Trapital

The multiples for music rights and catalog sales continue to rise, despite high interest rates. Selling can look rational in the moment but great music keeps finding new formats, new buyers, and new value. But it's hard to look at sales are pure financial decisions. As most investors know, there are countless factors that can go into a sale.

We are joined by Josh Gruss, founder of Round Hill Music. We dive deep into the deals that he's worked on that blew past expectations (The Offspring, Goo Goo Dolls), the ones that got away, and Round Hill's public and private journey over the past decade and a half.

CHAPTERS

01:54 Deal cycles in music rights

06:05 The Wind-up Records miss

12:45 The Offspring breakthrough

15:49 Goo Goo Dolls and "Iris"

24:02 Round Hill going public, then selling to Concord

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AI on the Lot The largest AI media conference bringing together artists, innovators, filmmakers, media execs, startups, creators, and developers.

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I sat down with Troy Carter during SXSW in Austin. We talked about Suno role in music, where record labels stand today, artist management, catalog sales, estates, we covered it all!

The conversation was hosted by Chaka Mahone at his company, DAWA, 4-day event titled Vision 8291, in collaboration with Venice Music, where Troy is the co-founder and CEO.

CHAPTERS

03:30 Stayed Ahead of AI News

08:37 Why Suno Matters

14:38 AI and Fair Use

24:25 Art vs. Content

29:43 Investing in Music Rights

31:26 Prince and Michael Jackson estates

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TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

Is “Artists vs. AI” the wrong way to think about music’s future?

At HumanX, I hosted a conversation with Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava and Universal Music Group’s Michael Nash on how AI can become a creative force multiplier for artists, not a replacement.

We discussed why music’s supply problem existed long before generative AI, how artists are using new tools to reduce production friction, and why authentic connection still matters more than infinite output.

The conversation also breaks down Splice and UMG’s partnership to build AI-powered music creation tools with artist control, copyright respect, and more.

CHAPTERS

01:24 Artists vs. AI

04:27 Splice Tools

06:14 UMG x Splice

08:04 Ethical AI

12:42 Artist Control

14:31 Better Music

17:07 Five-Year Vision

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SoundCloud is at a turning point, and CEO Eliah Seton takes us inside the strategy shaping its future.

In this conversation, we break down how SoundCloud evolved into a two-sided marketplace for artists and fans, why it moved on from potential sales, how it's embracing AI, and doubling down on the moves that work best for both creators and fans.

CHAPTERS

03:34 Update on a Potential Sale

08:23 How SoundCloud is Structured Today

21:20 AI Principles

33:23 Financial Health and Profitability

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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

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Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

In part two, you'll hear Clive Davis reflect on strategic decisions made when running a record label and career revivals he helped shape that defined another chapter of his run.

He discusses the balance of control and economics in label joint ventures, why hitmakers are not always great talent scouts, and how LaFace became a powerful force through artists like Toni Braxton, TLC, and Pink. Davis also shares how he revived the careers of timeless artists, including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart, Santana, and Luther Vandross. It’s a conversation about instinct, patience, and the discipline it takes to build lasting success in the music business.

CHAPTERS

02:51 LaFace, Label Deals, and Joint Ventures

09:42 TLC, Toni Braxton, and P!nk

12:37 The Cost of Breaking Artists

17:05 Aretha, Rod Stewart, and Santana

21:14 Catalog vs. Career Revival

25:30 Follow-up Call

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Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week

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.