# Industry Trends Questionnaire

A reflective self-review to keep you current and translate what's changing in the industry into concrete moves for your roster. The music business shifts fast — platforms, formats, revenue models, and audience behavior all move under your feet. Set a recurring time (monthly or quarterly) to work through these prompts. Don't just observe trends — decide what each one means for *your* artists.

**Completed by:** ______________________
**Date / period reviewed:** ______________________
**Roster / focus lane:** ______________________

> For every section, end with the same question: **"So what — what do we do differently because of this?"**

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## 1. Platform & Distribution Shifts

- What changed on the major DSPs recently (Spotify, Apple, Beatport, SoundCloud, YouTube) — features, payout structures, playlist/algorithm behavior?
  ______________________________________________
- Which platform is currently driving the most discovery in our lane, and is that shifting?
  ______________________________________________
- Are there new or rising platforms we should test before they're crowded?
  ______________________________________________
- Has anything changed in distribution, monetization, or Content ID that affects our income?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — what do we change in our platform strategy?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 2. Audience Behavior

- How is our audience discovering, consuming, and sharing music right now (short video, playlists, live, DMs, communities)?
  ______________________________________________
- What content formats are getting attention this period, and what's fading?
  ______________________________________________
- Are attention spans, posting norms, or "what feels authentic" shifting?
  ______________________________________________
- How are fans expecting to interact with artists (access, community, behind-the-scenes, IRL)?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — what do we change in our content & community approach?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 3. New & Changing Revenue Models

- Are new monetization options emerging (memberships, superfan tiers, direct-to-fan, tipping, exclusive drops, licensing markets)?
  ______________________________________________
- How are peers in our lane making money in ways we aren't?
  ______________________________________________
- Are sync, brand, or events opportunities growing or shrinking for our genre?
  ______________________________________________
- Is our income too concentrated in one stream? What's the diversification opportunity?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — which revenue stream do we test or build next?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 4. Genre & Scene Trends

- What's happening sonically in our lane (e.g., house/tech-house) — sub-styles rising or cooling?
  ______________________________________________
- Which artists, labels, or parties are setting the pace right now, and why?
  ______________________________________________
- Are tempos, formats (edits, IDs, B2Bs), or release types changing in the scene?
  ______________________________________________
- Where is the scene physically hot (cities, clubs, festivals, regions)?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — how does this shape our sound, releases, and bookings?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 5. Technology & Tools

- Are there new tools (AI, production, marketing, analytics, fan tools) changing how work gets done?
  ______________________________________________
- What are competitors using that gives them speed or reach we lack?
  ______________________________________________
- Any tech raising new risks (rights, AI-generated content, deepfakes, voice cloning) we should get ahead of?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — which tools do we adopt, test, or guard against?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 6. Industry Structure & Rights

- Any notable changes in how labels, publishers, distributors, or PROs operate that affect deals?
  ______________________________________________
- Updates in royalties, rights, or regulation (streaming rates, mechanical/MLC, SoundExchange, AI legislation) worth tracking?
  ______________________________________________
- How are deal structures evolving (advances, splits, ownership, term lengths) in our tier?
  ______________________________________________
- **So what — how does this affect the deals we pursue or advise on?**
  ______________________________________________

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## 7. Personal & Roster Application

- Which single trend this period has the biggest implication for our roster?
  ______________________________________________
- Which artist is best positioned to capitalize, and how?
  ______________________________________________
- What are we currently doing that a current trend suggests we should STOP?
  ______________________________________________
- Where am I personally behind the curve, and how will I close the gap (who do I learn from, what do I read/watch/attend)?
  ______________________________________________

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## Action Items (from this review)

| # | Insight | Action | Artist / area | Owner | By when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | | | | |
| 2 | | | | | |
| 3 | | | | | |

**One thing I'll do differently this month because of this review:**
______________________________________________

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*Staying current is a competitive advantage. Observing trends is worthless without translating them into action for the roster.*