I Hate Simkin

I Hate Simkin is a no-holds-barred music industry podcast hosted by veteran music executive Jonathan Simkin. With decades in the business, Simkin has seen it all—and now he's telling the stories. Each episode, he sits down with artists, managers, and industry insiders he's crossed paths with over the years to revisit the wild, weird, and game-changing moments that shaped their careers. From behind-the-scenes chaos to untold anecdotes, I Hate Simkin is a deep dive into the music industry like you've never heard before. Unfiltered, insightful, and always entertaining—tune in for the real stories behind the music. 🎙️🎵 #IHateSimkinBuy your 'I Hate Simkin' shirt here: https://604shop.com/products/i-hate-simkin-tee

I Hate Simkin is a music podcast hosted by veteran music executive Jonathan, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

veteran music executive Jonathan hosts I Hate Simkin, a music show with 38 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  I Hate Simkin

  Taron Cochrane on Saskatchewan's Deep, Diverse Range of Music, Northern Pikes, Reviving The Raccoons & More

  Aug 12, 202657 minS0

  <p>CBC producer Taron Cochrane has spent years telling stories about Canadian music. In this conversation with Jonathan Simkin they cover everything from championing Saskatchewan artists to helping bring national attention to The Raccoons soundtrack revival.</p> <p> Along the way they discuss Canadian punk legends DOA, The Northern Pikes, Propagandhi, rare vinyl collecting, music journalism, Expo 86, Walter Ostanek, and why Canada has far more musical history than most people realize.</p> <p>The conversation includes: Taron's role at CBC Saskatchewan & Manitoba</p> <p>Championing Saskatchewan artists on national radio</p> <p>The story behind The Raccoons revival</p> <p>W...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #36

  Ally Baran & Connell Simkin Watt On Marianas/Nickelback Concerts Behind The Scenes, Being Blind In Music & More

  Jul 29, 202651 minS1

  <p>This episode is a little different.</p> <p>Jonathan is joined by his son, Connell Simkin Watt, and Connell's girlfriend, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Ally, for a conversation about songwriting, music school, and launching a career in today's music industry.</p> <p>Ally shares the story behind her upcoming debut single "Rabbit Hole," how a dream inspired the song, and what it's been like developing her sound while studying music in Toronto. She also opens up about pursuing music as a visually impaired artist and the impact she hopes her work will have.</p> <p>The conversation also covers:</p> <p>...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #35

  How Nickelback Got Signed: A&R Legend Ron Burman on the Early Days of Nickelback & 604 Records

  Jul 15, 20261 hourS1

  <p>Jonathan welcomes a true industry titan and longtime friend: Ron Burman, the legendary former A&R executive at Roadrunner Records who famously signed Nickelback.</p> <p>Jonathan and Ron jump into a time capsule to reconstruct the late-'90s grind that launched a multi-platinum powerhouse. They reveal how Chad Kroeger used to prank-call radio stations pretending to be an indie promoter, the exact moment Ron got goosebumps watching the band play "Leader of Men" in a damp Vancouver venue, and the uphill battle of pitching a mainstream rock band to a hardcore metal label.</p> <p>Plus stories like...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #34

  The Music Industry Is Rigged? Jo Loewenthal on the Truth Behind Publishing Deals (Part 2)

  Jul 8, 202649 minS1

  <p>Jo Loewenthal joins Jonathan Simkin for part 2 of this chat exposing the music industry.</p> <p>Jo explains why he terminated his publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing and why he's now asking the Supreme Court of New South Wales to determine whether that termination was valid.</p> <p>The conversation expands far beyond one contract dispute. Jo and Jonathan discuss publishing deals, royalty collection societies, neighbouring rights, SOCAN, PRS, APRA AMCOS, governance issues, board structures, voting systems, artist representation, transparency, and the growing debate around how music royalties are collected and distributed around the world.</p> <p>Topics...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #33

  Jo Loewenthal's Shocking Audit of the Music Industry - Part 1

  Jul 1, 202649 minS1

  <p>After seeing Jo Lowenthal publicly question how artists get paid, Jonathan reached out. What followed was a deep conversation about publishing, neighbouring rights, missing data, royalty collection systems, transparency, and why so many artists struggle to understand where their money actually comes from.</p> <p>Jo (lead vocalist of Tora) explains how years of auditing his own catalog led him into a maze of publishing societies, international royalty systems, privacy requests, and millions of lines of data. Along the way he discovered missing registrations, unexplained reporting gaps, and answers from industry organizations that raised even more questions.</p> <p>...

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on I Hate Simkin. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.