Why is the Music Industry So Small?
About this episode
Dmitri and guest Jimmy Stone discuss the small value of the music industry compared to other entertainment sectors and explore potential new revenue sources and the impact of AI.
Why is the value of the music industry so small compared to other forms of entertainment like gaming and television, even though music seems to be everywhere in our lives? This week on the podcast, Dmitri kicks off a new miniseries built around this year's conference theme, "Rising Tide: Grow the Music, Grow the Value" with Jimmy Stone, managing partner of Alderbrook. Jimmy pushes back on the premise and walks through the real numbers behind the music market, including the gap between wholesale and retail revenue estimates. Dmitri and Jimmy dig into why streaming struggled to create the kind of scarcity that once let labels set prices, how Napster and peer to peer sharing permanently changed what people are willing to pay for music, and why platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Meta may still be underpaying rights holders for how music actually gets used. The conversation turns to where new revenue might come from next, including premium subscription tiers, interactive music features, exclusive concert access, and lessons from Tencent Music's super fan tier in China. They also tackle a big question head on, whether AI will end up being a multiplier or a deflator for music revenue…
More episodes of Music Tectonics
- How Do You Value Music Catalogs in 2026?
- How Will Music Be Monetized in 2030?
- 8 Ways to Grow the Value of Music in 2026
- Every Object Can Sound: How Playtronica is Reimagining Music Creation
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