Panel

“I am a child of the Sixties, conceived in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury by a psycho-poet father and Brooklyn-exiled hippie mother,” says ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar. His unconventional approach to the world and its music began even in childhood when his parents, who were admittedly “hipper” than he was, introduced him to an eclectic gathering of musical characters that would shape the lenses that colored his view of music. (more…)

“It’s very important to never compromise when it comes to the music,” says Labrador Records owner Johan Angergård. [Our goal is] to release the best Swedish pop…I like Fever Ray and Taken by Trees, but neither seem to need a label. Honestly, I find it a lot more interesting to find and release new artists.” The defining factor in signing a new band? “If I keep pushing “play,” get excited and love the music—it’s for Labrador.” (more…)

Hi, we are Panel, remember us? Bringing you music and weekly panelists. We love to use our imagination, constantly finding ways to navigate this vast world of music. We imagine a virtual record collection categorized by human connection. (more…)

There is a great difference between a radio personality and a DJ, even though the two are often confused. Most mainstream radio stations are stocked with radio personalities. Like conveyor belts for commercially viable pop-music, they indiscriminately pass along sludge to the masses. (more…)

Robert Shahnazarian Jr.’s life and work dispels the idea that the music industry is an oligarchy. For those who wish to swallow the candy-coated American Idol version of the American Dream, L.A. is the schizophrenic uncle of the entertainment industry. (more…)

Michael Kaufmann, an experimental artist, mirrors that free-form aesthetic naturally as A&R of Asthmatic Kitty. Asthmatic Kitty is probably best known as the home for singer/songwriter and label co-founder Sufjan Stevens, a record label that broods over a diverse array of artists spanning a wide array of tastes and Kaufmann gets to sign them. (more…)

Walking through Anthropologie looking up songs with Shazam, scrobbling the entire catalogue in Last.fm, and of course listening to full-length albums on our very own Panel App based on the recommendation of music experts. These are all experiences we share in the year 2010. MySpace has more bands than one would ever want to know; LaLa allows you to preview practically any album, then combine that with sites like GrooveShark, supply of music is virtually infinite. With so much music available, it is all the more important to have an intimate knowledge of your taste. Developing taste buds for music is very important, but it is not until you can describe and expound on your choices that a true tastemaker is born. A tastemaker looks past personal preferences to have educated opinions. (more…)

Meet the #1 fan of music, Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin Media. Topspin is a technology driven company that enables artists and labels to achieve easy direct-to-fan marketing, management and distribution. Joining topspin in 2008, Rogers is one of the most highly sought after music marketing guru. (more…)

Barry Squire a man whose attention is sought after by rockers and jazz musicians alike. He’s the creative force behind organizing tours like Lady Gaga and Nine Inch Nails. (more…)

Renaissance woman Neeta Ragoowansi is Director of Artist-Label relations for Sound Exchange, a non-profit organization designated as collector and distributor of digital performance royalties for recording artists and owners of sound recording copyrights. As if she is not busy enough, Ragoowansi is Vice President and on the Board of an organization called Women In Music. An organization that she and a few other women helped revitalized. (more…)