The argument between the music industry and the internet about music’s democratization has existed since the internet’s very first steps. 

On one side is the music industry, which historically owned the means of production and distribution; on the other, creators, startups, and the general public. 

Our guest, Paul Sampson, a crusade for democratizing music veteran, is the Founder and CEO of Lickd, a company that grants access to the world’s biggest music catalog for content creators.

In this episode, Paul shares his experiences and challenges in granting creators access to chart music and talks about the opportunities the music industry needs to be exploiting in the metaverse.  

We also discuss how to turn passion projects into profitable businesses, Paul’s ability to foresee business opportunities, the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1996, Safe Harbor, and more. 

To know more about Paul and Licked, visit:

Lickd: https://lickd.co/

Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sampson-74977bb/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sampsonpaul

Full Episode Breakdown:

1:38 – What is Lickd, and how do they bring music and creators together.

6:49 – With today’s tech, everyone is a production company.

9:09 – Paul talks about YouTube’s Content ID and how the democratization of music on the internet evolved throughout the years. 

12:47 – What are the opportunities for the music industry in the metaverse?

17:44 – The crack in the rock. Paul talks about creators and their dilemma with chart vs. stock music.

21:44 – What makes (or should cause) businesses to pivot? 

26:02 – Paul explains the “Safe Harbor” issue and how legislation changed over the last years regarding music licenses for creators. 

36:25 – Paul talks about his ability to notice trends and why he is so passionate about “preaching” his business.

41:38 – Paul and John talk about when startups are created to be the change their founders want to see in the industry.

45:09 – What is Chorus, and how can it generate profitable opportunities in the metaverse.

50:14 – Audio is often overlooked and is usually the most impactful part of any experience.