Bi-Weekly-ish Newsletter #62 w/ Adele's Munich Madness ?????, Roblox's DistroKid Deal ????, Duolingo's Musical Move ?????, Man United's Retro Ad ???

Hiya Reader,

New edition right here for you that takes you on a whirlwind European Mystery tour from Manchester to Berlin, Munich and Copenhagen - and then some.

Marcel

Subscribe now!

1. Kit Craze

Man-o-man. These football kit releases at the beginning of the seasons (or big football tournaments for that matter) are becoming something else, aren't they? I’ve been posting about them on this platform a couple of times here and here and somewhat consistently on the Ringo LinkedIn “great sync alerts”-series here , there and also here . They’ve become really big marketing staples, often with clever and epic synced tracks.?

The latest addition to this canon is an Adidas x Man United spot launch that perfectly hits the sweet spot at the nexus of football, culture, and music. This cinematic ode to football, narrated by Irish actor and lifelong fan of the game Barry Keoghan, utilizes Underworld's iconic '90s anthem 'Born Slippy (Nuxx)' to stunning effect. In the film, Keoghan appears alongside a constellation of current Manchester United stars, club legends, and other famous faces, including Alejandro Garnacho, Bryan Robson, and Luke Shaw.

As Keoghan visits the iconic former training ground, The Cliff, he watches a grassroots game and beautifully narrates the spot. The film concludes with Barry turning to face the camera. "After all that. After all we've seen," he says, "I say, you can't beat an original."

You can't indeed beat an Original... and this spot is really something. Even for a Feyenoord fan like me, I have to admit that Manchester United (jokingly referred to as "new Ajax" considering it’s becoming an Ajax enclave ) has scored a banger with this one. Check it out yourself!

2. Duolingo: The Gamification of Music Education?

In this newsletter, I often discuss new technological developments or financial aspects of music. But I'd like to revisit the fact that playing an instrument and creating music is inherently valuable, benefiting cognitive development, emotional and mental health, and offering countless social perks. I mean... I doubt any girl would have noticed me in high school if I couldn't play at least a bit of drums.

Yes, this version is better. It's more precise and flows more smoothly. Here's a slight refinement to enhance clarity:

Learning music and an instrument, however, is hard. For years, I've been obsessed with rhythmic computer games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I was convinced that playing these games was not only comparable to making actual music but provided a general learning curve of musical structures and instrumentation with a gamification element that made it accessible to many.

Enter Duolingo. You might know Duolingo primarily as a language-learning app that gamifies the language learning process, but recently they've expanded into math and music courses. Earlier this week, they announced a partnership with Sony Music, bringing popular tracks by Meghan Trainor, Whitney Houston, Sia, P!nk, and Cyndi Lauper into Duolingo's music course that helps you read notation, learn which notes correspond to keyboard keys, and allows you to play along via an on-screen piano. I've played around with this a bit and it's good and makes music learning simple and fun. Test it here .

Below you can watch someone nail the hardest song in the Guitar Hero franchise: "Through The Fire And Flames" on 100% Expert mode. While Duolingo might not have you playing like this just yet, it's clear that the future of music education is looking a lot more like play and a lot less like work. And isn't that music to all our ears?

3. The Sync New Deal Roblo x DistroKid

Spoiler alert: "It's horrible!"

Roblox, the gaming behemoth valued at $24.45B , is teaming up with DistroKid, the "world's largest distributor of independent music" valued at a cool 1.2 billion U.S. dollars. The deal allows 2 million DistroKid artists to get their music on Roblox, reaching 80 million daily active users. Sounds like a match made in digital heaven but there’s a catch.?

To participate, music artists must own full publishing rights and there’s no PRO (performance rights organization) registration allowed. This setup means artists forgo any direct financial compensation when their tracks are used. In other words, artists get paid precisely the great sum of $0 for their music being used. Yes, you read that right. Zero. Nada. Zilch.

Some additional context: Three key factors make a track appealing for use in media, including games like Roblox:

?? Quality: Not musical merit, but popularity and cultural relevance. David Bowie's music is more valuable than my old band's, even though we also "totally-rocked-dude", every now and then.

?? Price: The cost varies greatly, but Bowie's music commands a higher price than my old bands even though we "sounded-fucking-awesome-on-that-one-record-dude!"

?? Clearance Speed: Sync licensing can take weeks or months. Faster clearance means more deals!

For artists, featuring their music offers two benefits:

?? Money: Normally through sync licensing fees and long-term royalties via PROs.

? Attention: Can be converted to money through streams and live shows.

