📈 Welcome 🎶

Hello, Michigan music fans! Welcome to the first edition of the Michigan Music Business Club (MMBC) Newsletter.

Our mission is simple: to foster the next generation of music industry leaders and infuse the University of Michigan community with an unstoppable, spirited music culture.

Whether you’re a rising artist, an aspiring industry professional, or just here for the jams, this newsletter will offer all the exciting updates you need to know about the music scene on campus and beyond.

Check-in monthly for updates on big moves in the industry, concerts, artist spotlights, and upcoming professional opportunities in the business.

Conference Recap

March 23rd, 2024 marked the second annual Michigan Music Business Conference, an event that brought a variety of top-tier music industry professionals to the University of Michigan. Students had the incredible opportunity to learn from and network with a diverse group of influential leaders from all corners of the music world. The day was packed with engaging speaker sessions, activation booths, and coffee chat opportunities, giving attendees plenty of chances to connect. The opportunity to network with executives, resulted in many club members securing competitive internships and entry-level positions directly from their interactions at the conference.

This year, we saw a significant increase in participation, doubling the number of industry professionals who joined us in Ann Arbor, with representatives from United Talent Agency, Universal Music Group, Spotify, and many more. Thanks to our generous donors and sponsors, we raised thousands of dollars, hosted hundreds of attendees, and opened doors to numerous internship opportunities for our members.

Looking ahead, MMBC is committed to building on our past successes and delivering an elevated conference experience in 2025. Immediately after this year’s event wrapped up, the team got back to work. We've been reviewing feedback, identifying areas for improvement, and setting new plans into motion. With all that the club has achieved so far, the future looks bright for MMBC and the Michigan Music Business Conference. Our goal is to turn this event into a well-known industry gathering—a place where students and professionals come together to connect and share knowledge about the business we all love.

Thank you to everyone for your support. Our achievements wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all of you, our speakers and partners, alumni advisors, and the talented individuals that make up MMBC!

Go Blue!

President Spotlights

Jake Friedman

This summer, one of our club presidents, Jake Friedman, is interning at United Talent Agency (UTA), diving deep into various aspects of the entertainment industry. With a main focus on music touring and brand partnerships, Jake is gaining invaluable experience.

Jake has been covering for Aaron Arkin's assistant, giving him a firsthand look at the business side of music brand partnerships. This role has provided him with insights into deal structures, tour routing, and strategies for signing and retaining talent.

Jake's biggest takeaway so far is UTA's commitment to being a full-service agency, dedicated to maximizing its clients' earnings. His summer at UTA showcases his passion for the music industry and his drive to learn and grow in this field.

Zoe Hersh

This summer, Zoe Hersh is working under the Head of Marketing at Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). Her role is multifaceted and covers a variety of key tasks.

Zoe is focused on revitalizing and elevating UMPG’s brand presence. She is actively brainstorming and crafting engaging content for the UMPG social media platforms, ensuring that UMPG maintains a strong digital presence.

Additionally, Zoe is developing strategies to maximize revenue streams for UMPG’s key catalog acquisitions, including iconic artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, and 2Pac. This includes tapping into opportunities such as virtual experiences, long and short-form content, and merchandising to enhance UMPG’s catalog relevance. For example, she is currently working on promotional strategies and content planning for the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic featuring Timothée Chalamet.

Furthermore, Zoe is actively involved in supporting sync efforts to ensure they have the maximum impact and align with UMPG’s overall goals.

Through her work at UMPG, Zoe has gained significant insights into the music publishing world. “To be at a place that supports the creators, but also drives the industry forward by fostering new talent and preserving the value of timeless music is so exciting!”

Spotify Playlist

Our Latest Podcast Episode

Industry News

It’s a BRAT Summer: Charli XCX's Masterclass in Marketing

Everyone and their grandma has heard about "BRAT." The summer album has hit the main stage and probably isn’t going anywhere for a while. Charli XCX has been a regular in the music industry since the early 2010s with releases like “Boom Clap” and “How I’m Feeling Now,” and has held on to her cult fanbase ever since. "BRAT," however, strengthened this cult following while taking new listeners by storm because of one reason — great marketing.

"BRAT" as an idea began in 2022 when Charli created a finsta by the username ‘@360_brat,’ giving fans a deeper look into her personal life, which allowed and encouraged Charli’s cult superfans to interact with her and create a new image in fans’ minds; she also teased new music on her Boiler Room set later that year, a lot of which ended up being new on "BRAT."

