2. Kobalt Music Publishing
• In 2000 The Kobalt Music Group, the largest independent
music publisher in the world, was founded by CEO Willard
Ahdritz.
• It is an independent publishing company representing well
known artists such as: Kelly Clarkson, Dr. Luke, Nick Cave
and the Bad Seeds, Gwen Stefani and Ryan Tedder.
• Kobalt is considered to be a pioneering collection technology
platform for the following reason:
• It bypasses the middleman and collects directly from
societies, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and most major
distributors. This in turn results in 20–30% higher revenues
for their artists and writers.
3. Sentric Music
• Sentric Music, The British independent music publisher,
founded in 2006, specialises in new emerging song
writers and artists, such as: Bastille (Universal Music
Publishing), Marmozets (BMG Rights Management), While
She Sleeps (BMG Rights Management) Catfish and the
Bottlemen (Communion).
• This European Music company is based in Liverpool and
manages the work of over 12000 artists/writers in the UK and
around the world.
• In 2010 Sentric signed a sub-publishing deal with Downtown
Music Publishing branching into the US and Canada, thus
allowing the company to access and appeal to a wider global
audience.
4. Spotify
• Spotify, launched in October 2008 by Swedish start up Spotify AB, is one of the most popular
and well used app/website that provides commercial music streaming, podcast and video service,
giving digital rights management-restricted content from record labels and media companies
including BBC, Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal.
• The service has over 75 million users with 20 million of these with paid subscriptions. In order to
reach a wider audience, Spotify, from May 2015, is available for Android, BlackBerry, Boxee, iOS,
Linux, MeeGo, Microsoft Windows desktop, Openpandora, OS X, Roku, S60 (Symbian), Samsung
Smart TV, Sonos, HEOS by Denon, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Squeezebox, Telia Digital-tv,
TiVo, WD TV, webOS, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone.
What does this publishing platform do?
• It allows music to be searched by the individual via artist, album, genre, playlist, or record label
allowing the listener to access free music for a certain amount of time per month. However, not
all artists are available, as some , such as Taylor Swift believe is it not fair to give away her ‘life’s
work’ of music for free. However, there is a paid “Premium” subscription, that removes
advertisements, with improved audio quality allowing listeners to access such artists.
