Welcome to the latest episode of Talking Trends, the weekly podcast from Music Business Worldwide – where we go deep behind the headlines of two major news stories affecting the entertainment industry.
This week, host Louise Porter and MBW founder Tim Ingham discuss the tragic news that eight people have died, with hundreds injured, following a crowd crushing disaster at Travis Scott‘s Astroworld in Houston.
What level of responsibility should Scott take vs. the festival’s promoter, Live Nation? Could anything have been done differently at the time? And what lessons can the music industry learn from the tragedy?
Also this week: Ingham discusses why he believes Bill Ackman, the billionaire investor in control of 10% of Universal Music Group, might be taking a close look at video platform Vevo.
UMG currently owns around 49% of Vevo, which operates both on and off YouTube. (Sony Music also owns a stake in Vevo, though Warner Music Group does not.)
With music’s implied market value on YouTube being worth $50 billion on more, is there an aggressive play for Ackman and the major labels to make in the future?
Or is YouTube simply too valuable a partner to walk away from?
Companies mentioned in this week’s episode of Talking Trends include: Live Nation, Sony Music, YouTube, Universal Music Group, Vevo, Warner Music Group.
People mentioned in this week’s episode of Talking Trends include: Bill Ackman, Sir Lucian Grainge.