This is Industry Insider: a weekly 5-minute brief with key news, interviews, advice, smart picks & follows, built for artists and industry folks alike.
👆 ONE BIG THING
The release playbook is only as good as the information you put into it.
You can run the cleanest pre-save campaign, the tightest Friday drop, and a press release polished to a mirror finish — and still watch it land in silence. Not because the playbook is broken, mind, bur rather because you’re missing a crucial piece of info: who you're trying to reach.
Here's the thing: the standard release playbook isn't the problem. It's the engine. Your audience intel is the fuel. And most artists are pouring water in the tank.
Danny O'Reilly of The Coronas told Gonda on the heartdea13r podcast that the moment things shifted for them was when they stopped running releases on autopilot and started asking different questions before every campaign:
Who is the actual audience for this song?
Where do they already hang out, and how do they discover new music?
What's already gotten a reaction from them?
What channel moves this from our hands to their ears the fastest?
That's the upgrade. Same playbook. Better inputs.
You don’t want your release to die in the algorithm because you went on assumptions. (What’s the saying about making an ass out of you and me…?)
Audience-first releases compound because every campaign show more about who actually shows up, and the next release improves.
So before your next release, sit down and audit what you actually know about the people who responded. Habits? Platforms? Language?
Then every release you’re putting out there is actually landing. It’s actually getting loads of traction and conversion, because it’s speaking to them.
The playbook isn't everything, it’s the vehicle; your audience is the map.
Check out the original conversation here:
Let's get into it.
🗞 INDUSTRY NEWS
Why are ticket prices so out of control these days? That search led me straight to Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and the legal fuckery that’s been making headlines.
SOCAN 2025 Revenue Hits Record $587M
SOCAN announced its 2025 financial results, distributing $512 million in royalties to songwriters, composers and music publishers, reflecting the continued strength and value of music in Canada.
💯 INDUSTRY INTERVIEW
Industry Insider: Lydia Reed Discusses the Music Industry & Artist Development
Founder of LPR Agency, Lydia Reed, joins us for Industry Insider to discuss the music industry, artist development, AI, and more.
🏡 THE V1LLAG3
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Wed Live 90min with Lance + Chris // 7 V13 retainer frameworks // editorial pathway into v13.net (2M+ monthly).
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🎧 INDUSTRY PODCASTS
Catherine Harrison (President & Founder of Revelios) discusses her journey from corporate pharmaceuticals to a focus on mental health, music, and industry research.
Discover exactly what’s missing in your promo strategy and which lever will move the needle the most…
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