UNLIMITED SUPPLY with Digital Music News Is this really still a thing? Measured, managed, and exposed to disruption?
Mar 16, 2026
A rapid-fire music business briefing covering the Pandora vs. mechanical royalties legal fight. Discussion of indie recognition through A2IM certifications and measurement. Review of MIDiA’s recorded-music growth numbers and streaming’s exposure to disruption. Exploration of AI and live-music parallels from a Water & Music report. A look ahead to SXSW and major industry earnings and reports.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Pandora Versus The MLC Is Still Unresolved
- Pandora and The Mechanical Licensing Collective are still litigating whether Pandora owes mechanical royalties or only performance fees for interactive-like radio.
- Lars Murray notes this dispute traces back to the 1996 Telecom Act and Pandora's careful navigation of interactive vs non-interactive rights, which hindered its innovation and market lead.
Moving Plaques Led To A2IM Certification Context
- Lars Murray shared a personal anecdote about moving gold and platinum plaques while dealing with frozen pipe damage.
- He reflects that he only received plaques halfway through his label career because indie labels rarely met RIAA thresholds, prompting A2IM to create its own certifications.
A2IM Certifications Fill An Indie Recognition Gap
- A2IM created an indie certification system because indie sales thresholds differ from RIAA standards but are nonetheless meaningful and often more profitable.
- Chris Eggertson at Billboard explains the system fills a recognition gap for independent artists and labels.