This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Betting on the Future: Where Investors See Creator Tools Thriving Alongside AI."

In this panel, Andrew Kahn from Yamaha Music Innovation sits down with three venture investors who are actively shaping the future of creative technology: David Ma from Powerhouse Capital, Jason Yeh from Patron, and Connor Sunburg from Amplify.

They dive into what actually excites investors in the creator tools space, why most creative tooling companies probably shouldn't raise venture capital, and how to think about building products that people will use for thousands of hours instead of just experimenting with for a week.

Whether you're pitching investors next month or simply curious about the creator economy, this panel offers valuable insights on what separates fundable ideas from the rest.

The News

• Why YouTube Recap flopped and Spotify Wrapped is buzzing

• Did Spotify Wrapped Just Make a Comeback?

• YouTube introduces its own version of Spotify Wrapped for videos

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Building to Scale: Founders on Building Defensible Companies in the AI Economy."

In this panel, Conor Healy from the Yamaha Music Innovation Fund sits down with Stanley Vergilis from Tone3000, Mauhan Zonoozy from The Vinyl Bar in Shibuya,, and Jessica Powell from AudioShake

.

The conversation gets real about what it actually takes to build defensible moats, how to fundraise from VCs to angel investors, and the mistakes founders make along the way.

Whether you're building a startup, thinking about taking the leap, or just want to understand what's happening in the music tech startup world, this panel is packed with insights you won't want to miss.

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

This week on Music Tectonics, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series with highlights from the Music Tectonics Conference. Over the next several weeks, we'll be sharing our favorite discussions, interviews, and panels that capture what's happening right now in music innovation.

Today, we're featuring a conversation with Ethan Millman from the Hollywood Reporter. Ethan breaks down one of the biggest music industry trends: the blurring lines between music distribution and record labels. We explore how label services are evolving, why distribution deals have become the hottest topic in music business, and what artists need to know when choosing between distributors and record labels.

Whether you're an independent artist navigating distribution options, a music industry professional tracking the latest trends, or a music tech founder building solutions for the creator economy, this conversation offers essential insights into the future of music distribution and artist services.

The News!

• Baby Shark creator Pinkfong goes public with $372m valuation

• AI Music Platform Suno Valued at $2.45 Billion

• Suno will be reading Robert Kyncl's new blog post very closely, as WMG CEO vows to 'legislate, litigate, license' in the era of AI music creation

• Explosively Viral Track 'I Run' by HAVEN Yanked From Spotify and Other Platforms Over AI 'Artist Impersonation' — Turns Out Suno Is Where It All Started

The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!

Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.