Epidemic Sound Raises $20M At $370M Valuation

The explosion in video creation on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and elsewhere has been good for Epidemic Sound. The Swedish startup has raised just $20 million at a $370 million valuation to expand its platform which allows online creators to soundtrack videos. Investors in this round include Korea’s DS…

Cardi B Can’t Trademark ‘Okurrr says US Patent Office

U.S. Patent and Trademark officials have refused Cardi B’s attempt to trademark her popular catchphrase “Okurr,” striking down any plans to profit from the phrase. Officials said the “slogan” falls under the category of “widely used commonplace expressions” and does not deserve a trademark, according to documents obtained by The…

Borchetta Bites Back: Taylor, ‘It’s time for some truth’ and Shares Contract Details

Big Machine Label Group founder Scott Borchetta has fired back at Taylor Swift after the singer took to Tumblr with an emotional reaction to the acquisition of BMLG and her hit recordings by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holding. ‘This is my worst case scenario, wrote Swift. “So, it’s time for some…

Taylor Swift Reacts To Big Machine Sale To Scooter Braun: ‘This is my worst case scenario’

Taylor Swift is calling the sale by Scott Borchetta of her former label Big Machine to Scooter Braun for $300 million her "worst case scenario." Swift recently signed to Universal, but Big Machine and now Braun controls all of Swift’s prior multi-platinum recordings. "This is what happens when you sign…

How To Start A Music Focused Podcast

Living as we are in the Golden Age of podcasting, new shows are constantly springing up every day, and the music industry is no exception. A fun and easy way to engage your audience, there are a few critical components for putting together a quality podcast, which we cover here….

Scooter Braun Acquires Big Machine Label Group For $300M: ‘We’ve got a seat at the table.’

[UPDATED] Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings has acquired Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Label Group. The combined companies create a multifaceted independent music powerhouse that includes labels, management, streaming, publishing and media companies. Financial details of the transaction were not released. But the Wall Street Journal puts it at over $300 million,…

This Week In Music Commentary

In music commentary this week, industry voices weighed in on why emerging artists are critical to building an authentic connection between a band and a brand, why it is that Spotify hasn’t rolled out an official pre-save tool for all artists, what its like to live a day in the…

Getting It Done: The Week In D.I.Y. and Indie Music

Our wise counsel to the music industry’ scrappy and determined do-it-yourselfers this week dug into mastering your merch sale, how you can capitalize on music festivals even if you’re not the one on stage, how to collect all the revenue you possibly can from your recorded music, and more! Mastering…

Music Think Tank Weekly Recap: Working In Surround Sound • Buying An Electric Guitar • Avoid Burnout • More

This week on MusicThinkTank, contributors shared pieces on how working in surround sound impacts your music production abilities, what buyers should keep in mind when purchasing an electric guitar, how to prevent burnout when working in the music industry, and more. Stephen Bartlett | How Working In Surround Sound Affected…

REWIND: The New Music Industry’s Week In Review

In this cycle back through major music industry happenings from the past week, we revisit Apple Music’s new subscriber milestone, check out just how extensive the damage inflicted by the Universal fire was for artists, Avid’s plan to shift Pro Tools prices, and much more! Apple Music Now Has 60…