Andrew Mall 6/10/25 Andrew Mall 6/10/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #06: Challenges (Season 1 Finale)

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #05: Mental Health. Hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall are joined by ten of our Season 1 panel members to discuss some of the biggest changes that we've experienced within the DIY music scenes over the last few decades & the challenges that we face today. Several panelists also share advice that is valuable to anyone who is involved in these communities.

Andrew Mall 6/2/25 Andrew Mall 6/2/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #05: Mental Health

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #05: Mental Health. Hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall are joined by nine of our Season 1 panel members to discuss the mental health benefits that we gain through being involved in DIY music scenes and communities.

Andrew Mall 5/28/25 Andrew Mall 5/28/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #04: Community

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #04: Community. Hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall are joined by eight of our Season 1 panel members to discuss the communities that we build around D.I.Y. music scenes, as well as values that are essential within these communities.

Andrew Mall 5/27/25 Andrew Mall 5/27/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #03: Exposure

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #03: Exposure. Hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall are joined by nine of our Season 1 panel members to discuss the impact that exposure can have on D.I.Y. music scenes and what happens when these bands and this music reaches mainstream attention and success.

Andrew Mall 5/16/25 Andrew Mall 5/16/25

Do phone-free concerts lead to better experiences? We asked Northeastern experts

NGN (2025). “If you have 10,000 people at a concert and 8,000 of them are holding a phone, there’s something deeply disconnected,” said Tobias Forge, the frontman of Swedish rock group Ghost. Forge was explaining why the band’s world tour is mandating a no-phones policy. A music expert, philosopher and psychologist explain what is going on when artists restrict what their fans can do at their performances.

Andrew Mall 5/14/25 Andrew Mall 5/14/25

All-In Ticket Pricing Rule Goes Live, Intended to Level Playing Field

TicketNews (2025). A major shift in how ticket prices are displayed went into effect this week, as the Federal Trade Commission’s newly adopted “all-in pricing” rule requires businesses to include all known fees and charges before asking for payment. This move is largely seen as a win for consumers and a step toward fairness among ticket sellers—though it won’t necessarily bring costs down.

Andrew Mall 5/13/25 Andrew Mall 5/13/25

The FTC’s new rule on ticket prices is a win for consumers, experts say — but don’t expect it to bring costs down

CNBC (2025). The Federal Trade Commission’s new rule requires ticket sellers to disclose total prices upfront, including fees, prohibiting them from concealing add-on charges until the last minute. “More transparency is always a win for consumers,” says Andrew Mall, an associate professor of music at Northeastern University. However, “if there are any consumers who have been expecting fewer fees as a result, they will be disappointed.”

Andrew Mall 5/12/25 Andrew Mall 5/12/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #02: Sustainability and Resilience

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #02: Sustainability and Resilience. hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall are joined by eight of our Season 1 panel members to discuss factors that impact the sustainability and resilience in D.I.Y. music scenes, as well as the importance of adaptability in a society that is constantly changing and evolving.

Andrew Mall 5/6/25 Andrew Mall 5/6/25

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #01: Pilot

Live Free Or D.I.Y. Episode #01: Pilot. Hosts Dana Bollen and Andrew Mall introduce themselves and the panel of twelve individuals that we will hear from throughout Season 1 of this podcast series. Each panel member also chimes in to describe their personal connection to the term “D.I.Y.” (do-it-yourself) and its connection to their experiences in the D.I.Y. music scenes and communities.

Andrew Mall 5/1/25 Andrew Mall 5/1/25

Fyre Fest is up for sale. Could someone buy the brand and turn it around?

Northeastern Global News (2025). The doomed festival’s founder Billy McFarland said the brand can be purchased, but one Northeastern expert said it’s “poisonous.” Could someone purchase the Fyre Fest brand and revive it? It would be a difficult endeavor, said Andrew Mall, associate professor of music at Northeastern University.

Andrew Mall 4/17/25 Andrew Mall 4/17/25

How to buy concert tickets — and avoid getting scammed

Portland Press Herald (2025). Anyone who has bought a ticket to live entertainment in the past few years has likely racked up as many questions as they have credit card debt. We talked to industry experts, arts professionals and concert promoters to demystify what third-party ticket sellers are doing and to help you get the best seat for your buck.

