Music Tech (2026)

If you want to learn about Music Tech, I'd recommend following a mix of music producers, audio engineers, technology educators, founders, and people exploring the future of music.

The most interesting people aren't just talking about new gear - they're explaining how technology is changing the way music is created, performed, distributed, and experienced.

Here are the people and publications I'd put on your radar.

1. People I'd recommend following

1. Andrew Huang

Best overall starting point

• Creative uses of technology
• Experimental instruments and software
• Music production innovation

YouTube · Instagram

2. Andrew Scheps

• Professional audio engineering
• Mixing technology and workflows
• How technology shapes sound

YouTube · Interviews · Podcasts

3. Adam Neely

• Music theory meets technology
• Digital music and experimentation
• The science and culture of music

YouTube · Instagram

4. Nick Batt

• Synthesizers and hardware
• New music technology products
• Industry developments

Sonic State · YouTube

5. Rick Beato

• Music production and recording
• Song analysis
• Technology and the music industry

YouTube · Instagram

2. Music Tech publications and platforms

These are just as important as following individual creators.

MusicTech

Software, hardware, production techniques and industry news.

Website

Sound On Sound

Excellent technical coverage of recording, audio engineering, plugins and studio technology.

Website

Sonic State

Synthesizers, electronic instruments and emerging music technology.

Website

Music Tectonics

Music startups, innovation, AI, streaming and the business of music technology.

Podcast

SONIC TALK - Inside Music Technology - PodcastPodcast | Music TectonicsAboutThe Best YouTube Channels for Learning Music Production in 2026 | Tools 4 Music Blog

3. Podcasts worth listening to

• Sonic TALK – Weekly discussions about music technology, synthesizers and production.
• Music Tectonics – Interviews with music technology founders and innovators.
• Sound Connections – Conversations about entrepreneurship and the future of music technology.

SONIC TALK - Inside Music Technology - PodcastPodcast | Music TectonicsSound Connections: a podcast on the business of music technology

4. What area of Music Tech interests you most?

Music Tech is a huge field, so I'd like to narrow down the recommendations to the people who are genuinely worth following.

My recommendation: follow people who are building the future of music, not just reviewing the latest equipment. That's where some of the most valuable insights are.

Learning about music technology depends on whether you want to focus on industry business and startups, music production and software gear, or AI and digital creation.

The top creators, publications, and newsletters to follow are organized by specialty below:

1. The Intersection of Music, Business & Tech (Deep Dives)

If you want to understand how tech is reshaping the economics, streaming, distribution, and future of the music industry, follow these:

• Cherie Hu – Water & Power / Water & Music: Widely considered the gold standard for rigorous, data-driven analysis of music tech, streaming economics, and AI in music. Best Music Newsletters - LetterBucket's BlogBest Music Newsletters - LetterBucket's Blog

• Vickie Nauman (Cross Border Music): A prominent voice and consultant tracking global music tech, licensing, and Web3/immersive audio spaces.

• The Music X Newsletter (by Bas Grasmayer): An exceptional deep-dive publication exploring the intersection of streaming, Web3, creator economies, and music AI.

• Music Ally (The Knowledge Newsletter): Essential reading for tracking digital marketing, music tech startups, and platform changes.

2. Gear, Production Software & Hardware

If your focus is hands-on music technology - synths, plugins, DAWs, electronic music production, and hardware gear:

• Sonicstate (YouTube / Website): Run by Gareth Jones, Sonicstate offers some of the most thorough hardware synth reviews, industry interviews, and tech news in the business.

• CDM (Create Digital Music): Founded by Peter Kirn, CDM is a long-standing authority exploring creative tools, open-source music tech, unusual controllers, and electronic music innovation.

