Bootleg: Beyond The Setlist. When Artists Think Like Founders
Notes on live music, connection, and the emerging future, by Bootleg founder and CEO Rod Yancy
🎤 Sound Check
The best entrepreneurs I know aren’t obsessed with building companies. They’re obsessed with solving problems.
That’s what first drew me to entrepreneurship. It was never about the title or the hustle culture. It was the drive to bet on myself to build something that adds value to the world, and the challenge of looking at a broken system and thinking: there has to be a better way.
Bootleg was born out of that same instinct, realizing that so many of the artists I grew up loving would struggle to make it in today’s ecosystem. Too much of the industry is built around extracting value without giving any back.
I’ve built ventures in law, finance, and now music. Different industries, but the same through-line: see the pain point, serve the people, and build something that lasts.
What excites me about music right now is that more artists are starting to think this way too.
They’re not just releasing tracks, they’re building companies around themselves. They’re owning their masters, telling their stories and designing experiences that connect directly with their fans. The artists leading culture today are thinking like founders, and treating themselves like startups.
Bootleg was built for artists like that. We give them the tools to own their live recordings, sell directly to fans, and deepen the connection that actually matters.
It’s a new era, and there’s still room for more artists to step up and help lead. The new game is all about building with intention and inviting fans to be part of the journey.
I’m proud to work with artists on Bootleg who are taking their power back, and building their own legacies in the process.
⚡️ Live Wire
The industry’s moving fast. I’m just trying to stay tuned in, and share what I hear along the way.
🔥K-Pop Demon Hunters Shatters Records
Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters just became the platform’s most-viewed original animated film and its fictional idol groups are now charting alongside real ones. Songs from the film cracked the top 10 on Spotify’s global K-pop chart, surpassing records previously held by artists like BTS. What makes it work? Real artists voicing the characters. Real vocalists recording the songs. And a full commitment to world-building that goes far beyond the screen. When you combine world-class sound with compelling characters, visual storytelling, and obsessive fan culture, you get something bigger than entertainment. You get a movement. The future belongs to those who can blend mediums, deepen connection and invite people into something immersive and real.
👉Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide
🌱 Matty Healy on Nurturing the Roots of Culture
Last week, I highlighted how Royal Albert Hall is donating a percentage of its ticket sales to small, independent venues across the UK. Now Matty Healy of The 1975 is adding to that momentum, calling for a “complete realignment of the live music industry.” In a new interview, Healy argues that major artists have a responsibility to reinvest in the small, independent venues that helped launch their careers. He even suggests artists should consider allocating some of their touring revenue to support these spaces. Healy also called out the industry’s growing reliance on VIP experiences and inflated pricing models that leave fans feeling squeezed and disconnected. His message is clear: artists have the platform and the power to reshape the industry in a way that supports longevity, equity, and culture, not just profits. At Bootleg, we believe in that same principle. If we want a thriving future, we need to take care of the roots.
👉Read more at Digital Music News
🎟️ Backstage Pass
At Bootleg, we help artists capture and sell high-quality audio recordings and photographs from their shows so fans can collect and relive the moment, and artists can keep earning beyond the encore.
What’s Moving
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard just pulled nearly their entire catalog from Spotify.
It’s no secret the platform’s payout system is difficult for the very artists who drive it. But this move wasn’t about royalties or reach, it was about values. The band no longer wants to align with Spotify’s leadership or how it invests its profits. That kind of decision takes clarity, courage, and of course ownership.
King Gizz owns their masters. They’ve built a direct relationship with fans. And they’ve long been pro–open source, encouraging communities like ours to help preserve and share their live recordings.
At Bootleg, we’re proud to host dozens of King Gizz live shows, recorded straight from the board, mixed and mastered for quality, and available to stream anytime. While their studio albums are prolific and iconic, most fans will tell you the real magic happens on stage. If you’re looking for the best place to experience that energy, Bootleg is it.
We support artists who lead with integrity, challenge the status quo, and create work built to last. Because music deserves better than the algorithm, and we all deserve to build with those who align with our values.
🎵 Fade Out
More and more artists are stepping into ownership of their work, their values, and their future.
From Matty Healy calling for a realignment of the live music industry, to King Gizz pulling their catalog in protest of platforms they no longer believe in, we’re seeing artists take the long view. Not chasing numbers, but building with purpose.
That’s what Bootleg was built for. Artists who want equity more than exposure. The ones turning moments into momentum, and fans into true believers.
The leaders are leading by building.
And I’m all in on backing the ones brave enough to do it differently.
With gratitude,
Founder & CEO, Bootleg.live