Skrillex and Disclosure’s agent speaks about the future of music

Lee Anderson, the man behind some of the world’s biggest artists, including Skrillex, Zedd and Disclosure, has always been one step ahead of the rest of the music industry. Currently the Vice President of the East Coast office on AM Only, he coordinates the busy touring schedules of his impressive catalogue of producers. In a recent interview, Anderson spoke about trends in the music industry and how aspiring producers can stand out from the crowd.

In terms of emerging trends, the experienced agent noted the recent surge in bass house tracks, with Jauz and Getter leading the way in this area. He explained that ticket sales are increasing for these artists due to the incredible energy at their shows, which can only be created through the fan’s genuine love and excitement for the DJ. Speaking about Getter’s set at last month’s Ultra Music Festival, Anderson said he saw “kids climbing up into trees and going absolutely apeshit all over the place”, even comparing the set to one of Skrillex’s. Other trends that he recognised included the rise of ‘underground’ music, as well as the breakthrough of ‘grime’ in the US.

With regards to DJ’s live performances, he thinks “it’s time for producers the raise the bar on how they present their music.” Sets are beginning to overuse the pyro, LED Walls and confetti, so artists must change “how electronic music is presented from a performance perspective“. Whilst in terms of organising future tours, Anderson said he is “always looking for cool and unique places to do more intimate shows“, mentioning that they’re aiming to put Skrillex in space in order to create a legendary performance for the books, ofcourse, as well as the usual larger venues that can hold thousands of fans. He concluded the interview by analysing what he looks for when signing new talents, saying that, apart from quality original music, “Acts that I sign need to be special, and different than my other clients. If those boxes are checked, then I look at the team. Your team is SO SO SO important to your success as an artist.” The team need to be as passionate as him if he is to sign them, and be willing to put in hard work.

Read the interview in full here.