Napster is approaching its death throes. The file sharing company has one shot left: Bertelsmann, the record label that’s confident it has come up with a foolproof plan to profit from its former foe. But Bertelsmann forgot about one thing. It needs the buy-in of other labels to make its rescue plan work. And the other music bosses are still livid that Bertel ... Show More
Aug 2019
Business Battles | Monster vs Beats by Dre | 1
With all the hype around portable and smart speakers, it’s easy to forget that they didn’t always exist. In fact, it took one fateful meeting with Monster Cables and Interscope Records to really kick the industry off. In this one-episode Business Battle, we explore the time when ... Show More
26m 16s
Apr 2020
Amazon vs Walmart - The Big Bang Theory of E-Commerce | 1
Ninety-six percent of Americans now shop online, snapping up everything from rare coins to industrial-sized barrels of hand sanitizer. Almost half of those purchases take place on one website: Amazon. But before sales were a click away, Walmart was the top dog, decimating main st ... Show More
23m 28s
Aug 2020
Napster fought the law and the law won
The recording industry, Metallica, and ultimately federal court put the brakes on Napster’s music file sharing. But before exiting the stage, Napster changed the way we listen to music—and how much we’re willing to pay for it.[Editor’s note - Sept. 1, 2020: This episode has been ... Show More
38m 25s
Jul 2025
Breaking Bell | The Deal | 4
As AT&T moves closer to being forcibly dismantled by the courts, bosses consider a radical alternative. But even when they press the button for the nuclear option, there’s no guarantee that their plan will succeed.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated reco ... Show More
34m 47s