The Wholesome Music Podcast
The DIY podcast for DIY musicians. Hosts Cameron Ljungkull and Augustus Watkins meet weekly to talk shop about indie music, the creative process, and the music industry.
Episodes
52 episodes
BLUE DOT FEVER — Why are so many artists cancelling their shows?
Is the concert industry cooked? Lackluster sales are causing artists to cancel shows—and even entire tours! What's behind the trend, what does it say about the music industry, and what does the data REALLY say?Links<...
Protecting your masters in 2026
Indie musicians NEED to do this! Your songs aren't just content — they're your catalog! How can you protect your catalog from bad deals, and use your assets to your maximum advantage? We break it down.Links
From SONG to STRATEGY: getting the most out of each release
Your content needs to go further! We've all been there: your music is great, but how do you get people to listen and care? That's where STRATEGY comes in. Whether you are a reluctant poster or a screentime junkie, you need a plan to tu...
AI Scams are driving musicians crazy!
Inside the AI music scams targeting indie musicians! Why are indie musicians particularly vulnerable to AI scams? We learn from some of the most recent scams to and look at why AI impersonation scams are impacting more artists th...
Are counterfeit vinyls flooding the market?
London police break up a fake vinyl operation! Inside a recent bust in London where police seized over $350,000 worth of fake merchandise.Links
One marketing firm changed EVERYTHING we know about social media
Is ANYTHING real on the Internet? How did a small-time musician's observations about music promotion blow up the entire world of social media marketing? We trace a story that begins with the band Geese, travels to a little-known SXSW t...
Staying Safe During Festival Season
Don't make these mistakes! What's it take to stay safe and still have a good time during festival season? Our friends at No Creeps Movement and Gritty In Pink share some tips on how to get the most out of your festival tickets by ensur...
Live Nation found guilty of being an illegal monopoly
The end of ticket gouging? Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, has been found guilty of operating an illegal monopoly and overcharging fans. Could the company be broken apart? Will this decision make it easier for musicians to ...
Singer D4VD Finally Arrested
CW: Murder, Child Abuse Reports and online speculation have been circulating around singer D4vd following alleged developments tied to an investigation in the Hollywood Hills.We break down everything currently being report...
How to play the world's biggest music festivals
Do YOU want to play Coachella? It takes more than luck to play the big festivals. We discuss how to think strategically about your goals and approach your career with intention.LinksSo You Want a Set at Coach...
Bieber at Coachella: Understated Genius or Bored Diva?
$10M to surf YouTube! Justin Bieber promised his Coachella performance would be an exciting comeback, then stunned audiences and critics with his laidback set, whose highlights included watching memes on YouTube. What does the Canadian...
Kanye's Comeback or Crashout?!
We react to Kanye's comeback, his $33M SoFi Stadium performance, Anthony Fantano's reaction to "Ye's" new album "Bully" and updates on the backlash and evolving situation with cancelation of prominent UK "Wireless Festival"
Setting boundaries to improve your creative output
We talk boundaries! Cameron shares the reason why he says "no" first, and we talk about how establishing boundaries in your personal and professional life and help your creative career flourish. Next, TikTok and iHeartMedia are forming an unhol...
DOs and DON’Ts of playlist pitching
A recent SXSW panel has lifted the veil on Spotify playlist pitching, and we have the details. Then we talk about Afroman’s vindication in court over the cops who raided his house in ‘22. What can Chance The Rapper’s ongoing courtroom drama wit...
Why is Rock Music's Hottest Genre Again?
We close out our History of Music Production series on a high note with a fascinating discussion on the weird history of delay: from hijacking telephone wires to oil cans, it just keeps getting more bizarre. Next, pundits have been saying for a...
Beyond Spotify for Indie Musicians
Our History of Music Production series rolls on with the history of reverb. Just think: they used to dig underground chambers to get the sound that now comes free with every DAW. Next, we discuss a great post by the music marketer
The Music Industry Takes Aim at Suno
We continue our History of Music Production series (the name for which we can not remember during our recording session!) with a look at the history of equalizers, aka EQ. After that, industry leaders are taking aim at Suno. We look at...
Epstein's Plans for the Music Industry
Our History of Music Production series carries on with the history of compressors and limiters—from the early radio days to today's exciting plugins and everything in between. This series is not a tutorial, but a bit of background and context s...
Princeton Offers a New "Women in Hip Hop" Course
We continue our History of Music Production series with the history of microphones. Then we take a look at some prominent hip hop music college programs, and discuss what the state of hip hop in higher education says about the times we live in ...
CEO of Wasserman in the Epstein files
We kick off our "History of Music Production" series with The History of Mixing and Mastering: what is mixing, how does it differ from mastering? Then, Casey Wasserman, founder and CEO of Wasserman agency, who represents a huge swath o...
Activism at the 2026 GRAMMYs
Plus, how can you keep your venue safe from ICE? We have a checklist that will help you prepare. Also, Spotify and the major labels are suing activist and archive group Anna's Archive for 13 trillion dollars (that's "trillion" with a "T"). Then...
What's your 2026 music release strategy?
It's a new year and many of us are thinking about how to plan out our music drops. How should you plan your year? And what about your music video strategy? We look at how music videos remain relevant—and how they don't.Next, a major shi...
Bandcamp Bans AI Music
Bandcamp recently announced, "music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp." But what does that mean, and how will they enforce it? We dive in. In good news, we share a fundraising effort by...
Minneapolis & ICE
We have roots in Minneapolis, and felt we couldn't have just a regular episode given the murder of Renee Good in Minneapolis at the hands of ICE agents. What can musicians do in times like this? We read Renee Good's wife's statement in its enti...
State of the GRAMMYs / Rap embraces art / YouTube vs Billboards / Spotify hacked
We're back for 2026 with a look at the Grammy's. Are they still relevant? What's it take to get nominated? Is being part of the Grammy's something indie artists should aspire to? Next we look at how rap is embracing the visual art world. YouTub...