The Roblox-DistroKid deal only offers attention. Sure, Spotify reported a 6000% increase in new listens after a sync , but syncs usually come with actual financial compensation writers can use for rent and groceries.

Here’s the problem. This deal sets a dangerous precedent by lowering music's value. Once widespread, such pricing can ripple through the music economy, devaluing music as an art itself.

If we want a diverse musical ecosystem where artists from various backgrounds can afford to make music, we need to stop undervaluing their work like it's last week's leftovers. Considering DistroKid's mission to "build great things for musicians and help them make a living from their art", this decision seems as counterproductive as building a diving board... over an empty pool.

Sure, you might get some attention on the way down, but the landing's going to hurt.

This is an ad…

Obviously, music does have value, and this is where Ringo comes in. Unlike the Roblox-DistroKid deal, nobody should be asking artists to provide their work for free.

Ringo bridges the information gap between buyers and sellers of sync licensing, removes friction, and makes the process safe, simple, and stress-free. We've developed an algorithmic pricing tool that determines Expected Sync Value (xSV). It's like having a crystal ball for sync pricing.

Need to know if a track fits your budget? Boom! Instant answer. No more playing email ping-pong with dozens of labels and publishers. No more deals that undervalue artists' work. Just fair, efficient sync licensing that respects both creators and users.

We're about to launch in public beta, offering a solution that could prevent situations like the Roblox-DistroKid deal from becoming the norm. Because let's face it, exposure doesn't pay the rent, but fair compensation does.

Sign up now for early access and be part of a system that values music as it should be valued. Your future self (and your bank account) will thank you.

Get Early Ringo Access

4. Adele's Munich Madness:

Hold onto your lederhosen! Adele, Live Nation, and the city of Munich are reinventing live music, only to tear it down and recycle it afterwards.

In an ongoing groundbreaking concert series in August, they've constructed a $130 million custom pop-up stadium aptly called 'Adela Arena', hosting 10 shows throughout August for a total of 750,000 fans.

The venue, holding 80,000 fans per show, includes "Adele World" - an immersive outdoor environment featuring ferris wheels, farmers markets, Bavarian beer gardens, and a recreated English pub. A standout feature is the 220 x 30 meters (721x98 feet for you Americano’s) video wall, the largest LED screen ever constructed for a concert.

The projected economic impact is significant:

• Estimated gross: $228 million?

To put this in perspective, these 10 shows are expected to generate more revenue than Adele's lifetime streaming total:

• 10 shows in Munich: $228 million
• 44 billion lifetime streams: $220 million

The event's impact extends beyond just music sales. Munich is anticipating a whopping $612 million in ancillary revenue, a substantial boost for a city of 1.4 million people.

Sustainability is also a key factor:

• 95% of the staging will be repurposed
• Asphalt and gravel will be recycled
• 80% of fans are expected to arrive by rail, with passes included in ticket prices

This event represents a new model for live music: multi-night stays, immersive experiences, and significant local economic impact. It demonstrates how live events can monetize an artist's fanbase more effectively than streaming alone, while also considering environmental factors. Above all, this could become a new staple in city marketing where cities bid to become "Las Vegas" for a month and attract global megastars like Adele.

If you're feeling left out, there are still some tickets available - if you're willing to shell out 300+ euros!

5. On the Road Again!

Next month, I'll be out and about for some exciting events, and I hope to see some of you there!

First stop: Berlin, September 5th and 6th. I'll be speaking about the future of sync at New Visions for Music and Sound . This conference focuses on the evolution of the music ecosystem and emerging sound technologies. The lineup is impressive (if I do say so myself, as I'm part of it).

Want to join? I've got a special treat for you. Use code [BeWeeklyish20] for a 20% discount on tickets. Look at me, dishing out discounts like a proper influencer!

After that: Copenhagen, where I'll be pitching Ringo at TechBBQ on September 12th (which happens to be my birthday). TechBBQ is a nonprofit at the heart of Scandinavia's startup and innovation ecosystem. Their annual summit draws attendees from around the world for two days of inspiration, networking, and growth.

No discounts for TechBBQ, I'm afraid, but tickets range from 159 euros for startups to 799 euros for general admission. You can grab them here .

If you're in Berlin or Copenhagen during these days, drop me a line. I'd love to catch up over coffee!

Thanks for reading.

For a better experience. This newsletter is also available on Substack with working Youtube links and a slightly better design. Click here to join.

Holiday is over.

Let’s Start Today.

(but first) Enjoy the weekend.

Marcel