Shuffle

Music fans turned to streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music out of necessity during the pandemic, yet these platforms notoriously pay artists very little. Northeast Ohio musicians weigh in on earning money through industry and listener changes.

New Philadelphia singer-songwriter Megan Bouman wrote a song about nearly losing her faith, which helped her discover her true passion for music.

Grammy Award-winning rapper Kid Cudi will host a festival celebrating his hometown in The Flats called Moon Man’s Landing. On this week’s Shuffle, we hear from rapper Chip Tha Ripper, who has been on tour with Kid Cudi this summer and will perform at the festival.

Music journalist Rob Harvilla revisits the songs that scored his teenage and college years in Northeast Ohio with a popular podcast called “60 Songs that Explain the ‘90s.”

The spotlight is on local clubs during Independent Venue Week, but pandemic struggles continue as venue owners look for new ways to draw in crowds and support.

Northeast Ohio journalist Eric Sandy is releasing an expanded version of an oral history he wrote in 2016 on the defunct Cleveland venue Speak In Tongues. The book will be released in July and details the significance and lasting impact of the underground club.

Chanelle Kazadi is breaking barriers as a Black, gay and female rap artist in a male-dominated industry. Her latest album, "Make It Work," is climbing the charts on streaming platforms, and she's set to tour the album across the country this summer.

Spirit of the Bear formed in 2014 in the Youngstown area when its members were in high school. This past year the band signed a record deal and have begun to release new music.

The pandemic brought gig playing to a halt for many musicians, including Cleveland blues singer-songwriter Taylor Lamborn. But, that hiatus helped her find a new way to share music she mostly had kept to herself.

Singer-songwriter JD Eicher released his first novel and companion album in 2022 after the pandemic halted his usually busy touring schedule.