Trapital
216 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 151 ratingsGain insights from the business of music, media, and culture. Trapital founder Dan Runcie and various experts break down the companies and moguls who start the trends that shape the business world. Learn more at https://trapital.co/pod
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Episodes
What’s Next For Concert Films?
March 15, 2024 09:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MB2023 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 mo...
Why We’re Still Early on AI Music
March 08, 2024 09:00 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBThere’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 incl...
The Oscars: Hit Songs, All the Drama, and Tons of Money
March 01, 2024 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBThis 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 Bigges...
Virgil Abloh: Off-White, Luxury, and Open-Source Fashion
February 23, 2024 09:00 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBThe 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 world...
Yeezy: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
February 16, 2024 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBThe 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 ...
The Rise of Las Vegas Concert Residencies
February 09, 2024 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBFrom 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 voi...
SoundCloud and the Future of Superfans
February 02, 2024 10:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBWe 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 ...
The Business Behind The Grammys
January 26, 2024 14:00 - 1 hour - 56.9 MBThis 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 whi...
How Insurance Ads Became the Industry Standard
January 19, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 56 MBIt'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 ...
Why Radio Still Matters
January 12, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 56 MBRadio 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. Sta...
Can New Superstars Ever Surpass Current Superstars?
December 22, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 77.2 MBMusic 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 ...
Why Celebrity Fast Food Meals Took Off
December 15, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBIt’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 a...
Adidas: Sneakers, Hip-Hop and Culture
December 08, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBAdidas 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, ...
YouTube’s Impact on Music
December 01, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 65 MBIt’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...
Why Music is a $40+ Billion Industry
November 17, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBHow 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 MIDi...
Reebok: Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Missed Opportunities
November 10, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBIt 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 Tra...
The Trapital Report 2023
October 30, 2023 23:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBThe 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...
Apple’s Impact on Music: From iPods to AirPods
October 20, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBApple 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 strate...
Trapital Report coming soon!
October 13, 2023 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.7 MBNo 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.
Pandora: a 3-1 Lead in Music Streaming
October 05, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBThis 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...
Stanford GSB: The Future of Music - 2023 Black Leadership Conference
September 29, 2023 09:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBIn 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! rateth...
Def Jam Recordings: A 40-Year Legacy
September 22, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 92.7 MBYou 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...
Investing in Music, Songs of the Summer, Pop Star Decline, and Creator Trends
September 15, 2023 09:00 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MBThis is a solo episode! I break down four important topics: Saudi Arabia investing in music The “Song of the Summer” is no more Pop star decline: winners, losers, and trends Spotify’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 ...
The Music Industry: A Tale of Two Cities
September 08, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBIn 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 empathy [0...
Napster's Impact on Music and Culture
September 01, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBNapster. 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'...
MTV: Music Videos, Reality TV, and Ridiculousness
August 25, 2023 09:01 - 1 hour - 92.6 MBI Want My MTV! We broke down one of the most influential companies in music: MTV. I’m joined by friend of the pod, Zack Greenburg, who wrote a book about one of MTV’s biggest star’s ever, Michael Jackson. We discuss the highs, lows, challenges, controversies MTV faced. From its business model over the years, shift to reality TV, VMAs, TRL, Yo MTV Raps, impact on culture, and its missed opportunities. [00:08:43] MTV business model, rise of cable TV, untapped teenage market [00:15:50] The i...
Unpacking the Economics of Taylor Swift
August 15, 2023 18:55 - 55 minutes - 51.3 MBTaylor Swift is on track for the first $1B+ tour ever, but that’s old news.. In this episode, we look beyond the public drama surrounding her masters and unpack the questions that have been overlooked. How valuable are the original recordings compared to Taylor’s Version? How will that change once '1989' is re-released? How much money will Ithaca Holdings, Shamrock Capital, Big Machine Label Group, and Taylor herself make in the end? Can anyone else in the music industry pull this off?? J...
Hip-Hop's 50 Greatest Moguls
August 08, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 96.9 MBAugust 11, 2023 is the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. What started out mostly as a spoken word artform has become a worldwide juggernaut. Thanks to the moguls who pushed the genre forward, hip-hop went from 0 to 100. In this episode, we rank the 50 greatest moguls in hip-hop’s history. We reached out to industry experts — from artists to execs to media personalities — to help us compile the list. Friend of the pod, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, joins me to count them down from No. 50 to No. 1 0:3...
The State of the Middle-Class Artist
July 28, 2023 09:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBEpisode title: The State of the Middle-Class Artist The “middle class musician” is a popular talking point in the industry. Several platforms have been built to serve this group. But what exactly is a middle-class musician? How can they get ahead when the major companies are incentivized to support the superstars? How does the 1000 True Fans theory apple here? And which companies do a great job of serving them today? I talked to Tati Cirisano of MIDiA Research to break it all down. Here...
What’s Next for Travis Scott?
July 20, 2023 09:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBTravis Scott is in album mode. Utopia will be his first album since 2018, but a lot has changed since then. The industry isn’t as hip-hop dominant, hypebeast culture has shifted, and Travis is still navigating things after the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy. How will all this influence Utopia? I broke it all down with friend of the pod, Denisha Kuhlor. Here’s what we covered: 0:43 How hip-hop has changed since Astroworld 8:23 Travis sold a lifestyle to success 9:29 Why Travis attracte...
