And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

Ep. 247: Billy Corgan | How He Built Smashing Pumpkins Into a 30-Million Album Empire

Today's guest is the architect of alternative rock who sold 30 million albums and defined the sound of an entire generation — but whose real story begins after the hits stopped mattering to him.From the suburbs of Chicago to the apex of 90s mainstream success, Billy Corgan built an empire. Then he spent the last 20 years quietly dismantling the idea that commercial success is the same thing as real value. He carries three things simultaneously that most artists never figure out how to hold at once: the ambition of someone who was never going to settle for the midwest, the technical genius of a classically-trained musician who produces every layer of his own work, and the philosophical rigor of someone willing to completely reimagine what success actually means. This is one of the more unflinching conversations about what staying relevant actually costs — not the version that gets posted on socials, the version that gets lived in the real decisions you make about art, money, independence, and how you want to spend your time. When the gatekeepers are gone and nobody's controlling the narrative anymore, who do you become?And The Writer Is... Billy Corgan!In this episode of And The Writer Is, we go deep on:• The trap of being defined by your greatest hits — and why he refuses it• His father's failed music career, and the moment his dad finally understood• Chicago's inward-facing indie scene and the cost of communities that don't believe in themselves• How the value of artists gets assessed in rooms — and why that's broken• What "influence" actually means vs. commercial success• The gatekeepers are gone — what that really means for independent artists• Owning 100% of your publishing and why that changes everything• Building a new world where direct artist support is how things actually work• Why legacy thinking is changing, and what comes nextAnd much more...Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible.NMPA SpliceChapter timestamps:0:00 Intro2:30 Why Billy doesn't prefer to talk about his hits, and how his legacy has adjusted5:00 Dad's bitterness: you got lucky6:30 Dad's realization "You're one of the best songwriters in the world"8:00 Independent music, 'selling out', and Chicago's music scene10:30 The touring economics of the 90's13:15 Rigged charts and the beginning of Pop music 16:00 Representation of Rock music in the charts / award shows19:30 Ross on the future of music in a digital world20:30 Numbers mean nothing if no one gives a sh*t.21:00 Pop vs Rock: The future of music28:30 Women archetypes in music38:21 Billy's advice: What you need to survive in the music industry40:00 World building and songwriting advice43:31 How to define your value as an artist in a commercial world44:40 Billy's Batman story 49:00 Breaking 'Landmine' because of Courtney Love51:50 How he meets Courtney Love54:08 How he learned to play guitar57:00 His guitar hero inspiration…1:01:10 Meeting the band1:03:20 Finding a world class drummer hiding in plain sight1:07:05 Fighting for his band when no one believed in them1:15:29 Keeping your mouth shut when it's not your session1:16:02 Fight for your copyright. The band struggling with his sole writing credit1:18:00 AI in music… and Billy's take on itCredits:Hosted by Joe London & Jad SaadProduced by Joe London & Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

And The Update Is… Rap Lyrics Banned in Court, AI Deals Stalling, and a $64B UMG Bombshell

Every week, And the Writer Is brings you the most important news moving through the music industry — straight, sharp, and no fluff. This week: Maryland just passed the RAP Act, making it illegal to use rap lyrics as courtroom evidence, potentially setting the stage for federal law. Suno's licensing negotiations with Sony and Universal have stalled, leaving major AI royalty questions unresolved. And Pershing Square submitted a $64 billion bid for Universal Music Group, revealing just how undervalued the music industry is to outside investors. Plus: Ticketmaster's face value integration, HYBE's new Indian girl group audition, and moves at Warner. Follow us on socials and don't miss our new episodes every Tuesday — the hottest conversations in music, with the people making it.This week:Maryland passes the RAP Act — rap lyrics can no longer be used as courtroom evidencePershing Square submits a $64B bid for Universal Music GroupSuno's licensing talks with Sony and Universal stall over AI royaltiesTicketmaster partners with Cash or Trade on face value resale integrationHYBE auditions for a new Indian girl group as Asian streaming dominance growsMyles Gersh promoted at Warner — the exec who signed Zach BryanTaylor Swift resigns with Warner ChappellLasso signs to Interscope Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 246: Dermot Kennedy | How an Irish Busker Became a Worldwide Phenomenon

