Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu get stuck into a late-year flurry of big news:

• "This could be the death knell for small venues" – enormous increases in business rates are coming for UK venues – Steve has a lot to say about how a seemingly-innocuous business rates policy point in the recent UK budget may prove to have a devastating effect;

• UK band Los Campesinos! have laid bare their streaming royalties – by publishing some numbers for their 2024 album ‘All Hell’ – and it's fascinating (and sobering) info;

• The UK government has launched an urgent major inquiry into how the country's live industry works – but why, and what are they trying to find out?

• How safe is the music industry to work in for young people?

• Stu's big number is 200 million – and there's a good chance you're one of them;

• More evidence that the music biz might not be ready to truly deal with AI-music;

• Christmas is coming, so for the heritage-rock-music fan in your life, what stocking-fillers are Mick Jagger and The Kinks selling?

And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

• In Spotify Wrapped, Stuart’s ‘listening age’ was a sprightly 20... so why is that?

• And what is Steve's 'listening age'?

• Which of Steve and Stu are most anxious about next week's TPOM Christmas Quiz?

• A veteran DJ thinks that phones are ruining dancefloors. His solution... is hardly less dystopian.

• In Stu's quest to make up for insulting the whole of Australia (see last week's show...) he has news of something positive Olivia Dean is doing down under.

As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

======

Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu pull on their Santa hats and get stuck in to:

• Spotify Wrapped 2025 has just launched (and has now taken over your social feeds) But why is it such a big deal this year?

• Steve answers a great listener question: "why don’t more bands and venues do afternoon gigs for people who can't stay out late?"

• Olivia Dean is the breakout British star this year... and is now taking on Ticketmaster – but why?

• Is it or isn't it Jorja Smith? (It isn't). She's at the centre of a row about AI technology and vocal soundalikes.

• Stu's big number this week is £134 million – and indie labels have spent it... but on what?

• Part 654 of the "Universal wants to buy indie firm Downtown Music" story

• Last week we predicted that AI music firm Suno might finally sign licensing deals... and two hours after we recorded, they did! So who’s the partner?

• Why have Oasis reopened their pop-up merch stores in London and Dublin? (VFX: Sleigh bells jingling)

• And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

• • When bands implode spectacularly: Steve and Stu revel in the story of Portland death metal band Vitriol, who abandoned their frontman at a remote gas station, mid tour

  • Is Spotify Wrapped a good thing?

  • Stu accidentally insults all of Australia

  • Steve and Stu chat more about matinee gigs and weigh up the pros and cons (and their boozing opportunities)

  • Stu has a news based joke about Johnny Cash, his song ‘A Boy Named Sue’, and the Coca-Cola corporation

  • Would you like an art print of Amy Winehouse in the bath? (It’s not as creepy as that sounds…)

  🎄🎄 DON'T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS FOR OUR XMAS QUIZ! (SUPERFANS: https://www.patreon.com/posts/price-of-music-n-144529777 AND FANS: https://www.patreon.com/posts/price-of-music-n-144542513) 🎄🎄

  As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

  Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

  See you next week!

  Steve and Stuart

  ======

  Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

  ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

  Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

  Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

  Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

  For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Get more TPOM in the post-show "lock-in" – try it for FREE!: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership⁠

====

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu unwrap the week's music biz goings-on:

• An exploding toilet caused a gig cancellation – but what now for the band, fans and the venue?

• Stu’s Big Number is $2.45bn - it’s big, but why might it feel scary to artists and labels?

• Spotify might also put their prices by a dollar in the US - who will welcome this (and who won’t?)

• Three AI music-making companies have struck deals with major labels - but who and why?

• The UK ticket levy to help smaller grassroots venues is taking off – so what's next? Stu's been chatting to an MP to find out.

• TPOM’s continued role as your Primary Baby Shark News Resource continues as Stu explains how many millions of dollars it made last year (it was a lot).

