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Music Industry


HOT TAKE: The Real Reason Bands Skip Your City - Why You Were Left Off the Tour Poster
A Spotify chart decided you didn't want this show. It doesn't know you'd drive two hours for the tour.

SoundCheck Team
Jun 30


Producer Highlight: Benny Blanco - Radio Hits & Big Collaborators
Benny Blanco is tied to big names in music and major record breaking songs but how did he become one of the most popular producers? Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Benny Blanco at the pre-Grammy show via Gilbert Flores for Getty Images Influenced by Cassette Tapes It happens often that incredibly successful musicians were introduced to music at an early age, for Benny it was as early as 6 years old by cassette tapes that contained music by Nas and All-4-One. Benny Blanc

Monica Soriano
Jun 4


The Era of the Multi-Hyphenate Musician
Photography by Ivan S. Why artists are being asked to be everything, everywhere, all at once — and why smaller artists need us now more than ever. Article Contributed by LJ Portnoy, Editor-in-Chief Visibility Has Become Survival Somewhere between soundcheck and stage time, musicians became full-time content creators. Before the show even starts, the work has already begun. Artists are filming TikToks backstage, posting setlist teasers, editing recap videos in the green room,

LJ Portnoy
May 29


Songwriter Spotlight: Autumn Rowe - Advocating for Writers Rights & Expertise Beyond Songwriting
She’s the songwriter behind Grammy Award winning songs and a voice within this industry striving for real change. Autumn Rowe posing in press photo via Spirit Music Group Article Contributed by Monica Soriano It is always admirable to see artists, songwriters or producers spread their knowledge and guide the new generation. Autumn Rowe is a bright example of not only expanding one’s skills but using every bit of knowledge to move everyone forward and advocate for a better tom

Monica Soriano
May 27


Seafret - Underground Radar: The Billion-Stream Permission Slip
When Atlantis crossed a billion streams on TikTok, Seafret didn't rush. Fear of Emotion is what happens when a band finally gets to make a record on their own terms.

LJ Portnoy
May 18


Jai’Len Josey Shares Her Feelings and Her Process for Creating Her Debut Album ‘Serial Romantic’
Jai’Len gives us a glimpse into her musical influences, her growth and details about how ‘Serial Romantic’ came to be. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Since the release of her last project ‘Southern Delicacy’ in 2023, many fans were anticipating Jai’Len’s return. Now, years later, she is back with a fully conceptualized debut album. Recently, Jai’Len Josey shared some of her thoughts and experiences with us in regards to ‘Serial Romantic’ and her musical growth. Photo C

Monica Soriano
May 3


Hannah Montana’s Impact: Music, Miley’s Journey and Fan Nostalgia
Disney Channel viewers were impacted by the show, the music, and Miley’s career; to this day, Hannah Montana remains embedded in pop culture.
There was a time in which kids and teens everywhere were begging for a blonde wig with bangs and a microphone. They needed to be the most famous pop star with a secret normal life - Hannah Montana. 20 years later, the impact of the series is celebrated.

Monica Soriano
Apr 22


I Swear to God, He Survived: Lewis Capaldi at Liacouras Center
Going to a Lewis Capaldi show comes with one explicit warning: Expect to cry. Expect to laugh. And expect to try not to pee yourself, because apparently he was attempting the same after drinking enough fluid to keep a fading voice alive through a full arena set. Lewis Capaldi performing at Liacouras Center at Temple University in Philadelphia PA. Photo by Rebecca McDevitt (IG: @ rebeccajeanlimitedphotography ) Philadelphia got Lewis Capaldi in full comeback mode. After stepp

Rebecca McDevitt
Apr 16


The Grammy Nominated Producer, Dijon: Producer Highlight
In an industry where producers often remain behind the curtain, Dijon has managed to build a name that resonates both within the studio and beyond it. As a producer and songwriter, he has worked with major artists such as Justin Bieber, Charli XCX, and Matt Champion, contributing to projects that have shaped the contemporary pop and R&B landscape.

