Roman Tagoe: Class, NOT Race, is Music’s Biggest Gatekeeper

The Blinding Talent Music Industry Podcast with Mark Adams · Nov 12, 2025 · 1h 3m

Class, NOT Race, is Music’s Biggest Gatekeeper

In this episode, Roman Tagoe - radio producer turned Director of Streaming at Chrysalis - pulls back the curtain on what actually moves the needle in music: audience-first storytelling over vanity metrics, intent over raw streams, and patient community-building over playlist sugar rushes.

From producing shows at BBC Radio 1 & 6 Music, to leading DSP strategy at Deezer and Napster, and now steering streaming for one of the UK’s most storied indie labels, Roman Tagoe shares how class, access, curation, and AI are reshaping the music industry (for…