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Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO, Rod Yancy |
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This week marks exactly one year since we sold our first Bootlegs, partnering with Kaitlin Butts on her hometown show in Tulsa last December.
What a difference a year makes.
This year has taken me and our company to places I never imagined. From great American music cities like Tulsa, Nashville, Upstate NY, Atlanta and Athens, GA, to global hubs like New York, Los Angeles, London, Dublin and Dubai.
As Bootleg has expanded into new rooms, new communities, and new regions, the power and universality of live music has become more undeniable, and my conviction to protect it has only deepened.
I’ve also been struck by the diversity of artists choosing to release their live work on the platform. Forward-thinking rock bands like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, nostalgic emo staples like Jack’s Mannequin, country artists like Kaitlin Butts and Evan Honer, global R&B voices like Anik Khan, and everything in between.
Different sounds, scenes, and generations, all united by the same desire to share something real.
You don't need me to tell you that we're clearly at an inflection point for the industry. The tools are more powerful than ever, but so are the questions around ownership, authenticity and presence.
Bootleg exists because we believe the future of music depends on staying anchored to something real.
From Tulsa to Dubai and beyond, the mission hasn’t changed. Live music, real moments, and using technology in service of artists and community.
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The industry's moving fast. I'm just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
The King Gizzard Wake-Up Call
Earlier this week, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard discovered an album on Spotify released under their name that they did not make or approve. The tracks were AI-generated, designed to imitate the band’s sound, and distributed as if they were legitimate. After the band publicly called it out, Spotify removed the release.
This wasn’t a remix or a fan tribute. It was an impersonation, delivered through the same systems meant to protect artists and listeners.
Bootleg is proud to host King Gizzard’s official live recordings, captured in real rooms, in front of real audiences, with the band’s consent.
This incident exposes a growing vulnerability in streaming platforms. As they scale, it becomes harder to distinguish between artists and imitations of artists, leaving musicians to police their own identities.
Live music is the only form of music we know with certainty is made by humans. If it isn’t already clear how important that will be to the future of music, this moment offers a sobering glimpse.
As synthetic music becomes easier to produce, live recordings will always remain the most authentic artifact we have.
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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
We just wrapped an incredible weekend in Dubai with Sole DXB, a festival that has become a global hub for music and culture across the Middle East and beyond. The energy was undeniable, and it’s clear the region is shaping the global music conversation in real time. Sole DXB sets from Shabjdeed & Al Nather, Anik Khan, Venna, and Masta Ace & Marco Polo will be live on the platform this week.
At the same time, our team was in Athens, Georgia, partnering on a benefit concert for Nuçi's Space, a nonprofit focused on supporting artists with an emphasis on mental health and suicide prevention. The night put the tight-knit music community of Athens, GA on full display and featured solo sets from Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), alongside Atlanta native Faye Webster and many others.
Select performances are available on Bootleg this week, with proceeds supporting the artists and Nuçi’s Space.
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One year into building Bootleg, and I'm proud of not just how much we've grown but the way we've gone about it.
Meeting artists where they are and building something that truly serves them.
Thinking globally and lifting up artists and niche communities that still believe in preserving the soul of music.
Building relationships and activating the right team with the right partners at the right time over and over again.
As the industry accelerates, the responsibility becomes clearer.
To protect what’s human, stay grounded in real moments and to use technology in service of artists, not the other way around.
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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.
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