CMU | the music business explained
Investor Due Diligence Report
ghostCulture
Music industry news, deals, appointments and jobs
Investor Due Diligence Report
Music industry news, deals, appointments and jobs
2K
~0%
Subscriber count is a platform estimate
Pricing
$9/mo
$89/yr annual option
$1K
~140 est. paid subs
$552/mo – $2K/mo(±50%)
Daily
10.6 posts/week
79/100
Consistent (~1.7d avg)
| Newsletter | Subscribers | Weekly Growth | Price | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Female Lead | 35K | N/A | $3.5/mo | substack |
| Lexicon Valley | 34K | N/A | Free | substack |
| Colin Meloy's Machine Shop | 26K | N/A | $6/mo | substack |
| The Empire of the Tiny Onion | 24K | N/A | Free | substack |
| Month | Subscribers | Est. Revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | 3.5K | $1,933.46 | — |
| Mar 2026 | 2.5K | $1,381.04 | -28.6% |
| Apr 2026 | 1.5K | $828.63 | -40.0% |
| May 2026 | 2K | $1,104.83 | +33.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 2K | $1,120.62 | ~0% |
| Jul 2026 | 2K | $1,104.83 |
Platform Dependency
Uses ghost platform
Publishing Consistency
Regular publishing schedule
Key Person
Single-author publication — key-person dependency
Revenue Model
Active paid subscription tier
Subscriber threshold
2K subscribers — above the 1K category median for first paid tier
Has paid tier
Active paid subscription offering
Peer monetization
56% of 596 similar-size peers in Culture have paid tiers
Pricing position
$9/mo vs $5/mo category median (2114 newsletters)
| Date | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | $9 | $89 |
| Feb 2026 | $29 | $239 |
Disclaimer: This report is generated automatically based on publicly available data and proprietary estimation models. Estimated subscriber counts are derived from engagement patterns and should be verified through direct disclosure. Revenue estimates are based on known pricing and estimated paid subscriber counts. This report is for informational purposes only and should not be the sole basis for investment decisions.
| Component | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing Consistency | 58/100 | 10% |
| Between the Lines by Tucson Festival of Books |
| 24K |
| N/A |
| $8/mo |
| substack |
| ~0% |
| Aug 2026 | 2K | $1,104.83 | ~0% |
| Sep 2026 | 2K | $1,104.83 | ~0% |
| Oct 2026 | 2K | $1,104.83 | ~0% |