Motown Records: The Hit Factory That Changed Music Forever
July 13, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBFew record labels have left their stamp on the industry quite like Motown. This assembly line churned out hit song after hit song in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. With a who’s-who roster — Marin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, and Stevie Wonder, among others — The Hitsville U.S.A. sign Gordy put on Motown’s front door became warranted. This episode is the story of Motown Records — it’s formula for success, what led to its decline, and where it stands today under Universal. I’m joined by frie...
The Real Story Behind Hip-Hop's "Decline"
July 06, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.6 MBThe media commentary on hip-hop’s decline is stronger than ever. Especially since it took six months for a rap album to top the Billboard 200 in 2023, and no rap song has topped the Hot 100 yet.. Is hip-hop slipping? Or is there more to this story? is slipping or others are merely catching up? To break it all down, I’m joined by The Wall Street Journal’s Neil Shah, who has written about this extensively. 0:40 Our take on hip-hop’s “decline” 4:51 Upcoming albums that may top the charts ...
30 years of Bad Boy Entertainment (with Zack Greenburg)
June 29, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 65.3 MBWe can’t tell the story of hip-hop without mentioning Diddy and the record label he started. Bad Boy took off in 1993 after Puff was fired from Uptown Records. He brought TheNotorious B.I.G. with him from Uptown Record, and signed a 50-50 deal with Clive Davis’s Arista Records, and it was off to the races. Bad Boy survived the tragic fallout of the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry, and reached even bigger heights after Biggie’s death. Puff began to rise as a solo artist, but did the rest o...
Why Music Streaming Can’t Agree on a Payout Model (with Lucas Shaw)
June 23, 2023 09:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBMusic streaming’s payout model is under a microscope. The industry’s stakeholders — the labels, DSPs, artists, and rights holders — all want more of the pie, but no one can agree on how. Should we stick with the pro-rata model that pools all streams together? Or move to the user-centric model that some DSPs have tested out? Should longer songs count more than a 30-second audio track? What if that artist you choose to start your music session with gets paid more than an algorithmic play? How...
Do Music Videos Still Matter? (with Tati Cirisano)
June 15, 2023 09:00 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBWhat’s the role of a music video today? In the 1980s, music videos flipped the industry thanks to MTV. Videos helped artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna become cultural icons. Record labels spent millions on music videos to promote their CD sales. Everyone was winning. Music videos don’t hold the same power today in the streaming era. The budgets are smaller, but they still get made. To break it all down, I was joined by MIDiA Research analyst Tati Cirisano. Here’s what we covered: ...
How Ice Spice Blew Up (with Denisha Kuhlor)
June 08, 2023 09:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBEven by today’s standards, Ice Spice’s meteoric rise is something else. She first hit it big in August 2022 with the viral release of “Munch.” Since then, Ice Spice has the most top 5 hits on the Billboard 100 in 2023 and guest appeared on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. How did we get here? Her aura, her music, her cinnamon-colored curls, and more have helped her stand out in an oversaturated industry. To explain how Ice Spice’s star was born and where it could go next, I brought on friend of t...
The Rise and Fall of Roc-A-Fella Records (with Zack O'Malley Greenburg)
June 02, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBThis is the breakdown on Roc-A-Fella Records. Founded in 1995 by the trio of Shawn “Jay Z” Carter (the talent), Damon “Dame” Dash (the promoter), and Kareem “Biggs” Burke (the silent partner), it became one of hip-hop’s most iconic labels. The label took time to develop. Jay’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is now seen as a certified classic, but took time to get that recognition. It wasn’t until 1997 when Def Jam acquired a 50 percent stake in the label and The Roc went to that next level....
The State of Music (with Will Page)
May 25, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBWill Page returns to the show for a “state of the industry” episode. In last year’s appearance he correctly called out the slowdown in streaming subscriptions, bubbles in web3, and more. Will believes the value of copyrighted music could hit $45 billion annually when the 2022 numbers are calculated — up $5 billion from 2021, which is already an all-time high for the industry. Another massive shift is glocalisation”: the trend of local music dominating the domestic charts, as opposed to W...
Artist Independence (with Steve Stoute)
May 18, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBUnitedMasters and Translation CEO Steve Stoute returns to the show, fresh off a new deal with R&B star Brent Faiyaz for a reported $50 million. Brent had his pick at multiple major labels, but chose to stay independent with UnitedMasters. We talk about how independent companies can compete with majors on upfront money, competitive advantages in the music industry, and more. Steve and I also chat about the industry at-large: AI, entrepreneurship, subscription prices and more. Here’s what we...
How Brands Become Ideologies (with Marcus Collins)
May 11, 2023 09:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBIt’s never been easier for brands to push their message out. But building true connections is in today’s fragmented landscape. Dr. Marcus Collins has advice for cutting through the noise. His new book, “For The Culture”, is full of insights. Marcus has worked with Beyonce, Apple, Nike and more. He’s the Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy, and a marketing professor at the Michigan Ross School of Business (Go Blue!). Marcus believes people use brands to express who they are. To win now and ...
