Ujo Music Founder Says Blockchain Can Fix the Music Industry
*By Jacqueline Corba*
The music industry is broken because artists are not getting paid what they should, said Ujo Music's co-founder Jesse Grushack, and he can fix it with blockchain technology.
Ujo Music is part of the Consensys studio, led by Joe Lubin, the co-founder of the blockchain-based computing platform Ethereum.
More than 80 artists, including Imogen Heap, RAC, and Giraffage, are on Ujo Music's platform. No money can be exchanged yet, but Grushack said eventually artists will be paid with Ethereum.
"What matters is the artist is getting a fair value for use of their song," Grushack said Thursday on Cheddar's The Crypto Craze.
Through Ujo Music, creators can maintain control of their licensing agreement and set their own price and rules for how their own content can be used. Grushack said the goal is to create an ecosystem in which no matter where content lives on the web, artists get paid.
"A lot of people have grand ideas in blockchain, but the pipes to build all that stuff aren't quite there yet," said Grushack. "Consensys allows us to play with ideas, play with tech, and provides us with services such as marketing and diligence."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-ujo-music-is-leveraging-blockchain-to-pay-artists-fairly).
Facebook officially announced that it is shutting down its facial recognition software which identifies users in photos and videos. The decision comes during growing societal concerns over the use of the technology. Cathy Hackl, Tech futurist and CEO of the Futures Intelligence Group joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
Virgin Orbit is introducing air-launch services to the Eastern Hemisphere for the first time in history. Sir Richard Branson's space launch company has signed an agreement with ANA Holdings, the owners of Japan's largest airline, to procure 20 flights of its LauncherOne rocket from an airport in Japan, a big boost for the aerospace industry in Asia. Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, joined Cheddar to discuss the new partnership, the future of air launch, and how small satellites can help monitor climate change impacts.
Virgin Galactic is reporting an increase in demand for commercial space flights after seeing a boost in ticket sales, raising the price for a seat on a shuttle to $450,000. The company said they now have 700 customers.
Walmart has joined forces with robotruck start-up Gatik to deploy driverless grocery delivery. We spoke to the CEO and co-founder of Gatik to discuss how the technology works and how autonomous vehicles will help ease supply chain issues.
At least 7 million customers have been impacted by a data breach on the investing app Robinhood. The specific information that was leaked varied by each customer, but Robinhood stated that hackers did not access social security numbers or banking information.
Doug Astrop, managing partner at Exponential Investment Partners, joined Cheddar to discuss Peloton's precipitous price drop, and whether the company can recover as the at-home workout trend tapers off. "They've lowered the prices on their equipment to try to attract a bigger audience because ultimately they're sort of headed to this Apple ecosystem model where they can monetize a loyal customer base," he said. Astrop noted that he believes there is a reality where the in-person gym experience and Peloton's at-home programs can co-exist.
Jill and Carlo discuss the scenes of joy at American airports as borders reopen, another tool in the Covid toolbox, the latest in the Astroworld crowd crush tragedy and more.
