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Hello, and happy Sunday! Today’s Brunch is a mix of music, travel, and tech shake-ups that are shaping the way we connect, explore, and advertise. Here’s what’s on the playlist:

• Taylor Swift’s Spotify reign: Another year as the most-streamed artist, solidifying her global dominance.

• Air travel’s comeback: Passenger numbers approach pre-pandemic highs, with a full recovery on the horizon.

• Spotify’s turnaround: The streaming giant finally achieves profitability after years of struggles.

• Executive security spending: Companies ramp up protection for CEOs amid rising concerns.

• Google’s fading ad dominance: Competitors like Amazon and AI tools challenge its search-ad monopoly.

Taylor Swift Reigns Supreme on Spotify (Again)

Spotify’s annual Wrapped is here, and once again, Taylor Swift 🎤 💃 sits on the throne as the most-streamed artist of 2024, following her top spot in 2023 and a close second in 2022. Proving her global dominance, the pop icon leads a star-studded lineup featuring The Weeknd (the most-streamed male artist), Bad Bunny, and Ariana Grande.

On the song front, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” ☕️ brewed up enough streams to become the most-played track of the year, followed by hits from Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, Floyy Menor, and Teddy Swims. Rising stars like Chappell Roan and Shaboozey also made waves in 2024, hinting at exciting shifts in pop music.

Spotify Wrapped, which started in 2016 as a rebrand of its “Year in Music” feature, has become a cultural moment for music fans worldwide. This year’s theme, “Music Evolution,” celebrates how collaborations and genre-blending shaped 2024’s soundscape—think Billie Eilish with Charli XCX, or Beyoncé teaming up with Miley Cyrus. Wrapped continues to evolve, giving listeners a nostalgic and personalized trip through their year in music.

Up, Up, and Away: Air Travel Returns to Pre-Pandemic Heights

Air travel is roaring back, and the world’s busiest airports are regaining their pre-pandemic momentum. 🛫 🧳 According to Airports Council International (ACI), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson once again claimed the crown as the busiest airport in 2023, handling 105 million passengers. 👑 That’s a 5% dip compared to 2019, but still enough to secure the top spot.

Istanbul, Denver, and Dallas-Fort Worth airports climbed impressively in rankings, showcasing air travel’s global recovery. In total, ACI reports that passenger numbers in 2023 hit 94.3% of 2019 levels and are projected to fully surpass pre-pandemic figures by 2024, with a staggering 10 billion passengers expected by 2025.

While ACI estimates 8.7 billion passengers in 2023, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) takes a more conservative view, reporting 4.4 billion scheduled passengers, with that number projected to grow by 500 million in 2024. Regardless of the slight methodological differences, one thing is clear: air travel is back, and it’s bigger than ever.

Spotify’s 2024 Playlist: Growth, Users, and Profits

Back in 2008, Spotify launched as a little-known startup in Stockholm, betting big on music streaming at a time when it was barely a blip in global music revenues. Fast forward to 2024, and Spotify has grown into the world’s leading music platform, boasting 640 million active users and 252 million premium subscribers by September.

While Spotify has seen steady user growth over the years, profitability remained elusive. Since its 2018 IPO, the company racked up over €4 billion in losses, including a €532 million deficit last year. 🥶 But 2024 might be a turning point: Spotify reported a record profit of €771 million ($814 million) for the first three quarters and is poised to achieve its first-ever annual profit. 🤙 

It’s a remarkable milestone for the streaming pioneer, whose early bet on the digital music revolution continues to pay off in both users and, finally, earnings.

Mark Zuckerberg's $23M Safety Bubble

The shocking murder of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan has sent ripples through the corporate world, with companies scrambling to reevaluate executive safety measures. According to The Wall Street Journal, many firms are even considering deploying armed guards to high-profile events, reflecting the rising concerns about executive security.

When it comes to spending on personal protection, Meta leads the pack among U.S. public companies. In 2023, the company shelled out $23 million on security for its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg 🛡️👨‍💼—more than three times the amount spent by Alphabet on Sundar Pichai, the second-highest spender. This figure excludes work-related security expenses, highlighting the extraordinary lengths Meta goes to protect its chief, described as being inseparable from the company’s identity and any public backlash it faces.

Tesla's Elon Musk has taken a more hands-on approach, owning a private security firm dedicated to his protection. Since December 2023, Tesla has paid nearly $3 million to this firm, emphasizing the growing trend of blending personal and corporate safety resources.

As companies brace for heightened scrutiny, executive security is becoming a visible symbol of the growing tension between corporate prominence and public sentiment.

The Slow Fade of Google’s Search Ad Monopoly

Google’s dominance in search advertising—the source of over $175 billion in 2023 revenue—is showing cracks as competitors like Amazon and AI tools lure away users and advertisers. 🚨 📉 Once commanding a majority of the global search ad market, Google is expected to see its share dip below 50% in 2025 for the first time since tracking began in 2008, per eMarketer.

While Google’s search ad revenue is growing at a modest 7.6% year over year, Amazon is surging ahead with 17.6% growth, fueled by users increasingly turning to platforms like Amazon and TikTok for shopping and queries. The rise of AI chatbots is also reshaping search behavior, with nearly 60% of U.S. consumers using them to make purchase decisions in the past month, according to New Street Research.

Advertisers are following the trend. Spending on Google ads rose just 3% year over year in Q3, compared to 28% growth in retail media spending on Amazon and 5% on platforms like Meta, per Skai. As ad dollars shift to newer platforms, Google’s search-ad supremacy faces a growing challenge.