And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

• Steve once flew several thousand miles to watch a band, only for them to quit after a mere three songs. But which now-massive band was it?

• Who are Steve and Stu's artists of the year? (Including Wet Leg and Self Esteem)

  What was the annual Reader's Poll like behind the scenes at the NME for Steve?

• More unusual gig cancellation stories - including pigeons pooping on Kings of Leon, Neil Young’s sandwiches, and more

• What’s the city of Manchester doing to support local venues and promoters?

As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

======

Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

One more round? The post-show "lock-in" is just for our ⁠⁠Patreon Superfans⁠⁠ - try it for FREE!: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership

====

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu pour a couple of foaming pints of:

• Stu’s Big Number is 10 million – but how does it relate to the premature jingling of Christmas bells?

• The UK government has announced that tickets will soon only be able to be resold at face value – but will the law work in reality?

• Why don't some venues share set times for concerts? (And if you knew when the artists were onstage would you arrive earlier or later?)

• Paul McCartney's released a completely silent song - but why?

• Why has a UK radio DJ spent 24 hours playing songs that peaked at number two in the charts? (‘Number two' is a clue.)

• Metal legends Megadeth have released their own beer

• Spotify is shaking up its subscription tiers as a test in five countries. What does it say about its future plans elsewhere in the world?

• Veteran British band Squeeze are releasing a brand new album... of songs written when they were teenagers.

• Why is streaming service Tidal adding an ‘upload’ feature for DIY artists?

And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stu prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

• Steve weighs in on venues and artists announcing venue stage times - who is it good for, and how might doing this harm venues?

  • (Read the piece this relates to here: https://markdavyd.substack.com/p/the-room-where-it-happens)

• Stu’s Megadeth beer taste test (spoiler: it’s very hoppy)

• • Steve recalls a time when he and Suggs were forced to drink Madness’ own beer
  • Mariah Carey is starting to dominate the charts again… so when is it appropriate to start playing Christmas music?

• 
  

  As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

  Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

  See you next week!

  Steve and Stuart

  ======

  Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

  ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

  Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

  Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

  Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

  For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

• Have you heard the now-legendary post-show "lock-in" section, just for our ⁠Patreon Superfans⁠? Try it for FREE!: https://www.patreon.com/c/thepriceofmusic/membership

  =======

  Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, our dynamic duo Steve and Stu grapple with the following:

• • Stu’s Big Number is 713 million – and you are quite possibly one of them. But what is it?

  • Can YOU tell the difference between human-made music and AI-generated music? A study suggests: almost certainly not.

  • The 1975 have deleted a song from their last album on streaming services... because frontman Matty Healy didn’t like it any more. (And are artists, as Steve says, often bad judges of whether their songs are actually any good?)

  • Music contributed a record £8 billion to the UK economy last year... but why is there still a reason to be concerned?

  • Last week Steve said he couldn’t understand why Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ is still popular … well, it turns out someone literally wrote the book that answers the question.

  • A quick update on the music biz deals with AI companies and what they mean for musicians;

  • Music Venue Properties, which saves UK grassroots venues from closing, has bought two more venues;

  • A vinyl record made using… coal dust?

  • Thundercat’s remix of Diana Ross’ ‘Upside Down’ can be listened to via – oh yes – a ‘bone-conduction lollipop’.

  And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

  • 97% of people can't tell AI music from human music. Stu is going to put Steve to the test by playing an AI song about… rock bands in Camden.

  • The Grammy Awards nominations have been announced - including one for… Milli Vanilli?

  • More on the ‘live show value for money’ debate… featuring Radiohead!

  • All-seater shows in small venues – Steve’s got a puzzler for Stu about Southampton Joiners...

  As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

  Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

  See you next week!

  Steve and Stuart

  ======

  Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

  ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

  Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

  Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

  Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

  For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. And in this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu grapple with:

• Stu's Big Number is 11.5 million – but what does it have to do with Billie Eilish and a room full of billionaires?

