In part two, you'll hear Clive Davis reflect on strategic decisions made when running a record label and career revivals he helped shape that defined another chapter of his run.

He discusses the balance of control and economics in label joint ventures, why hitmakers are not always great talent scouts, and how LaFace became a powerful force through artists like Toni Braxton, TLC, and Pink. Davis also shares how he revived the careers of timeless artists, including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, Santana, and Luther Vandross. It’s a conversation about instinct, patience, and the discipline it takes to build lasting success in the music business.

CHAPTERS

02:51 LaFace, Label Deals, and Joint Ventures

09:42 TLC, Toni Braxton, and P!nk

12:37 The Cost of Breaking Artists

17:05 Aretha, Rod Stewart, and Santana

21:14 Catalog vs. Career Revival

25:30 Follow-up Call

SPONSORS

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

I sat down with the legendary record executive Clive Davis. We looked back on the career-defining moments that made him one of the most influential figures in music.

He shares memories from the Beverly Hills Hotel, where we recorded the conversation. We also discussed the evolution of his famed pre-Grammy gala, and the philosophy behind honoring artists in the room. Davis also revisits being pushed out at Columbia, Arista, launching J Records, and the story behind Whitney Houston recording “Why Does It Hurt So Bad.” It’s a conversation about instinct, reinvention, and what it takes to keep going at the highest levels in business.

CHAPTERS

04:21 Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala

11:30 Lessons Learned at Columbia

15:38 From Arista to J Records

23:41 When Whitney Houston and Clive Disagreed

SPONSORS

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

I am joined by Ben Sisario from the New York Times to unpack the talent agency business, the leadership and reputational questions surrounding the companies, and what it all signals about succession, private equity, and the future of agency power.

CHAPTERS

05:05 Wasserman's Rebrand

08:23 Sale Scenarios

12:52 Margins And Risk

21:16 Why Music Lags

26:08 The Black Box of Talent Agencies

SPONSORS

Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week

Linktree: Share music, sell merch, and connect with fans on one simple link. Linktree is the #1 link in bio tool that musicians and artists use to connect fans to everything they do.

Symphonic: Distribute your music to one of the largest networks in the industry. Symphonic delivers your music to over 200 digital service providers ensuring that you’re monetizing every stream and use of your music on Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and more

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

As streaming growth slows, the music industry is searching for its next big opportunity. One of the leading bets? AI-powered music creation.

I'm joined by MIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano to break down whether platforms like Suno represent a true growth engine or just another niche product.

We explore the rise of consumer creation, the limits of the “superfan” narrative, and why the future of music revenue may be more fragmented than the industry hopes.

CHAPTERS

02:10 Rise of AI music tools

SPONSORS

Symphonic's Women Empowered+ mentorship program. ⁠Apply as a mentor or mentee here⁠.

Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week

Linktree: Share music, sell merch, and connect with fans on one simple link. Linktree is the #1 link in bio tool that musicians and artists use to connect fans to everything they do.

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

The Department of Justice has settled its lawsuit against Live Nation - Ticketmaster. There will be no breakup of the live entertainment company, but Live Nation has agreed to several remedies in an effort to improve the ticketing industry. But more rust that’s settled… what’s next? What will this change?

In this episode, we are joined by returning guest and NYU professor Larry Miller to break down the DOJ’s settlement with Live Nation/Ticketmaster.

We also dig into the bigger question fans care about most: will this make tickets cheaper?

CHAPTERS

04:13 Why Did DOJ Want to Settle?

11:14 Will Ticket Prices Fall?

13:05 Primary vs. Secondary Ticketing Market

22:48 StubHub and SeatGeek’s Challenge

24:56 Live Nation’s Consent Decree

SPONSORS

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

Investors have poured more money into music than ever before. Music as an asset class if hotter than ever,. But the public markets have discounted the value of music companies:

This is a huge disparity, and it was time to explain why.

In this solo episode, I break down this paradox. We will also connect the dots to real estate, the post-2021 repricing, and why more take-private attempts may be ahead.

CHAPTERS

00:10 Private vs Public Money in Music

07:26 Similarities in Music

08:19 2021 Reset

15:10 WMG and UMG

24:02 What’s Ahead

SPONSORS

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

Sphere Entertainment is now profitable, Wizard of Oz was a hit, and more locations are coming. Has the business turned the corner, or are there still question marks?

In this episode, I’m joined by Tati Cirisano, MIDiA Research, to assess where Sphere Entertainment stands in 2026. We unpack the company’s narrative, scalability, residencies, challenges, and more.

CHAPTERS

01:34 Is It Really Profitable?

10:01 The Concert Residency Model

14:58 Sphere Expansion Plans

22:33 Novelty Risk

26:07 Does Sphere Have a Comp?

SPONSORS

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

In music right now, the winners aren’t just the artists with the biggest audiences, they’re the teams that control the infrastructure.

First, I sit down with Mag Rodriguez, CEO and co-founder of EVEN, to break down how Even became a key part of J. Cole’s The Fall Off rollout, from exclusive drops and direct-to-fan sales to tour presales and fan community features designed to keep people coming back.

Then, I’m joined by Lior Tibon, CEO and co-founder of Duetti, to unpack the financial plumbing behind catalog deals: how Duetti raised $200M, why equity and debt get used differently, and how data, underwriting, and marketing operations power the rights-acquisition machine.

CHAPTERS:

04:27 Why J. Cole Uses EVEN

10:16 EVEN-UMG Deal, Explained

16:49 Clearing the Rumors

32:30 Duetti’s Equity vs. Debt Stack

33:34 What a typical Duetti deal looks like

38:38 Catalog Marketing Playbook

SPONSORSChartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.