Andrew Mall 4/14/25 Andrew Mall 4/14/25

Songs are getting shorter, thanks in part to Spotify and TikTok algorithms

The Washington Times (2025). Songs are becoming shorter as artists tailor their tracks to fit the algorithms of TikTok and Spotify, where quick hooks and replay-friendly formats drive plays and chart success. “Artists, especially new young artists, are simply just creating hooks and trying to circulate those on TikTok,” professor Andrew Mall, who studies music and media at Northeastern University, told The Washington Times.

Andrew Mall 4/4/25 Andrew Mall 4/4/25

Return(s) on Investment: The Value of Local Music Scenes

BFE conference presentation (2025). In this paper, we demonstrate that local jurisdictions’ objectives for investing in and promoting music, grounded in differing forms of value, can result in distinct and competing goals. We argue that advancing cultural policy initiatives that recognize and prioritize noneconomic forms of value in local music scenes is an important step in preserving and improving their resilience and sustainability. This collaborative paper is based on ethnographic fieldwork in Dublin, Ireland, and Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Andrew Mall 3/27/25 Andrew Mall 3/27/25

Hardcore Community at Furnace Fest: Nostalgia, Belongingness, and Vulnerability

Punk Scholars Network conference presentation (2025). In this paper I reflect on the meaningfulness of the Furnace Fest community to individual participants. My findings are based on four sequential years of fieldwork at Furnace Fest (2021–24) with ever-growing research teams, hundreds of survey responses, and dozens of hours of semi-structured interviews with organizers, community members, and random attendees (around 50 conducted at the 2024 event alone). I argue that nostalgia at Furnace Fest is generative as much as it is reflective, affirming participants’ identities while also empowering them to take risks and be vulnerably transparent in relative safety.

Andrew Mall 2/19/25 Andrew Mall 2/19/25

Beyoncé fans complain of inconsistent ticket prices for Cowboy Carter Tour

CBS Morning News (2025). Some Beyoncé fans say they're seeing inconsistent ticket prices for the Cowboy Carter Tour, with some social media users pointing to seats in the same section going for different prices depending on when you bought the tickets. Andrew Mall, associate professor of music at Northeastern University, joined CBS News to discuss the issue.

Andrew Mall 2/6/25 Andrew Mall 2/6/25

The State of DIY Music: A Roundtable Discussion

The State of DIY: A Roundtable Discussion was a public event held August 4, 2024, at the Lilypad in Cambridge, Mass.

Andrew Mall 2/1/25 Andrew Mall 2/1/25

Funflation: Concert ticket prices have soared, but music fans don’t seem to care

CNBC (2025). 2025 promises to be another big year for live music events. That may also mean concertgoers will be shelling out more for their favorite shows. After rising steadily post-pandemic, admission to movies, theaters and concerts jumped 20% since 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index data. And yet, consumers have demonstrated a high tolerance for the increasing price tag, also known as “funflation.”

Andrew Mall 1/31/25 Andrew Mall 1/31/25

Will Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show push NFL’s buttons or play it safe?

Northeastern Global News (2025). One of the biggest rappers of his generation, Kendrick Lamar is a logical choice for the NFL’s biggest stage. But the politically conscious rapper also stands in stark contrast to the league’s image.

Andrew Mall 1/7/25 Andrew Mall 1/7/25

Seminar in Music Industry

In this capstone course for music industry students, we explore contemporary analyses and issues with an eye toward critically assessing and engaging the music industries. Each student brings to the classroom a unique set of skills and experiences, including those grounded in coursework and experiential learning (such as co-ops, internships, research, service learning, study abroad, and other activities). During seminar, we learn together as a class from these individualized experiences and sets of expertise—the sum of our knowledge, in essence, is greater than its individual parts.

Andrew Mall 12/12/24 Andrew Mall 12/12/24

What is the legacy of Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’? Cultural impact goes beyond music, expert says

Northeastern Global News (2024). Taylor Swift ended her nearly two-year-long tour on Dec. 8. The Eras Tour broke records as one of the highest-grossing tours in history.