The 2024 Summer Concert Tour Draft
Digest
Matt Bellany and Lucas Shaw from Bloomberg dive into the summer concert tour season, predicting the top grossing acts and discussing the factors that contribute to a successful tour. They highlight the booming live music industry, with concert grosses up 83% from last year, despite the absence of major tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. They then engage in a draft, each picking three tours they believe will be the highest grossing, and one tour they believe will underperform. Matt picks Coldplay, Morgan Wallen, and Zach Bryan, while Lucas chooses Rolling Stones, Dead & Company, and Luke Combs. For their underperforming picks, Matt selects Justin Timberlake, while Lucas chooses Peso Pluma. They discuss the factors that influence tour success, including the number of shows, venue size, and ticket price, and analyze the current trends in the music industry, noting the dominance of aging rock and country acts. They also touch upon the reasons for the decline in popularity of hip-hop tours, attributing it to factors like production costs, artist preferences, and the current state of the hip-hop scene. The episode concludes with a discussion about the ongoing Paramount saga, with Matt predicting that David Ellison's Skydance deal will ultimately prevail over other potential buyers.
Outlines
Introduction and Summer Concert Tour Preview
This Chapter introduces the episode and sets the stage for a discussion about the summer concert tour season. Matt Bellany, the host, welcomes Lucas Shaw from Bloomberg, who is known for his expertise in the music industry. They discuss the booming live music industry, with concert grosses up 83% from last year, despite the absence of major tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. They also highlight the factors that contribute to a successful tour, including the number of shows, venue size, and ticket price.
Summer Concert Tour Draft
This Chapter features a draft where Matt and Lucas each pick three tours they believe will be the highest grossing, and one tour they believe will underperform. Matt picks Coldplay, Morgan Wallen, and Zach Bryan, while Lucas chooses Rolling Stones, Dead & Company, and Luke Combs. For their underperforming picks, Matt selects Justin Timberlake, while Lucas chooses Peso Pluma. They discuss the factors that influence tour success, including the number of shows, venue size, and ticket price, and analyze the current trends in the music industry, noting the dominance of aging rock and country acts.
Paramount Saga Update
This Chapter provides an update on the ongoing Paramount saga, with Matt discussing the negotiations between David Ellison's Skydance and Paramount's owner, National Amusements. He reports that a framework for a deal is in place, with the Paramount Special Committee of Board Directors approving the Ellison deal. Matt predicts that Sherry Redstone, who ultimately controls National Amusements, will choose the Ellison deal over other potential buyers, citing the financial strength of the Ellison bid and Sherry's preference for Ellison as a steward of the assets.
Keywords
Coldplay
Coldplay is a British rock band formed in London in 1996. Known for their anthemic rock sound, they have achieved global success with hit songs like "Yellow," "Clocks," and "Paradise." They are considered one of the biggest touring acts in the world, consistently selling out stadiums and arenas.
Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen is an American country music singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in the late 2010s with hits like "Whiskey Glasses" and "Chasin' You." He is known for his traditional country sound and his passionate live performances. Wallen has become one of the most popular country artists in recent years, consistently topping the charts and selling out stadiums.
Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan is an American singer-songwriter known for his Americana and country music. He gained popularity through his independent releases and his raw, emotional songwriting. Bryan's music often explores themes of love, loss, and the struggles of everyday life. He has become a rising star in the country music scene, known for his intimate live performances and his loyal fan base.
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. They are considered one of the most influential and successful rock bands of all time, known for their blues-based rock and roll sound and their rebellious image. They have released numerous hit albums and singles, including "Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," and "Start Me Up." The Rolling Stones continue to tour extensively, drawing large crowds and commanding high ticket prices.
Dead & Company
Dead & Company is an American rock band formed in 2015. The band consists of members of the Grateful Dead, along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti. They perform a mix of Grateful Dead classics and original material. Dead & Company has become a popular live act, known for their extended jams and their dedicated fan base, often referred to as "Deadheads."
Luke Combs
Luke Combs is an American country music singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in the early 2010s with hits like "Hurricane" and "When It Rains It Pours." He is known for his traditional country sound and his relatable lyrics. Combs has become one of the most popular country artists in recent years, consistently topping the charts and selling out stadiums.
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of the boy band *NSYNC* in the late 1990s. Timberlake has achieved solo success with hit albums like *Justified* and *FutureSex/LoveSounds*. He is known for his smooth vocals, his dance moves, and his versatility as an artist. Timberlake has also starred in films like *The Social Network* and *Trolls*. He is considered one of the most successful pop stars of the 21st century.
Peso Pluma
Peso Pluma is a Mexican regional music genre that emerged in the early 2020s. It is characterized by its use of synthesizers, trap beats, and lyrics that often focus on themes of love, heartbreak, and violence. Peso Pluma has gained popularity in Mexico and the United States, with artists like Natanael Cano and Fuerza Regida leading the movement. The genre has been praised for its innovation and its ability to connect with a younger generation.
Paramount
Paramount is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the oldest and largest entertainment companies in the world, known for its film and television production, distribution, and broadcasting. Paramount owns a vast library of intellectual property, including iconic franchises like *Star Trek*, *Mission: Impossible*, and *SpongeBob SquarePants*. The company is currently undergoing a period of significant change, with its ownership structure and future direction being debated.
Skydance
Skydance is an American film and television production company founded by David Ellison in 2010. The company is known for its high-budget action and science fiction films, including *Mission: Impossible*, *Top Gun: Maverick*, and *The Tomorrow War*. Skydance has also produced television series like *Grace and Frankie* and *Altered Carbon*. The company is currently in negotiations to acquire Paramount, which would create one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in the world.
Q&A
What are the key factors that contribute to a successful concert tour?
The key factors that contribute to a successful concert tour are the number of shows, venue size, and ticket price. A tour with more shows, larger venues, and higher ticket prices will generally generate higher gross revenue.
Why is the live music industry booming despite the absence of major tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé?
The live music industry is booming because concert grosses are up 83% from last year, even without major tours from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. This indicates a strong demand for live music experiences across various genres.
What are the current trends in the music industry, particularly in terms of concert tours?
The current trends in the music industry suggest a dominance of aging rock and country acts on concert tours. This is likely due to the established fan bases and the ability to command high ticket prices for these acts.
Why are hip-hop tours not as prevalent as other genres in the current concert landscape?
Hip-hop tours are not as prevalent as other genres due to factors like production costs, artist preferences, and the current state of the hip-hop scene. Many hip-hop artists prefer arenas over stadiums, and the current generation of hip-hop stars may not have the same level of cultural impact as previous generations.
What is the latest update on the Paramount saga, and what is Matt's prediction for the outcome?
The latest update on the Paramount saga is that a framework for a deal between David Ellison's Skydance and Paramount's owner, National Amusements, is in place. The Paramount Special Committee of Board Directors has approved the Ellison deal. Matt predicts that Sherry Redstone, who ultimately controls National Amusements, will choose the Ellison deal over other potential buyers, citing the financial strength of the Ellison bid and Sherry's preference for Ellison as a steward of the assets.
Show Notes
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw for the first summer concert tour draft (02:34 ). They each draft four musical acts that will be touring this summer, which will be judged based on the gross totals for the tours. Similar to the box office draft, Matt and Lucas will each give the other an opposing tour as well. To finish off the show, Matt welcomes back producer Craig from his trip and makes a prediction on which bid will win over Shari Redstone for Paramount (23:50 ).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Table of contents
United States
