Radio Detox

Radio Detox by Heather Larson

The mission of Radio Detox is to break free from the limits of mainstream music platforms like Apple and Spotify. As the host of Radio Detox, I want to break free. I want to break free from being a bad fan who doesn't patronize music in a way that benefits the artists whose music I love so much. As a podcaster, I want to break free from the trappings of Spotify and Apple, which have earned me so little money it's shameful. Thank goodness for platforms like Fountain, Wavlake, and TrueFans, which are changing the game for both independent musicians and podcasters.

Radio Detox tells the story of an emerging alternative to traditional music industry models, focusing on direct artist-fan relationships and fairer compensation through new technology that enables direct value exchange between creators and audiences.

I'm on a mission to spotlight independent artists who are thriving in the "value verse," where listeners can support creators directly through platforms like Wavlake, Fountain, and other Podcasting 2.0 apps. There's also a world of "V4V" for podcasters and other independent content creators.

What kind of money can you earn from staying off the "traditional" or "legacy" podcasting platforms like Apple or Spotify and using podcasting 2.0 solutions like Fountain instead? Here's an example of what my podcasts are earning on Fountain!

I'm building on Open Source Tech:

Learn how this technology helps both musicians and podcasters to take control of their earnings and creative freedom of expression—and freedom of speech. Tune in for stories from independent artists like Ainsley Costello, Abel James, Sara Jade, and Man Like Kweks—plus interviews with innovators pushing the boundaries of podcasting technology, Nostr, Bitcoin, and more.

If you're ready to discover new music, support independent voices, and detox from the mainstream, you're in the right place.

Welcome to a new grassroots movement to change independent music for artists & fans

Read up on some of my past articles:

🟣 The Subscription Trap: Are You Unknowingly Hurting Musicians?

• Discusses how music streaming subscriptions are at an all-time high while artists make minimal income
• Highlights the disparity between Spotify CEO's $8B net worth and artists making less than $2 per stream
• Introduces Value-for-Value (V4V) alternatives like Wavlake and Primal that enable direct artist payments
• Provides actionable steps for listeners to support artists directly through these new platforms

🟣 What If You Could Get a Record Deal that Actually Benefits You?

• Analyzes Nostr's most recent data on user base (42M accounts, 17K daily active users as of April 2, 2025)
• Examines top musicians' followings on Nostr compared to traditional platforms
• Explains how Nostr provides better engagement despite smaller numbers
• Shows how decentralized platforms give artists more control over their work

🟣 On This Day in V4V History: Culture Shock Phoenix 2024 with Sara Jade

🟣 Culture Shock: Pura Vida in the Desert

🟣 Your Favorite Band is One You Haven't Heart Yet

• Meet Longy, an artist from Essex
• Learn how streaming algorithms limit music discovery
• See how V4V platforms & protocols (Nostr) allow artists to reach audiences organically
• Demonstrates how artists can earn more through direct fan support than traditional streaming

🟣 WTF Is Value-For-Value Anyway?

• Learn from my transition to the V4V model
• Compares earnings between traditional platforms and V4V
• Learn about the benefits of direct peer-to-peer payments
• Details how V4V outearns traditional streaming for independent artists

🟣 How to Discover Music on Wavlake

🟣 Read me on Substack, Medium, and on Authory.

🟣 Learn about Nostrich.Social.