Category Archive

As we head into the final stretch of what has been a truly insane year, things are certainly busy. I prefer the term productive, of course. But it’s tough not to feel busy in a fully digital, plugged-in world where emails, texts, DM’s, and manic news cycles run 24/7. Now that we have more clarity on the election result — Trump’s muddying of the waters notwithstanding — we can start to focus on the direction of the country headed into …

This election is weighing on me. It’s weighing on the industry, the country, and the world. We’re all ready for it to be over. Fortunately, the ending may finally be in sight. There will be frivolous legal battles in the weeks to come, but battle is what we’re going to keep doing regardless of who the president is. The country is so divided right now. It’s a scary reality that we can only hope a new administration will help quell. …

It’s hard to think about anything but the election these days. The fate of our country feels like it’s up in the air. I’m praying for clarity. I’m praying for peace. I’m praying for the high tensions to calm. By the time Beats & Bytes goes out next week, we’ll (hopefully) have a clearer picture of where things are going. But I’m not betting on it. I do think there will be a big push in the next 6 days. …

This year’s election is the most important of our lifetime. In many ways, the country is at a fork in the road and our leadership will be key in determining the path we take. The next few weeks are going to be a wild ride and it can’t be stressed enough how important it is to exercise your civic duty and vote. Voting isn’t as simple as showing up to the polls, though. You need to register, of course, but …

I haven’t lived in California since my mid-twenties. That was before Nue Agency was in full effect, before my brother Alex and I were in business together, and before I knew what I now know. It was also before I met Jenn. The world is different now and particularly different in the current climate. With no office open and no business travel on the docket, my partner and I decided to trade in our Brooklyn apartment for a nomadic, pandemic …

People’s attention spans are proven to be shorter than ever, which is why it’s no surprise that short-form video continues to gain traction. No, I’m not talking about Quibi. Without any “hits,” the platform feels dead in year 1. Chalk it up to Covid if you must, but nobody is choosing to watch 8-minute videos on the go (on their phones) during a pandemic. It doesn’t help that no one is on the go 😉 Meanwhile, with its limitless virality, …

I’ve been away for a while. I took some time off from the newsletter to think and reflect. The world has changed and is never going back to what it once was. We must remind ourselves that with great change comes great opportunity. In 2009, the economic crisis paved the way for the gig economy that defined the following decade, with companies like AirBnB, Uber, Spotify emerging victorious. Their successes, as well as the Web 2.0 x Social Media boom, …

Newsletters are an important part of my morning. I subscribe to a dozen or so daily blasts that keep me well informed. Some, like MusicRedef, aggregate news. Others report the news. And folks like Cherrie Hu and Dan Runcie deliver full-on thinkpieces. Beats & Bytes is a hybrid of these approaches. We like to curate and disseminate the best of the best in music, brands, and tech, but we have a point of view, too. Putting a newsletter together is …

The world of content has changed. What didn’t work pre-covid might be a smash success in 2020. Live stream concerts, virtual world conferences, zoom salons, XR happy hours… it’s a new world and many of the changes will stick around post-pandemic. One of the breakouts of this era has been VERZUZ. Huge salute to Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and the team powering this monster platform. It’s crazy to think that before the pandemic they were shopping this idea to the streaming …

There is no question that anxiety is high in the world right now. Everything changed overnight, the path forward remains unclear, and day-to-day life continues to be extremely volatile, leaving many folks hurting. In response, many of us are on a constant search for healthy ways to cope. Luckily, my dear friend Peter Rosenstein is one of those people. Peter launched his new CBD company, Stream Wellbeing, on May 1st at the height of the pandemic. Beginning in late 2019, …

Like all of you, we at Nue are trying to figure out how to make things work in these crazy times. Every block I walk in New York right now has pop-up restaurants. They may be serving at half capacity, but the hustle is real. The spirit is there and the energy is electric. Meanwhile, behind those walls, there are smart owners trying to figure out how to reinvent their businesses. Try having a conversation with one of these savvy …

Every brand needs to think like an artist and every artist needs to think like a brand. With a background as a talent agent, I’m quite familiar with what it takes to find, develop, and nurture artists early on in their careers. And breaking brands is similar: very complicated! We all understand the power of having a good brand (everyone’s a brand nowadays), but starting one? That’s different. With the times changing so fast, the rules and formulas are a …

The world is changing before our eyes. Things are not going back to how they were. The line between “next” and “now” is completely blurred. So now more than ever, it’s important to have insight and catch trends early. Naturally, the youth are leading the way. Generation Z, the mobile-first generation, is mobilizing with a powerful sense of purpose. Their voices are keeping the world honest. They’re being forced to think clearly and with conviction as they inherit a truly …

This week marked my 41st orbit around the sun and my what a 366 days it was (leap year gang). I must say I’m humbled to bare witness to the life-affirming changes the world is undergoing. Professional highlights from the past 12 months include working with Planned Parenthood, Foot Locker, Oikos, and YouTube Music; partnering with hundreds of amazing artists, creators, and gamers; launching Beats & Bytes Live on LinkedIn; and bringing this newsletter and those conversations to video. I …

The creatives’ juices are flowing. New ideas are beginning to blossom. Music is starting to connect again and feel raw. The soundtrack to summer is taking shape. I’m seeing a burst of fresh apps, products, and companies, which is huge. New platforms are crucial because technology is the key to novel ideas gaining traction. Many were conceived during the pandemic; others just make more sense now. The country is finding its soul, tapping into purpose, and demanding equality. A lost …