Monica Soriano
Apr 16


Nickelodeon Artists That Outperformed Expectations: Grammys, Fan Favorites and More! (Part 2)
Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Nickelodeon made many people laugh through its quirky series, cartoons and movies. There are various familiar faces in mainstream media within music that were able to reach unexpected (or expected) success after their time with the network. Some cultivated strong fan bases and have established their names among the biggest artists. While most of the cast in Victorious have gone on to gain a large amount of popularity and varying success w

Monica Soriano
Mar 31


Songwriter Spotlight: Edgar Barrera - The Writer Whose Hits Reach Beyond Borders
Edgar Barrera is the bilingual songwriter and producer behind some of the biggest spanish songs, english pop songs and career launching singles. Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Photo from https://edgarbarrera.com/ Young Edgar Barrera - His English and Spanish Inspirations Edgar Barrera has traveled internationally working with the biggest stars in the world. He has written a large number of popular Spanish language songs within the last 10 years in varying genres. But w

Monica Soriano
Mar 25


Disney Acts That Escaped The Mouse (Part 2) - Some of the Biggest Artists to Reach Success After Disney
Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and The Jonas Brothers have become names that circle the media often. Sometimes it is due to Olivia and Sabrina’s success internationally as beloved pop girls and other times it is The Jonas Brothers’ continuous release of projects while tapping into infectious nostalgia. Disney Channel was a starting point for these artists but what came after was entirely up to them. Olivia Rodrigo’s Penmanship & Huge D

Monica Soriano
Mar 24


Songwriter Spotlight - EJAE: Her Voice Reaches The World
After the release of KPop Demon Hunters, Ejae became internationally known as a songwriter and singer but there are many years of hard work and dedication behind her success. Photo by Michelle Watt Article Contributed by Monica Soriano Step One: Training These days Ejae is seen walking red carpets and attending talk shows, a completely different life than she had even a year ago. For those who are unaware of her journey, it may seem as though she propelled to stardom overnigh

Monica Soriano
Mar 10


HOT TAKE: Nostalgia Isn’t the Problem, Staying There Is
Article Contributed by Rebecca McDevitt Let’s say the quiet part out loud. The reason so many artists are living off nostalgia instead of putting out new music isn’t just an industry problem. Fans play a role too. Across the industry, nostalgia has become the safest option. Anniversary tours sell out instantly. Full album playthroughs move merch. Entire festivals are built around who we listened to in high school. It works because nostalgia is powerful and comforting, especia

Rebecca McDevitt
Mar 6


The Almost Number Ones: The Songs That Almost Got There, But Didn't
Songs that were almost Number 1 on the charts but couldn’t get there…..why? The list of songs that could've gone number one but didn’t could be endless, but here are a few songs that were so close to being number one that they peaked at number one. They each have a reason as to why they didn’t reach the top spot.

Monica Soriano
Feb 21


Hot Take: Why Buying a Concert T-Shirt Feels Like a Moral Test Now
There used to be a time when buying merch felt simple. You grabbed a tour tee, wore it like a badge of honor, and let it mean exactly what it was supposed to mean: I was there. It was about fandom and a souvenir rolled into one, no second thoughts required.
Now, merch comes with baggage.
Hot Take: Merch has become the backbone of an artist’s paycheck, and as that pressure has grown, so have the prices. Artists make slivers of what they once did through streaming platfor

LJ Portnoy
Feb 8


This Year’s Grammys Worked: What They Got Right
For years, the Grammys struggled to hold attention beyond highlight clips and post-show discourse. Performances blurred together, categories felt preordained, and the experience increasingly asked audiences to endure rather than engage.
This year’s Grammy Awards marked a noticeable shift. Not through spectacle alone, but through sustained intention. The show operated less like a checklist of obligations and more like a curated conversation about where music is right now an

LJ Portnoy
Feb 3


Why MySpace-Era Music Still Hits Today
If you had a MySpace back in the day, you already know the feeling. One click and suddenly a song was blasting through your speakers before the page even finished loading.
That was how music entered your life back then. Loud. Immediate. Slightly chaotic.
You’d land on someone’s profile and just sit there listening. Maybe scrolling. Maybe clicking through their friends. Maybe doing absolutely nothing except letting the song loop again and again while it slowly rewires your

Rebecca McDevitt
Jan 20


Songwriter Spotlight - Savan Kotecha: Raising Generations Through Music
From One Direction’s career launch to Ariana Grande’s mainstream singles, Savan is responsible for many fan-favorite pop hits within the past two decades.

Monica Soriano
Jan 19


The Hits That Never Reached #1 (But Everyone Thinks They Did)
The reasoning behind some of the greatest songs in history never made it to the top spot on the charts.
Just imagine, hearing the same songs everywhere you go - at a bar, a mall, a grocery store, or the radio, and thinking that there is no way it didn’t hit the number one spot on the charts. The reality is that some of the songs that marked our middle school, high school, or college experiences didn’t even come close to that coveted spot.

Monica Soriano
Jan 17
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