About Music Research
Our Story
Pioneers in Music Research Techniques & Technology
Musicresearch.com is the central hub for what’s new, what’s next, and what matters in music research—where scientific inquiry, emerging technology, and real-world industry application converge.
We connect groundbreaking research with the artists, labels, platforms, and innovators who use it—exploring how music is created, experienced, measured, and understood in an era shaped by data, fans, and AI. Our work spans music cognition, audience analytics, fan behavior, research methodologies, and the evolving tools that turn insight into impact.
A Legacy That Shapes the Present
Musicresearch.com grows out of the pioneering work of Music Research Consultants Inc. (MRC), founded in 1980 by music industry innovator Larry Heller. Long before streaming metrics and dashboards existed, MRC helped redefine how the music industry evaluated songs, artists, and audiences—bringing scientific rigor, behavioral research, and early digital systems into music marketing and promotion.
MRC’s origins trace back to a groundbreaking joint venture (1974–1979) between Larry Heller and ASI Market Research, whose work at the Preview House in Los Angeles inspired the adaptation of film-style audience testing for music. From that foundation, MRC became a leader in record testing, audience response analysis, and predictive music research—shaping release strategies and helping guide the careers of major recording artists for decades.
In 1997, Musicresearch.com launched as one of the industry’s earliest digital research platforms, replacing printed reports with direct online access to record test results. Over time, it evolved into automated online surveys, real-time infographic reporting, listener reward systems, multi-panel research fulfillment, and API-driven platforms—including ArtistIntell.com (2014–2020), a DIY SaaS system that expanded access to professional-grade music research tools.
What We Do Today
Today, Musicresearch.com operates as a living knowledge platform—curating, interpreting, and advancing music research across disciplines and industries.
We explore:
- Music & audience research methodologies—past, present, and emerging
Applied research in music marketing, A&R, and fan development
Behavioral and emotional measurement, from conscious feedback to subconscious response
AI and data science in music discovery, prediction, and personalization
Cultural shifts shaping how fans engage, connect, and form identity through music
Our focus remains the same as it has always been: turning audience insight into understanding—and understanding into better creative and business decisions.
Research That Changed the Industry
MRC’s work introduced and refined tools that are now foundational to music analytics, including:
Record testing to identify potential hits before release
Moment-by-moment emotional measurement, including Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and involvement dials
Statistical normalization and predictive analytics, including standardized test measures and Z-score–based forecasting
Format-specific audience evaluation, supporting AOR, Top-40, AC, Urban/R&B, Dance, and beyond
These approaches helped move the industry beyond the era of surface-level hype toward deeper listener understanding—laying groundwork for today’s fan analytics and “superfan” models.
The People Behind the Platform
Larry Heller
Larry Heller, Founder and Publisher
Larry Heller is widely recognized as a visionary who bridged the gap between artistic intuition and empirical insight. Beginning in the 1960s and ’70s, he challenged rigid industry assumptions by translating emotional audience response into actionable intelligence—becoming, in his words, a “translator” between culture and commerce.
Darren Kramer
Darren Kramer, Managing Editor
A graduate of USC’s Thornton School of Music and a long-time collaborator with MRC since 2007, Darren Kramer is recognized for his pioneering work in music marketing technology, startup management and research platforms. Together with Larry, he co-developed DigiGauge in 2010 and later ArtistIntell.com, helping modernize access to audience research through interactive digital systems and APIs.
In 2026, Larry and Darren reunited to relaunch Musicresearch.com as a renewed, forward-looking platform—dedicated not just to preserving a legacy, but to advancing the future of music research itself.
Looking Forward
What began as a belief that listening to audiences could help artists succeed has grown into something far larger. Today, audience insight is a defining cultural force—reshaping how music is made, discovered, shared, and valued.
Musicresearch.com exists to explore that force—its tools, its implications, and its possibilities.
Dedicated to music makers and music lovers everywhere.