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Sold 4 a Song: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Terrance Sawchuk
My mission for the $old 4 a $ong Brand is to pull back the curtain of the music and technology industries and reveal the structures that have historically kept creators at a disadvantage. I aim to demystify the business and tech side of music so that music creators can reclaim control over their careers.At the core, I guide creators how to:• Own their art and intellectual property rather than give it away.• Leverage their music and data to create opportunities and income streams.• Streamline their creative and business processes so they can focus on making art while staying profitable.• Sustain their careers by building long-term models of independence, resilience, and growth.This mission is about evening the playing field—shifting the power back into the hands of the creators. It’s not just guidance, but empowerment: giving artists the tools, frameworks, and mindset to thrive in an industry that often undervalues them.What’s the true worth of a songwriter or artist? For too lon
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- 4 weeks ago9 min
#28: The True Value of Music
In this episode the host introduces a documentary project exploring the social and historical impact of music, with a focus on Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and other songs that shaped public memory. On location in Marion, Indiana, the host reflects on local history tied to racial violence and the absence of acknowledgement at public sites, using the story to illustrate music's power to reveal and remember. The episode previews upcoming travels across the United States to examine music's true value and to advocate for greater ownership and fair compensation for creators. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com
- Jun 23, 20265 min
#27: Reclaiming Artists from the Direct-to-Fan Trap
This episode exposes the myth of "direct-to-fan" when artists rely on third-party platforms that own the data, APIs, and revenue streams. It explains how rented platforms can strip creators of rights, credit, and sustainable income. Host Terrence Sawchuk outlines a better path: building private portals and owning your audience, data, and monetization. He shares practical thinking and resources to help artists and creators reclaim value, leverage their work, and build lasting careers. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com
- May 26, 202643 min
#26: Live in Mississauga: Sold 4 a Song Book Event
Recorded live at a Mississauga book event, this episode features Terrence Sawchuk discussing his book "Sold for a Song" and the long history of undervaluing music creators. He explores self-worth, ownership of songs and data, and practical solutions to help artists build sustainable careers. Terry shares personal stories from Toronto and Nashville, highlights the power of community, and outlines ideas for artists to reclaim control—through ownership, direct fan relationships, and new tech platforms. A call-to-action for creators and supporters follows the talk. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com
- Apr 13, 202612 min
#25: Break Your Neighborhood First Then The World
Terrance Sawchuk urges artists to build their careers from the ground up by testing songs and performance in their own neighborhood, learning from real audience feedback rather than chasing online vanity metrics or moving to a bigger city. He explains why local shows, selling directly to fans, and maintaining ownership of your work create sustainable momentum, help you develop as an entertainer, and protect you from being undervalued by the industry. Practical takeaways include focusing on live performance, measuring real results like ticket sales and repeat attendees, and committing to the work and time required to grow a lasting career. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com
- Mar 10, 202611 min
#24: Reclaiming Creators’ Worth
Big announcement: my first book is finished!!! In this episode I share why I wrote it, to expose how the music industry has historically overleveraged and undervalued creators, and to offer practical ways artists can reclaim their worth and attract abundance. I also discuss the early book release, the official launch before SXSW 2026, upcoming projects like a docu‑series called The True Value of Music, workshops, and how I plan to help creators streamline their careers so they can focus on making art. Join me as I break down the problem, the path to self‑worth, and actionable steps for creators to thrive in a changing industry. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com.
- Mar 3, 202612 min
#23: Stop Using Spotify — Build Your Private Portal
In this episode Terrance Sawchuk argues that musicians and creators must stop giving their value away to big platforms and instead build their own “private portals” to own relationships with fans. Using AI and simple tech, artists can use TikTok and Spotify as billboards to drive traffic to their own hubs, sell directly, and reclaim income and control. The episode outlines practical steps and a mindset shift: stop relying on third-party platforms that monetize your data, create unique fan experiences on your own site, and use tech to streamline and sustain a real music business. Resources & Next Steps Pick up your copy of my new book, $old 4 a $ong (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, engineer and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com.
