The Untapped Potential of AI in Music Publishing: A Case for Automation and Human Enhancement at Muserk

As conversations within the music industry increasingly gravitate towards the potential and pitfalls of generative AI in music creation, a crucial narrative often remains overshadowed. While the concerns surrounding generative AI and its implications for originality and copyright are valid, it’s imperative to broaden the discourse to encompass how AI can serve as a force for good, particularly in music publishing administration. At Muserk, we are pioneering this positive integration of AI, demonstrating its capacity to empower rather than displace the human workforce.

Our proprietary system, Blue Matter, stands as a testament to the beneficial role of AI in the industry. Designed to automate every facet of the end-to-end rights management process, Blue Matter addresses the complexities of catalog ingestion, discovery, delivery, royalty accounting, and distribution. This level of automation ensures unparalleled efficiency and accuracy, freeing our Rights Managers to engage in strategic, value-added tasks.

Central to Blue Matter’s efficacy is MMatch, our AI-powered matching tool that significantly enhances entity resolution in catalog discovery on User-Generated Content (UGC) platforms and streamlines Royalty Report reconciliation. With the ongoing development of MMatch version 2, enhanced with newly developed matching algorithms and GPT based match validation, Muserk reaffirms its commitment to leveraging AI for the advancement of music publishing administration.

The introduction of comprehensive automation and adoption of AI through Blue Matter and MMatch allows Muserk to redefine the role of our Rights Managers. By removing the burden of manual, time-consuming tasks, our team can focus their expertise on revenue-driving actions such as validating manual claims and links on UGC platforms or The MLC, analyzing catalog usage and ensuring conflicts are resolved so royalties keep flowing, and many many other unable to automate tasks. This shift not only amplifies their individual impact but also ensures that songwriters and publishers receive the compensation they rightfully deserve in a timely and transparent manner.

In an era where the conversation around AI in music often leans towards its creative implications, our approach illuminates the vast potential of AI to support and enhance the operational backbone of the music industry. Our investment in AI and automation underscores a broader vision where technology elevates human capability, allowing us to devote more resources to nurturing creativity, defending rights, and driving revenue.

As we continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in music, it’s essential to champion discussions that highlight its positive applications. Muserk’s journey with Blue Matter and MMatch exemplifies how AI can be harnessed to bolster the music industry, providing a blueprint for others to follow. By focusing on automation and enhancement, we can ensure that AI not only respects the creative essence of music but also fortifies the industry’s infrastructure, supporting songwriters and publishers in the digital age.

Muserk Lands on Inc. Magazine’s List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies – The Inc. 5000

Muserk Lands on Inc. Magazine’s Prestigious Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies –

The Inc. 5000

No. 4 In Media, No. 779 Overall

With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 636%

 

NEW YORK, August 17, 2021Inc. Magazine today revealed that MUSERK is No. 4 in Media and No. 779 overall on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.  Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges.

“Being named to the Inc. 5000 list is an honor for the entire Muserk Team.  There has been a lot of blood sweat and tears poured into this company from a passionate team of people who believe in the important mission of getting creators paid, so it’s deeply gratifying to be recognized for everyone’s hard work. We’d also like to extend our congratulations to all the other organizations that made the list. We are in great company,” said CEO and Founder Paul Goldman. 

“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.” Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

 

CONTACT:        

Bobbie Gale

MixedMediaWorks

323-363-2171

bobbie@mixedmediaworks.com

 

More about Muserk:

Muserk is an AI technology-driven administration platform. With its proprietary Blue Matter  system, Muserk has significantly impacted royalty collection in the video and music spaces and currently manages over 7 million works on all the major tech platforms (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, etc.). Muserk’s proven technology has found millions in uncollected royalties for copyright holders around the world, delivering a 40% increase in royalties on average for its clients. Muserk has offices in New York, Tokyo, Nashville and Copenhagen.

More about Inc. 5000:

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year’s Inc. 5000.  Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

 

First Friday Playlist: Muserk’s Hans Peter Roth

This month’s “First Friday” Spotify playlist comes from Hans Peter Roth, Partner – Head of Global Business Development:

As the sole Dane at Muserk, the theme choice for my First Friday Playlist was pretty obvious; a list of the danish songs that have been part of the soundtrack to my life.

