New Trapital episode out now! If this was you in 1999, this episode is for you.

In the 90s, Interscope Records was known for pushing the limits. Here’s how the label used shock value to its advantage. When Jimmy Iovine launched Interscope, he signed artists and groups that had an edge. From Dr. Dre and Suge Knight’s record label, to Nine Inch Nails, to Tupac Shakur to No Doubt. The roster was stacked. Controversy grew its awareness, but quality built its loyalty. At the time “clutch your pearls” was a business model in culture and entertainment. It was a formula to get noticed, get attention, and break through. We even it in video games too. To compete with the Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis leaned into more hardcore and adult games. We saw it in TV, with MTV, and even shows like Jerry Springer. The balance was to push boundaries without going too far, and they reaped the rewards. Even when controversy reached a boiling point, Interscope prevailed. After the infamous 1994 Crime Bill, the American spotlight was (unfairly) on gangsta rap as one of the problems. Interscope stakeholder Time Warner faced mounting political pressure to disassociate from the label, and sold its $115 million, 50% stake back to Interscope in 1995. The next year Interscope sold a 50% stake in the company to MCA for $200 million. Interscope continued its edgy persona with successful artists like Eminem and 50 Cent in the 90s. Followed by artists like Lady Gaga - who always made statements from her meat dress to the iconic "egg" entrance at the Grammys. But today in the social media era, shock value has worn off. Many artists have tried to succeed with "The Pump Plan" (a shock value-driven approach to break new artists), but few of those artists had longevity. On social media, we can see it all. Most shock value tactics today either fall flat, or go way too far and cause more problems for artists. Interscope's '90s playbook was well-timed. It wouldn’t work the same today but the label took advantage of the moment. If you enjoyed this episode, we did a whole breakdown on the rise of Interscope: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… Which artists today do you think use this tactic (and actually do it well)?

A few reasons (note: I’m a Beyhive member) - Beyoncé released 1 album since her 2018 tour. Taylor released 7 albums (4 new + 3 re-records) since 2018 tour - T Swift broke Ticketmaster w/ this tour, gained tons of earned media from it - Beyoncé staggered her tix release dates. Less strain on ticketing, so it didn’t create the same frenzy - T Swift is big with Gen Z. Beyhive trends older - T Swift has been a higher-selling commercial artist for most of the 2010s than Bey. They’ve both performing in similar stadiums, but Taylor’s resale price in secondary markets is much higher. Two passionate fanbases. Huge tours. T Swift likely reaches more casual fans.