Rerun: How KevOnStage is Building His Comedy Flywheel
May 04, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBThis week, I’m running back an interview with another one of the most popular episodes we ever did with KevOnStage from early 2022. KevOnStage (Kevin Fredericks) is a comedian, producer, director, and entrepreneur behind KevOnStage studios. Today's episode talks about how he built an independent brand that really paid off his hard work. He established a solid fan base, had millions of followers on social media, and monetized these platforms by producing his hilarious viral content, a to...
The Rise of Interscope Records (with Zack Greenburg)
April 27, 2023 09:00 - 56 minutes - 52.1 MBIn the 1990s, Interscope Records played by its own rules. Most new labels started with big stars, but Interscope had a clean slate. Most labels were scared of rap music, but Interscope leaned in. Co-founded by Jimmy Iovine, a producer, and Ted Field, a film producer, people questioned whether they had the chops to make it. The label has had a hand in some of the most memorable music moments like Death Row Records, the rise of Eminem, and the creation of Beats by Dre headphones. To break d...
Rerun: Investing $200 Million In Music with Matt Pincus
April 20, 2023 09:00 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MBThis week, I’m running back an interview with one of the most popular episodes we ever did with Matt Pincus from 2022. Matt Pincus is without question one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the music industry. He sold his independent music publishing company, SONGS, for $160 million five years ago. And now, the music holdings company he co-founded, MUSIC, just raised $200 million to invest in music and music-adjacent companies. Though, Matt doesn’t see MUSIC as an investment fund, b...
The Business Behind Coachella (with Tati Cirisano)
April 13, 2023 09:00 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MBThe first weekend of Coachella is here: Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, and Frank Ocean will headline for 2023. Coachella is expected to gross well over $100 million with over 100,000+ attendees per day. In this episode, broke it all down withMIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano. Coachella started in 1999 as a niche festival for indie rock and quickly morphed into the biggest brand-name festival in the United States. These days, the Coachella brand is big enough to sell the experience itself, regardless of...
Rerun: The Future Of Music Business With Economist Will Page
April 06, 2023 09:00 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBThis week, I’m running back an interview I did with Will Page in 2022. It was our most popular episode of 2022 and we talked about a lot of topics that are still timely and still being debated right now in the industry. One of the most unique insights into the state of the music business today doesn’t come from a record label exec. Not from an agent. Not from an artist. No, it comes from Scottish economist Will Page, who served that role for Spotify from 2012 to 2019 — a period of explosiv...
Picking The Most Valuable Music Catalog Portfolio (with Denisha Kuhlor)
March 30, 2023 09:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBIf you had a billion-dollar fund to buy the full rights, masters, and publishing of ANY music artists — who are you acquiring to maximize shareholder value? This question was top of mind for real-life portfolio managers the past three years as music catalog sales boomed. Now my guest on the episode, Denisha Kuhlor, and I are asking ourselves the same hypothetical question. In this episode, we’re doing a mock music rights draft. Akin to the NFL Draft, each of us getting seven picks. Any arti...
The Short-Form Video Wars: TikTok vs Shorts vs Reels (with Tati Cirisano)
March 23, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBShort-form video has exploded in popularity the past three years, buoyed by TikTok. Copycat apps and features are now the norm across social media sites — Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Instagram. MIDiA analyst Tati Cirisano joins me on this episode to break down the ongoing war between short-form video’s main players. The music industry is certainly keeping a close eye on the battle. Short-form video has been a boon for music discovery. Though, many music execs would also argue music ...
Africa’s Music and Startup Future (with Mr Eazi)
March 16, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 43.3 MBThe artist-entrepreneur-investor Mr Eazi has no on-off switch. Who he is in the recording studio, on stage, and on the boardroom are the same. With business and music, Mr Eazi has found parallel industries that allow him to be the same person. He’s founded both emPawa Africa and Zagadat Capital to feed his business appetite. The former invests into African artists and helps them scale. Meanwhile, Zagadat Capital invests into tech startups, most of which are inside the continent. Then ther...
The Future of Music and Gaming (with Vickie Nauman)
March 09, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBThe gaming industry is larger than music and film combined. We’ve seen big music collabs in Fortnite, Roblox, and more, but there’s room to leverage music even more. That’s been a big focus for Vickie Nauman, who works at the intersection of music and gaming. She consults for major record labels, game developers, and more through her company, CrossBorderWorks. She’s also worked on big virtual concerts, like David Guerra and Saweetie in Roblox, and VR games like Beat Saber. But there...
The Rise of Burna Boy (with Denisha Kuhlor)
March 02, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBBurna Boy will be the first African artist to headline a UK stadium show when he performs at the 60,000-capacity London Stadium this summer. It’s the latest sign of Burna’s starpower and Afrobeats exploding popularity. The Nigeria-born artist is one of the genre’s biggest stars. Burna has reached this level because of consistency (six albums in nine years), savvy performing strategies, and a headliner mentality. To break down Burna’s rise, I talked to Denisha Kuhlor, founder of Stan, whic...