Ariana Grande's Producer REVEALS the Secret Behind #1 Songs!

Everybody wants to make a hit record. Very few people actually understand what goes into becoming the kind of producer and songwriter who can make them consistently. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, I sit down with Tommy Brown (TBHits), hitmaking music producer, songwriter, A&R mind, and one of the most important creative forces behind modern pop music. Tommy has worked with artists like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Victoria Monét, and more, and in this conversation he breaks down the real music business of making hit songs. We talk about why so many successful producers and songwriters still struggle financially, how a real hit song is more than melody and production, and why the best records usually come from truth, timing, culture, and an artist’s real story. Tommy also takes us inside the making of Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next,” the difference between being a beatmaker and a true record producer, and the hard lessons he learned from studying Rodney Jerkins up close. This episode is for artists, managers, songwriters, producers, music executives, A&R reps, independent artists, label teams, and anyone trying to understand how the modern music business actually works. We get into producer royalties, publishing splits, label politics, catalog sales, content creation, fan growth, audience building, visibility, team building, work ethic, faith, and long-term career strategy. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj Chapters: 00:00 Why Hit Music Producers and Songwriters Still Go Broke 00:14 What Makes a Hit Record? 02:05 How Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” Was Made 04:43 How to Spot Great Artists 07:15 Ariana Grande Early Days 13:50 How to Curate a Great Studio Session 15:45 Producer vs Beatmaker 20:56 Superstar Work Ethic 25:27 Authenticity Over Clout 30:58 Tommy Brown’s UMG Deal 36:28 Build From Within (Team Building, Internal Music Ecosystem) 40:51 Core Team Operators 44:15 Content, Memes and the Music Business 47:31 Content Grind Mindset 49:26 Backyard Beats Going Viral 51:40 Visibility Sells Music 54:03 Spotify, Streaming and the Future 56:11 Derivatives, Remixes and Publishing 59:54 Label Points Game (Producer Splits, Record Deals, Business Politics) 01:06:21 Demanding Fair Producer Pay 01:07:11 Learning From Rodney Jerkins 01:13:24 Managing a Songwriter and Producer Roster 01:18:31 Tommy Brown’s Origin Story 01:21:18 Billboard Hot 100, Producer Credits, Songwriter Success 01:24:07 Bringing Soundtracks Back 01:26:38 Netflix's Hitmakers Reality 01:30:10 What Hitmakers Missed 01:32:11 Streaming Revenue, Producer Income, Industry Myths 01:33:16 Reality TV Without Drama 01:34:57 Authentic Content, Branding, Audience Trust 01:41:55 Content Ideas for Producers, Songwriters and Artists 01:42:47 Mentorship, Leadership, Music Industry Wisdom 01:50:40 K-Pop’s Motown Model 01:58:10 Chasing “No’s” and Moving Fast 02:01:53 Spirituality, Perspective, Personal Growth 02:08:22 Perspective, Empathy and Principles 02:10:24 Book Recommendations and Final Gems The opinions shared by our guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or The Manager’s Playbook. Book a 1:1 Strategy Session with Mauricio Ruiz, host of The Manager's Playbook, with over 16 years of experience for tailored advice for artists and managers. Consultation Fees Apply https://calendly.com/themanagersplaybook Covver is the world-building tool that lets you turn your music (and message) into a living publication, so fans can step into your universe. Try it out for yourself: https://covver.com/ Follow The Manager's Playbook Newsletter https://www.the-managers-playbook.bee... Instagram Instagram: mauroisruiz TikTok TikTok: managersplaybook Facebook Facebook: mngrsplaybook X Twitter: mngrsplaybook LinkedIn LinkedIn: the-managers-playbook Snapchat Snapchat: bCaZ8cvw Website https://mngrsplaybook.com Host: Mauricio Ruiz Executive Producer: Mauricio Ruiz Director of Photography: William Dobak On Location Sound: Jesse Lopez Editor: Madison Lair Co-Editor: Mauricio Ruiz Colourist: Austin Bourdages Sound Engineer: Madeline Currie Project Manager: Erica Kongvongxay Marketing Coordinator: Melanie Letra-Frade Production Company: 8 Til Faint #TommyBrown #ManagersPlaybook #MusicProducer #Songwriter #HitSongs #ArianaGrande #MusicIndustry #Songwriting #ProducerLife #Hitmaker #StudioSession #ArtistDevelopment