---
title: "Filtering The Final Brick with Sam Moses (Kesha, Dolly Parton, Morgan Wade)"

description: "Unlock the secrets of Spotify and how the platform changes audio. Based in Nashville, Sam is in the top 0.1% of mastering engineers, with 4B+ streams, a Gold Record, Dove Award, and was nominated for a Grammy. And there’s a reason why: He knows his stuff! After literally writing the book on finishing records, Sam goes deeper into what it’s really like to make music in 2025. That’s why his job title is “Peace of Mind Bringer.”"

status: complete

date: 2025-05-27

kind: guest

guestSlugs:
  - sam-moses

listenUrl: "https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Filtering-The-Final-Brick-with-Sam-Moses-Kesha--Dolly-Parton--Morgan-Wade-e339v4v"

lmwUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7QO9CFcp3c"
appleUrl: "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filtering-the-final-brick-with-sam-moses-kesha/id1567355195?i=1000710055179&uo=4"
spotifyUrl: "https://open.spotify.com/episode/0aWiFcFJeVAWl9EhyEFNgT"
youtubeUrl: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlZ80pRJXfo"

topicsDiscussed:
  - "Creativity"
  - "Mastering"
  - "Music production"
  - "Collaboration"
  - "Mixing"
  - "The music business"
  - "The pandemic"
  - "The impact of streaming on audio"
  - "Normalization on streaming platforms"
  - "The psychology behind music consumption"
  - "Navigating the music industry post-COVID"
  - "Balancing artistry and commercial goals"

hostNote: |
  In this episode of **Love Music More**, we're thrilled to welcome Sam Moses, an extraordinary mastering engineer whose credits include work with Kesha, Dolly Parton, and Morgan Wade. With over 14 years of experience, Sam dives deep into the intricate world of music production and the crucial role mastering plays in shaping the final sound of a record. He shares his insights on how the landscape of music has evolved, particularly in the age of streaming and social media, providing a fresh perspective on what it truly means to finish a record today.
  
  This episode is essential for anyone looking to understand the nuances of music production and how to ensure their work resonates in an industry increasingly dominated by digital platforms.

selectedMoments:
  - label: "Mastering workflow insights"
    startSec: 301
    note: "Sam discusses his dynamic approach to mastering and how he infuses creativity into each project."
  - label: "The evolution of music production"
    startSec: 1635
    note: "An engaging moment where Sam reflects on how he has seen the industry change over the years and how that shapes his work."
  - label: "Marketing vs. song quality"
    startSec: 1369
    note: "Sam touches on the importance of marketing in today's music landscape, emphasizing that even a decent song can succeed with great promotion."
  - label: "Navigating playlist culture"
    startSec: 959
    note: "He explains how playlists on platforms like Spotify influence the mastering process more than ever before."
  - label: "Song perception and loudness"
    startSec: 2223
    note: "A crucial explanation about how listeners perceive songs based on their production dynamics."
  - label: "The role of TikTok in music trends"
    startSec: 1118
    note: "A fascinating insight into how TikTok has transformed the sound of modern pop music."

excerptQuotes:
  - text: "Mastering has been hijacked and watered down to just two-bus processing... what a great master engineer can offer is peace of mind."
    startSec: 408
    reviewed: true
  - text: "Artistic integrity matters, but at the end of the day, we live in a commercial market and need to compete there."
    startSec: 562
    reviewed: true
  - text: "People generally want their songs to be very competitive and loud, and that's something I always try to honor during the mastering process."
    startSec: 1034
    reviewed: true
  - text: "To me, every song is special because I get to be a part of that creation process."
    startSec: 1599
    reviewed: true
  - text: "We live in a playlist type of industry, and that has shifted the way mastering is approached."
    startSec: 955
    reviewed: true
  - text: "When you upload a song to Spotify, it’s like an echo chamber of songs that consumers are listening to; it’s really all about how we play that game."
    startSec: 2092
    reviewed: true

faq:
  - question: "What is Sam Moses's approach to mastering music?"
    answer: "Sam Moses believes in a creative and thoughtful approach to mastering that combines technical skills with artistic vision, aiming for each track to reach its full potential."
  - question: "How has streaming changed the music industry according to Sam Moses?"
    answer: "Streaming platforms, particularly Spotify, have significantly altered how music is consumed and produced, leading to a focus on competitive loudness and the dynamics of mastering."
  - question: "What does Sam Moses mean by 'peace of mind' in mastering?"
    answer: "For Sam, 'peace of mind' refers to ensuring that artists can trust the finished product will sound great across all platforms, maintaining its integrity and competitiveness."

transcriptPublished: false

draft: false
---