Trapital

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Can New Superstars Ever Surpass Current Superstars? Dec 22, 2023

Show notes

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 Cirisano from MIDiA Research to discuss what it takes, the impact of streaming and TikTok, and whether artists like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and others will ever reach the level of superstardom of artists like Beyoncé, Drake, Adele or T Swift.

04:16 Breaking through in a saturated industry

08:32 Monoculture

09:36 The impact of streaming and TikTok

14:30 Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Burna Boy, Post Malone

33:44 Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, SZA

58:29 Morgan Wallen, Bad Bunny

01:11:23 The monetization of streaming by genre

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Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Why Celebrity Fast Food Meals Took Off Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

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 headed.

03:20 Why McDonald’s partnered with artists.

07:19 McDonald's and the McJordan.

16:39 The impact of social media on celebrity fast food meals.

27:53 The Travis Scott meal.

44:47 How fast food chains partnered with artists.

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Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Adidas: Sneakers, Hip-Hop and Culture Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

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, strategic moves, missteps and more.

03:40 Adidas’ history with the Nazi party.

20:04 Adidas' turbulent 1990s and missed opportunities.

34:12 Adidas’ Yeezy deal with Kanye West.

41:07 The Yeezy anti-semitism controversy.

47:19 Brands need to reconsider celebrity partnerships strategy.

58:20 Why Beyoncé and Ivy Park didn’t work.

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Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

This episode was brought to you by Audiense. Take your marketing strategy to the next level. Trapital listeners can start a free trial of Audiense. Learn more here.

This episode was brought to you by Bevel . Get 20% off everything sitewide until 12/22! Visit getbevel.com.

YouTube’s Impact on Music Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

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 from MIDiA Research to discuss the origins of YouTube entering the space, the rocky relationships with music rights holders, the importance of UGC (User Generated Content), and so much more.

[00:01:23] YouTube Enters The Music Industry

[00:08:37] Google Acquires YouTube, DMCA

[00:21:12] The Monetization-Exposure Trade Off

[00:28:36] YouTube’s “Value Gap”

[00:44:48] Improving Relationships With The Music Industry

[00:49:49] Content ID

[00:56:44] YouTube and AI

This episode is brought to you by Downtown Music, the world leader in music services with over 2 million clients. Visit Downtown today to learn more.

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Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Why Music is a $40+ Billion Industry Nov 17, 2023

Show notes

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 Research. We dive deep into the key findings of the report, the growth of publishing, vinyl sales, why “back catalog” is a dated term, AI’s disruption, and a whole lot more.

[00:04:06] The need for data transparency

[00:30:51] The rise of vinyl

[00:46:43] How music relates to gaming

[00:54:42] Streaming price increases

This episode is brought to you by DICE. Want to learn more about how you and your artists can reach a packed room of your superfans? Learn more at dice.fm/partners

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Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital

Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Reebok: Sneakers, Hip-Hop, and Missed Opportunities Nov 10, 2023

Show notes

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 Trapital, Zack O’Malley Greenburg and I take a trip down memory lane. We examine Reebok’s rise, challenges faced, big partnerships, failed acquisitions, and missed opportunities.

[00:03:35] Reebok vs. Nike

[00;15;34] Allen Iverson and hip-hop

[00;19;59] Jay Z’s S. Dots, 50 Cent’s G-Unit sneakers

[00;34;39] Adidas acquires Reebok

[00;51;03] ABG acquires Reebok

[01;02;11] AI and Shaq now Reebok execs

This episode is brought to you by Bevel. Beat the holiday rush and get 20% off the device of your choice. Offer ends Sun Nov 19. Get your device today.

Want to write a guest post while I’m on paternity leave in 2024? Here’s the form to fill out

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Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

The Trapital Report 2023 Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

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 engaging superfans, emerging technology, country music’s moment, the impact of TikTok and short-form video, generational preferences, and more.

You can buy the premium report here.

[00:04:36] Hip hop outshines electronic music.

[00:05:51] Hip Hop's growth was tapering off.

[00:16:21] Headlines without context can impact decisions.

[00:23:32] Fans want identity, self-expression, and memories.

[00:33:11] Leaning in to generative AI.

[00:35:24] How best to split the pie

[00:42:55] Different worlds for artists on different tours.

[00:46:00] Historical bias and price influence hip hop tours.

[00:51:19] YouTube active users prefer pop audience.

Thanks again to the report’s presenting sponsor, DICE, and our presenting sponsors, Downtown Music and Audiense for making this report possible. Thanks to Luminate and Pollstar for sharing your data with us, and thanks again to Simon Jacobs and David Boyle from Audience Strategies.

Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital

Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Apple’s Impact on Music: From iPods to AirPods Oct 20, 2023

Show notes

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 with software, hardware, and how it all worked together. Hope you enjoy it.

[00:03:55] Steve Jobs returns to Apple

[00:10:13] iTunes, iPod, iTunes Music Store

[00:34:48] How U2 got their own iPod

[00:44:20] Why Jobs was against subscription-based music streaming

[00:51:27] Apple buys Beats Electronics

[00:56:48] How U2’s album got on every iPhone

[01:07:54] Apple Music launch

[01:14:04] What would Jobs say about Apple’s current music strategy?

[01:21:54] Apple Music’s old exclusives strategy

Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital

Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.

Trapital Report coming soon! Oct 13, 2023

Show notes

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.

Pandora: a 3-1 Lead in Music Streaming Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

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] The SiriusXM era

[00:54:15] Changing culture

Enjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapital

Trapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital’s free memo.