I PROVIDE MUSIC INDUSTRY EXPERTISE TO MEDIA
I am an in-demand commentator on music industry topics such as concert events and ticketing; local music economies, do-it-yourself (DIY) scenes, and public policy; music festivals and preparing for fun, safety, and failures; streaming and the impact of algorithms, Spotify, and TikTok; vinyl records, collecting, and merchandising; and many other topics.
I have been interviewed by reporters and producers for magazines, newspapers, podcasts, radio, and television whose outlets include Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, CBS Morning News, CNBC, Newsweek, PBS NewsHour, Time, The Washington Post, and many others.
If you are working on a story about the music industry and need an expert perspective, get in touch with me. I can help explain today’s complex issues for your audience’s benefit.
Recent Media Features and Interviews
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
Reporting by Agency France-Presse, published by ABS-CBN and other global media outlets (2024). The nearly two-year-long, $2-billion Eras Tour shattered records, made history and quite literally triggered earthquakes -- so what could Taylor Swift, the planet's biggest star, possibly do next?
CNBC (2024). “Dynamic pricing” made Oxford University Press’ shortlist for the word of the year in 2024. Although the practice has been around for years, a recent surge in demand for sought-after concert tickets, such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, brought dynamic pricing back into the spotlight.
Northeastern Global News (2024). Northeastern music expert Andrew Mall sounds off on this year’s Grammy nominations, including Beyonce’s nominations for her first country album.
Northeastern Global News (2024). Dynamic pricing was meant to stabilize the market; instead, fans have been hit with spiking ticket costs. How do we fix concert ticketing? A Northeastern music industry expert weighs in.
Northeastern Global News (2024). The disgraced founder behind the original Fyre Festival is out of prison and announced his plans to run a second iteration of the failed music festival in April 2025. His intentions to bring back the festival, which led to him doing jail time for wire fraud charges, was shocking to people in the music world.