- Jan 19, 20268 min
#22: When Music Stopped Being The Product
In this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terry Sawchuk breaks down a quiet but fundamental shift in the modern music business: how platforms moved from distributing music to extracting data—and why most artists never see the upside of the value they generate. Every stream, skip, save, replay, and share feeds an ecosystem designed to learn, predict, and monetize human behavior at scale. While creators focus on promotion and visibility, tech platforms quietly leverage analytics, audience data, and pattern recognition to build massive profit engines—often without artists realizing what they’re giving away. This episode is a wake-up call for artists, producers, and songwriters who feel stuck in a loop of being controlled instead of being in control. 🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why fan behavior has become more valuable than the song itself How artists unknowingly give up masters, publishing, and audience data The real difference between reach and leverage—and why confusing the two keeps creators powerless Why visibility without control leads to noise, not sustainability What it truly means to own your audience in a data-driven industry Why platforms thrive on your data—and why artists must build their own infrastructure How small, leveraged audiences often outperform massive but disconnected followings 💡 Key Takeaway If you don’t own your rights, your data, or your direct relationship with your audience, you’re not participating in the upside—you’re powering it. Understanding the difference between being visible and being leveraged is the first step toward reclaiming creative freedom, financial stability, and long-term value. Resources & Next Steps Join the Sold for a Song community: sold4asong.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, and now author with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. The Book (How Music Creators Lost Their Worth, and How to Take It Back) is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com.
- Jan 13, 202625 min
#21: Why It Is Illegal For Songwriters To Form A Union
In this episode of Sold 4 a Song, Terrance Sawchuk answers the question why do musicians, singers, actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, even stagehands,have unions… but songwriters don’t? In this episode of Sold for a Song, Terry Sawchuk breaks down a truth that shocks many creators: songwriters are legally prohibited from forming a union in the United States. Not discouraged. Not frowned upon. Illegal. Drawing on 30+ years in the music industry, including real-world examples from his own Billboard #1 career, Terry explains: How U.S. labor and antitrust law classify songwriters Why owning a song and controlling it are two very different things How compulsory licenses strip songwriters of the right to say no Why publishers, PROs, and Congress—not creators—set the rules Where live performance royalties break down (and often disappear) And why the future of creator power depends on direct ownership, private portals, and cutting out intermediaries This episode is about clarity, leverage, and practical survival in a system that was never designed to favor the inventor. Key Topics Covered Why songwriter unions are illegal under U.S. antitrust law The difference between copyright ownership and price control What a song actually is (before publishers enter the picture) Advances vs. income, and why publishing deals behave like credit cards How administrative fees quietly eat up royalties worldwide The real story behind compulsory licenses A firsthand case study: pulling unauthorized uses of a #1 hit Why live concert royalties are one of the least transparent systems in music How Congress, the Copyright Royalty Board, and PROs shape songwriter income Elon Musk, platform leverage, and the future battle over music pricing Why artist-owned “home bases” are the most powerful path forward How education changes your leverage with labels and publishers Key Takeaways Songwriters are independent rights holders, not employees, which blocks collective bargaining Once a song is released, key rights are permanently restricted Publishers and PROs do not equal songwriter representation Transparency failures aren’t accidental, they’re structural Ownership without control is not freedom The future belongs to creators who own, leverage, streamline, and sustain from their own platforms Memorable Quotes “Owning your song and controlling your song are two very different things.” “The inventor is the only one in the system who isn’t allowed to set the price.” “If you don’t like the cost of music, don’t use music. Don’t over-leverage it.” “Spotify and TikTok should be billboards, not the destination.” Action Steps for Songwriters & Artists Understand your rights before releasing music Stop confusing advances with income Audit where your royalties are actually coming from Build a private, artist-owned home base Use platforms as traffic, not dependency Educate yourself before signing your next deal Resources & Next Steps Join the Sold for a Song community: TerranceSawchuk.com Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast to help this message reach more creators Share this episode with a songwriter who still believes “someone else is watching out for them” About the Host Terrance “Terry” Sawchuk is a Billboard #1, multi-platinum songwriter, producer, and industry veteran with over three decades in the trenches. Sold for a Song exists to challenge the systems that undervalue creators—and to offer real pathways back to ownership, leverage, and sustainability. Sold 4 a Song™ Podcast Hosted by Terrance Sawchuk, Billboard #1 multi-platinum songwriter, producer, artist, mixer, and entrepreneur. Sold 4 a Song™ is a living exploration of creative worth, ownership, and the true value of music—inside the systems that monetize it. If this episode resonates, you can follow the work at sold4asong.com.
About Sold 4 a Song
My mission for the $old 4 a $ong Brand is to pull back the curtain of the music and technology industries and reveal the structures that have historically kept creators at a disadvantage. I aim to demystify the business and tech side of music so that music creators can reclaim control over their careers.At the core, I guide creators how to:• Own their art and intellectual property rather than give it away.• Leverage their music and data to create opportunities and income streams.• Streamline their creative and business processes so they can focus on making art while staying profitable.• Sustain their careers by building long-term models of independence, resilience, and growth.This mission is about evening the playing field—shifting the power back into the hands of the creators. It’s not just guidance, but empowerment: giving artists the tools, frameworks, and mindset to thrive in an industry that often undervalues them.What’s the true worth of a songwriter or artist? For too lon
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