Critical Listening

Hey all, we're back with another headlines episode.

This month we start by digging into UMG CEO Lucian Grainge's recent appearance on stage at a NVIDIA-hosted conference described as the "Super Bowl of AI," where he was discussing his company's partnership with the AI-enabling tech giant. What does this say about different ways major labels are embracing AI beyond the headline-grabbing licensing deals for gen-AI content? We unpack the ways labels seem to be embracing so-called tech solutions to continue recycling their mountains of IP, look at some of Grainge's most outrageous quotes from the story, and try to figure out whether or not we are truly at the end of music history.

For the second headline, we are covering the 2026 installment of "Loud and Clear," Spotify's annual crisis PR campaign disguised as a music economics "transparency" report. In particular, we're looking at Spotify's claim that a new "class" of artists generating $100,000 annually is emerging from its platform, and what context is needed to understand the true lack of meaning in these stats.

As you may have noticed, this is our first headlines episode that is Patreon exclusive. For now these headlines episodes will be available only to subscribers, while our interview episodes will remain free and publicly available. We also have a couple of reported features and a new artist interview series in the works, so if you've been considering a subscription this would be a great time to throw us five bucks a month. Sign up at patreon.com/criticallistening to access the full episode, thank you!

Welcome back to another episode of Critical Listening. For this month’s Headlines, we’re joined by Hearing Things co-founder and longtime music critic Jill Mapes to discuss her recent piece “The Wasserman Exodus is A Different Kind of Reckoning” about the artists protesting music exec Casey Wasserman’s appearance in the Epstein files. Before that we’re also talking about Spotify’s recent 2025 Q4 earnings call, where it presented a financial update to shareholders, and what it says about the company’s most recent positions on generative AI and the visions of its new leadership. Or, as we’re calling it: “Liz reads the transcript of the Spotify earnings call so you don’t have to.”

Thanks for listening! Remember to support the show by subscribing to the Patreon If you are enjoying these Headlines episodes please tell a friend about the show or leave a review on your podcast app. This episode will be made available on all public platforms besides you-know-where next week.

Music for this episode includes two pieces by the late great Éliane Radigue: "Occam Delta XV" and "Jetsun Mila".

WE’RE BACK. Today we start the year with a dispatch from what some may call the front lines: a bunch of AI-related panels at a European music biz trade conference. It’s also our first episode recorded in person!

We are starting our new season with two episodes recorded in the city of Groningen in the Netherlands, where we were invited to participate on some panels and to host a live taping of the show at the annual conference and festival ESNS. That live taping—an interview with Dutch investigative culture reporter Henk Willem Smits—will drop later in the month. But before then, we have another conversation we recorded while we were in Groningen, reflecting on some panels we saw as well as ones we participated in. 

Did Max survive his first music industry conference? Did Liz learn anything being on a panel alongside someone from a certain French DSP that has been labeling AI tracks? Why did we choose to attend something called “Automate or Die Trying” when we could have done literally anything else? And why are there never any musicians at these things? All this and more on Episode 11 of Critical Listening.

Support the show for access to bonus episodes and our Discord at patreon.com/criticallistening.

As 2025 comes to a close, so does the first season of Critical Listening. And with us to send off the year, we have none other than the internet's busiest music nerd himself: Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop. We discuss how public perception of streaming culture discourse has shifted this past year, his efforts to offer a critical perspective on the music industry in his videos, the state of on-screen music journalism in 2025, and more.

We also dive into Anthony's background as a music journalist, the influence of public radio on his work, what media integrity means for video-first critics, and his general thoughts on music media after over 15 years of running a successful online platform. We had a lot of fun chatting with Anthony and we hope you will enjoy this culmination of Season 1. Thanks to all who pledged their monthly support to make this first season of Critical Listening happen, we can't wait to show you what we have in store for 2026. If you haven't yet please subscribe to the Patreon atpatreon.com/criticallistening. See you all in the New Year!

The tracklist for this episode includes some of our shared fav releases from the past year. Support these artists by buying their music:

Keiyaa - Take It

Purelink - Rookie ft. Loraine James

Chat Pile / Hayden Pedigo - Never Say Die

Deerhoof - Immigrant Songs

We are back for our penultimate episode of Season 1 of Critical Listening! Recorded on November 13th at the coveted Stood at Purchase College, we're discussing the latest developments in the Spotify deal to create "artist first" generative AI tools in partnership with major labels and distributors. We also review the platform's continued growth as it rounds out its second full year of profitability and what that means for both artists and users alike.

We have just uploaded the second part of this episode for Patrons only where we take questions directly from the students of Purchase College themselves, sign up now at patreon.com/criticallistening to catch up on the full season and bonus episodes before our season finale at the end of the year!

Do you want the Critical Listening team to do a live taping at your college, music venue, conference, record store, or general hang in 2026? Shoot us an email at [email protected] and let's chat!