Unless you’re in Vegas for CES, most of us only have one foot in the office this week. Truth be told, I’m back on the road today headed to Minnesota for a retreat.Having offered my list of 2023 predictions across multiple industries – and having come to terms with the fact that the recession will have a real impact on us all – I’m ready to build. It’s fun to think about the future because “seeing the invisible” is the first draft of creativity and manifestation. I couldn’t stop reading about AI over the break. I know that’s going to be a breakout theme this year.As cultural anthropologists, our goal is to be nimble and strategic enough to react to what actually happens instead of moving entirely off “what could be.” Anticipation is an important part of intelligence, but the real goal is to move like Buffett: less time forecasting and more time finding undervalued securities. At 91, he’s still kicking!This year is going to test our metals. I’m less focused on long-term marketing campaigns and more honed in on moving at the speed of culture. There are always tentpole moments that everyone needs to plan for, but in order to be efficient and shift culture using entertainment, I’m thinking in short, agile bursts this year.When we come out of this downturn, great innovations will be birthed. Post ‘08 crash, paradigm-shifting businesses like Uber, Venmo, Airbnb, Pinterest, and Slack took advantage of the burgeoning technologies of the time. A similar tsunami will crest in 2023. The next great formats are coming. The next great art projects are coming. Timing is everything when it comes to innovation.If you have the stomach for it, now is a fantastic time to start a company or to make a fresh start. There’s a lot of value available for the investors and builders that are plugged in and focused on thinking big but operating and executing on a small, efficient level.Fortunes will be made in the down market and collected in the up market. That will be a key theme of 2023.
BEATS
Music Business Trends and Finding a Roadmap for 2023From 100,000 new songs a day to the TikTokification of music and culture, 2022 was a year of change and new realities for music and the music industry. Nue’s Jesse Kirshbaum looks at last year’s top trends as well as what’s ahead for 2023. (Jesse Kirshbaum)
The 2023 Sector Outlook: LionTree’s James Lindsay on MusicLionTree Managing Director James Lindsay discusses what he sees in store for the music industry in 2023 with Kindred Media's Laura Clinton. This episode is part of LionTree’s 2023 Sector Outlook series leading up to the release of LionTree CEO Aryeh Bourkoff's 2023 Outlook. (KindredCast)
32 Predictions for Social Media Marketing in 2023We’re nearing the end of yet another year, and what a chaotic 12 months it’s been for the major social networks. Meta continued its gradual decline, TikTok continues to rise, and Twitter is right now in the midst of a chaotic management shift, which could basically see anything happen at the app. (Social Media Today)
2022: A Year in Reflection and What’s AheadThe Trapital newsletter continues to grow. We’ve nearly doubled our email subscribers since the end of 2021, kept the open rates high in the 55-60% range, and increased the frequency to send it out twice per week. Consistency matters and I’m glad we continue to deliver. (Trapital)
2023 PredictionsEvery year we make predictions. The purpose is to inspire a conversation. We also try to hold ourselves accountable. Here are some of our predictions for 2023. (Scott Galloway)
Regulating Crypto: How We Move Forward As An Industry From HereOne of the most common questions I get asked by folks in the regulatory governance and policy communities is what exactly regulatory clarity looks like. (Brian Armstrong)
We Live In The Era Of MidsUnbeatable year-end reflection on the insult of our time, from your No. 1 “mids-free” sletter. (Blackbird Spyplane)
Adults Are Buying Toys For Themselves, And It’s The Biggest Source Of Growth For The IndustryThere are two things keeping the toy industry afloat right now: inflation and a consumer group known as “kidults.” (CNBC)
What Will Happen In 2023I want to focus this post on the macro environment for tech, startups, web3, and climate because that is where my head is at right now. (ACV)
10 Crypto Predictions for 202310 predictions for what will be an incredible year for technology and probably a terrible year for finance. (David Phelps)
Finding Community, and Freedom, on the Virtual Dance FloorOn any given weekend, there are dozens of parties happening on VRChat, a platform where users assume fantastical avatars of their own design. (NY Times)
5 Major Trends To Expect From CES 2023The start of the new year means one thing if you're a technology obsessive like us: CES, the year's largest consumer electronics show. (Inverse)
The Year Ahead in Music: Web 2.5, Hip Hop Turns 50, Vinyl, Vintage, Ticketmaster, and More I’m not going to lie, the roaring twenty-twenties are not playing out the way I hoped. We went from a pandemic to a recession to a paranormal state of potential crisis. But there is opportunity in crisis. (Jesse Kirshbaum)
The Future Of Global Music is AfricanAfrica's music is undeniably global, but how can African artists get a larger chunk of profits in the industry? (QZ)
BYTES
On this first episode of 2023, your hosts Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart discuss the following important music business stories: "Music Streaming Highlights - Streaming Platforms Name Top 2022 Songs" (DiMA); "23 Moments That Made Us Smile in 2022" (Rolling Stone); "‘Why This Video’ Is Like An Official Roadmap To Success On TikTok" (Hypebot); "Audio Engineers Have The Ears Of The Artists — And Now A Piece Of The Project" (Variety).
Every day, Jason Calacanis and Molly Wood cover startups, technology, markets, media, crypto, and the all the hottest topics in business and tech. Today, they discuss their 2023 predictions.
Here are 5 ways to use Apple’s new Freeform app to kick-start your New Year’s resolutions
Former president Barack Obama followed through Friday with a list of his 25 favorite songs of 2022, hitting some familiar favorites shared by much of America, along with some more obscure acts that may prompt Googling even among dedicated music fans.
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner. If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!