SAMPLED▌ FRONT AND CENTER
Monday, July 20, 2026
ASCAP vs BMI vs SESAC: Which PRO Should You Actually Join?
Every songwriter eventually hits the same wall: pick a performing rights organization. Here's the honest, no-jargon breakdown of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC — how they pay, what they cost, and who each one is really built for.
// also right now
BusinessHow to Build a Music Release Calendar That Actually Works
A practical, no-fluff guide to planning singles, EPs, and albums so your releases build momentum instead of burning you out.
UpskillFree Business Courses Every Creative Entrepreneur Should Take
A curated, evergreen list of genuinely free business courses for musicians, artists, designers, and independent creators — with direct links and no upsells.
// from the dispatch
Boy George just re-recorded Karma Chameleon with ethical AI — meet Artist Included, the company betting artists win this round
Founded by Paul "PK" Kemsley and Jeremy Rosen, Artist Included launches with a BMG-partnered reborn Karma Chameleon and a business model built entirely around creator ownership.
How to shoot your own press shots and cover art without hiring a photographer
Press shots, cover art, EPK visuals — every artist needs them and most cannot afford a photographer every quarter. Here is what a photography diploma teaches and whether the DIY route holds up.
How a creative writing course actually makes you a better songwriter
Better verses, cleaner hooks, songs that actually say something. Here is what a 16-week creative writing diploma teaches — and where it earns its keep for a working songwriter.
Why every musician needs to learn video editing in 2026
Short-form is how artists get found now. Here is what a video editing diploma teaches, what it skips, and whether learning to cut your own content is worth the 16 weeks.
Salomon and A-COLD-WALL* rework the ACS Pro into a $220 industrial trail shoe
Samuel Ross' A-COLD-WALL* strips the ACS Pro down to a floating cage, Kevlar mesh, and distressed eyelets — dropping in Black Olive and Bluing colorways for $220.
SP5DER and adidas turn the F50 into a street shoe for the 2026 World Cup
Young Thug's SP5DER label and adidas Originals reworked one of football's fastest boots into a silver, rhinestoned lifestyle sneaker — with Lamine Yamal fronting the campaign.
Half the year is gone: the mid-year checklist every producer should run on July 1
Royalties, splits, expenses, backups, and the boring stuff that costs you money in April if you skip it now.
The Prophet-5 sound: five underground tracks that built the legend (and where it lives now)
From boogie B-sides to ambient dubplates, the Sequential Prophet-5 quietly shaped half a century of underground music. Here are five records that prove it — and the GForce plugin trying to keep the sound alive in 2026.
How to actually make a music video on CloneViral: a Marcus + Taylor walkthrough
Two agents, one song, zero After Effects. Here's the workflow that gets you something postable instead of another cursed AI clip.