The Future of What - Episode 51

As other revenue streams have weakened, merch has become integral to many musicians’ incomes. Some artists take things beyond the traditional band tee, selling everything from cologne to snuggies. While merchandising can be a fun way to connect with fans, designing and distributing products can become a whole job in itself. Electronic musician Dan Deacon has released eight albums since 2003, and tells us about his approach to merch, sold through Big Cartel. We also hear from Ed Aten, founder of Merchbar, a new retailer that has just partnered with Spotify. Then we take a look at Merchtable, a company that does manufacturing, warehousing and fulfillment for artists, labels and more.