Pause/Play

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February 1, 2022

Live music doesn’t always pay the bills. So what else can you do?

By: Elizabeth McQueen

In this episode, you’ll learn how much money the average Austin musician makes per gig, and why it can be hard to make a living playing live music.

Then you’ll learn all about an alternate revenue stream for musicians — sync licensing. Nathalie Phan, founder of SoundSync Music, will explain the ins and outs of sync licensing from an agent’s perspective and Austin rapper Tee-Double will walk you through the artist’s perspective.

During Nathalie’s segment you’ll hear the song “Black Tea” by Slug, Elijah Fox, Soul Food Horns and Yasper.

During Tee-Double’s segment you’ll hear “Caped Up” from his album Local Transplant.

Nathalie Phan is pictured in her home on Jan. 31, 2022, in South Austin. Michael Minasi/KUT

 

Hip-hop artist Tee-Double is pictured in his home studio on July 15, 2021, in Austin. Michael Minasi/KUTX

 


Episodes

August 26, 2025

The Future of Vinyl

Caren Kelleher, founder and CEO of Gold Rush Vinyl and co-owner of Waterloo Records, shares why she launched a vinyl pressing plant, how her company brings records to life, and what’s next for her growing businesses.

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August 12, 2025

The Future of Music at SXSW

Brian Hobbs, VP of Music at SXSW, sits down to talk about the future of the festival.

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August 5, 2025

BONUS: Terry Lickona from Austin City Limits on what cuts to federal funding for public media mean for TV’s longest running music program.

Terry Lickona, Executive Producer of the Austin City Limits TV show, joins hosts Elizabeth McQueen and Miles Bloxson to talk about how cuts to federal funding for public media are impacting the show.

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July 29, 2025

AI and the Future of Music

AI is a hot topic right now, but how will it impact music? We discuss everything from fake bands getting millions of listens to a legendary producer vouching for the use of AI to lawsuits by major music groups against AI music generation programs. In the latest episode, we dive into how Austin musicians are […]

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July 15, 2025

Streaming Sucks: The good, the bad and the future of music platforms

We examine what streaming looks like now and what it could look like in the future. Walker Lukens explains how Song Confessional has found success with streaming. And Lauren Bruno talks about a possible alternative to streaming that she wants to build called Prosper XO. Learn more about the Living Wage for Musicians Act. Check […]

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July 1, 2025

Social Media & Music: Love It, Hate It, or Use It?

Social media has completely changed how musicians share their work and connect with fans — but not everyone is here for the endless scroll. Some artists are over it and have even ditched it altogether. In this episode, we dive into the love-hate relationship musicians have with social media. Hear from Chinasa Broxton, Carlos Dashawn […]

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June 17, 2025

Doing all the things: The new blueprint for making a living in music

Pay for musicians in Austin has stayed the same for decades, and streaming often doesn’t bring in my money. So if you can’t make money playing music and you can’t make money selling music, what can you do? You’ll hear how Sara L. Houser, Chinasa Broxton and Carlos Dashawn Daniels Moore from Tribe Mafia, and […]

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June 3, 2025

Season 6 of Pause Play starts June 17th!

The world is shifting faster than ever, and for many, the future feels more uncertain than clear. In season six of Pause/Play, we are taking a look at the future of Austin’s music scene.

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