# The Bag

A newsletter breaking down the business and economics of artists, entertainers, and labels.

Page: <https://rssamplifier.com/thebag-substack-com>  
Feed: <https://rssamplifier.com/thebag-substack-com.md>

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## [Five earnings calls. One picture.](https://thebag.substack.com/p/five-earnings-calls-one-picture)

_2026-05-12 · Nathan McCartney_

How the music business outgrew the U.S. streaming economy. Plus WMG's IPO at 21, Blavatnik's screen pipeline, Jheryl Busby's birthday, and the WNBA's $900M week.

## [Owners change. Formats change. Platforms change. Lucian Grainge hasn't.](https://thebag.substack.com/p/owners-change-formats-change-platforms)

_2026-05-03 · Nathan McCartney_

The most powerful man in music has seen it all over his fifty-year career. Bill Ackman wants his company. The story of the outsiders who tried to run the music business — and the one running it now.

## [First Week Sales in Music: The Most Misleading Stat, Label Shakeups, Wartime CEOs, and the NFL’s Billionaire Owners](https://thebag.substack.com/p/first-week-sales-in-music-the-most)

_2025-10-03 · Nathan McCartney_

Stray Kids, BigXthaPlug & Sombr illustrate the first week sales game, Sylvia Rhone’s exit, Grainge, Stringer & Kyncl’s org changes tracked, Ellison’s wartime CEO blitz, and NFL billionaire owners.

## [Streaming Kingpins: How Drake, Daniel Ek, and Sir Lucian Grainge Make Each Other Rich](https://thebag.substack.com/p/streaming-kingpins-how-drake-daniel)

_2025-01-08 · Nathan McCartney_

They Turned Fractions of Pennies Into Billions—But Will It Last?

## [The Challenge is the Opportunity](https://thebag.substack.com/p/the-challenge-is-the-opportunity)

_2024-12-03 · Nathan McCartney_

Embracing Agency & Reinvention: DJ Clark Kent, Madonna, Sylvia Rhone, Troy Carter, John Janick, Alicia Keys & more

## [More Dollars Than Followers - Live from the Underground Rap Scene](https://thebag.substack.com/p/more-dollars-than-followers-live)

_2024-04-24 · Nathan McCartney_

Profiles on $uicideboy$, XXXTENTACION, BONES, HAARPER, Shakewell, Ski Mask The Slump God, Freddie Dredd, Pouya, $NOT & more

## [A Review of the Funds in the Music Rights Acquisition Space](https://thebag.substack.com/p/a-review-of-the-funds-in-the-music)

_2024-04-10 · Nathan McCartney_

HarbourView, Hipgnosis, Iconic Artists Group, Iconoclast, Influence Media Partners, Kilometre Music Group, Litmus, Opus Music Group, Primary Wave, Shamrock Capital 🎶💰🎶💰

## [The Bag Presents the Rich Paul Business Review](https://thebag.substack.com/p/the-bag-presents-the-rich-paul-business)

_2024-03-26 · Nathan McCartney_

🎲🎲 Klutch Sports 🏀 ⚾ 🏈 Klutch Athletics 👟👟 Contracts 📃💰 🏁🏁🏁

## [The Bag's 2023 "Legacy Edition"](https://thebag.substack.com/p/the-bags-2023-legacy-edition)

_2023-12-20 · Nathan McCartney_

"The obstacles & everything we been through were being misjudged & misunderstood..it wasn't a brick wall, it was a speed bump & I embrace it as the resistance of doing something great" ~ Nipsey Hussle

## [Daily plans, scheduled by AI (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/0NmeqyZVAwZi)

_2023-12-20 · **Sponsored**_

AI-made daily plans that schedule tasks and protect focus time.

## [The Bag Presents the Drake Business Review](https://thebag.substack.com/p/the-bag-presents-the-drake-business)

_2023-08-24 · Nathan McCartney_

Sales 💰, Touring 🌎, Products 🦉, Investments 💸, Film + Television 🎥, Spirits 🥃, Gaming 🎰, Aviation ✈️, Community 🇨🇦