MAD Records Incubator
Work directly with our team to turn your passion for music into a real, sustainable career.
Artist Incubator
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Sync Opportunities
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Direct Accountability
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Music Feedback
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Artist Incubator ✳︎ Sync Opportunities ✳︎ Direct Accountability ✳︎ Music Feedback ✳︎
2022
Nasvhille, MAD Records Launch Party
“ We build music careers, not content creators”
Building a real, sustainable music career is like building any business… but for some reason, we’ve been told it’s dramatically different.
Artists are consistently told to create content, get followers, build their streaming “numbers”… but are rarely told how any of those things actually translate to a real music career with a loyal and engaged audience.
At MAD Records, we help artists to treat their music careers like a proper business… working directly with our students to:
Get clear on what you actually want to build
Organize your goals and ensure they're aligned with your actual values
Build a business plan that is unique to you
Develop a real marketing strategy (not just randomly making Instagram Reels)
Build an email or SMS list of your audience
Make money (if that's your goal)
Build a real, sustainable audience that you can re-engage and build a relationship with
And a whole lot more...
Weekly Direct Mentorship
Direct Music Feedback
A little thing here
We listen to your music and tell you what we think, you’re welcome.
Including…
Sync Opportunities
A little thing here
We have Rob, and Rob’s the best, nuff said
Accountability
A little thing here
We keep you on top of your 💩, what more could you want?
Office Hours
A little thing here
You get to spend SO much time with us, lucky egg.
In-Depth Curriculums
Music Business Curriculum
Learn how to treat your music career like an actual business in our 10-Week Curriculum.
We’ll teach you fundamental entrepreneurship principles that you can apply directly to your music career that don’t rely on luck, chance, or “the algorithm”.
Sync Entrepreneur Curriculum
Want to get your music placed in TV, film, video-games, and more?
Our 10-Week Sync Licensing Curriculum will teach you how to get your foot in the door, build your sync licensing network, and start stacking wins with your music.
Word On The Street…
Giddy
“Quote of something spectacular'“
“I had a real sense that there was something special about this program, and it felt like I’d found it at exactly the right time for me on a personal level. It’s a proper support system. Fast-moving, loads happening, but you get real guidance, real accountability, and you actually make progress” - Sam Richards
“A great place for musicians, artists and producers to hone their skills and collaborate with others in a committed, purposeful way.” - Robyn Unwin
“Seeing RESULTS. If you simply do what is asked of you from Michael, Rob and team, you get results. But you have to actually pay attention to what is being said, diligently, aggressively, because there's lots of (detailed) information flying at you fast, so the replays are very important.” - Ryan Wooten
Judah Sloane
“Quote of some gold dust he said”
“MAD Records is the place that provides you the opportunity to succeed in the industry. There are plenty of aspiring writers, producers, and musicians who complain that they can't get a foot in the door of the industry. Well, MAD Records is that proverbial foot! They provide access to resources that are actually relevant to the modern artist/producer, an extremely talented and engaging community of like-minded individuals, and the chance to get feedback on your work from Industry pros. Best of all, the monthly challenges that engage your creativity and push you past your comfort zone into the territory where inspiration meets influence, allowing growth to occur. I'm glad to have found them, and I encourage anyone who is interested in a career in music to give MAD Records a try.” - Logan Belle
“Once I realized how talented you guys were as a group, I had to get involved. I'm in the infancy stage of my sync career, and I definitely need the guidance. You all know what you're doing.” - Ryan Wooten
Shannon Sharpe
“Magic, magic, magic”
“Best decision I've made for my artist career by far! It's a safe, genuine and welcoming space to learn, share and grow with other artists of all levels. Amazing mentors and opportunities. Can't recommend it enough!” - Simon Lahaie
“Forget Berklee, this is the trade school for artists. Constant mentorship, high accountability, and actionable advice from people who walk the talk. You'll build a career, not just a resume.” - Timothy Shay
“The honest caring motivation provided by your staff and by the events that continually challenge me to improve. That plus the amazing (AMAZING!) members of this community who not only have such extreme talent, but are always willing to help each other out, without regard to compensation, payback or recognition!!” - Don Arbuckle
Real Opportunities, Real Wins.
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Real Opportunities, Real Wins. 〰️
Maybe we include some more detail of the ops we have, who’s been forwarded / any wins
Pitch Perfect
Maybe we include some more detail of the ops we have, who’s been forwarded / any wins
Run For Cover
Rob Schustack
Head Of Music Services
Rob Schustack is a voting member of the Grammys with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. He got his start working in A&R at Atlantic Records and went on to be involved in in both the publishing and sync side of the industry working with brands, bands and catalogs like Disney, Amazon, Google, Febreze, BMW, Wu Tang Clan, Ceelo Green, Nirvana, Hall & Oates, Aerosmith and many others.
Reid Sorel
Head Producer
Reid Sorel is one of the best emerging producers in Nashville, TN. Reid completed his music production degree at Belmont University in 2021 and has cut over nearly 100 records already with artists such as Twinnie, Camille Parker, and Dan Marshall.
Lucy Warr
Operations Manager
Lucy Warr …. doesn’t know what to write here
Michael Gilbride
Founder
Michael Gilbride is a former Wall Street trader who quit his career in finance in 2020 to pursue his solo music project, "telco". After years of releasing and promoting his own music, Michael became the General Manager of the online music production school, Mastering.com, where he fell in love with education.
After years of building Mastering.com, Michael used his background in online education to build MAD Records, the first education-funded record label.
Meet Your Mentors
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime by booking a call below!
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Our Incubator program is for any artist, musician, or producer looking to build a long-term, sustainable career around their music. Whether you are just starting out, or looking to scale an existing project, we are here to help.
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You’ll get access to daily mentorship calls with our team to attend (as needed) for a full year, where we’ll work with you directly on your music business. You’ll also get access to our 10-Week Music Business and Sync Licensing curriculums to guide you through the program.
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We believe in building a music career like an actual business, rather than relying on virality and algorithms. We take a long-term, sustainable approach to your music career rather than chasing trends… and we set realistic expectations for our members that are actually achievable rather than making outlandish claims and rediculous promises.
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The tuition for MAD Records Incubator is $3,000 (if paid upfront) or $3,500 (with a payment plan). Payment plans can be discussed by scheduling a consultation with our team here.
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We offer rolling enrollment, which means you can start at any time.