• MusicTech (Magazine/Site) & Sound On Sound: The quintessential publications for hands-on tutorials, gear reviews, and studio tech walkthroughs. 45 Best Music Technology Blogs to Follow in 2026 - FeedSpot

• Andrew Huang / Rick Beato (YouTube): While not exclusively "tech," both creators frequently cover gear reviews, audio production workflow technology, and the future of music-making tools for millions of creators.

3. Industry News & Daily Briefings

To stay on top of daily mergers, acquisitions, and platform shifts:

• Music Business Worldwide (MBW): Essential daily reading for business intelligence, funding rounds, and executive moves in music. Best Music Newsletters - LetterBucket's BlogBest Music Newsletters - LetterBucket's Blog

• Hypebot: Great for DIY musicians and tech enthusiasts looking at trends in music marketing and fresh music-tech startups. 10 Music Industry Blogs You Should Be Reading in 2026

Where should you start? If you want a broad, highly analytical look at how tech is changing music, subscribe to Water & Music. If you want to build things or mess with hardware/software, dive into Sonicstate and CDM. Best Music Newsletters - LetterBucket's Blog

Are you more interested in the business/startup side of music tech, or the creative/production gear side?

Diving into music tech - whether you are into hardware synths, DAW workflows, audio engineering, or the business and AI side of the industry - is a blast.

The best creators, journalists, and educators to follow depend on what angle of music tech you want to explore:

1. YouTube Creators & Sonic Explorers (Hands-on & Creative)

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Andrew Huang: An absolute staple in the music tech and production community. He does everything from chaotic viral challenges (like making a beat out of squeaky toys or going to space) to deeply informative gear reviews and workflow breakdowns.

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** Rick Beato:** Essential if you want elite-level music theory, track dissections, and candid, deep-dive interviews with legendary producers and iconic artists.

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** Adam Neely:** Perfect for bridging the gap between high-level music theory, the physics of sound, and how modern technology/culture intersects with the way we hear music.

2. Podcasts & Deep Dives (Inside the Studio)

• Tape Notes: Hosted by John Kennedy, this podcast sits down with top artists and producers (like Jack Antonoff, A.G. Cook, or St. Vincent) to solo individual tracks from famous sessions, pulling apart the exact gear and production decisions that made a song work.

• Song Exploder: The gold standard for hearing artists "explode" a single track piece by piece to talk about the inspiration, recording hurdles, and technical layers behind the final mix.

• Pensado's Place: Hosted by top-tier mix engineer Dave Pensado and Herb Trawick, focusing heavily on the engineering, mixing, and audio tech side of professional production.

3. Industry Insights, News & Gear Tracking

• Water& Music: Run by Cherie Hu, this is a premier intelligence newsletter dissecting the high-level business, data, and tech shifts (including AI, Web3, and creator economies) transforming the modern music landscape.

• Sonicstate: Excellent for hardware nerds. Their site and video feeds provide relentless, up-to-date coverage, synth walkthroughs, and hands-on looks at new gear announcements straight from trade shows. SonicstateBest Music Industry Newsletters to Subscribe to in 2026

My first pick is Cherie Hu for understanding the music-tech industry. For hands-on learning, start with MusicTechHelpGuy or Molten Music Technology. The right mix depends on whether you want to understand the business or learn to use the tools.(cheriehu)(videos.feedspot.com)

Music-tech business and emerging trends

• Cherie Hu / Water & Music - My strongest starting recommendation for the intersection of music, technology, and business. Hu runs a research and consulting firm focused on music-tech innovation; follow her work and the Water & Music newsletter for analysis rather than just product announcements.(cheriehu)(waterandmusic)(symphonic)
• Music Ally - A useful companion for tracking how technology changes the music industry. Its free weekly newsletter, The Knowledge, combines industry news, analysis, and digital-marketing insights; its broader coverage includes platforms, markets, and music-tech startups.(musically)(musically.com)

