GRAMMY Centric Stock Picks That May Help You “Like the Life You Live and Go from Negative to Positive…”
As the new year kicks off, award shows are rolling out those red carpets left and right. And who doesn’t like attending a good viewing party? This weekend the 66th GRAMMY Awards will be airing on Sunday and hosted by Trevor Noah. While we are music junkies, we don’t have much to contribute about today’s new music and GRAMMY nominations. In our opinion, the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s are mainly where it’s at when it comes to music. However, we are pleased to share some new age hipness and explore some streaming related stocks.
Rock “n” Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
Remember when rock music was rock music? It seemed like every decade had its own flavor of rock. The 70s touted traditional rock like Led Zeppelin, The Stones, AC/DC, and the Eagles. Then came the 80’s hair bands Whitesnake (RIP Tawny Kitaen), Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue and Poison. The 90’s introduced grunge into the mix and we rocked out to Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Maybe we’re old, but the sounds of rock from before don’t seem to really exist today which, could be why newer generations are eating Tide PODS.
If there is anything that can give you hope that the sounds of old might make a comeback, it’s the band Greta Van Fleet. This band’s sound has an uncanny resemblance to Zeppelin and is up for a GRAMMY nomination this year. You can catch them on Sirius XM’s station The Spectrum. The newest addition to the PRISM Emerging AdTech and Media Index, is Sirius XM Holdings, Inc. (SIRI). The company recently announced a transaction with Liberty Media that will simplify the ownership structure of Sirius XM. This transaction is intended to bolster the company’s foundation, drive growth, and increase shareholder value. Over the past year, the stock has been down ~12%. Sirius will announce its fourth quarter earnings this Thursday before the open.
Then We Let the Alpine Play…
If you want to talk about a genre that has really transformed its sound, let’s talk about rap/ hip-hop music. In the early 1970’s rap music culture was created as DJ’s began isolating certain sounds like funk and soul. In the 80’s it really took off as Run DMC, LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash and NWA came onto the scene. The sounds were different and made you get up and dance. The 90’s took it a step further and the lyrics became more serious while the sounds remained fresh, thanks to names like The Notorious B.I.G, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan and Eminem. These artists challenged the norms with “more offensive” lyrics that required censorship at times. This opened the door to artists such as Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj who took the stage and showed the world what “being offended” by lyrics was all about. If those with insulted ears could only hear today’s lyrics…
We’d mention a new name nominated in the rap category at the GRAMMY’s but the only one we know is Nas. We miss the good ol days of this genre blaring through our sound system. While it’s widely known for its speaker products, Sonos, Inc. (SONO) also touts its own radio that allows listeners to stream a variety of content. The company most recently revealed its newest product, an 8” In-Ceiling Speaker that will be available for purchase in Spring of 2024. The stock has traded down ~16% over the past year. Sonos will announce its first quarter earnings next Tuesday, February 6th, after the close.
Do We Know What It Means to “Zigazig ah” Yet?
The pop genre has always maintained its strength and while it changes sounds, the crazy “hype” around its performers is constant. Back before Britney was slangin knives around while dancing in her living room on Instagram, she was fresh off the Mickey Mouse Club scene. While producing one pop hit wonder after another, young girls across America took sides on being Team Britney or Team Christina. Once they made that big decision, they then had to pick between the boy bands NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. Prior to the Mouseketeers decade, pop music was even cooler as the OG names like Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Cure, Whitney Houston, INXS and Depeche Mode were thumpin’ and bumpin’.
While she’s causing a big stir about her relationship with football star Travis Kelce, the “starstruck hype” continues with today’s pop icon, Taylor Swift. While her fanbase across America identifies as “Swifties” *eyeroll*, it’s no surprise she is up for a GRAMMY nomination in the pop category, among others. Taylor is not only making GRAMMY nomination moves, but the country pop star is also a leader in nominations for the iHeart Radio’s 2024 music awards. Also included in PRISM’s AdTech Index, iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT) recently announced a strategic partnership with Bartesian which will leverage iHeartMedia’s multi-platform network, reaching a quarter of a billion monthly listeners. iHeart has also announced new co-host Jess Hilarious to its hit radio show “The Breakfast Club”.
Whatever genre gets your toes tapping and your rump shakin’… we won’t judge you too much. And if today’s jams are your ear candy, tune into the GRAMMYs this weekend to see who walks away with the awards. To those who just want to live the Big Pimpin’ Jay-Z life, follow emerging streaming stocks as the new wave of sounds and listening becomes the “new norm”. It might even “Pump Up the Jam” in your portfolio.