The album took the internet by storm in the weeks leading up to and following the release; much of this was due to the cover. The fact that it was so simple caused a lot of controversy and conversation around women in pop music being seen as objects rather than for their music. The simplicity and lo-fi feel to it also rode the wave of meme culture rather than trying to skew it, which worked perfectly for Charli; with the BRAT meme generator, and much of the internet taking on the ‘brat’ green online and through fashion. The internet took the album and made it its own, making "BRAT" a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Is the Music Industry Moving Away from the Spotify Streaming Model?

Audius is a new streaming platform that is attempting to decentralize the music industry. Completely free for both artists and listeners, it’s a platform that almost works like Twitter for music. Artists can post new music for fans to listen to for a price that they choose, and fans can donate to them if desired. For every dollar that an artist receives, they get a token on Audius. The app also uses blockchain technology to keep information about artist payments completely transparent to all parties involved, supporting peer-to-peer sales and community building through the arts by removing all intermediaries involved.

Audius also has a new deal with DistroKid, where one can upload music to Audius through DistroKid. On Audius, artists are also able to create NFTs with their products so that they can create extra income whenever their music is used. Seeming to do a lot with music, Audius is going to be interesting to look at in the future!

Artist Spotlight

A Rising Starr

Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr is true to her name, as she is most definitely a star on the rise. Only twenty-two, Starr is carving a space for herself not only in Afro-pop, but in the greater Afrobeats world while continuing to incorporate other genres such as R&B, pop, reggaeton, and more. Her 2021 singles “Bloody Samaritan” and “Rush” saw decent success on Nigerian charts. “Rush” in particular earned several accolades throughout the year. It peaked at number 24 in the U.K. Charts and became the most streamed solo song by a Nigerian female artist on Spotify, to name a few. Her talent has caught the eye of musical icons such as Rihanna, and the Recording Academy, who nominated her for Best African Music Performance at this year’s Grammys. 

This past May, Starr released her sophomore album “The Year I Turned 21,” which made her the first Nigerian female artist to chart on the Billboard 200. This project is yet another example of how Starr remains unafraid to blend genres and sounds, refusing to stay in one lane because she knows there’s several to explore. From confidence and partying to heartbreak and loss, there’s a song for every mood and moment. Her rich voice can convey whatever feeling the song requires from her, and she does it well. The album also features collaborations with Coco Jones, Givēon, Asake, and more. Starr’s album truly captures the essence of what it means to be on the cusp and then turning twenty-one, and all the emotions that come with it. My personal favorites are “Birds Sing of Money,” “Goodbye (Warm Up),” “Bad Vibes,” and “Orun.”

With important figures and institutions in the world of music recognizing Starr’s talent so early on, and the versatility she has already displayed within her discography, it’s safe to say that she’s here to stay. 

Events

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is an electric dance music festival that took place from July 19-28, spanning over two weekends in Belgium. This festival began in 2005 and consistently brings some of the top electronic music talent. This year, they hosted over 800 artists, some notable performers included David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, Armin van Buuren, Amelie Lens, Bonobo B2B Dixon, and ACRAZE. This year, Tomorrowland was centered around the theme of “Life”, which brought attendees to a vibrant environment and a world of lush nature.

ESSENCE Music Festival

ESSENCE Fest took place in New Orleans from July 4-7. Beginning in 1995, it has come to be known as a “party with a purpose” as it celebrates African American music, history, and culture. This year, the ESSENCE Fest’s theme was “Loving on Us” and some of its headliners included Janet Jackson, Usher, Lil’ Wayne, Charlie Wilson, Victoria Monét, Birman, and T-Pain. In addition to the musical performances, attendees had the opportunity to listen to speeches from esteemed guests, partake in panel discussions, and experience other activities throughout the weekend. 

Summerfest

Summerfest took place through the end of June and continued into early July for the weekend of July 4-6. This festival was in Milwaukee, right next to Lake Michigan, and is known for being a large festival that hosts artists from various genres. Some artists who performed at Summerfest this year included SZA, Kane Brown, Kieth Urban, FLETCHER, Mariah The Scientist, Lil Yachty, Maroon 5, and Lil Uzi Vert. In addition to hundreds of performances, attendees also had the opportunity to shop and dine at one of the largest musical festivals in the world. 

Touring Artists:

In addition to a wide array of music festivals, July was filled with many different concerts. Some notable artists on tour this month included Future & Metro Boomin, Blink 182, Metallica, Chris Stapleton, and Chris Brown. 

As July comes to a close, keep an eye out for more music events to come next month!

Thank you for reading the first edition of the MMBC Newsletter!

Catch the latest updates and news in the MMBC Newsletter, coming to you every month. Stay tuned!

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