That playlist would of course be more or less infinite. So I’ve tried to spread the songs out over each decade of my life while selecting the pop and rock tracks that immediately came to mind.

Looking at the list, I am not sure those were in fact the tracks I listened to back then. Some are. But others just stuck in the back of my mind and have grown on me and others have come back to me at a later time for different reasons.

1. Rugsted & Kreutzfeldt – Jeg Ved Det Godt – 1979

The duo originally only released three albums – all hugely successful. However, the two ended up focusing on writing and producing for other Danish artists, which resulted in a multitude of hits over the following decades.

“Jeg Ved Det Godt” is their biggest hit – a Danish evergreen if you will. A song about a man’s insecurity, jealousy and temper and how “I know it all, but it’s too late now!”

2. Sneakers – Se Selv – 1982

One of the biggest 80’s Danish bands with the very characteristic voice of Sanne Salomonsen on the foreground. However, the reason the song made the list is that the percussionist, Jacob Andersen, died recently. Jacob became an institution in Danish music, both as a studio and live band member, working with a multitude (all relevant!) Danish artist over four decades. Indeed, all those collaborations mean that according to the neighbouring rights society, GRAMEX, Jacob Andersen is the most played danish artist – ever!!

3. Kasper Winding – Sjæl i Flammer – 1987

The theme song from “Een Gang Strømer” – the show that kept the streets empty in Denmark in the late 80’ – features Kasper Winding and Lars Muhl on vocals. Kasper is one of the most innovative and productive Danish songwriters and has more than 3,000 copyrights to his name with danish PRO, KODA.

4. One Two – Den Bedste Tid – 1989

Huuuuuge hit – damn, I’ve danced to this song many a summer night.

However, I’ve included it mainly for the title “The Best Time” as a kudos to Muserk and the team – I’m having the time of my (work) life!

5. Sandmen – 5 Minutes Past Loneliness – 1992

I remember seeing Sandmen at my local High School when they were coming up in the 80’s – they broke through big time and were a huge part of the Danish rock scene in the 90’s.

6. Sort Sol – Let Your Fingers Do The Walking – 1993

One of the most innovative Danish bands with their roots in punk and later art-rock/post-punk. The feeling in this track still gets me every time

7 Dizzy Mizz Lizzy – Silverflame – 1994

The band helped respawn the Danish rock scene by winning “DK Camps in Rock” in 1993. The band was long looking for a fourth member to sing and play guitar, but in the end, shy composer and guitarist, Tim Christensen, took on the job. And good for them and us!

8. Kashmir – The Story of Jamie Fame Flame – 1994

Kashmir came in second in “DK Champs in Rock” after Dizzy Mizz Lizzy. So they lost out on the free studio time. This is, in my view, clearly audible on their first album, Travelogue, where production is not top shelf. This in turn means that the success of the album is very much attributable to the skill of the musicians.

9. Caroline Henderson – Kiss Me Kiss Me – 1995

Having first sung in Ray Dee Ohh, competing with OneTwo (above) over airtime, Caroline went solo and released Cinemtaztic combining pop, triphop and jazz and is produced by Kasper Winding (above)!

10. Alphabeat – Fascination – 2008

Alphabeat was huge in the 2000’s, but they have made it on to this list, because they reformed in 2019 with their first concert taking place that year at the Scandinacian pavilion at SXSW. In attendance was – in addition to HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark – much of the Muserk team. Great gig!

11. Saveus – Himalaya – 2017

After winning the first X-factor in Denmark in 2008, Martin Hedegaard disappeared, only to return out of nowhere in 2015 under the name “Saveus”. The band went on to opening the famous Orange Scene at Roskilde Festival in 2018, which became an instant koncert classic. Look for it on YouTube!

Honorable mentions:

Finally, I added some pop songs from Danish artists that you may have heard before,without knowing they were Danish!

Junior Senior – Move Your Feet – 2002
Lukas Graham – 7 Years – 2015
MØ – Final Song – 2016

Thanks for reading and listening!

