TMT: Biggest Music Industry Stories Of 2025
Merry Christmas from The Money Trench! This week, we’re bringing you a very special compilation episode! Sit back, relax, and enjoy some of the key moments from our 2025 episodes. Mark will guide you through the hottest industry talking points from the year, and end with a joyful latest or greatest compilation of the best music industry parties. NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. SOUNDON The Money Trench is sponsored by SoundOn. TIXEL The Money Trench is sponsored by Tixel. PPL The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners SoundOn Tixel PPL Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes
TMT:72 Zena White On Building The World’s Coolest Indie Label
Welcome to The Money Trench! This week, Mark is joined by Zena White, COO of Partisan Records and Chair of WIN. From working her way up through live music, management, and label services, Zena is now COO of one of the world's most successful indie labels in the world, responsible for acts such as Geese, Cigarettes After Sex, and Ezra Collective. The pair discuss what it takes to break alternative music in the streaming age, why artist development still matters, the challenges facing British music worldwide, and what happened when Fontaines D.C. left Partisan. NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. SOUNDON The Money Trench is sponsored by SoundOn. TIXEL The Money Trench is sponsored by Tixel. PPL The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners SoundOn Tixel PPL Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes
TMT:71 Paul Lennon On Negotiating The Music Industry’s Big Deals
Welcome to The Money Trench! This week, Mark is joined by Paul Lennon, one of the UK’s top music lawyers and consultant at Moore SGD Law. From working as in-house lawyer at labels, to becoming the go-to lawyer during the 90s Britpop era, Paul has been at the heart of the music industry for over 30 years. In Paul’s debut interview, he discusses the glory days of Britpop, how artist deals have evolved, and how much lawyers actually get involved in artist’s careers. NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. SOUNDON The Money Trench is sponsored by SoundOn. TIXEL The Money Trench is sponsored by Tixel. PPL The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners SoundOn Tixel PPL Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes
TMT:70 Alexi Cory-Smith On The Catalogue Sales Boom
Welcome to The Money Trench! This week, Mark is joined by Alexi Cory-Smith, lawyer, publishing/label executive, and now CEO and founder of Bella Figura. Alexi is one of the most respected figures in the rights and legal world, and now she’s building her own catalogue acquisition company - Bella Figura. The pair discuss Alexi’s journey to where she is now, including her time running BMG UK, auditioning to be One Direction’s lawyer, and what it’s like when Mick Jagger, Barack Obama andThe Pope are all in the same room! NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. SOUNDON The Money Trench is sponsored by SoundOn. TIXEL The Money Trench is sponsored by Tixel. PPL The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners SoundOn Tixel PPL Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes
TMT:69 Cam Blackwood Live On The Catalogue Sales Revolution
Welcome to The Money Trench! This week, Mark is joined for a special live episode at the Resonate Music Conference in Glasgow by Cam Blackwood, one of Scotland’s most successful producers. Having worked with George Ezra, Jack Savoretti, and many more, Cam has helped shape UK music across genres for over a decade, whilst also championing creator’s rights. He is now the co-founder of Rezonate Music Rights, a music rights company offering transparent valuations and non-exploitative investment options for producers, writers, engineers and artists. RESONATE MUSIC CONFERENCE Recorded live at the Resonate Music Conference in Glasgow! NEWSLETTER Sign up HERE for the TMT newsletter - featuring each week’s hottest music industry stories. SOUNDON The Money Trench is sponsored by SoundOn. TIXEL The Money Trench is sponsored by Tixel. PPL The Money Trench is sponsored by the PPL. KEEP UP TO DATE For the latest podcast and music business updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @the_money_trench LinkedIn: The Money Trench Website: The Money Trench GET IN TOUCH If you have any feedback, guest suggestions or general comments? We’d love to hear from you! - Get in touch here! Thanks to our partners SoundOn Tixel PPL Earth/Percent Tom A Smith Aimless Play Fourth Pillar Sennheiser Junkhead Studio Tape Notes Executive Producer: Mike Walsh Producer: Tape Notes