Your Monday Music Briefing

Weekly industry news for self-label artists who choose ownership

Welcome to Your Monday Music Briefing - what caught my attention last week that felt important for self-label artists to know.

iHeartRadio Bans AI-Generated Music

iHeartRadio banned AI-generated content while experts warn the industry is in “wild west” territory without regulation. Should artists now lean into “human-made” as marketing - like Rosalía promoting her album LUX as “a human album”? Will an entirely human-made album eventually be a power flex?

Deezer Study: 97% of Listeners Can't Distinguish AI from Human Music

Deezer’s study shows 97% of listeners can’t distinguish AI from human music, while the platform receives 50,000+ AI tracks daily (34% of uploads) - a 400% surge since January. If listeners can’t hear the difference and machines can outpace any release schedule, is it time to double down on sharing your process, story, and the human behind the music - the things AI can’t replicate?

Why Catalog Music Is Dominating Streaming

Catalog music now dominates streaming because listeners favor passive listening (background music) and algorithms reward years of accumulated streams, giving new artists shorter visibility windows. Self-label artists are competing against the entire recorded history of music without the major label marketing budget to force early traction. But here’s what catalog can’t do: show up in real-time, share process, and build community directly. That’s your advantage.

Suno (AI Music Generator) Acquires Songkick

Why would an AI music generator buy a concert listing service? More data. Suno now has access to the “entire fan journey” via Songkick- what music people create, which artists inspire them, and which shows they attend. If AI companies are moving into the superfan space, your direct fan relationships just became your most valuable asset. How are you building those connections, and how can you create more value from them?

If You Missed It:

• In a World of AI Copies, Your Artistic Core Is Everything

• A clear breakdown of what you’re owed , and how to actually collect it

On X:

One thing to carry with you this week:

“Don’t wait for someone to discover you. Discover yourself.” — Dolly Parton