Ryan Star of Stationhead: The Traditional Radio Model Is Broken and Global Social Audio Is the Future of Music

As a part of my series about leaders helping to make the entertainment industry more diverse and representative, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ryan Star.

Former rockstar turned tech entrepreneur, Ryan Star, is the CEO and Co-founder of one of the largest radio station platforms in the world. Stationhead has revolutionized the audio streaming industry since its inception in 2015 and Ryan has grown the Company to incredible new heights with 3.6 million total users in 206 different countries. Prior to founding Stationhead, Ryan’s chart-topping music career put him center stage in the music industry. As a performer signed with Atlantic Records and Island Records, Ryan led his own team, touring globally and facing firsthand the limitations of the digital music experience. Ryan identified an opportunity to upend the music model — broken for fans and artists alike — and pioneered a new social music solution inclusive to all.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My passion for music brought me here. As a musician, I learned that the connection between a fan and an artist is magical. That ethos is embedded in the DNA of Stationhead and the principle which we founded the Company upon.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

I was in high school when the world-famous Z100 New York radio station and iconic rock band Bon Jovi discovered my band at the time, Stage. We were catapulted into the limelight and Madonna signed us to a record deal. Years later, I was told by radio program directors that, “We don’t break the hits, we play the hits.” At that moment, I realized the traditional model of radio was approaching its demise and needed to be reinvented.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

It all started backstage at the Bowery Ballroom. At that time, I could see how artists were struggling to connect with their fans like they used to. Radio was becoming even more filtered only playing established hits, and the next singing competition created mostly American pop sensations. I had an idea to create a digital space where music lovers could take back their autonomy, host stations and play the songs they really wanted to hear. I was naive and didn’t know what I was getting into at the time. I thought my friend would take my idea and just build me an app over the weekend. It has taken a lot more than that to turn a vision into reality. After countless challenges and a lot of learning, years later we have a world-class team of innovators building the future of music at Stationhead with millions of users around the world.

Ok thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our discussion. Can you describe how you are helping to make popular culture more representative of the US population?

Stationhead was founded on the idea of transforming the outdated, traditional radio model and creating a new music experience that is missing in the digital world. In seconds, any host can stream their own station and create an audio experience for themselves and a global audience. As a solo artist for many years myself, I wanted to reach my audience in a more communal way and to talk to my fans directly. This wish led to the development of Stationhead. On our transformative platform, people from around the world have developed a new digital music environment where fans and artists reign supreme. The Stationhead community has sent many records to #1 in the world, they have trended #1 on twitter, they have driven billions of press impressions, they organized the largest social audio event in history, and they make moments that will last forever.

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by the work you are doing?

I have the privilege of seeing artists evolve every day on our platform. There was one kid who expressed having social anxiety and didn’t feel comfortable speaking to others until he visited Stationhead. Through his passion for music and the authentic community the platform nurtures, he found a way to connect with others that empowered him in ways he never knew were possible. Just last week, he was able to talk directly to his favorite pop star while thousands of fans tuned in.

As an insider, this might be obvious to you, but I think it’s instructive to articulate this for the public who might not have the same inside knowledge. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why it’s really important to have diversity represented in Entertainment and its potential effects on our culture?

It’s simple — we are all living our own human experiences, and everyone deserves to be represented. The beautiful thing about Stationhead is that by eliminating visuals and focusing exclusively on the audio, listeners can simply celebrate the music. Additionally, unlike radio, which is geographically restricted, Stationhead is a global platform that represents the new music fan from around the world.

Can you recommend three things the community/society/the industry can do to help address the root of the diversity issues in the entertainment business?

• Create social applications that are accessible by global users regardless of socio-geographic background
• Develop community programs that celebrate multicultural backgrounds and how these groups are integral to the U.S. melting pot society.
• Produce entertainment programming that showcases diverse talent.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

To lead is to listen and help individuals uncover and attain their dreams all while maintaining a supportive community that thrives collectively.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

These are all cliches found on a soccer mom’s t-shirt or a coffee mug. But don’t be fooled or too cool to realize these cliches are truths.

• Dream Big — Set your sights on something bigger than yourself.
• Don’t give up — The only people who fail are those who don’t try.
• Lead by example — Be a leader that others will want to follow.
• Do unto others as you would want them to do to you.
• Stay positive — Be a plus in a plus-minus world.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

No gatekeepers needed. The people have always had the power. We need to always remember that and then change will follow.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen. https://open.spotify.com/track/1TQ6a2NEA8LmKfgf0yeBvT?si=71e254c8ae454912

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Eddie Vedder.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

Stationhead Twitter/Instagram: @STATIONHEAD

Personal Twitter @ryanstar

Instagram @eyeofrstar

Tik Tok @lifeofrstar

This was very meaningful, thank you so much!