 

First Friday Playlist: Muserk’s Kelly Swartz

This month’s “First Friday” Spotify playlist comes from Kelly Swartz:

Hi, I’m Kelly Swartz and I am the Chief Financial Officer for Muserk. I decided to come up with a playlist to celebrate Mothers, Moms and Mommas since Mother’s Day is Sunday May 9th (everyone be sure that is in your calendars!) I have three great kids ages 22, 19 and 15 and yes… I have a lot of stress in my life! Just kidding (sorta). I also have a wonderful Mom that I adore. The songs on my list are a mixture of genres but the theme is based on songs written about Moms or for Moms (or should be about Moms, hence Aretha’s RESPECT). l also threw in a Prince song because I just really like Prince!

Muserk’s “How to Work From Home (and Beyond)” Guide

By Madeline DeLuca

Just over a year ago, I started my position as a Rights Manager at Muserk. My first day on the job was the first official day the company had gone remote. I had the unique experience of learning how to do a new job through video calls, screen sharing, and good old-fashion trial and error. With a year under my belt, I can say with confidence that working from home has been a wonderful learning experience and has allowed me to pick up new skills I may not have had the opportunity to learn before this pandemic, many of which I will keep in my tool belt long after we can safely gather in an office again. 

With that in mind, I asked my fellow co-workers at Muserk to share with me their favorite tips and tricks that have been beneficial to them over the past year – the tricks that kept them focused, efficient, and engaged as they worked from home with the hum of their personal lives all around. I hope anyone reading this finds at least one piece of advice or information that makes their work from home experience a better one.

  1. Keep a physical notepad that is dedicated to work thoughts that don’t require immediate action. Just because you can work after hours late at night or early in the morning doesn’t mean you have to. Write down any tasks you think about after work hours and save them for the next day.
  2. Take walks during the day, especially when it is warm. It can help reduce stress. A benefit of working from home is you are able to take a nice midday stroll and get some fresh air. It can help you clear your head and focus better and push past the 3pm slump.
  3. Learn and use keyboard shortcuts. When working from home, it’s nice to be able to unplug from monitors and work elsewhere. Using keyboard shortcuts can allow you to navigate smoothly between tabs and workbooks.
  4. Try using the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that breaks down your working time into intervals with set breaks at the end of each interval. For those who find it hard to focus on the task at hand because of constant interruptions, this technique can help you be more efficient and keep to the task at hand while allowing you to take a break to handle any distractions that have crept in.
  5. Take advantage of Zoom. Now that we’re a year into using Zoom as a tool, and while we both curse and bless it, isn’t it nice to video conference with people we may have only spoken to on the phone in the past?  
  6. Set weekly and daily goals for productivity based on actual work progress instead of time. Everyone has goals that they want to achieve in a workday/week, and sometimes it feels overwhelming. Setting goals based on concrete tasks rather than time spent working can help you to feel accomplished and productive, even if you were interrupted all day by the sound of the dishwasher, the lawn mower, the washing machine, etc. 
  7. Have a morning routine and stick to it. It is so easy to roll out of bed, grab your laptop and start working, but from experience, this can be detrimental to your work-life balance. Wake up with enough time to make a cup of coffee, go on a walk, listen to a podcast, eat some breakfast, or read a book. Allow yourself some personal time to separate your day. Once you get in the groove, the days will feel much more enjoyable. Also, you can continue this routine when you return to the office, and I believe that transition will feel more seamless. 

I have incorporated each of these tips into my work routine in one form or another, and it has drastically improved my work from home experience. I personally cannot wait to be able to gather safely again (and to actually meet my coworkers in person – some for the first time), but in the meantime, I will enjoy working from my comfy couch, not having a daily commute, therefore getting to spend a few extra hours with my husband, and being able to do seemingly endless amounts of laundry during my lunch hour. 

