going from one moment - one short video - to a full time - LA based living as a creator.

The episode you never knew you needed. Promise there’s actually some actionable insightful stuff for you as a musician. Yeehaw. 🤠

HALIEY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/hay_welch/

ROLLING STONE INTERVIEW - https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/hawk-tuah-girl-haliey-welch-interview-1235057659/

Episode Features:

• Wtf is Hawk Tuah?!
• Why Sam thinks it’s so inspirational.
• What key lessons / takeaways are there for musicians?
• Seizing the moment.
• Strategic approaches to social and virality.
• Never underestimate the power of one moment / song / video.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

A human being who has smashed pretty much every part of the music industry. A manager, A&R, agent, songwriter, executive producer, creative director, AND incredibly successful artist himself. Part of 40+ Billboard No 1s, 70+ Gold & Platinum certifications.

CEO and Founder of The Hello Group - a very successful and respected music company who work in pretty much everything music business - management, label, live, you name it.

In this next hour - Taylor Jones shares his greatest hits of advice for the musicians that want to make a living doing what they love. Some incredible insights. Get your Apple Notes out lads, this is a goodun.

TAYLOR  INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lostboycrow/ 

THG WEBSITE - https://thehellogroup.com/ 

Episode Features: 

• The three most important traits to make a living from your music.
• PACE - and why it's key.
• Who is the first person you should add to your team?
• How do you tell the difference between a gut signal and fear?
• The importance of working with people you love.
• What are the common mistakes / ways musicians get screwed at the start.
• The power of mentorship.
• And how to get someone to want to mentor you.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

An incredibly talented songwriter, performer all round nice dude. Lostboycrow (human name Chris) has had quite the musical journey this past decade. Like most of us, going through different sounds, aesthetics, and levels of success.

On this episode, Chris is very open about the success, and the failures of that decade. Plus shares some awesome insights on how and when to trust your gut, how his 42 million + streamed banger came about, plus why playing live is so important for building confidence as a musician at the start.

LBC INSTA - ⁠

Episode Features: 

• The importance of following your gut and trusting your intuition.
• And how to tell the difference between being scared vs your gut telling you something.
• Treating your music career like a business.
• Evolving as an artist (and a human being) and how that is documented online.
• The power of collaboration.
• And how 'Dark Comedy Magic' came about.
• Dealing with rejection.
• The story of Strawberry Sunscreen.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

A very sleep-deprived chinwag w Helping Musicians Podcast editor Tyler Odell - where we pick his brain for all of the social media editing, strategy, and ‘making a living from something you love’ wisdom.

Yes we love Tyler cos he works with us on HMP - but he’s also an editor for huge artists, brands, and organisations with big scary legal teams which we won’t name.

TYLER INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/tylerodellhq/ 

Episode Features: 

• The importance of taking your time.
• Trying different creative things.
• Why you should invest ££ into your craft.
• Finding your niche.
• The importance of consuming content.
• Working out what your audience wants from you.
• Elevating your content with free apps.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

Frontman of Nightly, songwriter for a bunch of your favs (like Kane Brown, Valley), and arguably most importantly - a very lovely human being who clearly loves making music.

Fresh from the launch of Nightly’s new album ‘Songs to Drive To’ - we chat w Jonny about how quickly industry peeps can change their opinion. Some beaut ways to nurture your fanbase. The importance of collaboration. And so much more, all with the goal of helping you as much as possible with your own musical goals and dreams.

Oh, and Sam tried his best to not be a massive fanboy too.

‘Tried’ being the key word there.

NIGHTLY IG - https://www.instagram.com/nightly/?hl=en

JONNY IG - https://www.instagram.com/jonathancapeci/

OUR IG - https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/

Episode Features:

- The three things Jonny wishes he could tell himself starting out.

- Why you gotta back yourself.

- A crazy story on how industry people can change their mind when they see success.

- How to nurture your fanbase / community.

- Collaboration and the benefits of it.

- Songwriting, for yourself, and for others.

- The magic of social media - and how a song can connect overnight.

New episodes every Monday x

Badass artist, songwriter, label founder, PLVTINUM has seen all sides of the music industry, including... NASA.

Currently sitting at the best part of half a billion (!!) streams on Spotify alone, PLVTINUM (human name Michael) has had a v diverse musical journey.

On this episode he talks moving from EDM to dark-pop, the importance of data and how to take advantage of it, plus when a song is for you, and when it's for the fans.

MICHAEL INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/iamplvtinum/

REBELLION RECORDS - https://www.instagram.com/rebellionrecordsnyc/

Episode Features: 

- Just release the songs!

- The importance of focusing on your strengths.

- And building a team to focus on the rest.

- 'Letting go' of songs.

- Using data to help you make strategic decisions.

- The importance of a 'repeat listener' on DSPs (Spotify etc).

- The importance of a clear and cohesive brand.

- How do you guide fans through a genre change?

- Creating authentic social media content and why you need to stop making ads!

- How can you get your music to Michael?

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

One of the main things we try and help musicians with on this show is Instagram, and how to smash it as a musician, which helps get your music out to as many people as possible.

And just last week - the boss of Instagram sat down with the legends Colin & Samir, and shared 90 minutes of goodness on all the shizz ya wanna know BUT that episode is focussed on creators more generally, not musicians.

So on this week's show, in 30 mins, we try our best to summarise the key takeaways - for you as a musician - that you can learn from the boss of Instagram - Adam Mosseri.

FULL EPISODE - https://youtu.be/HDzhA_UFrnA?si=lchb_GWIFpeFjd2g 

Episode Features: 

• The number one thing the boss of Instagram said will push your content and music out to more people.
• Creating content for your audience - and what they want to see.
• And, obvs, making sure that content is good.
• Treating social media like a business would.
• Making ‘share-able’ content.
• Captions and subtitles.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

Producer, DJ, podcaster, Will Clarke basically has a PHD in smashing the make a living from cool music & creative shizz.

On this episode we get into the nitty gritty of the mindset, platforms, and most importantly - skills - you need to do it yourself. All whilst playing a game of Beyonce Bingo.

Episode Features: 

- Patience.

- Expectations.

- And the importance of being 'good'.

- Finding superfans, and how to communicate with those superfans.

- Networking - and how you can basically reach Beyonce if that's your one goal.

- And how to handle those relationships.

- The story of Will's 'Hallelujah'.

- The tech / apps that Will has found interesting for music career shizz recently.

- The role of luck in all of this.

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x

BBC Radio 1 DJ, label owner, rockstar DJ, and so so much more. This week's guest is Sarah Story.

On this ep Sarah essentially shares a PHD in 'getting your music heard by important music people-ology'. A bunch of awesome tips, insight and strategies to get that DM opened, get that track listened to, and why you defo defo defo not send Sarah a Google Drive or WeTransfer.

Episode Features: 

- The importance of learning your craft first.

- Presenting yourself the way you want to be seen.

- Comment on Instagram posts (without being a weirdo).

- MAKE. IT. EASY. For people you want to listen to your music to listen to it.

- How much new music does Sarah actually receive a week?

- And what is Sarah's promo email?

- Is it worth doing a few weeks in Ibiza hustling to build a network?

- How does Sarah find new music?

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠

New episodes every Monday x