Today's guest is the Irish troubadour who sold out arenas across the world and built one of the most durable careers in modern music, entirely on his own terms.From Dublin street corners and busking for strangers to headlining Madison Square Garden, this conversation is about what that actually costs to build the slow, deliberate construction of a career that answers to no one, yet resonates with millions around the world.He carries three things simultaneously that most artists never figure out how to hold at once: the ambition of someone who was never going to settle for Ireland only, the sensitivity of a songwriter who writes for his whole community, and the creative instincts of a kid who grew up on hip hop and folk and refused to let either one fully win.This is one of the more honest conversations about what a creative life actually looks like from the inside — not the version that gets posted, the version that gets lived.And The Writer Is... Dermot Kennedy!In this episode of And The Writer Is...We go deep on:• His whole journey• The moment he realized the audience could feel how hard he was trying — and why that was the problem • How to carry ambition, sensitivity, and creative instinct in the same body without one of them destroying the other• Building an international career without a viral hit — and what that reveals about how the industry actually works• The busking years, and the secrets for how he survived• Why he deliberately toured smaller venues on his last run — and what that decision says about success• Imposter syndrome, insecurity, and the reality of growing a career from 0-100.And much more...Hit subscribe and turn on notifications.Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors...Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.Chapter timestamps:0:00 Intro3:30 The 3 Sides Every Creative Has to Balance4:30 You Shouldn't Rinse Your Shows. It's a Sacred Thing.5:00 What Dermot Beats Himself Up About On Stage5:30 Anxiety After the Show Starts, Not Before6:00 The Struggle of Being Lucky Enough to Have a Career8:00 Childhood9:00 "I Know I'm Good. But I Feel Very Insecure in Other Ways."14:00 How Dermot Built a Career With No Algorithm and No Social Pressure18:00 Why He Doesn't Play Music for People19:19 How He Started Busking20:15 Why Most People Couldn't Busk — and the Genius Who Changed Everything21:00 The Importance of Branding When Selling Anything22:00 How to Make Real Money Busking26:00 How Dermot Built His Name and Started Playing Shows29:00 Into the Music Business — and the Most Successful He's Ever Felt31:00 Being Sought After and Avoiding Bad Record Deals32:40 How to Build Out Your Team36:00 A Note About Touring: Enjoy Where You're At38:23 His Advice to His 15-Year-Old Self: Find Your Contentment39:23 How Dermot Kennedy Built a Worldwide FanbaseCredits:Hosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London & Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik KarkiWatercolor Art by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 245: Madison Beer | Becoming Yourself with the World Watching

