Episode 112: How The Creator Economy Is Changing Music Licensing (With Chordal CEO Grayson Sanders)

<p>In this episode, Chordal CEO Grayson Sanders joins me, Jonny Amos, for a discussion on the complexities of music licensing in the digital age, the potential of AI in rights management, and the future of micro-licensing for the creator economy. We explore how technology is transforming the industry and what it means for artists, rights holders, and content creators.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Keywords</p><p></p><p>music licensing, AI rights management, micro-licensing, digital content, creator economy, rights clearance, TikTok music, music industry innovation</p><p></p><p></p><p>Key Topics</p><p></p><p>Music licensing complexities in the internet age</p><p>AI's role in rights management and licensing</p><p>Micro-licensing as a scalable revenue model</p><p>The future of music licensing by 2035</p><p>TikTok's music licensing innovations</p><p>The role of human curation vs algorithms in music discovery</p><p>Challenges faced by independent artists in licensing</p><p>The impact of AI on music rights and discovery</p><p></p><p></p><p>Takeaways</p><p></p><p>Music rights are owned by multiple parties, making licensing complex.</p><p>AI is used for rights cleaning, matching, and discovery, not for generating music.</p><p>Micro-licensing is becoming essential due to internet content volume.</p><p>Traditional blockbuster licensing will coexist with micro-licensing.</p><p>Platforms like TikTok are pioneering scalable licensing solutions.</p><p>Human curation remains vital despite AI advancements.</p><p>Independent artists often lack knowledge about licensing requirements.</p><p>AI can help manage rights more efficiently and fairly.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Guest Name</p><p></p><p>Grayson Sanders - CEO of Chordal</p><p></p><p></p><p>Sound bites</p><p></p><p>"Music licensing is more complex than ever."</p><p>"AI helps manage rights, not just create music."</p><p>"Community curation will outpace algorithms."</p><p></p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p></p><p>00:00 Introduction to music licensing challenges in the digital age</p><p>01:57 How music rights are owned and the complexity of licensing</p><p>03:53 The impact of the internet on licensing speed and scalability</p><p>06:10 Chordal's platform and its role in licensing and rights management</p><p>07:57 Expanding licensing to independent artists and creators</p><p>11:02 The rise of micro-licensing and its importance</p><p>13:58 The influence of AI in rights management and licensing</p><p>17:04 Future of licensing in 2035: human vs. platform transactions</p><p>20:00 The cultural shift back to human curation and community-based discovery</p><p>22:52 The role of AI in managing rights and enhancing discovery</p><p>25:56 The impact of platforms like TikTok on licensing and music use</p><p>33:01 The importance of fair remuneration and rights holder control</p><p>36:00 Final thoughts: coexistence of traditional and new licensing models</p><p></p><p>Resources</p><p></p><p>Chordal Platform - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://chordal.com" target="_blank">https://chordal.com</a></p><p>Music Ally Article on TikTok Commercial Music Library - <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://musically.com/2026/05/11/chordal-got-5bn-tiktok-views-for-commercial-music-library-tracks/" target="_blank">https://musically.com/2026/05/11/chordal-got-5bn-tiktok-views-for-commercial-music-library-tracks/</a></p>