Billboard has announced the launch of On the Record With Kristin Robinson, a new weekly video podcast that takes listeners inside the music industry, drawing on original reporting from the Billboard newsroom and featuring exclusive interviews with top executives and artists. Created in partnership with SickBird Productions, the first episode of On the Record will go live Thursday morning (Sept. 18) on all podcast platforms.
The first episode was filmed backstage at Sphere in Las Vegas and features a conversation with the venue’s head of booking (Josephine Vaccatello) and head of Sphere Studios (Carolyn Blackwood) about how their residencies for artists like U2, Dead & Company and Eagles come together from booking to opening night. Other early episodes will include discussions about how Trump administration policies impact Latin concerts, and how streaming services will respond to the onset of the AI music revolution and more. Other episodes will also feature conversations with artists about going independent, planning unique rollouts and embracing technology.
From left: Carolyn Blackwood, head of Sphere Studios and Josephine Vaccarello, Head of Booking for MSG Entertainment and Kristin Robinson.
On the Record has its finger on the pulse of what the industry is actually talking about and will present the information in a way that opens up these insider conversations to everyone — whether that’s to other industry pros, curious fans or aspiring artists.
SickBird Productions is onboard as On the Record’s co-producer. An award-winning global production company, founded by Jade Watson, SickBird has launched more than 20 shows to date and has worked on podcasts like Glory Daze With Johnny Manziel, Working Hard With Grace Beverly, Caps Lock With Sam Fahey and more.
Since joining Billboard in 2021, On the Record host Kristin Robinson has become a leading music business and technology reporter, covering all things AI, streaming, publishing, digital marketing, labels and more. Her newsletter Machine Learnings about the intersection of music and tech is widely read across the industry and boasts 50,000 organic subscribers. Since 2021, Robinson has earned five journalistic honors for her work, including a National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award nomination for exposing a $23 million YouTube royalty fraud impacting Daddy Yankee and Julio Iglesias. When not covering the business side of things, she also writes cover stories and profiles for the publication, including features on Charli xcx, Addison Rae, Laufey, DJ Mustard, $uicideboy$ and Ghostwriter.
“Covering the music business at Billboard has shown me how closely the decisions being made in boardrooms impact the music fans are streaming, buying and experiencing live,” says Robinson. “With On the Record, my goal is to bridge that gap — bringing fans, artists and industry professionals into the same room to understand not just what’s happening in music, but why it matters.”
“The stories that drive the music industry go far beyond the charts. With On the Record, we’re creating a space to unpack the decisions, technologies and power shifts that define today’s music business,” says Hannah Karp, Billboard editor-in-chief. “Kristin has a unique ability to connect fans, artists and executives in one conversation, making the complexities of the industry both engaging and accessible.”
Diona DaCosta, head of content at SickBird, says: “Listeners can expect unfiltered conversations that bring them closer to the people and decisions shaping the music business today. Teaming up with Billboard gives us the perfect platform to tell these stories with both authority and depth. At SickBird, we’re uniquely positioned to translate these narratives for today’s digital-first audience. In a landscape where transparency is more important than ever, people don’t just want the headlines; they want to understand the strategy, the stakes and the voices behind the music industry’s biggest moves. This podcast pulls back the curtain to reveal the stories that usually stay behind closed doors.”
Watson adds: “Billboard has been defining the music industry for decades, and we’re proud to combine their unmatched authority in music reporting with SickBird’s 360° podcasting approach to launch this new show. By partnering, we have the opportunity to deliver the exclusive, ahead-of-the-curve content that Billboard’s audience craves whilst giving listeners unprecedented access to the people shaping the music business.”
Listen to On the Record With Kristin Robinson on Apple, Spotify and YouTube, and follow along with the show on Instagram.