In this episode, Chordal CEO Grayson Sanders joins me, Jonny Amos, for a discussion on the complexities of music licensing in the digital age, the potential of AI in rights management, and the future of micro-licensing for the creator economy. We explore how technology is transforming the industry and what it means for artists, rights holders, and content creators.

Keywords

music licensing, AI rights management, micro-licensing, digital content, creator economy, rights clearance, TikTok music, music industry innovation

Key Topics

Music licensing complexities in the internet age

AI's role in rights management and licensing

Micro-licensing as a scalable revenue model

The future of music licensing by 2035

TikTok's music licensing innovations

The role of human curation vs algorithms in music discovery

Challenges faced by independent artists in licensing

The impact of AI on music rights and discovery

Takeaways

Music rights are owned by multiple parties, making licensing complex.

AI is used for rights cleaning, matching, and discovery, not for generating music.

Micro-licensing is becoming essential due to internet content volume.

Traditional blockbuster licensing will coexist with micro-licensing.

Platforms like TikTok are pioneering scalable licensing solutions.

Human curation remains vital despite AI advancements.

Independent artists often lack knowledge about licensing requirements.

AI can help manage rights more efficiently and fairly.

Guest Name

Grayson Sanders - CEO of Chordal

Sound bites

"Music licensing is more complex than ever."

"AI helps manage rights, not just create music."

"Community curation will outpace algorithms."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to music licensing challenges in the digital age

01:57 How music rights are owned and the complexity of licensing

03:53 The impact of the internet on licensing speed and scalability

06:10 Chordal's platform and its role in licensing and rights management

07:57 Expanding licensing to independent artists and creators

11:02 The rise of micro-licensing and its importance

13:58 The influence of AI in rights management and licensing

17:04 Future of licensing in 2035: human vs. platform transactions

20:00 The cultural shift back to human curation and community-based discovery

22:52 The role of AI in managing rights and enhancing discovery

25:56 The impact of platforms like TikTok on licensing and music use

33:01 The importance of fair remuneration and rights holder control

36:00 Final thoughts: coexistence of traditional and new licensing models

Resources

Chordal Platform - https://chordal.com

Music Ally Article on TikTok Commercial Music Library - https://musically.com/2026/05/11/chordal-got-5bn-tiktok-views-for-commercial-music-library-tracks/