Category Archive

As my long-time readers know, there’s nothing I love more than a good recap. So, today I want to highlight the trends of 2023 that will shape the arc of 2024 as we all try to zero in on “what’s next.” This year, a few macro trends hung over our heads, creating a great deal of uncertainty: Civil unrest in our country and extreme political groups generating consistent chaos Two global wars that collectively could lead to a much bigger …

Reporting live from Miami Art Week, the most culturally important event of the year. Yeah, I SAID IT! What started as a single festival (Art Basel) that took advantage of Miami’s not-so-winter weather is now a week of creative abundance featuring a stunning series of art fairs, gallery showcases, conferences, shows, parties, store openings, brand activations, and dinners with the top art and culture aficionados in the world. If SXSW is (was?) the epicenter of innovation, Miami Art Week has …

I can’t believe it’s here, and yes, I feel that way every year. From Labor Day to Hanukkah and Christmas, the time goes by in the blink of an eye. No time for Friendsgiving for me this year. I’m headed out to Rhinebeck, NY for Thanksgiving to take in the foliage and spend time with my beloved family (that keeps continuing to multiply in the best possible way!) Thanksgiving weekend means lots of things: family, food, and most importantly football. …

For the longest time, the artist didn’t know who their customer was. They were either going through the record label, Ticketmaster, the promoter, the record store, Spotify, or another monolith. The conversation between the artist and the fan didn’t exist. But now, D2C is the biggest opportunity around. Not all fans are created equal and there is a lot of money in knowing how to super serve the super fans. I’m not talking about fleecing your most reliable customers. I’m …

Last week, MLB concluded a remarkable season with a new champion. At the beginning of the season, MLB made some changes that performed very well for the game, including the addition of a pitch clock and larger bases. According to ESPN, game time is down while all the things that make baseball fun are up. Batting average was up six points from 2022, batting average on balls in play was up seven points to .297, and on-base percentage was up …

When you think of October, a couple staples come to mind: Halloween and, of course, pumpkins! This time of year, I’m a pumpkin fanatic. In 2003, Starbucks invented the iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte and forever changed the seasonal beverage game. Now, we have Pumpkin Spice everything, from Beef Jerky to Krispy Kreme Doggie Doughnuts. The data shows regional disparities in pumpkin foods resonance, but I should have my own spot on the map. I’m down to try it all. I still …

This week at Mondo, during our session, we announced our partnership with music data powerhouse, Chartmetric, to roll out a comprehensive monthly report dubbed “Stat of the Week.” This weekly digest delves into the most talked about brand partnerships in music and the shared benefits that artists and brands gain from these collaborations. Published exclusively on the Beats + Bytes email and LinkedIn newsletter, this partnership capitalizes on the music industry and brand marketing experience of myself, Clayton Durant, and the Beats + Bytes editorial …

Recently, Alex and I were asked for our take on the state of Web3 in music as part of a trend report from Hype Research. On a macro level, there are many factors that make it hard to predict the future: We have wars in Israel and in the Ukraine; there is looming inevitability around a recession, which is a byproduct of a chopping economic climate; interest rates are sky high and staying there; people are being laid off; and there remains …

The biggest thing in culture this week isn’t the fact that the Forbes CMO Summit and Billboard’s Latin Music Week took place in the same Miami hotel at the same time (although I did wind up seeing Peso Pluma in a beautiful, 300 cap theater). No, the big story is the unexpected relationship between two stars from seemingly opposite sides of the pop culture aisle. Taylor Swift is arguably the most famous person in the world — and certainly in music – …

I was recently asked by a friend what she should think about when it comes to music and AI, so I put a document together and decided to share it here. Although AI has been around a long time, it had a big consumer moment late last year with the launch of ChatGPT and the breakout uses of Midjourney and DALLE-3. All of these ‘programs’ are referred to as LLMs (Large Language Models). The explosion in popularity of these LLMs …

As we head into the Fall preview season, one of the most anticipated releases will be coming from The Rolling Stones, who are due to drop on October 20th. This is the Stones’ second record in as many years. After a few false starts and a 17-year release hiatus, they’re going back-to-back and it feels like it’s going to connect. I’ve been reading up on it, and there are many lessons to learn from their process. First, they brought in …

Between the VMAs, Apple’s Wonderlust event, Fashion Week, and the start of NFL season, pop culture talkability may be at its annual peak this week. I’m back in Miami and although our peak season starts in October, it’s a big week down here, too. Brandweek has brought all of the brands and marketers to town. A great conference is an ideas exchange, and this one is filled with luminaries talking case studies, campaigns, programs, and learning. It’s where agendas can …

It’s my favorite time of year, when Open Season and Fashion Week collide. My timeline is filled with so many Open images, past and present. After all, it’s the most attended event in America and the sport’s cultural capital is exploding. Fashion week appears to be on the opposite trajectory — the concept, long lead times, and extreme exclusivity seem socially superfluous at this point — but with the writers’ strike it will pick up some of Hollywood’s “see and …

Every August, I give up La Playa for The Vineyard and this year is no exception. I’m not feeling The Burn (again) and I’m ok with that. Will I regret it one day? Maybe, but this year’s Burning Man seems to have headwinds. Has it finally passed its prime? I cherish this time in MV with my family and I’m excited to head to the Pacific Northwest later this week. My tennis game and my lobster eating skills are definitely …

Working with artists is one of the most rewarding things I do, because as much as it’s a career, you always get to be a fan, too. As much as we conceive of music as an extremely impactful cultural vessel, it’s also something that we eat, drink, and breathe on a daily basis. My go-to on a daily basis has always been Hip-Hop. In all of its forms, the Hip-Hop style, swag, art, and mindset have shaped me, so I’ve …