Member Updates
Music Biz broadcasts the latest announcements from around our community on our social feeds as our member companies continue to push the industry forward. If you are launching a new product, have been featured in an industry trade publication, or have a major announcement coming soon, we’d love to help spread the word — share it with Henryk Bik, Music Biz’s Communications & Content Manager, at henryk.bik@musicbiz.org.
NEW FOR 2024 Music Biz’s member news will be shared exclusively on our social channels, as the Member Updates section of our website is set to go offline later this year.
November 11, 2021 – Music Biz Member Warner Records Appoints Karen Kwak As Executive VP & Head of A&R
Warner Records has appointed industry veteran Karen Kwak as the label’s Executive VP & Head of A&R; the role sees her reporting to label co-chairman & CEO, Aaron Bay-Schuck. Prior to joining Warner Records, Kwak headed her own company for five years, KK Consulting, working with RCA Records (Britney Spears, Maluma), Epic Records, and Three Six Zero (Tiesto). Her expansive career in A&R includes also 12 years with Universal Music Group, where she rose to EVP of A&R,... Read More
November 11, 2021 – Music Biz Member PlayTreks Launches TREKS Crypto-Token
All-in-one music distribution & marketplace app, PlayTreks has launched the TREKS crypto-token via the Coinsbit.io decentralized exchange. The Treks currency was designed to complement the PlayTreks Marketplace, where users can support their favorite artists and content creators as well as create, buy and sell NFTs. “Musicians, managers, or labels will have a more democratic system to operate with. Their audience and social media data will be in their dashboard,” said PlayTreks Co-Founder & CEO, Anjo De Heus.... Read More
November 10, 2021 – Music Biz Member Dolby To Offer Dolby Atmos Support For Two Mercedes-Benz Vehicles
Dolby will implement its immersive Dolby Atmos spatial audio technology in two high-end Mercedes-Benz vehicle models, including the first Mercedes Maybach and Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class cars. The feature will also be available into the brand’s optional Burmester high-end 4D and 3D sound systems. Mercedes’ Dolby Atmos Music integration is powered by 31 loudspeakers along with eight (two per seat) seat-mounted sound transducers/exciters. “At Dolby we are passionate about extending the Dolby Atmos Music experience so that consumers can enjoy it anywhere,... Read More
November 10, 2021 – BMI Is Hiring — Customer Service Associate (Nashville)
BMI is searching for a Customer Service Associate that will be responsible for performing various administrative tasks, resolving counterclaims, administering departmental mailboxes and fulfilling various ad hoc requests in order to achieve departmental goals and provide excellent customer service to internal and external customers. LOCATION: Nashville, TN office. Effective November 1, this position will report to the office (2) days per week and work remotely for (3) days a week for the remainder of 2021. Effective January 1,... Read More
November 10, 2021 – Music Biz Member Linkfire Acquires Smart Link Pioneer, smartURL
Music-minded smart linking platform Linkfire has signed an agreement to acquire smartURL. Founded by Gogi Gupta and Jason Frank in 2011, smartURL was the first service to provide a smart-link solution for the global music industry. The acquisition will allow Linkfire to offer its unique features and monetization capabilities to users across the global music business via smartURL’s established operating foundation. “The acquisition of smartURL further solidifies Linkfire’s position as one of the leading marketing platforms for music and entertainment and strengthens our position as a trusted and reliable partner for entertainment and music discovery worldwide,”... Read More
November 9, 2021 – Music Biz Member SoundCloud Partners With Splice To Launch Nova Emerging Artist Program
SoundCloud and Splice have partnered to launch Nova, a contest series for emerging artists. Select Nova artists will have their music promoted on SoundCloud’s Distribution Network, while the top four “SuperNovas” selected by teams at Splice and SoundCloud will get “enhanced marketing and distribution services,” which include distribution support, investment, amplification from SoundCloud on their next project, and $20,000 for marketing. “As leaders in new music discovery and creator empowerment, SoundCloud and Splice share the same DIY ethos to elevate the emerging artists and thriving communities found on our platforms who are driving music culture forward,” said Jeff Ponchick,... Read More
November 9, 2021 – Music Biz Member Pex Launches Platform Guarantee To Provide Insurance-Like Coverage For UGC Platforms
Digital rights technology company Pex has introduced Platform Guarantee, a first-of-its-kind service providing “insurance-like” coverage for user-generated content (UGC) platforms. Pex’s Platform Guarantee will cover up to $50 million of copyright-related damages and legal fees under the European Union’s Copyright Directive (EUCD) and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The service will ensure that platforms are safe from copyright-related claims, allowing them to focus on building the core of their product and servicing their users, instead of dedicating resources to liability management.... Read More
November 8, 2021 – Music Biz Member Songtrust Is Hiring – Business Data Analyst Intern (Sp. 2022)
Songtrust is the world’s largest technology solution for global music publishing royalty collection and administration. The company was founded to simplify music rights management and remove the complexity of the publishing landscape. Songtrust’s core mission is to help musicians, publishers, labels, and distributors easily track and collect global publishing royalties for their music catalogs. Songtrust maintains the most extensive, accessible publishing network in the music industry by having relationships across more than sixty pay sources around the world covering more than 245 countries and territories.... Read More
November 7, 2021 – Music Biz Member Utopia Music Acquires Lyric Financial
Music-minded financial tech company, Utopia Music has acquired Nashville-based Lyric Financial, helping the company expand the reach of its services into the United States. The move also assists Utopia’s mission to build a platform that, “brings a completely new approach to serving all music industry needs and to enable accounting, transparency and efficiency, repairing the fragmented industry along the way.” Lyric will continue to serve its current client base as part of the acquisition. “The acquisition of Lyric Financial represents yet another milestone on our journey of becoming the leading financial services provider and growth partner in music,”... Read More
November 4, 2021 – Music Biz Members TuneCore and Peloton Partner, Adding Indie Music To Fitness Platform
DIY music distribution platform, TuneCore and interactive fitness platform, Peloton have entered a new partnership that will allow artists using TuneCore to distribute their music to push their songs to the Peloton platform. This opens up TuneCore’s artists to a new audience of more than 5.9 million users, helping to power their workouts as they discover new music. “There is a deep connection between music and fitness, with the right music improving the quality of workouts by increasing stamina,... Read More