Today’s guest is one of the most quietly enduring artists in modern pop — a songwriter and performer who’s spent over a decade growing up in public, learning how to separate perception from identity.She was discovered online as a teenager and quickly thrust into an industry that had already decided who she was.But behind the headlines, she was doing the real work — writing, refining her sound, and slowly building a career on her own terms.This is a conversation about perception vs reality, creative control, and what it actually takes to become yourself in an industry that benefits from misunderstanding you.And The Writer Is… Madison Beer!What you'll learn:• What it actually feels like to grow up in the public eye• The gap between how artists are perceived vs who they really are• Why longevity in music requires emotional resilience• How Madison developed her sound and creative identity over time• The pressure of early success — and rebuilding from it• Why being misunderstood can either break you or sharpen youThis episode is brought to you by the NMPA — supporting songwriters and protecting the value of music.And by Splice — the world’s largest library of sounds and samples, built for creators.Chapters:0:00 Intro1:42 Madison’s favorite songs of hers3:00 Lyrics or melody first?4:30 Ross meeting Madison at 136:00 Madison’s childhood, early memories7:00 Going through parent’s divorce in early childhood9:45 Why singing the national anthem is hard10:00 Her family’s early encouragement11:00 Madison’s first song13:00 Starting her career at 1018:40 Getting discovered overnight from a Justin Bieber tweet.19:11 Contracts in music industry19:58 Meeting Justin Bieber21:46 Why getting dropped is a blessing24:00 Struggling with early music identity26:00 Why she felt she couldn’t fight back on creative control early on28:00 finding her power through social media31:55 Reclaiming creative control33:50 writing reckless35:28 Home with you36:25 the importance of your collaborators 39:12 the original demo to Reckless41:13 being easier to write dark songs than happy songs41:40 the challenge of writing her new album41:54 NMPA42:36 Splice43:26 Going back into the label system45:00 her first tour in lockdown46:50 Madison’s touring non negotiables52:00 the story of Home to another one53:41 Writing darker songs while in a happy relationship55:55 Setting boundaries for mental health56:55 “Showed Me” as an interpolation58:37 Her mental health struggles and path to healing1:01:54 How her album locket Freed her1:03:25 the unlikely story of bittersweet1:05:30 what writing a song with strangers is like1:09:00 loneliness and missing out on a normal childhood1:12:00 Dealing with constant criticism and how she manages it1:12:47 Surviving the lowest point of her life1:16:30 how she currently manages her mental healthHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost Production VFX by Pratik Karki Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 244: Melanie Martinez | How to Protect Your Creative Spirit in a Commercial World

Today’s world builder builds worlds worldwide to make her own universe! Dark and whimsical meets bubblegum grunge when this artist broke out on the scene to create her own cult following. When doors didn’t open, she built her own. And The Writer Is……Melanie Martinez!In this episode, Melanie opens up about:• Materializing ideas and her entire creative process• Why she never approached music as a game• The reality behind shows like The Voice• How she built her identity before the industry caught up• Her philosophy on songwriting and the importance of your truth• Protecting your creative voice in a commercial system• Why being yourself is still the most important advantage• And much more…Hit the subscribe button and turn on notifications.Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors…Our lead sponsor, NMPA — the National Music Publishing Association. Your support means the world to us.And @splice — the best sample library on the market. Period.Chapters:0:00 Intro2:00 The Real Meaning Behind “Disney Princess”4:30 Introversion vs Performance6:00 The Magic of Creating and Materializing Ideas7:45 Her Creative Process — Titles, Concepts, and Staying Inspired12:00 The Songs That Defined Her Early Career12:48 Growing Up Writing — Her First Songs and Backstory16:45 World-Building and Creating a True Artistic Identity18:30 Rejection, Independence, and Dollhouse20:00 “Blind Dating” in the Music Industry24:00 Stage Fright and Early Creative Influences26:00 What She’d Tell Her Younger Self26:45 Advice for Artists Trying to Break Through27:30 Hitchhiking to The Voice — And What It Really Was30:00 The Reality of Music Competition Shows31:42 NMPA — Our Lead Sponsor This Season32:23 Splice33:00 Ross on Music Competition TV34:00 Performing Live and Managing Nerves36:00 Finding Herself Through Dollhouse37:20 The Story Behind Dollhouse38:00 Fighting for Her Creative Vision40:00 Where Her Ideas Come From42:00 How She Builds Albums and Story Arcs44:20 Writing Honestly Without Overthinking It45:00 What Songwriters Get Wrong About Meaning49:30 Are You Happy?51:30 The Priorities That Changed Everything54:00 Final Advice55:00 Portals57:47 Hades — A Dystopian World1:00:20 The Utopian Album to Come1:00:51 Her Favorite Songs on the Album1:01:50 The Story of “Weight Watchers”1:06:00 An Emotional Reflection — Her Message to Others1:07:30 Her Inspirations1:09:00 Social Media, AI, and Staying HumanHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London & Jad SaadEdited by Jad SaadPost-Production VFX by Pratik KarkiWatercolor Art by Michael White Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.