Artist Managers on Music Videos, Artist Development, Long-term Strategy and True Fandom

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Aaron Greene and Neal O’Connor of Slush Management, the artist-first team behind Porter Robinson, Eden, Jai Wolf, and more. Slush has helped their artists generate billions of streams, sell millions of tickets, and craft long-term careers rooted in creativity rather than quick wins. With 15 years of experience across touring, branding, and global fan development, they’ve become leaders in sustainable artist strategy and innovative experiential storytelling.In this episode, Ari Neal and Aaron dive into what modern artist development truly looks like. From building immersive worlds to cultivating real, lasting fan communities beyond vanity metrics, Neal and Aaron share how managers decide when an artist is ready for representation, why social media isn’t the only path to growth, and how long-term strategy beats short-term virality every time. The conversation also covers label paths (self-release, indie, major), when to tour, how support slots actually happen, and the importance of meaningful experiences. Hint: music videos might be more important than most folks realize. https://www.instagram.com/slushmgmt/05:58 – What “world-building” means for modern artists08:12 – How Porter Robinson developed his immersive universe12:00 – Building an entire festival world with Disney-level partners16:00 – Artist development: when an artist is ready for management18:20 – Why immediacy is a trap & long-term growth matters20:35 – Deepening 100 true fans vs. chasing viral moments27:45 – Majors vs. indies vs. self-releasing: what actually works31:55 – The real purpose of music videos in 202536:50 – Touring strategy: when to headline, when to support39:20 – How artists actually get support slots42:55 – What “making it” means in the new music businessEdited and mixed by Peter SchruppMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.