First Friday Playlist: Muserk’s Justin Ahmanson

This month’s “First Friday” Spotify playlist comes from Justin Ahmanson:

Hi I’m Justin Ahmanson, and I’m a software developer here at Muserk. I’m also an active guitarist/singer-songwriter (or at least I was before the pandemic). With the anticipation of live music coming back soon, my playlist is testament to some of my favorite live performances by bands and artists that have influenced me over the years. Looking forward to seeing live music again!

Muserk VID

Announcing Muserk VID, A Joint Venture With Japan’s Video Research to Tackle Japanese Rights Management

Muserk is excited to announce that we are partnering with the Japanese marketing research company Video Research Ltd. to form Muserk VID. The “VID” standing for Video ID, we will service, manage and protect the online rights of the major broadcasters, networks, and production companies of Japan, around the world. Specifically, Muserk VID will provide services for reporting the playback status of content (including illegal videos) on various DSPs as well as provide a management platform for content rights holders in Japan.

With this joint venture and the creation of Muserk V.I.D., we expect to see less piracy of Japanese content on all platforms and an opportunity for our customers to monetize their content online through royalty collection,” said Video Research president Wataru Mochizuki in a statement. “We knew we needed a company that offered something unique to match the power of our scale for this joint venture. The passionate team at Muserk and their propriety technology M-PACTM and M-Match® make this a perfect match.

Video Research Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Wataru Mochizuki) was established in 1962 as the only research institution in Japan that provides TV rating data. Since then, they have provided the most advanced data such as various media data and marketing data such as surveys of television ratings and radio listening rates in Japan, and provide total support for corporate marketing issues.

Muserk VID will help our Japense customers make sure they are getting the most from their video assetes as well as protect from illegal usage, and this partnership will prove invaluable to do so. We look forward to our bright future in the Japanese market as we continue seek to improve rights management globally.

Read more on Billboard

Read more on Nikkei

Muserk Announces Partnership with Japan’s Largest Musical Copyright Administration Society JASRAC

Muserk is happy to announce that we are partnering with The Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC). JASRAC is not only the biggest copyright administration society in Japan, it is one of the largest rights societies outside of the United States. We will be leveraging proprietary tools like MPAC® and MMatch® to ensure a seamless collection of JASRAC’s U.S.-based mechanical rights on YouTube.

“JASRAC was founded in 1939 by Japanese composers and lyricists to protect the copyrights of musical works,” said JASRAC’s director in charge of international, Saito Mami. “We are happy to partner with such an innovative company that recognizes the abundance and importance of JASRAC repertoire on YouTube in America. I look forward to this agreement with Muserk bringing good results for Japanese rights owners.”

With the growing popularity of Japanese music and content on YouTube in the U.S., the partnership strengthens both companies’ positions within the growing and complex global online music business. Both MPAC® and MMatch® were specifically designed to find usage of our customer’s data amongst very large datasets while automating the entire royalty chain. This workflow allows us to to do the work of hundreds of people accurately and in a fraction of the time. We feel that Muserk is a perfect fit for the enormous scale of JASRAC’s data.

“We are very excited to be working with JASRAC,” noted Paul Goldman, Founder and CEO at Muserk. “JASRAC is a forward-looking rights society that has always been proactive about collecting royalties in its own territory and this partnership will help to extend the practice of proper remuneration of rights owners globally.”

Muserk Partnering With South Africa’s Largest Mechanical Rights Organization (CAPASSO)


Muserk has announced that we are partnering with South Africa’s largest mechanical rights organization, the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO). Leveraging tools like MMatch®, Muserk will help CAPASSO spread their wings, and be a leader, not only in emerging markets like Africa, but every market worldwide.

South Africa’s parliament has recently passed the Copyright Amendment Bill intended to modernize the country’s four-decade-old copyright laws. The bill, awaiting presidential signature, has come under heavy scrutiny for “deviation from its original vision”. The bill seeks to improve access to those with disabilities, facilitate access to research and social development, and enhance creativity and innovation by empowering authors and creators.

South Africa has been the continent’s largest performing rights market with more than 50% of revenue coming from streaming. This partnership will help find more revenue for those artists. Muserk will collect streaming royalties from YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, Tidal, and Deezer in the United States as well as YouTube in Brazil and Canada.

Read more about it on Billboard