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The Unstarving Musician

The Unstarving Musician

By: Robonzo (Roberto R Hernandez)
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About this listen

 The Unstarving Musician features weekly interviews with independent musicians, songwriters, producers, and music industry professionals who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, marketing, the business of music, and more. This is all intended to help independent DIY music artists better understand the marketing, business and creative processes that help us create sustainable and profitable music careers.© Copyright 2018-2024 • Unstarving Musician Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales Music
Episodes
  • 341 Gratitude, Growth, and What I'm Learning (Holiday Edition)

    341 Gratitude, Growth, and What I'm Learning (Holiday Edition)
    Dec 19 2025

    Every year, I write up a gratitude list. This year, the list came easily - but it's mixed with what I'm learning, because growth and gratitude feel connected right now.

    In this holiday edition, I share what I'm grateful for in 2025: 31 years of marriage, the Unstarving Musician community, my health, and the accidental connections that turned into real relationships. But I also talk about the harder questions I'm sitting with about work, stress management, and what "making it" actually means.

    If you're dealing with the tension between strategic thinking and creative joy, wondering if you should quit your day job, or trying to define success on your own terms rather than social media's terms - this episode is for you.

    Topics Covered:

    • Why day jobs might be the smartest path for most musicians
    • The cost of strategic thinking (and when it becomes exhausting)
    • Redefining "making it" - still creating in 5 years, not burned out, not broke
    • The question of celebrating versus numbing stress
    • What the "mystery of the quotient" means for finding your tribe
    • Health, sustainability, and the choices that compound over time
    • How loss clarifies gratitude

    This is the last episode of 2025. The next episode drops on January 2nd of the new year. Happy holidays, and thank you for being part of this community!

    Show notes at UnstarvingMusician.com

    Support the Unstarving Musician

    The Unstarving Musician exists solely through the generosity of its listeners, readers, and viewers.

    Learn how you can offer your support at UnstarvingMusician.com/CrowdSponsor

    This episode was brought to you by Podcast Startup.

    Ready to launch your podcast or take it to the next level? Podcast Startup gives you the frameworks, systems, and insider knowledge to build a show that actually grows your audience and serves your goals.

    Whether you're just getting started or looking to improve your existing podcast, you'll get actionable strategies on equipment selection, content planning, audience building, and sustainable production workflows—without the overwhelm.

    Learn more at UnstarvingMusician.com/PodcastStartup. Join podcasters who are building shows that last.

    Resources

    The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs, by Robonzo

    Dreamhost – See the latest deals from Dreamhost, save money and support the UM in the process.

    More Resources for musicians

    Pardon the Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I make a small commission, at no extra charge to you, if you purchase using those links. Thanks for your support!

    Stay in touch!

    @RobonzoDrummer on Instagram

    @UnstarvingMusician on Facebook and YouTube

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    20 mins
  • 340 How to Conduct a Personal Royalty Audit and Recover Missing Money

    340 How to Conduct a Personal Royalty Audit and Recover Missing Money
    Dec 5 2025

    Most independent artists have thousands of dollars in unclaimed royalties sitting in four separate collection systems—and a four-year window to recover this money before it's redistributed to major labels.

    In this episode, I break down the systematic framework for conducting a personal royalty audit. You'll discover why being registered with ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC isn't enough, and learn about the three additional systems most artists don't know exist: SoundExchange for digital performance royalties, publishing administration services for worldwide mechanical collection, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective for streaming platform royalties.

    I'll walk you through the five-step implementation process: auditing your current registrations, gathering documentation, registering with missing systems, claiming historical royalties, and creating an ongoing management system to prevent future losses.

    This framework builds on insights from music business educator Amani Roberts in Episode 339, where he reveals how artists consistently leave money on the table through incomplete registrations and missing split sheet documentation.

    Topics Covered:

    • The four registration systems required to collect all your royalties
    • How unclaimed royalties are redistributed to major labels after four years
    • How to verify you're registered correctly with your PRO (writer AND publisher sides)
    • SoundExchange registration for Pandora, iHeartRadio, and SiriusXM royalties
    • Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) free registration process
    • When publishing administration services are worth the cost
    • Split sheet documentation as the foundation for royalty collection
    • Metadata management across all four systems
    • Common mistakes that cause royalties to go unclaimed
    • Step-by-step audit process with time estimates
    • Creating an ongoing system to prevent future unclaimed royalties

    December is the perfect time for this year-end financial cleanup—start recovering money you've already earned.

    Support the Unstarving Musician

    The Unstarving Musician exists solely through the generosity of its listeners, readers, and viewers.

    Learn how you can offer your support at UnstarvingMusician.com/CrowdSponsor

    This episode was brought to you by Podcast Startup.

