The Music Lens Podcast
Two friends with mics, talking all things life in the music scene through the lens of independent artists. The Music Lens Podcast is a vital weekly resource and commentary show for current and aspiring independent artists. Join hosts Alex and Katie—both successful indie musicians themselves—as they offer candid, boots-on-the-ground insights into the culture, history, and most importantly, the business that shapes the modern music landscape. Tune in to learn how to navigate the industry: Music Business 101: Decoding topics like record label contracts, publishing rights, and licensing deals. Creator Economy: Examining the impact of AI artists, streaming royalties, and parasocial fan culture. Industry Commentary: Breaking down the latest Grammy buzz, news roundups, and music history deep dives. If you're an indie artist looking for honest talk and practical tools to build your career, this is the community and conversation you need.
Episodes
We're taking you back into our Artist Inventory series to discuss another member of an artist's team: the music director. Join us for a discussion on what the role of a music director entails, how it's similar/different to the role of a band leader, and how you can apply the skills of a music director into your own career yourself.
Resources
In this installment of our Widening The Lens series, we're welcoming Korie Burton Rott from One Writer To Another onto the podcast!
Born and raised in South Carolina, Korie moved to Music City at the age of 18 to attend Middle Tennessee State University and begin her pursuit of a career in the music industry. With a passion in both country and pop music, her main goal as a creative is to help other artists tell ...
Happy Women's History Month! We're celebrating two women who were both deemed mothers of their genres: Sylvia Robinson and Mother Maybelle Carter. Join us as we discuss these two pioneers and how Hip-Hop and Country wouldn't be what they are today without these incredible women's contributions.
Resources:
February (and end of January) was filled with new music! Join us as we discuss our favs!
New Music:
Ella Langley: "Dandelion" and "Be Her"
Tim McGraw, Eric Church, HARDY, Morgan Wallen: "McArthur"
Amanda McCarthy: Looking For The Light
Happy Black History Month! We're taking the time to highlight Black voices who have been trailblazers in the music industry. Join us as we learn about the pioneer of neo-soul, D'Angelo, as well as the Black Opry, a movement to raise awareness for Black artists in country music.
Resources:
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: them...
In our second episode of our Widening The Lens series, we welcome Kristian Veech to the podcast!
Taking a songwriter-centric to production, Kristian Veech is a Nashville based producer, and mixing & mastering engineer whose work covers a wide variety of genres. From country, to pop, to rock, and everything in between, Kristian blends classic and familiar sounds with modern production techniques to create cutting ...
It's time again for our annual Grammy Awards episode! Join us for a recap and review of this year's looks, performances, and awards!
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube at: @themusiclenspodcast
You can also follow Alex and Katie on all socials at: @alexallegramusic and @katiefeemusic
We’re kicking off February with a roundup of new music we enjoyed from January, along with a few industry headlines, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees and a recent copyright case involving Drew Barrymore.
Resources:
Drew Barrymore Copyright Infringement Case
New Music:
BANDANA CHEYENNA: "The Artist's Pilgrimage: ACT 1: THE DREAM"
Before producers were household names, Joe Meek and Sam Phillips were quietly (and sometimes chaotically) changing the sound of popular music. In this episode, we explore how Meek’s DIY experimentation and Phillips’ work at Sun Records helped launch new sounds, new artists, and a whole new way of thinking about recording.
Resources:
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusi...
Welcome to our new monthly series, "Widening The Lens", where we invite guests onto the pod to broaden our perspectives about different aspects of the music industry. Our guest for the inaugural episode is our good friend and collaborator, Sammy Kay.
Sammy Kay is an independent folk-pop singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Her music inspirations include Taylor Swift, Ingrid Michaelson, and Vance Joy. S...
Welcome back to the latest part in the Artist Inventory series, a dive into how to build an EPK. EPKs are essential tools for artists looking to book gigs, gain press, and showcase their work to potential industry collaborators. Join us for a discussion on the elements that make up an EPK as well as other tips and tricks to set you up for success.
Resources:
Earlier Podcast Episode: How to Tour as an Independent Artis...
Happy New Year, everyone! We're kicking off our first episode of 2026 with a chat about new music and music news, including the Songwriters' Hall of Fame Induction nominees and more!
Resources:
Songwriters Hall of Fame Nominees
Songwriters Will Get Paid More for Streaming Royalties Starting Today
Amanda McCarthy's "Lifeline (Healed)"
BANDANA CHEYENNA's "Colorado Baby" and "Bac...
For our final episode of the year, we’re hitting pause and looking back on the music that defined it for us. We talk favorite albums and songs, artists we loved seeing live, shows we played ourselves, and the moments that made this year unforgettable. We also look ahead to what’s next, sharing a few goals and hopes for the year to come. Thanks for being part of the ride — we’ll see you next year.
Have a question, sto...
In this episode, we kick things off with a run-through of the history of music videos from technical invention to MTV to YouTube before getting into why they still matter today, just for totally different reasons. We talk branding, storytelling, fan connection, and why videos aren’t about chasing TV play anymore… but they do still shape how an artist shows up in the world.
Resources:
AI “artists” showing up on charts? Yeah… we have thoughts. We run through a few of the names popping up, why it’s frustrating to see them take up space, and why the chart they landed on isn’t even that important. Plus, we get into why AI can’t replace real human creators—no matter how good the tech gets.
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Ins...
ICYMI, the nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards were announced last week! Join us for a discussion on who's nominated, who should've been nominated, and more!
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube at: @themusiclenspodcast
You can also follow Alex and Katie on all socials at: @alexall...
We're diving into the world of parasocial relationships — those one-sided bonds fans form with artists, celebrities, or even fictional characters. From the rise of Stan culture to the pressures it puts on independent musicians, we explore how these connections can both help and harm. We talk about healthy fandom, setting boundaries, and what happens when the line between admiration and obsession starts to blur.
...
Deluxe albums: marketing genius or creative overload? We break down the history of the deluxe release, the songs we love that wouldn’t exist without it, and whether they still serve a purpose in today’s music industry.
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube at: @themusiclenspodcast
You can also f...
We’re back with a new roundup of the latest music and news! From fresh tracks by Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson, Old Dominion, and more, we’re sharing what we’ve been loving—and what’s left us on the fence. Plus, we dive into deluxe albums: are they really necessary, or should artists just move on to their next chapter?
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com
Fol...
Guess who’s back?! After a little summer hiatus, we’re kicking off the pod again. In this episode, we’re catching up like old friends—swapping stories from our summer, sharing some behind-the-scenes updates, and talking about what’s next for the podcast. It feels good to be back, and we can’t wait to bring you along for the ride!
Have a question, story, or feedback to share? Email us at: themusiclenspodcast@gmail.com...
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