This Artist-Run Record Label is Competing with the Majors in a Big Way
From The New Music Business with Ari Herstand by Ari's Take
March 11, 2026 · 1h 8m · Season 7 · Episode 6
About this episode
Ari Herstand interviews Michael Turner about his innovative record label Rebellion and its strategies for supporting independent artists in the modern music landscape.
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Michael Turner, founder of the disruptive record label Rebellion. Turner shares how he’s building a modern music company by leveraging viral marketing, short-form video, and niche communities to help independent artists break through without relying on traditional gatekeepers. In this episode, Turner breaks down how viral hits are engineered through tastemaker networks and micro-influencers, how artists track fan conversion across platforms, and why touring and deal structures are evolving outside the traditional label system. They also discuss royalties, distribution, and AI-generated music—and why Turner believes we’re entering a golden era for those independent artists willing to adapt. https://www.instagram.com/iamplvtinum/ https://www.instagram.com/rebellionrecordsnyc/ Chapters 00:00 - From Artist to Rebellion Founder 05:48 - Early Spotify Virality & Indie Strategy 08:17 - From Algorithms to TikTok Discovery 13:32 - Engineering Viral Campaigns 18:38 - Metrics That Matter Beyond Streams 21:36 - Turning Virality Into Ticket Sales 24:13 - New Touring Models for Indie Artists 34:04 - Building the Modern Indie…
People in this episode
Host: Ari Herstand
Guest: Michael Turner
Topics covered
- artist-run record labels
- viral marketing
- independent artists
- music industry evolution
- AI in music
- touring models
Keywords
- independent music
- viral hits
- micro-influencers
- royalties
- distribution
- music marketing
- AI-generated music
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Rebellion, Spotify, TikTok, Ari’s Take, Brassroots District
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