The Manager's Playbook

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Bryan Johnson, Spotify’s Head of Artist and Industry Partnerships, International, for a rare inside look at how Spotify is shaping the modern music business.
Bryan breaks down Spotify’s 2025 Loud & Clear report, including the $11B paid to rights holders, the growth of independent artists, the rise of the artist middle class, and why more artists are building real careers through streaming than ever before.
They also get into the questions artists and managers actually care about:
Who really gets paid?
How do Spotify royalties work?
Do playlists still matter?
Is algorithmic discovery more important than editorial?
What does AI mean for artists, songwriters, and rights holders?
This conversation covers streaming royalties, Spotify for Artists, Fresh Finds, global music discovery, AI music, artificial streaming, ticketing, merch, catalog value, and why artist control matters more than ever.
For artists, managers, songwriters, and aspiring music executives, this episode is a clear look at where the music economy is headed and what it takes to actually benefit from it.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
New episodes drop Sundays @ 10am ET

Topics Covered
00:00 Streaming Opens Doors
02:04 Spotify Then vs Now
06:45 Piracy to Streaming
08:06 Global Languages Breaking Through
11:43 Loud & Clear Report
14:34 Who Actually Gets Paid
18:22 Stream Share vs Per-Stream Rate
23:08 Catalog Sales and Valuation
33:44 Fresh Finds Breakouts
43:32 The Artist Middle Class
49:13 AI Music, Spam, and Spotify Policies
55:48 Derivatives and Artist Opt-In
01:09:11 Spotify’s Responsibility to Artists
01:19:22 Getting Dropped by a Label
01:26:43 The Future Music Economy
01:27:44 Editorial vs Algorithmic Discovery
01:31:32 How Spotify Pitching Works
01:43:34 Superfans and Final Thoughts

Listen to more episodes of The Manager’s Playbook for conversations on artist management, music business strategy, streaming, labels, publishing, marketing, and the future of the music industry.

What does the future of artist development actually look like in a democratized music business?
In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why younger artists, managers, and executives are building their own systems, skipping old gatekeepers, and using new tools to break artists faster than previous generations.
He also explains why superstar careers are still possible, why artist development now requires more patience and a longer view, and how the next wave will come from blending old-school taste and development with modern marketing, audience acquisition, and AI-assisted strategy.
This clip is for artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives thinking about artist development, independent music strategy, AI in music, fan growth, audience building, and the future of the music business.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1V06xjz5nGBJO77fYwdH14?si=K1M5F0F9QwK4xxbD-1K-6Q

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

What makes an artist worth backing before the data shows up?
In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why real artist development starts with belief, desire, point of view, and trust; not just streams, looks, or momentum.
He also reflects on the Jessie Reyez story, what major labels often miss because of red tape, why disrespect can cost companies great artists, and how timing, leverage, and real relationships shape careers in the music business.
This clip is for artists, managers, A&Rs, and music executives thinking about artist development, record labels, management, leverage, mentorship, and how great talent gets recognized before the rest of the industry catches up.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1V06xjz5nGBJO77fYwdH14?si=K1M5F0F9QwK4xxbD-1K-6Q

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

AI is already changing the music business, and artists can’t afford to ignore it.
In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why AI is not a passing trend, how the industry may respond the same way it did with streaming, and why artists need to start paying closer attention to rights, royalties, and how their work could be used in the future.
He also gets into why producers are quietly using tools like Suno, how artists can think about AI as a tool instead of a replacement, and why today’s real battle is not just music creation, it’s attention.
This clip is for artists, managers, producers, and music executives trying to understand AI music, artist rights, royalties, record labels, IP, audience behavior, and the future of the music business.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1V06xjz5nGBJO77fYwdH14?si=K1M5F0F9QwK4xxbD-1K-6Q

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Why do artists still sign record deals if they don’t actually need them?
In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down the real value of record labels, why there’s no such thing as a universally “good” or “bad” deal, and what artists need to understand about rights, leverage, and ownership in today’s music business.
He also explains why recouping even a small investment is harder than most people think, what it really costs to build momentum from zero, and how artists can start creating leverage through repertoire, content, strategy, and consistency.
This clip is for independent artists, managers, music executives, and anyone trying to understand record deals, artist development, A&R, leverage, and the real economics of building in music today.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1V06xjz5nGBJO77fYwdH14?si=K1M5F0F9QwK4xxbD-1K-6Q

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook