Music Biz 2018, Day 1: Podcast Monetization, Digital Services, Entertainment Law

Seth England of Big Loud sits for a Keynote Interview with Laurie Jakobsen of Jaybird Communications to kick off the Career Development Workshops on May 14.

Music Biz 2018 launched Monday (May 14) in Nashville at the Omni Nashville Hotel. The venue’s Legends Foyer was packed with representatives from all corners of the industry taking in new programming such as the Podcasting: Licensing and Monetizing This New Success sessions and Music & Money: Financial Literacy Summit as well as the second annual Digital Service Workshops, the Entertainment & Technology Law Conference, and much more.

Hip-Hop artist YelaWolf speaks with Tim Gray, Host of The Golden Rules podcast, at the Music & Money: Financial Literacy Summit powered by Lyric Financial Music on May 14.

From left: Stacie Griffin of Lockn’ Music Festival leads a conversation with Savannah Faircloth of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Sheena Barnett of Elvis Presley Enterprises, and Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters and the Walking the Floor podcast during the Podcasting: Licensing and Monetizing This New Success program on May 14.

Chris Shiflett, guitarist for Foo Fighters and host of the Walking the Floor podcast, headlined the “View from the Top — Successful Podcasters Tell Their Stories” segment of the first-ever Podcasting: Licensing and Monetizing This New Success program along with Sheena Barnett and Savannah Faircloth of Elvis Presley Enterprises and hosts of the Starring Elvis Presley podcast. The event kicked off with a keynote presentation from Tom Webster of Edison Research, who reviewed the history, present, and future of podcasting; discussed the shift from download-and-manage to clicking and streaming; and explained how podcasters can make money through licensing and promoting music.

Hip-Hop artist YelaWolf got the Music & Money: Financial Literacy Summit powered by Lyric Financial Musicoff to a great start, sitting for an interview with Tim Gray, Host of The Golden Rules podcast. Another first-time event, the Summit featured an informative discussion on how those in the music business can achieve financial success, the legal and financial issues that artist-owned companies must consider to make sure they maximize and keep the profits from their hard work, and how to forecast potential ROI before investing in launching a new artist or project. Topics included artists as business owners, new business models, a team approach to the new music economy, making money as a musician, and banking in Nashville.

This year’s Career Development Workshops provided music business students and young professionals with valuable guidance on breaking into the industry. It was headlined by a Keynote Interview (conducted by Jaybird Communications’ Laurie Jakobsen) with Seth England of Big Loud, which has signed major artists Florida Georgia Line and Chris Lane.

Music Biz 2018 runs through May 17 in Nashville.