We continue our History of Music Production series with the history of microphones. Then we take a look at some prominent hip hop music college programs, and discuss what the state of hip hop in higher education says about the times we live in (also, Cameron reveals some more of his lore). In news, we discuss Casey Wasserman selling his namesake agency, Spotify's next "AI Derivatives" move, UMG's acquisition of Downtown, and finally finally(!) get some clarity on what Sony's AI strategy is.

Our Take It Or Leave It advice is all about microphone technique.

• The first human voice recorded
• World's oldest recordings
• Princeton Launches Spring 2026 Course Centering Women as Architects of Hip-Hop by The Source
• Casey Wasserman to Sell Talent Agency Amid Fallout Over Epstein Files (Report) by Mandy Dalugdug for Music Business Worldwide
• Spotify eyes AI ‘derivatives’ as new revenue stream for artists – says its tech to let fans make remixes and covers is ready by Murray Stassen for Music Business Worldwide
• UMG's Downtown Acquisition Approved by EU Competition Regulator by James Hanley for Music Business Worldwide
• Sony Group Launches New Tech to Track Copyrighted Material in AI-Generated Music by Harry Levin for New Industry Focus

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

We kick off our "History of Music Production" series with The History of Mixing and Mastering: what is mixing, how does it differ from mastering? Then, Casey Wasserman, founder and CEO of Wasserman agency, who represents a huge swath of the music industry, is in the Epstein files, and his clients and employees are speaking out. Udio and Suno have differing visions for the future of AI music. Finally, Cameron leaves you with some sage advice about how to fix your most common mix issues.

• Bethany Cosentino Calls on Wasserman CEO to Step Down Over Epstein Emails by Hattie Lindert for Pitchfork
• Wednesday leaves Wasserman over CEO’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein
• Music Agents Give Casey Wasserman Ultimatum: Leave Over Epstein Ties or They Will by Sharon Waxman for The Wrap
• Universal and Suno are in a PR battle over ‘walled gardens’ in AI music
  by Murray Stassen for Music Business Worldwide
• ElevenLabs, Creator of SUNO Rival Eleven Music, Raises $500M at $11BN Valuation by Music Business Worldwide

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

Plus, how can you keep your venue safe from ICE? We have a checklist that will help you prepare. Also, Spotify and the major labels are suing activist and archive group Anna's Archive for 13 trillion dollars (that's "trillion" with a "T"). Then, which musicians are in the Epstein files so far? Finally, this week's Take It Or Leave It advice helps your songs get more radio play.

• Women Won Big at the Grammy Awards and Used Their Platform for Good by @amplifyhervoice
• Bon Iver Talks about the Whistle on His Jacket" by @rollingstone
• "You give America color" by @revolt
• This is what Using Your Platform for Good Looks Like... by @naacp
• The Queer Artists Who Won At the 2026 Grammys by @soundfynd
• Preparing for Immigration Enforcement: Keeping Music and Performing Arts Venues, Staff, Artists, and Audiences Safe by Tamizdat
• Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas by Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• Spotify, Major Labels Sue Anna’s Archive for $13 Trillion by Rod Yates for New Industry Focus
• Jay-Z, Harvey Weinstein and Pusha T mentioned in latest batch of Epstein files released to public by Poppy Burton NME

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

It's a new year and many of us are thinking about how to plan out our music drops. How should you plan your year? And what about your music video strategy? We look at how music videos remain relevant—and how they don't.

Next, a major shift has taken place in the social media landscape with the transfer of TikTok to its new (rightwing billionaire) American owners. What does this mean for the future of the platform, and your fans out there who rely on it to connect with you?

Scott LeGere is a major name in the Minnesota music industry, and his recent blog post about the future of music education in light of ICE raids gives us a lot to unpack— from the decision on where to begin your music career, to whether or not music even matters in the face of growing authoritarianism.

In news, we look at a new deal between Udio and Merlin, and then yet another Ye apology. Gee, guys, do you think he means it this time?

