2023 was a big year for concert films. Taylor Swift's “Eras Tour” film became the highest grossing concert film of all time with nearly $270M in worldwide box office gross. Beyonce’s Renaissance film grossed over $44M. Was this just a Beyonce and Taylor thing, or will this continue? In this episode, I’m joined by Jimmy Stone, Founder of Alderbrook Companies, to dive deep into the rise of concert films, the economics behind them, the highest grossing concert films of all time, and so much...

There’s been a lot of discussion (and concern) about the impact of generative AI on music and whether the industry is on the verge of another Napster moment. But according to Jessica Powell, CEO of AudioShake, it’s going to take a lot more than a text prompt to kill music as we know it. On today’s episode, Jessica and I did a dive deep into the rise of generative music, its actual opportunities, and what it means for the industry moving forward. At the end of our conversation, we also...

This episode is about Hollywood's biggest night, the Academy Awards. I’m joined by friend of the pod Zack O'Malley Greenburg to dive deep into the Oscars, how it compares to the Grammys, its relationship with music, the money spent on campaigns, the dramas, the major controversies, and some wild theories. 00:00 The money behind the Oscars 06:30 Why the Grammys gets worse ratings than the Oscars 22:05 What happened to big movie soundtracks? 31:36 Controversies over the years 40:02 Biggest...

The late Virgil Abloh’s legacy lives on. From luxury rap to high fashion, his influence changed an entire industry, and several other adjacent ones. In this episode of Trapital, I’m joined by friend of the pod Zack O'Malley Greenburg. We broke down Virgil’s early years that shaped his future, his relationship with Kanye West, brands like Pyrex Vision, Off-White, his 3% rule, his open-sourced approach to business, his highs, lows, and so much more. 00:00 How Virgil entered the fashion...

The rise and fall of the Yeezy brand is a Hollywood screenplay in the making. But this is less like the movie AIR, and more like The Wolf of Wall Street. To break it all down, I'm joined by Zack O'Malley Greenburg, who covered the Yeezy business through his reporting at Forbes. Together, we explore Kanye West's partnerships with Nike, Adidas, and Gap and the highs and lows along the way. Make sure you listen in for our new Chartmetric stat of the week! 00:00 Kanye West enters the fashion...

From gamblers paradise to entertainment mecca, on this episode of Trapital, we take a trip to Las Vegas and how its coveted residencies have evolved over time, the economics of how they work, and predictions for the future. I’m joined by Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research. We explore the Las Vegas’ origin with mob ties, the ground-breaking 2003 Celine Dion residency, and the changing demographic of Vegas attendees. Want to leave us a question for our upcoming mailbag episode? Leave us a...

We hear a lot about superfans and how important they are for an artist, but we rarely see any data to quantify how valuable they actually are. In this episode, I'm joined by Will Page, author of Pivot and former chief economist at Spotify, to break down his most recent report, Soundcloud Rockonomics. We discuss the company’s Fan Powered Royalties, the user centric model, how artists like Lil Uzi Vert can measure their fans, and the impact on the industry. Today’s episode is brought to you by...

This episode is about music's biggest night. But we’re not interested in who should win. This is about the business behind the show and everything surrounding it. We break down how the show makes money for CBS and the Recording Academy despite the viewership decline, the massive For Your Consideration business, the campaigning required to win an award, and major controversies over the years. I'm joined by Zack O'Malley Greenburg, friend of the pod, who covered The Grammys several times while...

It's been over 10 years since State Farm's first Chris Paul - Cliff Paul ad. It's been over 20 years since GEICO first introduced the gecko. These ads from insurance companies have been the biggest ad campaigns and their impact continues to grow. I'm joined by Dr. Marcus Collins, who helped develop the Chris Paul - Cliff Paul campaign during his time at Translation. We talked about why there are so many insurance ads, how Chris Paul - Cliff Paul happened, and how its legacy lives on. This...

Radio is the music format with nine lives. Despite all of the new evolutions in AI, streaming, and short-form video, radio continues to live on; and will do so for several more years. In this episode, I’m joined by a friend of the pod, Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research. We dive into radio’s impact in music over the years, current cutbacks and layoffs, and what the future of radio looks like in today’s era. Today’s episode is brought to you by Bandzoogle. Build a stunning website today. Start...

Music has several big new stars with tons of talent, but will they ever have a year as big as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé in 2023. Both women have been commercially successful for decades and continue to dominate the charts even to this day. They came up in a different time, which works to their advantage. But what does this mean for the streaming and TikTok era artists who want to break through all the noise? Can they ever reach the same level of stardom? In this episode, I’m joined by Tati...

It’s been 3.5 years since McDonald’s Travis Scott meal, and we still see new celebrity fast food meals all the time. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Marcus Collins, author of “For the Culture,” as we explore how fast food chains like McDonald's bounced back to its partnerships with influential artists and musicians. Marcus and I discuss McDonald’s history in celebrity fast food partnerships, how other fast food chains have had their own meals, what works what doesn’t, and where things are...

