Exponent 162 — Why Exponent Isn’t on Spotify

Exponent 162 — Why Exponent Isn’t on Spotify

Author: Ben Thompson / James Allworth February 8, 2019 Duration: 53:22
Ben and James discuss Spotify’s move into podcasts and integration and modularity in value chains. Links Ben Thompson: Spotify’s Podcast Aggregation Play — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Lessons From Spotify — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Podcasts, Analytics, and Centralization — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The Future of Podcasting — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The BuzzFeed Lesson — Stratechery Hosts Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review Podcast Information Feed iTunes SoundCloud Twitter Feedback

Hosted by Ben Thompson and James Allworth, Exponent is a conversation that digs into the deeper currents shaping our world. The discussion moves beyond mere gadget reviews or Silicon Valley hype, focusing instead on how technology fundamentally reshapes business models, industries, and the very fabric of society. Thompson, known for his Stratechery blog on tech business strategy, and Allworth, a writer and co-author of "How Will You Measure Your Life," bring distinct but complementary perspectives. Each episode feels like a thoughtful dialogue, where ideas are examined from multiple angles. You’ll hear them analyze how a single platform can upend entire sectors, or debate the societal trade-offs that come with rapid innovation. This podcast is for anyone who wants to understand not just what is happening in tech, but why it matters. The conversations are detailed and often forward-looking, connecting strategic insights with their broader human implications. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a compelling weekly discussion between two sharp observers, making sense of the complex forces driven by technology.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Exponent
Podcast Episodes
Episode 156 — Rent-Seeking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:15
Exponent is back, kind of. Ben and James talk about Apple’s case in front of the Supreme Court, and debate whether the company is acting anti-competitively with its App Store policies. Links Ben Thompson: Antitrust, the…
Episode 155 — The End, For Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:18
Exponent is taking a break, for now anyways. We couldn’t be more grateful for everyone that has given us so much of their time. Hosts Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Busine…
Episode 154 — Legacy Leverage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:36
Ben and James discuss Microsoft’s acquisition of GitHub. Note: This is the last episode of the season; Exponent will return in the fall Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Expo…
Episode 153 — Black Holes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:25
Ben and James continue their discussion on why aggregators and platforms are different and why it matters for big companies, competitors, and regulators. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting…
Episode 152 — Platforms Versus Aggregators [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:56
Ben and James continue to discuss the differences between platforms and aggregators, including Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Netflix, Amazon, and Uber. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visit…
Episode 151 — Two by Twos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:51
Ben and James discuss the differences between Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Apple specifically, and the differences between aggregators and platforms generally. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by…
Episode 150 — Round Numbers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:40
Ben and James discuss how Apple and Amazon’s focus on the customer experience protects them from low-end disruption. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. Links Ben Tho…
Episode 149 — Zillow and Sustaining Aggregation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:51
Ben and James discuss Zillow’s shift in business model and the further refinement of Aggregation Theory through the incorporation of the ideas of disruption. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visit…
Episode 148 — Facebook Fatigue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:58
Ben and James discuss Mark Zuckerberg’s appearances before Congress, and try to sort out exactly which Facebook issues matter, and which don’t. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.…
Episode 147 — There’s Always a Bigger Fish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:04
Ben and James discuss Microsoft’s reorganization, how Satya Nadella has managed the decline of Windows, and how it applies to Apple and services. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPres…