#332 - Chris Swanson: AI in Music — Opportunity or Threat for Indie Artists?
About this episode
Chris Swanson discusses the impact of AI on independent artists and how they can navigate the music industry.
Chris Swanson is the co-founder of Secretly Group, the influential independent music company behind labels including Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans, and The Numero Group. Since co-founding Secretly Canadian in 1996, Chris has helped shape the modern indie label ecosystem and built Secretly Distribution into a global force for independent artists. He’s worked with groundbreaking acts like Bon Iver and has spent nearly three decades helping artists balance creativity, commerce, and long-term career sustainability in a rapidly evolving music industry. In this episode, Chris breaks down how independent artists can navigate record labels, digital distribution, AI, and self-promotion—without losing their creativity or community. Key Takeaways: Learn why major label advances come with high expectations—and how indie labels can offer stronger long-term career development. Discover how DSPs have democratized music, what that means for independent music growth, and how to approach self-promotion strategically. Understand how to manage expectations, avoid “radical doubt,” and use AI as a tool without losing artistic identity. --- → Learn more about Chris Swanson and his work at…
More episodes of Modern Musician Podcast
- #337 - Oskar Eichler: Build a Bigger Fanbase with Better Data, Not Bigger Budgets
- #336 - Chris Boshuizen: What Seeing Earth From Space Taught Me About Music and Life
- #335 - David Andrew Wiebe: Rich Dad, Poor Dad Lessons Every Music Artist Can Apply
- #333 - Luke Justin Roberts: The Real Reason Your Music Content Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It Fast)
- #331 – Matt Adell: Can AI Respect Copyright and Still Power the Future of Music?
- #330 - Chris SD: Why Sync Licensing Is the Smartest Move for Indie Artists
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