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Mondo.NYC Speaker

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Dan Rys

Dan Rys

Director, Business News, Billboard

Dan is the director of business news at Billboard, overseeing all coverage of the music business, from record labels to publishers to touring to radio and digital service providers. He has closely covered the music industry for more than a decade, including five years as the lead beat reporter covering the record-label business for Billboard, and has written cover stories on Eminem, Lil Wayne, Pusha T, the Marley family, Lucian Grainge and the estate of Whitney Houston. Dan has also written extensive features on some of the leading companies in the business, including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Republic Records, Island Records, Def Jam, EMPIRE, BMG, Concord, Roc Nation, Primary Wave, Cash Money, The Orchard, ADA, AWAL, 300 Entertainment, SoundCloud, Tidal, Spotify and Stationhead, while running the regular Executive of the Week column and overseeing annual coverage packages on the independent music business and the intersection of music and sports. Over the years, his work has appeared in and been highlighted by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, VICE and Hot Press magazine. Prior to Billboard, he worked as the senior editor of XXL. He probably likes funk music more than you do.

Mondo 2025 Panels

Driving Value with an Indie Mindset

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 2:55 PM

In a rapidly shifting music landscape, the independent sector continues to punch far above its weight, building loyal fanbases, creating new revenue opportunities and influencing industry innovation from the ground up. This conversation brings together leaders from the independent sector to explore how indie values, agility, transparency and long-term artist development can deliver outsized value for both artists and their teams.

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