Show Notes
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
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.
More from Trapital
Brazil’s biggest music stars can build massive audiences at home, while Nigeria’s global stars often find most of their listeners abroad. Both are finding success, but the paths to building those audiences look very different.
Kevin Shivers started in an agency mailroom at 31. Today, he’s Co-President of Music at THE·TEAM, representing artists including Tyler, the Creator, Leon Thomas, and Kali Uchis. His approach to building the agency centers on teamwork, developing artists, and what he calls “unreasonable hospitality.”
KevOnStage has millions of followers, a growing production company, and the largest creator deal Tubi has signed to date. But live touring still drives roughly 60% of his revenue, while his TV shows are more about building his long-term business.
I sat down with Primary Wave CEO Larry at the Trapital Summit.
The third annual Trapital Summit is officially in the books.