Trapital

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

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TRAPITAL

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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

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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

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Coachella sold out in five days after announcing Justin Bieber as headliner. That's the good news. The bad news? It tells you how hard it's become to book a headline act who can actually move 250,000 tickets for the one of most premiere music festivals in the world.Dave Brooks, a music correspondent at Puck and host of the Decibel and Docket podcast, joins the show to break down the business of festival season 2026. We get into why the biggest artists no longer need Coachella, which festivals are actually profitable, and what's ahead for live music.CHAPTERS07:46 The Bieber Effect08:02 Stadium Money11:50 Why Stagecoach is Different21:13 Lollapalooza23:43 Chris Brown and Kanye WestSPONSORSAll People Powered is a live concert and pitch competition on Saturday, April 11 where three Bay Area founders pitch on stage for $30,000 in real funding. Get your ticket here.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 , TikTok, YouTube, and more

Now that Wasserman Agency has rebrand itself to "The Team," what's next? Who will lead The Team? Who will the new owner be? What will they do with it? Elsewhere in the talent agency world, CAA has a new managing director for music touring, and UTA's longtime leader has stepped down. Who will lead the next era?

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

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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
06:00 The superfan idea
14:30 The superfan landscape
22:30 Suno’s growth
40:00 AI vs. streaming
46:00 Labels and deals
52:00 Streaming’s future

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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.