• The Best and Worst Months to Release Music in 2026 by Randi Zimmerman for Symphonic
• Do music videos still matter in 2026? by IG @shesaid.so
• Are New Owners Censoring TikTok? Top Democrats, Influencers, Celebrities Raising Concerns by Conor Murray for Forbes
• TikTok users freak out over app’s ‘immigration status’ collection — here’s what it means by Sarah Perez for TechCrunch
• Can My Minnesota Classrooms Still be About Opportunity?
  By Scott LeGere on his Substack
• Udio Signs New AI Licensing Agreement with Merlin by Harry Levin for New Industry Focus
• To Those I've Hurt By Ye Formerly known as Kanye West

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

Bandcamp recently announced, "music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp." But what does that mean, and how will they enforce it? We dive in. In good news, we share a fundraising effort by Fender and Habitat for Humanity to raise money for housing in LA by auctioning custom guitars made from trees affected by last year's fires. Then we discuss a new global initiative by Universal Music Group to empower music education. Is it a good thing, or just another corporate cashgrab?

Stay to the end for this week's Take It Or Leave It advice, which has to do with doomscrolling.

• Keeping Bandcamp Human
• AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage
  by Cory Doctorow for The Guardian
• Fender Is Turning Fire-Damaged Trees Into Custom Guitars To Help Rebuild Altadena After The Eaton Fire – Here’s How by Sarah Nash for Secret Los Angeles
• GiveButter - Altadena Telecaster
• Universal Music Group Launches 'Sound generation' Education Pilot in the UK
  by Rafaela Fornitani for Music Business Worldwide

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

We have roots in Minneapolis, and felt we couldn't have just a regular episode given the murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis at the hands of ICE agents. What can musicians do in times like this? We read Renee Good's wife's statement in its entirety, as a way of honoring her memory and life's work. Next: Spotify has said they're no longer running ICE ads but it's not because of a moral stance. We talk about how independent journalism is a form of resistance, and what lessons we can learn as musicians from the fracturing news media landscape—and what they could learn from us. In news, we look at one company (Bose) making some pro-consumer moves, discuss Elon's lawsuit against music publishers (how much money is enough for this guy?), and finally look at a class action lawsuit claiming that Ticketmaster is surveilling its customers illegally. This week's Take It Or Leave It advice has to do with how to set up your vocal chain when recording.

Note, we recorded this episode January 12, 2025 and the situation is rapidly unfolding in Minneapolis.

• Becca Good, Wife of Renee, Releases Statement: "We Had Whistles. They Had Guns" by Samantha Riedel for Them
• Spotify won’t say it’s done with ICE by Casey Epstein-Gross for Paste
• How independent journalism is a form of resistance: ‘I’m not answering to anyone’ by Mallory Carra for The Guardian
• Bose is open-sourcing its old smart speakers instead of bricking them by Stevie Bonifield for The Verge
• Elon Musk's X sues music publishers, alleges industry 'collusion'
  by Tim Ingham for Music Business Worldwide
• Ticketmaster faces lawsuit over allged website tracking and 'surveillance' tools by Mandy Dalugdug for Music Business Worldwide

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

We're back for 2026 with a look at the Grammy's. Are they still relevant? What's it take to get nominated? Is being part of the Grammy's something indie artists should aspire to? Next we look at how rap is embracing the visual art world. YouTube is set to stop reporting to Billboard because of a disagreement between the two organizations about how free streams should be counted. Finally, Spotify has been hacked! Who did it, what did they steal, and how can you get in on it?

Plus we're adding a brand new weekly segment called "Take It Or Leave It" where we drop some quick knowledge for you to take or leave as you please. Stick around to the end to hear it!

• The Data Behind The 2026 GRAMMY Awards by New Industry Focus
• 2026 GRAMMYS Nominations: Record Of The Year Nominees
• 21 Savage & Slawn
• Kid Cudi Reinvents Himself as Scotty Ramon, a Visual Artist
• A$AP Ferg Painted His Album Covers
• Art is Back on Album Covers in 2025
• YouTube removed from Billboard charts by Resident Advisor
• Pirate Activist Group Spotify Hack By Mitchell Peters for Billboard

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/

Kids, mom and dad love you very much, but things got a little hectic this holiday season, so we just got you something small... a Christmas mini-episode! We talk about holiday music strategy, trends in Christmas music—including why it starts so early now—and how and why musicians choose to do so many Christmas songs. It may be a little late for this year, but we'll set you up to succeed for next year.

• OPINION: Modern Christmas music doesn’t hold up by Ashley Ragone for The Signal
• Is Christmas Starting Earlier and Earlier for the Music Industry? by Ashley King for Digital Music News

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Recorded live at Secret Spot DTLA http://secretspotdtla.com

Cameron Ljungkull https://www.cameronljungkull.com

Augustus Watkins https://augustuswatkins.com

Cocaine Opera - Music PR https://cocaineopera.com/