Trapital

K-Pop's Paradox: Why BTS Fans Aren’t K-Pop Fans

May 19, 2026

K-Pop is in a unique situation. The genre “feels” like it’s everywhere. BTS, Blackpink, Stray Kids, and KPop **Demon Hunters have topped Billboard and Netflix charts. But recent data shows that roughly 2% of global streams are from K-Pop, and the genre is and trending down. We are joined by Will Page, former Chief Economist at Spotify and author of Pivot. He released a new report on Music Business Worldwide in collaboration with Jeongbeom ‘JB’ Kim, Chief Data Officer at the Korean-based Krea...

Arena Tours: The Truth Behind “Blue Dot Fever”

May 12, 2026

"Blue dot fever" is the new phrase floating around for artists whose tours have seat maps full of unsold blue dots for concerts, especially in arenas and stadiums. It’s said to be a precursor to a cancelled tours. The term is catchy, it captures headlines, but is the “problem” a bit exaggerated? With blue dot fever now part of the discourse, we dive deep into the latest in the business, how agents anticipate demand, and what usually leads to a successful or unsuccessful tour. CHAPTERS 03...

Music Catalogs: Is There Ever A Good Time to Sell?

May 05, 2026

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, Go...