The Price of Music

← The Price of Music23 sep · 1 u 05 min

Making sense of the Ed Sheeran situation; The million-pound fake vinyl factory; Will there be a new Oasis album?; AI pioneer speaks to TPOM; and The Ace Of Shatner!

Making sense of the Ed Sheeran situation; The million-pound fake vinyl factory; Will there be a new Oasis album?; AI pioneer speaks to TPOM; and The Ace Of Shatner!23 sep1 u 05 min

<p><strong>It&#39;s a MEGA-BUMPER episode this week, as Stu and Joe not only go over the biggest stories of the week, but also track down the man who pioneered AI generated music – and give him a good grilling*...</strong> </p><p><em>(*it actually turns out he doesn&#39;t like most AI generated music either...)</em></p><p><strong>This week on The Price Of Music:</strong></p><p>→ <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/sep/19/fake-vinyl-empire-sheds-light-industrial-scale-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Just how many records were found by police</a> when they raided the factory owned by a British businessman who’s just been sent to prison for vinyl fraud? </p><p>→ The show goes on for Ed Sheeran in his US stadium tour, but without any support acts or backing band. This is the fallout from the decision to remove support artist Macklemore from the tour after he spoke out about Palestine from the stage. Sheeran is taking the brunt of criticism for that decision, but is this fair?</p><p>→ In news that will surprise absolutely nobody who’s been on the internet this year, Oasis are playing some more concerts next year. <a href="https://musically.com/2026/09/16/there-wont-be-a-general-onsale-for-the-oasis-live-27-concerts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">But tickets WON’T be going on general sale</a>. Why not? Plus, Joe explains his &quot;Oasis will release a new album&quot; theory.</p><p>→ AI music pioneer François Pachet speaks exclusively to TPOM...</p><p>Joe went to the Reeperbahn conference in Hamburg, and speaking at it was François Pachet, the man who helped pioneer AI generated music (so it’s his fault). </p><p>Jokes aside, he was fascinating to speak to, because he&#39;s a musician himself, and is more critical of the music industry&#39;s approach to AI music <strong>and</strong> of the AI music platforms than you might imagine.</p><p><strong>AND FINALLY…</strong></p><p>→ William Shatner is 95, and he&#39;s singing (kind of) The Ace Of Spades with his new band... (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzTfH3MZZ84&t=94s)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzTfH3MZZ84&amp;t=94s)</a></p><p><strong>And in the special post-show lock-in section just for our </strong><a href="https://www.patreon.com/12218634/join" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">⁠⁠<strong>Patreon Superfans</strong>⁠⁠</a><strong>, Stu and Joe prop themselves up at the bar –