Blogs - Nue Agency

The Super Bowl of Streaming

As you know, I’m bullish on music livestreams and a big believer in the growth potential of that sector of the industry. Livestreaming has evolved over the past two years, from an afterthought to a key component of every artist’s live performance strategy. What served as a lifeline when in-person events were canceled is now […]

Major Changes for Major Labels

When I was a talent agent and manager, I was often reminded by my record label counterparts that they were the ones sleeping soundly at night, knowing their artists were locked into long-term deals. The labels were bulletproof, while everyone else lived one mishap away from being fired. Label relevance has waned in recent years, […]

Nostalgia is a Genre

New releases have always been the lifeblood of the music business. The pop charts drove the charts, and the anticipation you could build around an artist delivered reliable results. But right now, catalog music is what’s running the industry. Roughly 70% of streams come from songs 18 months or older, and huge multiples are being […]

The Third Digital Revolution Is Upon Us

The Internet went from being mythical – here’s Bill Gates describing Web 1.0 to David Letterman in ‘95 – to intrinsic, with Social Media and mobile technology shaping our current Web 2.0 world. Now, the third digital revolution, Web3, is upon us. Online experiences, blockchain technology, and the Hyperverse (that’s all the metaverses, btw) are developing at […]

NFTalks in NYC (this Monday!)

With CES sparsely attended this year, Sundance going fully virtual, the Grammys postponed to Spring, the Superbowl potentially pushed to Texas, and Frieze being put on freeze (for now), the story of 2022 so far is large scale events getting omicrushed. Still, the desire to connect is high as the culture around Web3 is driving […]

Prediction Culture Canceled

Hello, Frens. I hope your break was productive and smooth. I took a good amount of time to recharge, relax, reflect, and look forward. Traditionally, this time of year is when I’m dropping predictions for the music business and the upcoming year. But I’m not doing that this year. These lists provide interesting perspectives, but […]

Costa Rica, Next On The Agenda

What a year! Is this what anybody was thinking when they were calling it the roaring Twenty-Twenties? It’s been a non-stop digital bonanza. From the explosion of NFTs and digital tribes (DAOs); to online concerts, Zoom meetings, and the growing relevance of the metaverse; we’re “plugged in” in a whole new way. It’s amazing how […]

2022 Predictions for the Music Business

When a year is wrapping up, I’m always partial to looking ahead, not back. But if there’s one thing I learned in 2021, it’s to never predict the future. Nonetheless, when my friends at Hypebot asked me where I thought the industry was going, I couldn’t help but whip out my crystal ball. Here are […]

It’s Indie Music Week!

It’s Indie Music Week! Although I enjoy working on a regular basis with major labels, the indie music scene is and always will be the lifeblood of the music business. It’s where transformation happens and high growth opportunities arise. It’s hard to replicate this inside a major. The cultural shifts that happen outside “the machine” […]

Ode to Virgil Abloh 🖤

I’m very distraught over the passing of one of my personal heroes, Virgil Abloh. Virgil was a fellow Badger. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin around the time I did. We worked together a couple of times. As a peer, I looked up to him tremendously. I’m a big believer in mentorship. It’s clear […]

It’s That Time of Year Again

Is it me or did the holidays creep up on us this year? I guess they always do. The sprint from Labor Day to Turkey Day is a time to fire on all cylinders, and that’s exactly what I did. I landed back in New York last night and I’m staring down the barrel of […]