Music production marketplace and distributor BeatStars received a lot of media attention back in 2019 for being the source of the track used for Lil Nas X’s breakout global hit Old Town Road.
It’s come a long way since then.
In fact, BeatStars has just reported, via a tweet, that, to date, over $150 million has been paid out to creators worldwide via its platform.
Reaching the $150m mark this month comes a year after the company claimed to have paid out over $85m to music producers licensing beats to artists on the platform.
BeatStars stated at the time that it was on track to reach $100m paid out by Fall/Autumn 2020.
In addition to the creator payout news, the company, founded by Abe Batshon in 2008, has announced this week that it’s opening access to its BeatStars Publishing service to all independent songwriters and producers.
BeatStars says that “everyone” can now sign up to the product, which, in partnership with Sony Music Publishing, offers an administration service via a portal that allows creators to register their songs and collect publishing royalties.
Sony Music Publishing (then Sony/ATV) announced a partnership with BeatStars in April last year and said at the time that it would work on behalf of BeatStars’ clients to pitch original songs and beats for sync opportunities and recorded music.
The company also said that it would provide BeatStars with global publishing and administration services, which we are now witnessing with the BeatsStars Publishing service.
According to the BeatStars website, a publishing subscription costs $49.99 for an unlimited number of tracks. It’s free for BeatStars Pro Page (Premium) members.
BeatStars Publishing offers 80/20 splits, direct payments, one-year contracts and worldwide royalty collection.
Songwriters and producers also retain 100% ownership.
Producers will need to be registered with a PRO in the home territory before they can sign up for BeatStars’ publishing services.
BeatStars, which counts over 2 million users, launched a distribution service in July last year, which costs $19.99 per year for unlimited tracks.
Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer, speaking at Sony Corporation‘s Investor Relations day in May, confirmed that Sony Music Publishing “invested” in BeatStars last year, but didn’t specify what the value of the investment was.
“Anyone that owns a stake in the intellectual property of a song that they’ve helped create can now collect on publishing administration royalties right on BeatStars, in partnership with our homies over at Sony Music Publishing.”
Abe batshon, BeatStars
In a YouTube video announcing the news, BeatStars’ Abe Batshon, said: “The BeatStars Music Publishing portal is open and available to all of our creators.
“Anyone that owns a stake in the intellectual property of a song that they’ve helped create can now collect on publishing administration royalties right on BeatStars, in partnership with our homies over at Sony Music Publishing, helping our creators finally be able to collect the money that they are owed from their publishing ownership.
“If you created something in the music space, you are entitled to the publishing share of all of these songs when they are commercialized around the world.”
He added: “If you’re a music producer on BeatStars, all these songs that are being made with your leases, you’re entitled to the publishing revenue of all those songs that are being created with your beats.
“All the rappers and singers and artists that are using the beats on BeatStars that are writing lyrics on those songs, you are also entitled to publishing revenue and you need to collect on those too for the songs that you make. Get started, it’s open today.”Music Business Worldwide
