It’s 2000, and the record industry is just waking up to a major threat to its business model: an online file-sharing system created by a 17-year-old kid from Massachusetts. With Napster — so called after the nickname its founder earned on the basketball court — users can download music for free. Why would anyone pay 18 or 20 bucks for a CD ever again? Music ... 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
Mar 2020
Starbucks vs Dunkin - A Steamy Culture Clash | 1
A former high school dropout named Bill Rosenberg has big dreams and a passion for coffee. In 1950, in the small town of Quincy, Massachusetts he’s got a thriving coffee and donut shop called Dunkin Donuts. In front of the store he proudly puts up a huge sign that reads, World’s ... Show More
25m 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
Apr 2025
Virgin Territory: Richard Branson’s Business Beginnings | E for Export | 2
Virgin gets into the music business, but 20-year-old founder Richard Branson is caught in an illegal scheme that threatens the future of his fledgling business empire.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://w ... Show More
32m 11s
Feb 2023
Napster with Niko Stratis
<p>This week, a tale of two Shawns/Seans, their impossible dream, and the file sharing service that lived fast, died young, and helped create the internet as we know it. Plus, Metallica.<br/><br/><b>Here's where to find Niko:<br/></b><br/><a href='https://nikostratis.substac ... Show More
1h 6m
Dec 2020
LL Cool J speaks on Napster, digital streaming, and the future of music
<p>This episode is a special interview that I did with rap legend, LL Cool J. We talk deeply about his history in the music industry, as well as his current projects and future aspirations. He discusses his early perspectives on the internet and how he reacted to early music shar ... Show More
1h 5m
<p class="p1">The music industry isn’t what it used to be.</p> <p class="p1">Years ago, you had to impress a handful of executives and pray that they liked your music — and if they didn’t, your career would never launch.</p> <p class="p1">Now, you’ve got all these artists getting ... Show More
