💥 please welcome @brandoncreed as your keynote interview for the jump.global Summit, set to take over LA very, very soon.
This very special chat “Do The Evolution” will be moderated by the one and only @billwerde .
🔗 final details at the link in bio.
Was gutted to hear about the passing of @garrettdan . This is such a strange business in so many ways. One of which is how we work so much and so long and with such passion, we sometimes form meaningful bonds with people we only ever see or know in specific circumstances or cities. Garrett was like that for me. He ran operations for @jump.global , a conference and tight-knit community focused on wellness in the music biz. Garrett was one of the first people to really welcome me into that community when I started hosting interviews for the conference in 2023. I didn’t know a lot of folks at the events, and Garrett was just an awesome dude to talk to. In the past weeks, Garrett and I had reconnected about this year’s conference. I was reminded what a pleasure it was to be able to work with people like Garrett. He was always kind, so good at his job, and unfailingly passionate about what he was doing and about the world at large. He was just an incredibly sweet guy, and it breaks my heart that I won’t see him in a couple weeks at the conference. It’s a painful reminder that the people we work and have fun with, like and respect in these industry contexts are whole humans and sometimes might really need more than the good times we share. My heart goes to those who loved Garrett and especially the Jump.Global fam, @nickmaiale and @jjfarrellmusic .
So many people on my timeline are panicked or terrified about AI. And I understand the instinct on so many obvious levels. The ethical questions, the undermining of public trust, environmental impact… these are all real questions that need critical answers. But at the same time, after playing around with Sora for just a few hours, I have to say that I am exhilarated by the creative potential. I am not especially optimistic for the ultimate outcomes, but if by some miracle we get this right, and likely, even if we don’t, this tech really is ushering in an entirely new, meaningfully different era of mass creative participation. Sora is TikTok with zero limits, and no barrier to entry. The train is leaving the station. In case it’s not clear: none of these clips are me.
Thank you with all of our heart 🧡 @laufey , @holdmycoat , @jckiekarlsson , @kayleebarrett & the whole team. Your support for the @bandierprogram means everything. Absolutely magical show in Cleveland tonight. As our Laufey Scholarship winner @hisoolynn said tonight, you sound even better live than on record—and your records sound amazing.
#nofilter a perfect couple of hours in Cazenovia. @stonequarryartpark is my favorite place in my adopted home, and one of my favorite places ever. Somehow not many people go; I had the entire place to myself tonight.
Traveling with 13 @bandierprogram students across Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil as we explore the music business. We had a few hours off between meetings, and walked around Botero Plaza. This is the downtown area of Medellin, and a real melting pot of commerce, hustlers, and art — the plaza is dotted with Botero sculptures that the artist himself insisted be radically accessible to the public. The first photo is in front of Medellin’s main government building. In the 1990s, still recovering from the Escobar era, the space was too dangerous for anyone to visit at any time. The government decided to start a cleanup effort and commissioned an artist to build these light sabers as a beacon of hope and progress; they actually light up at night. I am told it is still too dangerous for anyone to be in this square at night. But the locals enjoy the art if and as they are driving by in the evening.
I found @gabisklar to be such an incredibly kind, genuine and nice person, and full of insight about one of today’s increasingly pressing matters: what it takes to make a living as an artist when you’re not doing a billion streams per song. Not to mention how to build 4 million+ followers on TikTok and a thriving brand partnership business. A privilege for the @bandierprogram to host her and her manager @brewstersskillions for this week’s guest industry #rezaklecture. Great snap as always @lostinllight
Had to share this one, as it’s possibly the best pic to come out of our weekly @bandierprogram lecture series in a long time. Yes, the conversation about sync licensing w @shirapaige was fantastic — fun, smart, grounded in real insight including how deals were done for recent Super Bowl commercials that Shira and her team worked on. But she was also an incredible sport. When we found out a week or so ago that she was from Kansas and a Chiefs fan and I was a Philly sports lifer, we made a bet on the game, with loser having to wear the winner’s team swag. The best part about this is that Bandier sophomore @em.celenza didn’t know about the bet and simply came to class with full, awesome Eagles cape because… #eagles . Great shot @lostinllight ! #gobirds #musicbusiness
Grateful for another Grammy week, even an unusual, short one while the world seemingly falls apart. Grateful to see the best old friends and to make incredible new ones. Grateful to be part of an industry that works so hard to support transcendent and transformative music. Grateful especially to @jordyfreed & @marcieallenvanmol for their generosity and hospitality this week.
Listen to our latest interview featuring @billwerde , Direcor of the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment at the @newhousesu at @syracuseu ! Link in bio. Next up, Episode #100!👀🎙️
Bill is director of the top-ranked Bandier music industry program in the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, and creator of Full Rate No Cap, the influential weekly email of music industry analysis (). As the former editorial director of Billboard, Werde built a global network of music industry relationships, and a deep understanding of industry trends and mass audience development and engagement across platforms. Now he teaches the next generation of music industry leaders at Bandier, while focusing his consulting work on emerging tech and emerging markets. He is a frequent guest expert on music and the music business for top news and media outlets.
Feeling very grateful for the students, alumni and community—and Lisa Steele — of the Bandier Program. Together, on Tuesday, we delivered another signature program moment, when we got to honor and be honored by the incredible, and incredibly generous Laufey. This event celebrated our new Bandier Music Business Master’s Program, and announced the Laufey Master’s Program Scholarship for International students, as well as those of high financial need. The scholarship will yield 100k in tuition benefits over the next ten years. I cannot wait to meet the students whose lives this will change. The event itself was just amazing, with Laufey, fresh off selling out the Hollywood Bowl, playing for about 200 lucky friends and members of the Bandier music biz community. Please check out the link in bio @bandierprogram for more info on the master’s program!
So proud of this one today. Congrats on four years of living, learning, laughing … and some killer ball. Love you, @maxwerde — soon to be the next Werde at Cuse!
