Welcome back to the MMBC Newsletter!

October kept the momentum going for MMBC, through a standout intimate concert by The Kilans, official promotion for Laundry Day’s Ann Arbor show, and an unforgettable LA Trek. Here’s how the month unfolded for MMBC and the music world.

Go Blue!

October kept the momentum going, with two incredible shows and a trip out west that truly captured the spirit of the MMBC. We kicked things off with an intimate yet electric performance by The Kilans, opened by local band Juniper, featuring our very own Nate Edinburg and Sam Blumberg. Later in the month, Laundry Day took over The Blind Pig, matching that same energy and closing out October for MMBC. 

Behind the scenes, our team handled the marketing for both performances, from promotion strategies and social coverage to on-site engagement. One highlight was our pop-up initiative for Laundry Day, “Air Out Your Dirty Laundry,” which allowed students to anonymously drop their secrets and confessions into a box for a chance to win a free ticket. 

Here are some of the most notable drops from this past month — albums you definitely don’t want to miss:

Digital Marketing Internship @ Stent Music Group

📍LA, London

A&R Director @ Maison Arts

📍LA

Executive Assistant @ Cactus Jack

📍LA

Assistant, Tour Marketing @ Independent Artist Group

📍LA

An exclusive interview with Ann Arbor band, Grenadine

Before Sage and friends became Grenadine, the band had to leverage their differences. The members have unique clothing styles, and performing their first house concert called for some uniformity. Nick, the band's bassist, suggested red because it was the favorite color of Sage, the band’s lead singer. They realized red was easy to brand on social media, and Grenadine was about as catchy as Sage’s signature red flowy dresses on stage.

Uniting around a color, the band bonds over diverse music tastes. You can expect to hear pop, soul, and funk music with sprinkles of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Amy Winehouse during their performances. However, they often sacrifice their personal preferences, as “playing music people want to dance to” is their main mission. A successful one too, warranting over 500,000 views on TikTok after their first house concert, featuring a song they hadn’t even rehearsed—a spur-of-the-moment student request.  

But social media virality wasn’t the band’s only unexpected success. As the friends were jamming casually in the backyard, without a guitarist, they were spontaneously asked if they needed one. “The members gelled really quickly,” and now Connor, the band’s lead guitarist, “shreds like no one’s business.” Obviously, it’s some strong gel the band’s secured, because they can “point to anyone and be like, play now over this, and you don’t have to explain anything.” When performing with other musicians, they’re always reminded of how lucky they are to be “working with people of such a high caliber at this school.” 

However, their band chemistry doesn’t thrive solely because of luck and talent. “Sage is a legend at texting people and sending emails,” say her bandmates. She leveraged the viral video, constantly reminding herself that “the worst thing someone can say is no.” This motto, unleashing the band’s success, has transformed fraternity performances into rehearsals for wedding venues, graduations, and debuts at other colleges. 

Coordinating last minute gigs and travel plans proves the band’s dedication, because every member is balancing extracurriculars. Jamie, the band's saxophonist, is also pursuing a solo career as an artist and is a member of MMBC. He elaborates on how “at our conferences, there are stakes for you, and you have to present yourself in the way you want to.” He’s grateful for the club allowing him to get a “peek into what the industry is like and putting yourself out there while also having the safety net of the club members.”  

Similarly, the band challenges each other’s sound because they trust each other to let everyone shine. Whether they are playing for kids who’ve never seen an instrument before or creating Zach Bryan John Meyer mashups to support the first Big House concert, they are focused on bringing people together and making college “what they always thought it would be like.” Perhaps even redder, or Grenadine.

After months of legal tension, Universal Music Group and AI music startup Udio have reached a settlement that flips their feud into a partnership. Earlier this year, Udio faced a lawsuit from UMG for alleged copyright infringement after its users generated songs mimicking artists under the label’s roster. Now, in a surprising pivot, the two companies are teaming up to launch a licensed AI music platform slated for 2026.

The deal will allow users to create AI-generated music using UMG’s catalog within a “walled garden”, meaning all content is cleared, traceable, and monetized. Artists and songwriters will receive compensation through a licensing framework, while the platform will include safeguards like audio fingerprinting and usage filtering to prevent unlicensed cloning.

The move has sparked varied reactions across the industry. Some applaud UMG for embracing innovation rather than fighting it, seeing it as a blueprint for how labels can work with generative tech rather than against it. Others worry about the long-term implications for creative control and consent, as AI models continue to learn from artist data. Still, this marks a turning point: the world’s biggest record company just co-signed AI music, and there’s no going back.

Donations to the Michigan Music Business Club are always welcome and greatly appreciated.

All monetary gifts fund our wide range of events, including concerts, speakers, and other professional and creative development events.

MMBC has brought an accomplished lineup of musicians, agents, producers, publicists, lawyers, and composers to speak and perform for the club and the greater Michigan community. To pay the generosity of others forward, many of our events have raised money for charity and local Ann Arbor businesses. Regardless of the amount, all donations help our organization bring authentic and memorable experiences to fans and aspiring industry professionals here at the University of Michigan.