Spotlight: Joel Gouveia & The Artist Economy

Here’s a compelling read: Artist manager Joel Gouveia writes The Artist Economy, a Substack digging into the business side of being a musician in 2026. He covers record deals, streaming royalties, and why he thinks the old label model is on its way out. His latest piece argues that artists should stop chasing label deals and start treating themselves like founders: own your masters, own your audience, and fund your career the way startups now do, with revenue-based financing instead of giving away equity. It's built around the idea that artists are founders who need to start acting that way, and that the smart ones get backed without ever signing a deal. Worth a read if you've ever wondered who actually profits when a song gets streamed a million times. Read it here | Follow Joel: Instagram | sincerelymgmt.com