• One AI-music company is working on a new service with the world’s biggest major label... so will be be able to create our own sound-a-like tracks?

• How Spotify is coming under fire in the US over controversial ICE ads running on its service.

• For the first time in 35 years, there are no rap tracks in the US Top 40 singles chart. So what's happened?

• A new tech startup in the UK wants to help musicians ‘poison’ their own recordings - how is that a good thing?

Also! Please let us know what you'd like to hear more of in TPOM in our listeners' poll! Click here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/listeners-poll-142732962 – or if you're on Spotify you can find the poll beneath the show!

And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our Patreon Superfans, Steve and Stuart prop themselves at the bar to chat about:

• Steve went to see his favourite new band Little Grandad again. But how much should emerging artists charge for tickets?

• And how long should a band’s set be, does a three-hour stadium set make your heart sink, and what its your ideal set length?

• Why are so many people treating the lyrics from the new Lily Allen album as if they are literally true?

• What are Steve’s (frank) thoughts on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours”?

• Which albums are hanging around in the charts for years – and how many weeks has ABBA Gold been in there?

As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

======

Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Bonus episode! Steve is joined by Lord Kevin Brennan, the ex-MP – and now member of the UK's House of Lords – who is also a musician, and has been described as “a writer of songs and a righter of wrongs.”

He talks to Steve about his leadership of the UK parliament’s new fan-led review of live and electronic music, with the aim of improving the sustainability of grassroots live and electronic music to safeguard the success of the wider UK music industry..

You can take part in this review right now – just go to https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9161

The initiative seeks to place fans’ voices at the centre of decisions about ticketing, venues, accessibility, and transport, similar to football’s fan-led reform from a few years ago. Lord Brennan stresses that live music depends on fair treatment of fans and transparency over ticket pricing, fees, and resale practices.

Lord Brennan argues for a “fans’ charter” to ensure shared values across the live sector, from small venues to major promoters. Drawing from his experience in Parliament and his previous inquiry into music streaming, he also explains how policy can protect grassroots venues, improve access and late-night transport, and encourage community ownership models.

He also exclusively reveals the future plans for his cross-party, all-MP band with the pun-tastic name of... “MP4”.

As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

======

Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠⁠

Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠⁠joe@musically.com

Your weekly guide to the music biz and how it all works. In this week’s episode of The Price of Music, Steve and Stu dip into the postbag and answer some very astute listeners’ questions which get to the heart of music streaming and live music!

• Matt asks why ticket prices can vary so much at the same venue? And he has a good real-world example: Maximo Park and Suede are playing Cambridge Corn Exchange soon – and tickets for Maximo Park £36.50 and Suede’s are £45.50. If they both sell out, Suede will be making an extra £12,600 a night by his calculations. But does it really work like that? And why do the prices vary? Steve has dug in and found out.

• Richard asks about the credits information for songs on Spotify – and he has noticed that there’s missing or incomplete information – so does this mean the songwriters don’t get paid properly? Where is all this information anyway? And how is this one of the music industry’s “big, big problems,” as Stu puts it?

AND: look out later this week because we've got a bonus episode on its way . We'll bring you an actual Lord: Steve will be joined by Lord Kevin Brennan, the ex-MP – and now member of the UK's House of Lords – who talks to Steve about his leadership of the UK parliament’s new fan-led review of live and electronic music, with the aim of improving the sustainability of grassroots live and electronic music to safeguard the success of the wider UK music industry.

As ever, we welcome your feedback, emails and – in particular – any questions you might have about how the music biz works!

Email us: ⁠⁠thepriceofmusicpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠

See you next week!

Steve and Stuart

======

Support The Price of Music on Patreon:

⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/ThePriceofMusic⁠⁠

Follow Steve on X - @steve_lamacq

Follow Stuart on X - @stuartdredge

Follow The Price of Music on X - @PriceofMusicpod

For sponsorship opportunities, please email - ⁠⁠joe@musically.com