The golden age of music catalogs is being rewritten, and the smartest investors are treating it like a data problem, not a creative one.

Music Moneyball cuts through the noise to explore how technology, analytics, and operational rigor are reshaping the business of music ownership.

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Where the money is going in music w/ Fred Davis

06 Oct, 2026

There are billions of dollars looking for a way into music. So where are the opportunities to put that capital to work?

In this episode, we’re joined by Fred Davis, Partner at The Raine Group, to explore where he sees growth, what makes a business worth backing and why capital doesn’t always find its way to the right opportunities.

His work spans advising on major acquisitions and capital raises, alongside investments through Raine’s own funds. We get into the firm’s bets on the independent artist ecosystem, including Firebird, Duetti and SoundCloud, and what he sees in the entrepreneurs behind them.

Fred also helped Spotify and Napster co-founder Shawn Fanning secure music licenses during a period of enormous disruption. We explore the parallels with AI today and what it takes to make new business models work for rights holders, technology companies and consumers.

Brought to you by Standard Innovation.

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► About Standard Innovation
Standard Innovation is the data consultancy that helps music investment funds unlock higher valuations and exit multiples through better infrastructure.

► Episode Links
The Raine Group: https://raine.com

► Credits
Guest: Fred Davis, Partner, The Raine Group
Host: Emma Griffiths and Tom Mullen, Standard Innovation
Theme: “Meet Me” — Outlines (Written by Sam Cox) — Courtesy of Bespoke Records

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