Mike Mokotow Pelczynski - Forms + Shapes

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Mike Mokotow Pelczynski

The Big Carve Out

The Big Carve Out

The Desperation Gate Let’s get right to it—music streaming’s value as a revenue generator is increasingly at risk. The introduction of play threshold mechanics into its economic structure only underscores this fragility, exposing the fault lines of a model that was never built to scale equitably. What

What I Carry, What I Create

What I Carry, What I Create

Where I come from is in everything I do I come from a place where identity is something you carve out, not something handed to you, from a lineage where music wasn’t just expression—it was survival. My parents, Józef Pełczyński and Danuta Bogaczyk, were working musicians who fled

A Beautiful Mess

A Beautiful Mess

The Mind, The System, and The Space Between There’s a thread I’ve been pulling at for years—a thread that runs through everything I do, think, and create. It’s about existence, about what it means to be human across an insurmountable span of time. But more than

The AI Era: The Urgent Economics of AI Music

The AI Era: The Urgent Economics of AI Music

Influence Over Consumption: Pioneering a New Economic Model for AI-Generated Music AI-generated music is projected to generate a staggering $42 billion by 2028, according to CISAC’s latest study. With the rapid acceleration of AI platforms transforming the creative landscape, the music industry faces a critical moment to establish fair,

The AI Era: Building Sustainable AI Business Models for the Music Industry

The AI Era: Building Sustainable AI Business Models for the Music Industry

Paving the Way for Innovation: A Framework to Align AI, Fair Compensation, and the Future of Music The music industry stands at a pivotal crossroads. As AI technology accelerates and generative platforms emerge, the industry is grappling with both opportunity and uncertainty. Without a framework guiding this transition, the risk

Legacy and the AI Proposition

Legacy and the AI Proposition

Among the fear and dismay of artificial intelligence, its newfound proposition for the human voice is what had won me over. The human voice is an instrument that has passed on cannon, challenged culture and continues to archive the vulnerability of human expression throughout history. At times a voice is

The Future of Superfans

The Future of Superfans

This is the power of user-centric. I've been working on the #Superfan proposition, at the intersection of streaming, for over five years. My vision was simple. The lift was complex. Change how you pay, you change the outcome and data to more closely align with fandom (ie an

Fraud, the Eternal Frontier

Fraud, the Eternal Frontier

Coalitions are a good thing. However, they are not the solution. Let’s set the record straight – fraud is an ever evolving threat to every market in the modern world. And the music industry is no exception. Streaming, the dominant form of music consumption, contributes approximately 83% of the industry&

Big Changes: Streaming Money

Big Changes: Streaming Money

Big Picture: Quick Thought Differentiation of streaming models is a good thing. And here we are – as I had hoped, worked towards and predicted. Let's take a step back and acknowledge the bigger picture. At the negotiation table with the Major record labels, the one major point I

Music's Past & Future: Talking with Michael Pelczynski

Music's Past & Future: Talking with Michael Pelczynski

Interview I had a great hour+ chat with Chris Dalla Riva – "During his time at SoundCloud, Michael Pelczynski helped conceive of a new way to pay artists. Now, he is looking for more ways to improve the music industry." We dove in on streaming, fair pay, artificial intelligence,

WT$ Is Streaming Economics

WT$ Is Streaming Economics

WT$ is streaming economics?!? These are the words a recording artist and friend texted me recently. It's a great question (and headline). Streaming models and content economics are among my bread and butter. Now let's take a stab at both and simplify it all. And I

Farewell (And Hello Again)

Farewell (And Hello Again)

Last week was officially my last at SoundCloud What an incredible 5 1/2 year ride What was learned? Three things come to mind * Resilience * Small but mighty * People Having left the major label side, my journey at SoundCloud started as head of economics & global rights administration. With an

ICYMI: Music Tectonics Podcast Episode

ICYMI: Music Tectonics Podcast Episode

Reward-based fandoms are the future of artist-to-fan engagement. Dive into this chat with Music Tectonics very own Dmitri Vietze and Tristra Yeager with guest appearances by Dot Cromwell, Moises, Session and everyone's favorite topic #fraud. Unlike other talks on the above, I cover more of the history and

Hot Topic: Streaming Models

Hot Topic: Streaming Models

Recently had the opportunity to speak at NY:LON Connect 2023 alongside Alison Wenham, Daniel Johansson and David Safir on how alternative streaming models could reshape the music industry. Panelist experts brought much welcomed debate as well as healthy acknowledgement in how SoundCloud is already reshaping said commercial bedrocks with

Let's Talk About: Fear & Loathing in Fragmentation

Let's Talk About: Fear & Loathing in Fragmentation

What is striking about the music industry today is how audiences have evolved. Loyalty Many audiences no longer intersect. Diversity is rich, however so is audience fragmentation. In the first half of 2022, industry players were seeing double-digit percentage increases in revenues with less hits. Spotify's top 10

The Evolution of Music: The Fan Economy Era

The Evolution of Music: The Fan Economy Era

Music streaming undoubtedly reinvigorated the music industry. Like every format before it, there is a cultural and commercial transformation that accompanies technological innovation. It redefined how fans listen to music, how digital piracy’s been addressed since the early 2000’s, and ultimately contributed immense value to music listeners, artists

The Future Fan Economy: Foundation Is Here

The Future Fan Economy: Foundation Is Here

Recently had the opportunity to speak with Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine on how fan-powered royalties have reshaped music streaming. We not only dove-in-deep on how it's staged the development of a true fan economy but also why the highly politicized foundational 'fan-powered' reset means so

Streaming Fraud: An Arm's Race

Streaming Fraud: An Arm's Race

Billboard's coverage of MusicBiz 2022 panel featuring Streaming Fraud Coalition formed by George White, yours truly & the SoundCloud, Pandora, SiriusXM teams (article linked below). BILLBOARD LINK: Fraudulent Streaming is on the Rise – But Solutions Exist (Music Biz 2022)

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This is Forms + Shapes, an advisory agency and independent publication by Mike Mokotow Pelczynski documenting all things at the intersection of music. You can subscribe in the meantime if you'd like to stay up to date and receive emails when new content is published!