Episode 14: March 2026 Headlines (PATREON PREVIEW)

Hey all, we're back with another headlines episode.

This month we start by digging into UMG CEO Lucian Grainge's recent appearance on stage at a NVIDIA-hosted conference described as the "Super Bowl of AI," where he was discussing his company's partnership with the AI-enabling tech giant. What does this say about different ways major labels are embracing AI beyond the headline-grabbing licensing deals for gen-AI content? We unpack the ways labels seem to be embracing so-called tech solutions to continue recycling their mountains of IP, look at some of Grainge's most outrageous quotes from the story, and try to figure out whether or not we are truly at the end of music history.

For the second headline, we are covering the 2026 installment of "Loud and Clear," Spotify's annual crisis PR campaign disguised as a music economics "transparency" report. In particular, we're looking at Spotify's claim that a new "class" of artists generating $100,000 annually is emerging from its platform, and what context is needed to understand the true lack of meaning in these stats.

As you may have noticed, this is our first headlines episode that is Patreon exclusive. For now these headlines episodes will be available only to subscribers, while our interview episodes will remain free and publicly available. We also have a couple of reported features and a new artist interview series in the works, so if you've been considering a subscription this would be a great time to throw us five bucks a month. Sign up at patreon.com/criticallistening to access the full episode, thank you!

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Episoder(20)

Episode 22: L'Rain

For Episode 22, we spoke with songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and curator Taja Cheek, on the brink of her group L’Rain’s fourth record, fata morgana, out today on Mexican Summer. Taja is ...

14 Aug 53min

Episode 21: July 2026 Headlines (PATREON PREVIEW)

The CEO of SoundCloud recently revealed that he regularly seeks advice from what he calls his “AI board”—a model he trained on the interviews and writings of top pop musicians and record industry exec...

31 Jul 2min

Episode 20: Why Panda Bear & Sonic Boom's New Record is Not Streaming

Why did Panda Bear and Sonic Boom decide to not put their new record, A ? of WHEN, on any streaming services? And how did they get their label, Domino Recording Co, on board? For episode 20 we're join...

24 Jul 1h 1min

Episode 19: June 2026 Headlines (PATREON PREVIEW)

For this month's installment of our monthly headlines show, we're digging into two stories around the increasingly entwined worlds of generative AI and music streaming. First, a look into a new tool c...

29 Jun 4min

Episode 18: May 2026 Headlines (PATREON PREVIEW)

We're back for another Headlines episode for the month of May 2026. As with all Headlines episodes this season, this episode is a subscriber exclusive. You can listen to it in full and catch up on old...

1 Jun 4min

Episode 17: Maine Music Alliance

Welcome back! This month we are joined by Peter McLaughlin and Scott Mohler of the Maine Music Alliance. They explain how local musicians in Portland, Maine successfully stopped Live Nation from openi...

15 Mai 1h 1min

Episode 16: April 2026 Headlines (PATREON PREVIEW)

We’re back with another Headlines episode, and this month it’s our first time spending the whole episode on one story. You probably already know which one it is. For this month we are begrudgingly wad...

1 Mai 4min

Episode 15: Wendy Eisenberg

For today's episode of Critical Listening we are joined by guitarist, songwriter and improviser Wendy Eisenberg to launch a new segment, "Listening Habits." Wendy joined us a few weeks before the rele...

17 Apr 1h 44min