In a groundbreaking 2024 memo, Lucian Grainge emphasised the importance of superfans, highlighting Universal Music Group’s strategy to strengthen artist-fan relationships. Warner Music Group’s Robert Kyncl echoed this sentiment, unveiling plans for an app to connect artists directly with their most dedicated followers. These moves underscore a growing industry focus on superfans—those who engage with artists across multiple platforms and activities.

The music industry has been introduced to a wide array of AI tools and platforms that span the entire creative process, from initial composition to the final stages of distribution and marketing. These tools and platforms vary in complexity, from basic recommendation systems and assistive AI tools to advanced generative AI models. The more advanced Generative AI models have rapidly risen to prominence as the principal point of interest in the music industry.  Generative AI music refers to AI models capable of generating music autonomously or semi-autonomously.  These models are seen as a double-edged sword – an opportunity for increased creativity and productivity versus a severe threat to copyright infringement and the dilution of music. While this prevailing discussion rightfully exists, the real potential of generative AI is found elsewhere – accessibility. Generative AI is set to transform how consumers experience music, moving beyond consumption to a medium of expression and entertainment accessible to all. Generative AI is accelerating the rise of the consumer-creator, leading to the bifurcation of the music industry into two distinct segments – lean-back consumption with streaming and the creator economy as a place for fandom.

Paul Sears has been a respected music publisher and manager for over 30 years. He began modestly in recording studios and discovered his passion for songwriting and managing crossover club records, creating a distinctive niche in nurturing Italian talents with global ambitions. By the 90s, he had left a significant mark, guiding Whigfield to a 4-week UK chart-topping success with “Saturday Night”. At Off Limits, Paul co-founded a secondary copyright-collecting society in Italy. Later, he also founded Spaceship Management, where he managed artists like DJ Benny Benassi, with whom he won two Grammys, the upcoming multi-platinum duo Merk & Kremont, and produced tracks for international stars such as Madonna and Chris Brown, among others.

Charlie Rapino is a seasoned music industry professional with a rich history of past endeavours. He currently serves as the Vice President of A\&R and Communications at Artist First, Italy’s largest independent music company offering comprehensive services across the industry. Additionally, Charlie holds the position of Vice President of Relations at the Web3 Music Association. With extensive experience, he also serves as a Non-Executive Board Advisor to the WRM Fund and a music industry consultant to the Ridley Scott Creative Group. In this role, Charlie was the key player and deal-breaker for the Robbie Williams Netflix series, playing a crucial role in shaping the project’s success.

At Music Protocol, we believe a thriving community is integral to successfully building the future of music. This is why we have allocated 160 million $RECORD tokens (16% of the total supply) on Base for community incentives and distribution to show our appreciation. These tokens will be distributed across multiple seasons, each designed to enhance different aspects of the ecosystem. The pre-TGE season - SZN1 - focuses on rewarding early supporters and strengthening the Music Protocol community.

In the third episode of Foundations, we spoke with Marko, the founder of 152 Records, to learn why being a value-driven label is essential to them. Marko shared insights into how they collaborate with artists and discover new talent, as well as their vision for the future of fandom and the metaverse.

Andy Saunders is recognised as a seasoned veteran in corporate communication with over 35 years of experience in the UK music industry. Early in his career, Andy was the Director of Communications at Creation Records, guiding the legendary label’s global communications strategy for nearly a decade. In 2000, he founded Velocity Communications, a company specialising in corporate communications strategy and implementation for music industry clients, including record labels, music publishers, live music organisations, tech companies, industry trade associations, high-profile executives, and distributors.

There is a growing consensus in the music industry that a global, digital database that properly and efficiently manages intellectual property (IP) and rights data is needed. A standardised repository to track IP ownership and usage is necessary for artists and rights holders to receive the appropriate compensation. This is particularly noticeable regarding publishing royalties, where approximately 25% of music publishing revenue fails to reach its rightful owners. Establishing a global repository for IP and rights data would enable anyone to more efficiently identify who controls the IP they wish to make use of (i.e. licence) and facilitate more efficient distribution of royalties to the rightsholders who are due payment.

Nicholas Phillips is a multi-faceted composer and music industry professional respected for his extensive work across film, TV, advertising, art, fashion, science, and technology. Nicholas’ career has seen him continually pushing the boundaries of what he calls “sensory storytelling”, whether it's composing the music for award-winning documentaries, major studio projects, or designing the audio landscape for the Bentley Bentayga’s 20-speaker surround-sound system.