Hot Seat: Making it in the music industry… with Josh Roth, Superfly

TMN has revived Hot Seat to offer our young industry subscribers an insight into what it takes to make it in the music business.

After more than a decade as themanager for Ra Ra Riot, among other acts, US-based Josh Rothtook on the role of Director of Programming atcreative experience company Superfly.Not only does Roth support Superfly’s festival properties likethe iconic Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and Outside Lands, he also plays an integral role in strategic partnerships, having aligned brands like JetBlue, Google and Intel withartist talent.

Prior to his appearances at BigSound panelsFestival Truthsand20 Questions, Roth chats to TMN about his new role and his advice for those looking to follow in his footsteps.

What are the main pressure points that you focus on within your role?

At Superfly I am the Director of Programming. I focus on bringing in talent for all brand activations and partnerships, in addition to supporting our festival properties.

Do you have any advice for those who want to enter your sector of the music industry?
My answer to both of these is the same: It’s all about being nice to people and creating lasting relationships. You never know when you will bump into someone again, so treat everyone with respect. That intern from back in the day could end up managing a big band you want on your lineup, or your coworker could go on to become one of the biggest booking agents.

Which industry issues do you hope are touched on during the course of the BigSound?
I’ve never been to Australia, so I’m really excited to learn more about its music scene. In anticipation, I’ve created a playlist with a lot of the bands playing, and I’m looking forward to seeing them live.

What do you see as the most crippling issue facing your local music industry at the moment?
What’s going on with streaming exclusives is a big one. Providing the best experience for the fan should be #1, but delivering an album to an exclusive streaming service feels backwards.

If you could go back, what advice would you give your teenage self?
When I was a kid, I joked that I wanted to get into management because I loved The Beatles, but knew I couldn’t play music well enough. I spent most of my teenage years assuming management wasn’t an obtainable goal, so my focus was on working at a label. Pretty quickly I learned that working at a label wasn’t right for me, and that anything is possible if you really put in the hard work.