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Mondo.NYC Speaker

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Monika A. Tashman

Monika A. Tashman

Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP

Monika Tashman, a partner at Loeb & Loeb, is part of the firm’s Entertainment department and Music practice, working out of the Nashville and New York City offices. With a broad-based practice spanning over 25 years in the music and entertainment industries, she advises and provides creative, pragmatic solutions for clients at the intersection of entertainment and innovation -- from entrepreneurial artists and innovative record labels to emerging entertainment-focused companies and experiential music production companies. Monika’s practice focuses on transformative deals -- those that strategically expand organizations, business models and brands. She is a creative problem-solver, unflinching advocate for her clients and strategic consultant that specializes in negotiating “smart” contracts that stand the test of time, especially in the face of evolving business models. Monika brings a fresh energy to each engagement, always seeking to integrate, streamline and modernize the often siloed ways of approaching law and business. She guides clients through tough business decisions and legal challenges to maximize monetization and find new growth opportunities and revenue streams. Monika prides herself on doing purpose-driven work and being on the cutting edge of dealmaking. With experience in live music, recorded music, publishing, emerging entertainment companies, literary and film, her clients include multiplatform talent as well as boundary-pushing entertainment companies. Monika is actively involved in the emerging companies and technologies startup space. She guides content creators and new media companies not only through complex legal issues but also through new business growth opportunities, providing strategic advice on innovative brand development to help them succeed in the digital world. She is also a certified executive coach, advising clients on business strategies and leadership growth. As a result of her multidisciplinary background in both the legal and nonlegal sectors of entertainment, Monika is uniquely positioned to advise her clients from the perspectives of various stakeholders, giving her clients the competitive edge they need. She has been featured and honored in leading industry publications such as Billboard and Variety -- including being named to Billboard’s “Top Music Lawyers” list from 2018 to 2024 and Variety’s “Legal Impact Report” from 2019 to 2022 -- as well as in national news outlets such as USA Today and The New York Times. She is also an active member of the Advisory Board for Women in Music. Named to Billboard’s “Women in Music Top Executives” list in 2019 and 2023, Monika is a widely respected thought leader on music business and diversity in the industry and an in-demand speaker at industry conferences.

Mondo 2025 Panels

Going Direct? Pros, Cons and Pitfalls

Friday, October 17, 2025, 9:00 AM

With the bundling of music and non-musical content, new subscription tiers, audio rich bells, synchronized video whistles and enhanced experiences, the DSPs are changing the economic realities of the current licensing system and lowering payouts to publishers and writers. Instead of fighting for higher mechanical rates, rights holders are trying to win back the rates they once thought were too low. Warner, Kobalt, Universal, AMRA, and Sony have recently announced direct deals with Spotify and additional announcements are imminent. Direct deals promise greater control, clearer visibility, and faster royalty payments but how will they benefit songwriters? What will the roles of the MLC and the PROs be and how can creators and rightsholders hold the DSPs accountable? This panel will explore how these direct deals will work in the long and short run, what the bottom-line result will be for songwriters, what the role of trade organizations and industry advocates will play in the wake of these deals, and how complex and divergent licensing frameworks might turn the tide. Will the effect of these deals rise the tide and lift all boats or sink the ship ahead of Phonograph V negotiations?

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