Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO Rod Yancy
🎤 Sound Check
At Bootleg, and in entrepreneurship more broadly, we spend a lot of time talking about the how.
How we scale with intention.
How we deliver value to fans.
How we support artists.
But every once in a while, we get to slow down and reconnect with the why.
Why we build. Why we gather. Why we choose to live this life in pursuit of something meaningful.
Recently, I had the joy of hosting my friend Wesley A’Harrah in Tulsa—where my family and core community are, and where I spend most of my time when not traveling for Bootleg and Oath.
Wes has become a brother in this journey. He moves through the music world with rare integrity and heart, and it was an honor to share this city and community with him.
Our time together culminated with an evening at Oath Studio, and my why came into focus again. We filled the room with artists, entrepreneurs, dreamers, and friends: people who care deeply, create boldly, and believe in something bigger.
We talked, listened to music, ate good food, and time slipped away making connections with new friends and old.
We can’t bottle up the magic of nights like this, but we can savor the reminder that connecting with others is a fundamental part of what it means to be human.
That’s also at the heart of Bootleg. Preserving moments that matter. Connecting artists with fans, and fans with one another.
Building spaces, both digital and physical, where music and memory meet. And where humans get to remember why we’re here.
Grateful for these moments that help calibrate the compass.
⚡️ Live Wire
The industry’s moving fast. I’m just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
💿 Big win for independent music.
The HITS Act was officially signed into law last week as part of a major bipartisan tax package. After years of advocacy, this means independent labels and artists can finally deduct qualified recording expenses in the year they’re incurred, rather than amortizing them over three years. This shift frees up cash flow for artists to reinvest in new projects, tours, and creative risks. It’s a practical win that empowers creativity. Organizations like A2IM and the The Recording Academy have been working on this since 2021. Their persistence paid off. It’s a reminder that real change is possible when the independent music community moves together. At Bootleg, we’re building tools to help artists own more of their work and connect more directly with fans. Policy changes like this make that vision even more attainable.
🔗Read the full article at Digital Music News
🤖 Spotify Considers AI Crackdown
Spotify’s latest breakout “band,” Velvet Sundown, recently revealed that every part of their music (vocals, instruments, artwork, even the persona) is AI-generated. The backlash was immediate. Spotify is now reportedly weighing a crackdown on AI content that poses as human-made. Meanwhile, Deezer has already started labeling AI tracks to ensure transparency for fans. For us at Bootleg, it’s another clear reminder of the ‘why’ behind the company. As the digital world expands, the value of real, human-made music (and real, in-person experiences) only increases. Bootleg is a commitment to preserving what’s real. Music made for and by humans.
🔗 Read the full article
🎟️ Backstage Pass
At Bootleg, we help artists capture and sell high-quality audio recordings and photographs from their shows so fans can collect and relive the moment, and artists can keep earning beyond the encore.
What’s Moving
🔭The Power of Participation
Building a company like Bootleg requires holding two seemingly opposing focuses at once: staying deeply present to the needs and demands of today, while keeping a clear eye on the future and where the industry is headed. Right now, we’re especially excited about Bootleg’s potential to power artist fan clubs.
Earlier this year, we introduced features that allow fans to upload their own photos from shows, leave comments, and connect with each other directly on the platform. We’re now working on expanding these tools even further, making a big bet on the power of participation and the value of community around live music. We’re getting great feedback from artists on where we are headed with this, and excited to begin to expand these participatory features very soon.
🔗 See the Latest Bootlegs
🎵 Fade Out
The pace of innovation is quick, and the to-do lists never end. But amidst the swirl of features, updates, campaigns, and meetings, it’s moments of stillness and connection that remind us what this is really about.
It’s about the spark between artist and audience.
It’s about preserving what matters.
It’s about honoring what’s real.
When we remember the why, the how tends to flow.
With gratitude,
Rod Yancy
Founder & CEO, Bootleg.live
www.bootleg.live
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Bootleg is part of Oath Music — empowering artists and engaging fans through innovative products and a mission to make music last.