Adidas has one of the most insane backstories of any major apparel company. From its ties to the Nazi party, and its turbulent relationship with Kanye West, to its partnerships with Hip-Hop, and its influence in soccer, we cover it all. We also talk about the brands rise, its strongest years, Beyoncé, Ivy Park, and why celestial star power isn't always enough. In this episode I’m joined by friend of the pod Zack O’Malley Greenburg as we break it all down. We examine Adidas’ story history,...

It’s hard to imagine what music would be like today without YouTube. The platform has done more to lower the entry barriers to music creation and distribution than any other platform. From the early days when acts like Soulja Boy harnessed the raw power of YouTube to drive their careers, to modern narratives like NBA YoungBoy mastering Creator culture, in this episode we delve into how YouTube's become an essential player in the music industry. In this episode, I’m joined by Tati Cirisano...

How much money does the music industry really make on an annual basis? The answer is not as straightforward as you think. Most of the outlets that publish figures only report on one side of the business. But since 2014, former Spotify chief economist and author Will Page has made it his job to answer this question in his annual report on global music copyright. This year the global value is at $41.5 billion. In this episode, I’m joined by Will and friend of the show, Tati Cirisano from MIDiA...

It wasn’t that long ago that Reebok was head-to-head with the biggest athletic apparel companies in the world. In 1989, Reebok sales had exceeded Nike. In 2001, Reebok’s two biggest stars, MVPs Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson, faced off in the NBA Finals. In 2003, two of hip-hop’s biggest stars, 50 Cent and Jay Z, had their own Reebok sneakers. But less then a decade later, the brand was a… struggling CrossFit brand under the Adidas umbrella. What happened? In this week’s episode of...

The Trapital Report 2023 is here! In this episode we break down a few big takeaways from the report on streaming, live music, the state of hip-hop, and the most valuable songs in the world. I’m joined by David Boyle from Audience Strategies, who first reached out to me about working on this report and we’ve been working together ever since. We have two report versions. You can download the free preview of the report here. We also have a premium version of the report available with insights on...

Apple has been the most influential company in music in the 21st century, and music was the major driver behind Apple’s comeback. Join us for a deep dive on where Apple was before its music journey, the impact of iTunes, Steve Jobs, iPod, U2, iPhone, Apple Music, Drake, Taylor Swift, Frank Ocean, and a whole lot more. I’m joined by friend of the pod, Zack O’Malley Greenburg. We discuss how music helped Apple exceed the value of the entire music industry. We also discuss the company’s strategy...

No new episode this week. We’re working hard on this year’s Trapital Report, which is out at the end of October! Make sure you’re signed up for our email newsletter to get the report once it’s live. Next week we’re back with another deep dive episode. Listen to this brief episode for a few hints! Talk to you next week.

This episode is all about Pandora Music. In the post-iPhone era, Pandora was the early favorite in music streaming. We break down its decade-long journey to get there, its rise in popularity, IPO, SiriusXM, and how and why it got beat by other competitors. I’m joined by friend of the show, Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research. Here’s what we discussed: [00:05:50] The Music Genome Project [00:09:37] Rejected by 300 VCs [00:14:44] Pandora’s legal battles [00:18:22] Pandora vs Spotify [00:40:50]...

In May 2023, I gave a talk at the Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business - Black Leadership Conference. I explored the future of music, industry trends, and its impact on Black artists. Hip-hop culture sets the trends that society follows. I explore all that and more. [00:06:18] Beyond the vanity metrics [00:08:06] Whitney Houston estate [00:13:16] The OutKast Edge [00:19:51] Q&A: Leveling up at each stage of growth Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here!...

You can't tell the story about hip-hop without telling the story of Def Jam. We break down the business behind of one of the most iconic record labels of all time. Join me, Dan Runcie, and friend of the pod, Zack Greenburg, as we discuss the triumphs and challenges that shape Def Jam and its legacy. [00:04:44] Def Jam influence on modern hip hop [00:08:59] How Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin met [00:18:18] Simmons and Rubin part ways [00:26:23] Lyor Cohen takes over, Polygram deal [00:34:24]...

This is a solo episode! I break down four important topics: Saudi Arabia investing in musicThe “Song of the Summer” is no morePop star decline: winners, losers, and trendsSpotify’s podcast strategy and the creator economy [00:04:22] Saudi investors exploring entertainment and tech, except music. [00:07:50] Music festivals present opportunity for strategic investment. [00:08:47] Investment activity in acquiring back catalog. [00:13:12] Songs of summer: fragmented, subjective, lost...

In today's episode, I’m joined by Kakul Srivastava, CEO of Splice. We discuss the untapped potential of the music production market, how music shapes our lives, and the need for more accessibility in music. We also discuss the potential of AI in creative tools, Splice’s future, and more: [00:04:56] Music’s overlooked and underserved market [00:06:43] A tale of two cities [00:12:29] The digital music producer market [00:21:26] The right balance with AI [00:29:56] Leading with...

Napster. The name alone brings back memories of the wild, wild west of the dot-com bubble. We'll take you back to the late 90s and early 2000s. Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning’s creation was a game-changer. But was its influence bigger than its actual impact? Who won and lost the most from Napster? Could the situation have been handled differently? We break down all that and more I’m joined by Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research. Here’s everything we covered this episode: [00:002:13] Napster's...