Sublime

Ampled is a Patreon-like subscription service for musicians structured as a co-op. As a co-op, Ampled is completely owned and controlled by the musicians who use it and the workers who built it. Ampled is initially funded through debt instruments that give investors zero equity and that cap financial returns at 3x their investment

The Times, Peretti allowed, has since refined a very good subscription business model, which has allowed it to make better journalism by hiring more and better talent. This is not a controversial opinion. But the next part may be: The New York Times, Peretti argued, can’t really be called “the paper of record” anymore — because of that same subscri... See more

This is reflective of a broader trend—artists want direct ownership over the relationship with their fans, and to be compensated based on how these fans interact with their music. Case in point: SoundCloud’s recent foray into ‘fan-centric’ payouts, Deezer’s continued experimentation with user-centric payout models, and the ongoing parliamentary inq... See more

Twentieth century labels are focused on selling products and maximizing financial returns. A metalabel exists to promote ideas and encourage new ways of seeing according to the values of the label itself. Twentieth century labels are focused on owning a creator's intellectual property and exploiting it financially until the end of time. A metalabel... See more

In July 2014 Taylor Swift wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal entitled, For Taylor Swift, the Future of Music Is a Love Story:There are many (many) people who predict the downfall of music sales and the irrelevancy of the album as an economic entity. I am not one of them. In my opinion, the value of an album is, and will continue to be, b... See more

The media’s status quo is accelerating towards disruption. We’re seeing the development of new media brands (micro-labels) on platforms and services, the prioritization of talent as a core business pillar by media companies and the shifting business models moving from content direct to creator direct.

Rogers was one of the first pop stars to achieve fame by unintentionally captivating the Internet, and, strangely, she was also one of the last. These days, virality is not so much a lightning strike as a marketing scheme, reverse engineered by executives and masquerading as serendipity. A. & R. representatives often scout new talent by dissect... See more

Today we associate the label form with major record labels and their legacy of rent-seeking, corporate sterilization, and shady accounting. But projects like the Wide Awakes are distinct from the 20th century labels we’re used to.

While 20th century labels exist to maximize profits, a project like the Wide Awakes exists to promote ideas.

While 20th c... See more