    Ready to launch your podcast or take it to the next level? Podcast Startup gives you the frameworks, systems, and insider knowledge to build a show that actually grows your audience and serves your goals.

    Whether you're just getting started or looking to improve your existing podcast, you'll get actionable strategies on equipment selection, content planning, audience building, and sustainable production workflows—without the overwhelm.

    Learn more at UnstarvingMusician.com/PodcastStartup. Join podcasters who are building shows that last.

    Resources

    Visit UnstarvingMusician.com to find resources and links to things mentioned in this episode.

    Stay in touch!

    @RobonzoDrummer on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Bluesky

    @UnstarvingMusician on Facebook and YouTube

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    22 mins
  • 339 Missing Royalties: Revenue Recovery Strategies with Amani Roberts

    339 Missing Royalties: Revenue Recovery Strategies with Amani Roberts
    Nov 21 2025
    Independent musicians leave significant money on the table—not from lack of talent, but from unclaimed royalties and overlooked revenue streams. Amani Roberts, music business educator and author of the USA Today bestseller "The Quiet Storm," reveals the specific registration gaps costing artists thousands of dollars annually. In this conversation, Amani breaks down the four major royalty collection systems most artists fail to use properly: PRO registration for public performance royalties, SoundExchange for digital performance royalties, publishing royalties through services like Songtrust, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective. He explains how unclaimed royalties eventually get redistributed to major labels based on market share—money that independent artists could be collecting themselves. Beyond royalty recovery, Amani shares his framework for building a private and corporate event business that can generate 5-10x more revenue than traditional bar gigs. He details the specific industry associations to join (MPI, PCMA, SITE), how to price yourself for corporate events, and the contract elements that differ from venue bookings. Our conversation also covers email list-building strategies that convert social media followers into owned audience assets, how book publishing creates revenue opportunities beyond book sales, and why direct fan-to-artist platforms should be every musician's first 90-day priority. Key Insights from This Episode The Four Unclaimed Royalty Streams: Independent artists commonly miss public performance royalties (PROs), digital performance royalties (SoundExchange), publishing royalties (Songtrust), and mechanical royalties (Mechanical Licensing Collective). Unclaimed royalties eventually get redistributed to major labels—money independent artists should be collecting. Royalty Recovery: Artists can recover unclaimed royalties going back up to four years. Proper metadata management and identical information across all platforms are critical for successful collection. The Streaming Misconception: The biggest misconception is believing streaming is where most royalties come from. Mechanical, public performance, and publishing royalties represent more significant opportunities that are frequently overlooked. Private and Corporate Event Revenue: Private and corporate events can generate 5-10x more revenue than bar gigs. Break in by joining event planning associations like Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA), and Society for Incentive Travel Executives (SITE). Volunteer at local chapters to build relationships with planners. Corporate Event Pricing: Ask about the budget upfront, research past hires, and price based on your worth with flexibility. Always require deposits and negotiate hotel stays, parking, meals, and written/video testimonials in contracts. Email List Monetization: Email lists are owned media (social is rented space). Revenue generation can begin with 50 subscribers. Use lead magnets like acoustic song versions and tools like MiniChat to automate conversions. Book Publishing Strategy: Books rarely generate significant income from sales, but can increase speaking fees, create performance opportunities at events, and enhance rates for services. View publishing as paid marketing for your broader business. 90-Day Priority: Launch a direct fan-to-artist platform like Patreon with a compelling lead magnet for fast revenue impact. Sustainable Revenue Model: Target 30% from performance, 30-35% from direct-to-fan, 20% from merchandise, 15% from private events. Support the Unstarving Musician The Unstarving Musician exists solely through the generosity of its listeners, readers, and viewers. Learn how you can offer your support at UnstarvingMusician.com/CrowdSponsor This episode was brought to you by Podcast Startup. Ready to launch your podcast or take it to the next level? Podcast Startup gives you the frameworks, systems, and insider knowledge to build a show that actually grows your audience and serves your goals. Whether you're just getting started or looking to improve your existing podcast, you'll get actionable strategies on equipment selection, content planning, audience building, and sustainable production workflows—without the overwhelm. Learn more at UnstarvingMusician.com/PodcastStartup. Join podcasters who are building shows that last. Resources The Unstarving Musician's Guide to Getting Paid Gigs, by Robonzo Dreamhost – See the latest deals from Dreamhost, save money and support the UM in the process. More Resources for musicians 🔗 Shownotes for this episode Pardon the Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I make a small commission, at no extra charge to you, if you purchase using those links. Thanks for your support! Stay in touch! @RobonzoDrummer on Instagram @...
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    1 hr and 6 mins
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