Making music with technology

• MusicTechHelpGuy - Particularly useful if you use Logic Pro. The YouTube channel focuses on music production, recording, and Logic tutorials, making it a practical choice for learning by doing.(videos.feedspot.com)
• Molten Music Technology - Worth exploring for the music-technology side of YouTube, alongside more software-specific tutorial channels.(videos.feedspot.com)
• SYNTH ANATOMY - A good fit if your interests lean toward electronic music, synthesizers, and new hardware and software. Its focus is on technologies used in electronic music production.(videos.feedspot.com)

Publications worth adding

• MusicTech - For a broad mix of production tutorials, software walkthroughs, gear coverage, and interviews. A useful bridge between learning techniques and discovering tools.(videos.feedspot.com)(musictech)(magazine.feedspot.com)
• Sound On Sound - For deeper recording and audio-engineering coverage, including detailed equipment reviews and practical technique workshops.(magazine.feedspot.com)

I’d start with just three: Cherie Hu for industry context, Music Ally for ongoing news, and one hands-on channel matched to your interests.

Are you more interested in music-tech startups and AI, or production, synths, and audio engineering?

If you want to dive into Music Tech, follow creators like Jordan Rudess, Andrew Huang, Richard Devine, and Benn Jordan - they blend artistry with cutting-edge tools and are highly active in sharing insights. These figures are widely recognized as thought leaders in synthesizers, AI-driven music, sound design, and experimental production.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026

🎵 Key Music Tech Influencers to Follow

Name	Platform(s)	Focus Area	Why Follow
Jordan Rudess (@jcrudess)	Instagram, YouTube	Synth innovation, Korg, Dream Theater	Shares deep dives into new instruments and apps, bridging classical chops with futuristic tech.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026
Andrew Huang (@andrewismusic)	YouTube, Instagram	Creative production, product design	Known for approachable tutorials, plugin design, and playful experiments with sound.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026
Richard Devine (@richarddevine)	Instagram	Modular synthesis, sound design	A legend in electronic soundscapes, often showcasing modular rigs and experimental textures.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026
Benn Jordan (The Flashbulb) (@bennjordan)	YouTube, Instagram	Music research, education	Offers critical takes on tech trends, deep tutorials, and thought-provoking commentary.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026
Sam Battle (Look Mum No Computer) (@lookmumnocomputer)	YouTube, Instagram	DIY synth building	Inspires with quirky, hands-on projects like homemade organs and modular experiments.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026
Hannes Bieger (@hannesbieger)	Instagram	Analog gear, production	Shares insights on mixing, mastering, and analog sound aesthetics.Top 35 Music Technology Influencers in 2026

🌐 Broader Industry Voices

Beyond individual creators, executives and innovators in streaming and AI music platforms are shaping the future:

• Mikey Shulman (Suno) - AI-generated music pioneer, sparking debates on copyright and artistry.The 26 Most Influential People in Music in 2026: Shaping the Industry’s Future

• Alex Norström (Spotify Co-CEO) - Driving tech integration in streaming.19 Influential Music Leaders Around the World to Know

• Björn Ulvaeus (CISAC President) - Advocates for music rights and transparency in tech.19 Influential Music Leaders Around the World to Know

⚠️ Risks & Considerations

• AI vs. Human Creativity: Platforms like Suno highlight both opportunities and controversies - from democratizing music creation to raising copyright disputes.The 26 Most Influential People in Music in 2026: Shaping the Industry’s Future

• Platform Bias: Following only influencers on Instagram/YouTube may skew toward experimental electronic music; balance with industry leaders for a full view.

• Rapid Tech Shifts: Tools and trends change quickly - staying updated requires following both creators and institutional voices (Spotify, ASCAP, PRS for Music).19 Influential Music Leaders Around the World to Know

👉 To tailor this list: Do you want hands-on tutorials and creative inspiration (like Andrew Huang, Look Mum No Computer), or are you more interested in industry trends and AI debates (like Mikey Shulman, Björn Ulvaeus)? This will help me refine recommendations to your learning style.