Do Major Record Labels Still Control the Music Industry? | CVLTURE Episode 4

In the fourth episode of CVLTURE, Mark Foster (Solardo) and Nik 'Nika D' Nagarkar (Virus Syndicate) dive into the world of major record labels, artist contracts and music industry power. They explore whether major labels still control culture, why artists sign away their masters, what 360 deals really mean, and whether independent artists have more opportunities than ever before. From Spotify playlists and marketing budgets to Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Tupac and some of the biggest music industry conspiracy theories, they unpack the realities of who holds the power behind modern music. No PR answers. No industry clichés. Just two artists with decades of experience talking honestly about the industry, the culture and what it really takes to survive in modern music. For the CVLTURE by the CVLTURE. In this episode: - Why artists sign major record deals and what they give up in return. - The truth about masters, publishing, 360 deals and who really owns your music. - Whether major record labels still control music, culture and commercial success. - How Taylor Swift reclaimed her catalogue and why artist ownership matters. - The biggest music industry conspiracy theories surrounding Michael Jackson, Tupac and the major labels. **Do Major Record Labels Still Control the Music Industry? | CVLTURE Episode 4** 00:00 Cold Open 00:45 Do Major Labels Still Control Culture? 02:02 Do Major Labels Get Better Spotify Playlists? 04:18 Why Independent Labels Are Winning 06:07 How Major Labels "Upstream" Artists 08:04 Why Your Masters Own You 11:06 Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun Explained 12:25 What Are Masters? 14:27 What Is a 360 Record Deal? 17:04 Why Artists Lose Creative Control 18:06 The Truth About A&R 19:18 Why Nobody Knows What Makes a Hit Song 21:13 Are Labels Manufacturing Viral Artists? 25:27 Do Major Labels Control Culture? 29:52 The History of Major Record Labels 31:52 Illuminati Symbolism in Music Explained 34:30 Music Industry Conspiracy Theories 34:48 Why Are So Many Music Icons Gone? 37:33 Michael Jackson vs Sony Records 42:07 Tupac, Record Labels & Power #CVLTURE #MusicIndustry #Podcast **Follow CVLTURE:** https://www.instagram.com/cvlture.tv https://www.tiktok.com/@cvlture.tv https://www.facebook.com/CVLTURE.TV **Available on all podcast platforms:** Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/033GOSsjKRqVkYADg6TCw9?si=dyKmWj2dRgyPYh470PUuCg Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cvlture/id6785525121 Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.**co.uk/podcasts/edca6046-9b72-4771-9397-e0f3cfc64847/cvlture**