Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO Rod Yancy
🎤 Sound Check
Something is happening in the music world right now: artists and fans are rediscovering the magic of the live album.
In the past year alone, we’ve seen a surge of new releases that celebrate the raw, human energy of performance.
Radiohead unearthed a live recording from their 2003 Hail to the Thief tour, Elton John released Live From the Rainbow Theatre this spring, the Jonas Brothers dropped a new live album over the summer.
Just last week Mitski surprise-released The Land: The Live Album while Depeche Mode, Vampire Weekend, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds all announced forthcoming live records.
Whether legacy artist or rising stars the trend is clear: fans crave the authenticity and connection of live recordings, and artists are starting to respond. But how these albums are released matters.
When live albums are pushed to the same streaming platforms as studio records, they risk getting lost in the noise and even cannibalizing existing catalog streams.
At Bootleg, we believe these performances deserve their own home, a platform built for the moment, where artists can share their shows directly with fans and earn more from every listen.
Because live music isn’t just content. It’s memory, emotion, and connection, and it deserves to be treated that way.
⚡️ Live Wire
The industry’s moving fast. I’m just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
🎟️ Live Music Is the New Discovery Engine
Bandsintown just announced they’ve surpassed 100 million registered users, and to me, that milestone says something much bigger than platform growth, it marks a cultural shift.
Fans are no longer discovering artists through algorithms alone. They’re finding them in the real world: in small clubs, festival fields, and theaters packed with people who share the same pulse. The live experience has become the heartbeat of modern music discovery, a space where connection and authenticity drive engagement in ways streaming never could.
The next challenge and opportunity for the industry is to help artists own those moments. Every show is a story, a relationship, and a piece of living art that shouldn’t disappear after the encore.
That’s exactly what we’re building at Bootleg: a way for artists to capture, share, and monetize their performances directly with the fans who were there, transforming live music from a fleeting moment into an enduring connection.
đź”— Read more at Music Business Worldwide
🎟️ 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
I’ll be in Los Angeles this weekend and early next week for the MMF-US LA Summit at Amazon Music in Culver City. Next Monday afternoon Nov. 3, I’ll be speaking on a panel about creator tools and how new platforms are empowering artists to build sustainable careers, connect with fans, and take control of their work in new ways.
It’s shaping up to be a great conversation alongside some sharp minds from across the industry who are pushing the boundaries of how artists create, share, and earn in today’s landscape.
If you’re in LA or attending the Summit, I’d love to connect while I’m in town. Just reply to this email or shoot me a message on LinkedIn and let’s find a time.
đź”— See the Latest Bootlegs
🎵 Fade Out
Everywhere I go lately, from festivals to panels to conversations with artists, I can feel the same current running through it all: live music matters more than ever. People are craving what’s real, and they want to hold onto the moments that move them.
The renewed energy around live albums, the rise of fan-driven platforms, and the evolution of creator tools all point in the same direction. The future of music will be built on authenticity, ownership, and connection.
We’re here to make sure the live moment doesn’t end when the lights go down, it becomes the foundation for what comes next.
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With gratitude,
Rod Yancy
Founder & CEO, Bootleg.live
www.bootleg.live​
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