Trapital

What if the most important social network in the world isn’t a social network at all?

In this episode, we explore how WhatsApp—often overlooked in the U.S.—has become a lifeline for families, businesses, artists, and economies worldwide.

Join me and Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research as we break down whether WhatsApp is the closest thing to a true “everything app,” how it differs from iMessage and texting, and why Meta has struggled to monetize it despite its massive reach.

04:33 WhatsApp's Global Growth Strategy

17:07 WhatsApp's Advertising and Privacy Dilemma

21:34 WhatsApp's role in Meta l

24:22 Instagram DMs vs WhatsApp

29:38 WhatsApp's US Growth Prospects

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

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It’s the perfect time to revisit one of our more popular episodes. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are still at the top of the music industry despite the newer artists that do well on streaming and TikTok. That said, can today’s new class of stars ever match that same level of superstardom? .

In this episode, I’m joined by Tati Cirisano from MIDiA Research to explore how artists like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Bad Bunny are navigating the ever-changing music landscape. What does it take to break through the noise, and is music stardom evolving into something completely different?

Let’s get into it

02:00 Streaming's Impact on Music Industry

07:06 The impact of streaming and TikTok

11:09 Olivia Rodrigo's Streaming vs Sales

15:03 Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, SZA

23:23 Morgan Wallen, Bad Bunny

30:28 "Music Industry Aspirations and Realities"

33:39 Emerging Artists: Success Through Unique Roots

Trapital Summit tickets are on sale! Super early bird discount until April 30. Register here.

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Make sure you check out TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, Equity.

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If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

According to Bloomberg, Spotify is exploring a new premium tier, Music Pro, which will include several new features and perks. But given what we know about music streaming, consumers, and record labels, who is this product really for? Will it work?

Listen to me and MIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano break down all aspects of the industry’s goal to get consumers to pay more for music streaming.

05:15 Breaking Down Music Pro

07:52 Challenges in Music Streaming

15:56 How Concert Presale Tickets Work

20:33 Consumer Behavior with Music Streaming

28:31 Alternatives to Music Pro

This episode is presented by beatBread. Check out their Deal Comparison Tool at beatBread.com/compare

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If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

Every few years, Meta makes a big push with a media-related product, but few of then have lasted long.

Instant Articles, Facebook Watch, Instagram Live, podcasts, music videos and more. Why don’t these initiatives stick? Is this similar with most social media platforms that try new things? How will this evolve in the future?

Join me and MIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano as we discuss Meta, its suite of apps, and why these initiatives come and go.

04:32 Entertainment vs. Social Platforms

12:29 Meta’s Opportunity Cost

17:01 Instagram, WhatsApp, and acquisitions

23:21 The Future of Facebook

25:38 Social Media Trends

30:13 Open vs Closed Social Platforms

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Listen in for our Chartmetric Stat of the Week.

If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

The most streamed song on Spotify from the 1980s is not from Queen, Michael Jackson, Prince, or Madonna. The most streamed Spotify song from the 2000s is not from Eminem, Usher, Beyonce, or Kanye West.

The streaming data is full of unique takeaways about what people really listen to.

Join me and Zack O'Malley Greenburg as we delve deep into Spotify and YouTube data, unraveling the surprises and the complex layers of music consumption.

04:10 Queen vs. Michael Jackson

07:23 The Rise of 'Mr. Brightside'

24:33 Does “Not Like Us” Have Global Reach?

28:46 TikTok's Influence on Radio

31:45 Music Catalogs and Value

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Listen in for our Chartmetric Stat of the Week.

If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

When it comes to music, Disney is a generational hitmaker. From Miley Cyrus to Hilary Duff, Disney has consistently produced some of the biggest names in music over the past few decades. We break down what worked well, what hasn’t, and how it has evolved with artists like Olivia Rodrigo.

Join me and MIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano as we dive in Disney’s enduring influence in the music industry.

02:00 The Pop Star Pipeline

05:16 The Eras of Disney’s Pop Stars

09:04 Why Nickelodeon Doesn’t Have a Pipeline

17:33 Disney's Impact on Artist Careers

34:32 Can Other Companies Do The Same

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

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If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

Join me and Billboard’s Kristin Robinson as we break down everything from the political context up to creator reactions to TikTok’s Shutdown.

9:11 Stalled Antitrust Efforts

14:12 How Creators Reacted to the Ban

16:05 TikTok's Role for Creators

25:12 Predictions on TikTok Ownership

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Listen in for our Chartmetric Stat of the Week.

If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

In the podcasting world, audio quality used to be king. Today, however, video elements have become increasingly essential. As platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts continue to shift their strategies, the landscape of audio content is changing faster than ever.

Join me and Ashley Carman of Bloomberg News as we break down everything about the podcast business, the current state of podcast deals, and paid podcasting and subscription models.

08:48 Video's Impact on Podcasting

12:44 Spotify's Video Push

21:45 Paid Podcasts

25:08 Audiobooks

34:37 YouTube TV App

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

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If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

YouTube turns 20 this year, and it’s influence continues to grow. In music, video, podcasts, advertising, entertainment, attention, and more. It’s in a unique role, where plenty of companies compete with YouTube, but few compete with it on all levels. But what does the future look like? Despite its edge, what are the challenges ahead?

Listen to me and MIDiA Research’s Tati Cirisano to break it all down.

08:45 Video Podcasting Trends

11:56 YouTube Premium

20:52 Paying for Ad-Free Experience

29:42 Competitors and Challenges

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Listen in for our Chartmetric Stat of the Week.

If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!

Spotify went from a $14 billion market cap in 2022 to crossing $100 billion toward the end of 2024. A lot has changed in two years, but there’s more to the story than just the past 24 months. Join me and Sleepwell Capital, an investor, to break down Spotify’s journey to profitability. Hope you enjoy!

04:59 Spotify vs Big Tech DSPs

10:16 Spotify's growth signifies change in music distribution.

14:26 Netflix comparisons

21:44 YouTube vs Spotify

28:19 Is Spotify's PE ratio too high?

32:31 Major label’s challenging 2024

This episode is presented by State Farm, the home for your small business needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Don't forget to follow Sleepwell Capital on X and Substack for more insights.

Listen in for our Chartmetric Stat of the Week.

If you enjoy Trapital, please rate and review on your favorite podcast platform!