The 3 Biggest Stories in Music: Bieber’s Payday, Ye’s Comeback, and $64B for Universal Music Group

The 3 Biggest Stories in Music: Bieber’s Payday, Ye’s Comeback, and $64B for Universal Music Group

Author: The Ringer April 14, 2026 Duration: 32:18
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the business behind Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance, Ye’s successful mini comeback in Los Angeles, and Bill Ackman’s $64B bid to buy UMG (02:29). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Hollywood’s letter opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger (22:40). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw  Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder what Hollywood executives are really arguing about in their private meetings, or how the fate of a billion-dollar franchise gets decided over a tense lunch? That’s the kind of access you get with The Town with Matthew Belloni. Hosted by Puck founding partner Matt Belloni, this isn't just industry gossip-it's a direct line to the mechanics of entertainment, powered by exclusive reporting and decades of insight. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the stories behind the stories, whether it's the strategy of the latest streaming war or the creative battles inside a Marvel movie. Several times a week, Belloni sits down with the major players themselves: the dealmakers, studio heads, and journalists who are shaping what we watch. Their conversations cut straight to the core of what’s getting made and why, pinpointing who’s winning and who’s losing in real time. Listening to this podcast feels like having a front-row seat to the most important conversations in show business, the ones that happen after the cameras stop rolling. For anyone fascinated by the intersection of power, money, and creativity in culture, The Town delivers the unfiltered context that turns headlines into understanding.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Town with Matthew Belloni
Podcast Episodes
WarnerMount One Step Closer and the Bizarre ‘Michael’ Backstory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:52
Matt is joined by Semafor’s business and finance editor Liz Hoffman to discuss Wall Street's view of the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, this morning's WBD shareholder vote to approve the $110B deal, the non-binding reject…
Could Hollywood Actually De-Monopolize? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:27
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the state of the various high-profile antitrust cases in Hollywood, particularly how skeptical the states are of the Tegna-Nexstar and Live Nation–Ticketmaster mergers.…
The ‘Lorne’ Director on Two Years of Exclusive ‘SNL’ Access [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:35
Matt is joined by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville to talk about his new film ‘Lorne’, what it was like having exclusive access to Lorne Michaels and the behind-the-scenes moments from 'SNL' for multiple years, what…
The A-List Filmmakers Evangelizing Movie Theaters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
Matt is joined by Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss their new filmmakers council including Jerry Bruckheimer, Emma Thomas, and Ryan Coogler, what this council plans to accomplish, the promising s…
Does the Surprise Writers Guild Deal Mean Labor Peace in Hollywood? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Matt is joined by labor lawyer, journalist, and author Jonathan Handel to break down how the WGA reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP earlier than expected and what was won—including significant health care increases…
Are Movies Actually Getting Longer? We Found Out. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:22
Matt is joined by film producer Todd Garner to discuss if movies are actually getting longer. Todd provides a study of over 3,600 films from 1980-2025 to reveal which genres have gotten longer over the years, and by how…
Why Hollywood Needs Books More Than Ever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:45
Matt is joined by Jason Richman, UTA partner and cohead of media rights, to talk about the recent success of high-profile book adaptations at the box office ('Project Hail Mary,' 'Wuthering Heights,' 'The Housemaid'), wh…