Tracklib launches its latest sampling competition in collaboration with CeeLo Green. The grand prize winner will be awarded a digital studio session with CeeLo to collaborate on a song that will be officially released. 

Tracklib and CeeLo Green launch a new sampling competition to inspire artists and producers to use samples in unique ways as they create a new track. The winner of the competition will be selected by CeeLo himself, and will be awarded a digital studio session and the opportunity to release an official song with CeeLo, as well as a custom Tracklib Sample Breakdown video of the song. Sample Breakdown is Tracklib's award-winning video format, receiving millions of Youtube views each month [watch Kendrick Lamar’s sample breakdown here]. Tracklib will also supply the winner and two runners up with a year-long Tracklib subscription, Tracklib merch, and a shoutout from CeeLo. 

“CeeLo is an innovator, a trailblazer with a unique voice that resides far outside the box. This is where we align – Tracklib exists to challenge the norm: our vision is to liberate creativity,” said Pär Almqvist, Tracklib Co-founder and CCO. “We’re making sure that sampling original music is easy, legal and affordable to every music producer and artist in the world – to the benefit of music culture and the whole music industry.”

CeeLo Green is a five-time Grammy Award winning American entertainer, actor, producer, and singer in American soul duo Gnarls Barkley. He is known for his 2010 single “Forget You” and Gnarls Barkley single "Crazy," and is a former coach on NBC's hit show The Voice.

“I believe that Tracklib are good shepherds for sampling. I think they are a mediation for modern music and they are mavericks on this front. They’re changing the landscape of how sampling can be facilitated,” said CeeLo Green.

Complete rules for the competition can be found at: tracklib.com/ceelo

About Tracklib

 Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Tracklib’s catalog contains over 100,000 tracks from more than 400 rightsholders including labels and publishers from all around the world, ready to be discovered and legally sampled by artists and producers.

Tracklib has built the largest pre-cleared catalog of music for sampling, and is a home for iconic music, discoverable new songs, and exclusive multitracks, all accessible for artists and producers to easily license. Now, Tracklib has partnered with more than 400 rightsholders – furthering their vision to liberate creativity. Original songs and multitracks are available to sample today, with a Tracklib subscription starting from $5.99 USD.

“It’s both gratifying and flattering for us – a company with a special focus on archival recordings – to be featured on an important showcase like Tracklib. There are many benefits, but first and foremost we’ve been able to bring forgotten or obscure music back to life and to a new audience of contemporary producers and artists,” said Pierpaolo De Sanctis, CEO and Founder at Four Flies Records.

Tracklib’s catalog of over 100,000 tracks spans all major genres and eras – from 1928 to 2022, and all around the world. Artists and producers can find everything from iconic tracks by prolific jazz-funk innovator Bob James, to trendy music featured in Stranger Things by Dorian Zero. Even classical heroes Mozart and Beethoven, as well as soul icon Isaac Hayes, can be sampled via Tracklib. 

"It’s an honor to be on Tracklib. I feel we are so aligned in our vision in ushering a new era and new perspectives on sampling for this generation and beyond,” said Ging (fka Frank Dukes).

Tracklib is the world’s first and only record store for sampling, delivering producers real music – not royalty free music or sample packs. Their versatile catalog supports major, hit tracks from artists including Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Lil’ Wayne, and DJ Khaled. 

“The depth of our music catalog keeps on growing – it now contains everything from 70s Soul to Bhangra, Anime Soundtracks, Afrobeat, Reggaeton and even Brazilian Children’s music. We are grateful to all our music partners for helping us further the accessibility of sampling to artists and producers worldwide,” says Pär Almqvist, Co-founder and CCO of Tracklib. “Simplifying licensing unlocks creativity and innovation in new music; we want to help compose the future of sampling, music creation and licensing.”

About Tracklib
Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 rightsholders including labels and publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Bob James and Isaac Hayes to Mozart. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

The Duffer Brothers and their music supervisor have been meticulous in their quest to sew together a tapestry of the best sounds of the 70’s and 80’s through the Netflix series Stranger Things. One of those tracks is “In Transit to Bermuda” by Dorian Zero, showcased in the “pizza van” in Season 4, Episode 3. Now it’s available to sample and license through Tracklib, the world’s largest service for sampling and licensing original music.

The potential impact of a sync or sample’s placement in the right show or film can catapult an artist into overnight success bolstered by continued streams and fan interactions. Several tracks from the Stranger Things series have seen extremely successful placements (for example Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,”) topping global and regional music boards with increased visibility through social media iterations and covers on platforms like TikTok.

Tracklib provides the opportunity to discover the deep cuts of decades past, and allows artists to breathe new life into vintage tracks. Their sample licensing process is simple and affordable, and most of the music on Tracklib includes sync approval for the sample. This makes it both possible and easy for artists to say yes to sync deals for films, video games or tv-shows like Stranger Things without having to re-clear the sample. This is in itself pretty revolutionary, as anyone who has dealt with sync licensing of music that contains samples can testify to.

Dorian Zero’s “In Transit to Bermuda” was originally recorded in 1975 but remained unreleased since then, and it was acquired years ago by Italian label Kutmusic, together with other material from the late New York artist Kenneth Dorian Passante. It could have easily been lost to the ravages of time. Nostalgic TV shows, movies, games, and other entertainment formats are reviving this iconic music, attracting the likes of new listeners while transporting music fans through cross-decade discovery. The Stranger Things soundtrack was built with incredible detail to match the aesthetic of the show and cue familiar emotions that intertwine with character development.

“I acquired the master tape in 2013 and was intrigued by Dorian’s story.” - says Nicola Battista of Kutmusic - “I collected more of his material, managed to re-release his eponymous album from 1977 in digital format, and am working on a collection of his creative output from the late 1960s and the 1970s and a docu-fiction project with actor/director Flavio Sciolè. Since I am constantly searching for sync opportunities for the catalog I represent, when I heard a vintage reggae track was needed for a TV show, I submitted Dorian’s track and a bunch of others (which apparently were not from the right timeframe for the TV show). Later, I heard the project was Stranger Things. A few months later, I had almost forgotten about it; until the end of May, I was informed the track had been picked up and included in Season 4. Curiously, the track was not on digital music stores yet, since it had been saved for the larger compilation project about Dorian. We released it as soon as possible, and a few days later it was included in the show’s official playlist on Spotify. Which resulted in more than 100.000 plays just in the first week, and counting.”

“When music is used and reimagined in new contexts, it finds new audiences with new ears, hearts and minds. The popularity of Stranger Things can’t be underestimated. Neither can the positive impact of a TV-series on a song used in the soundtrack, nor the impact of a sample on the original song being sampled. We’re very happy to offer In Transit for Bermuda by Dorian Zero for fast, easy, legal and affordable sampling through Tracklib, and we can’t wait to hear what our global community of sampling artists and producers will create with it.” says Pär Almqvist, Tracklib Co-Founder and CCO.

Want to learn more about how Tracklib’s library of over 100k original tracks can liberate creativity in today’s artists? www.tracklib.com/

About Dorian Zero
Dorian Zero “In Transit to Bermuda” on Tracklib:
www.tracklib.com/song/in-transit-to-bermuda/

Kenneth Dorian Passante, 1948-1994. Originally released in 1977 but apparently recorded at least a couple years before, the “Dorian” LP was supposed to launch Dorian as a glam rock (or should we say proto-punk?) artist. The name Dorian Zero (with different variations such as Dorian & Zero, Dorian Zero Revue and so on) was his band name, but seems to also stick to his own persona. The album and a single taken from it were also documented by John Holmstrom in a memorable – and disastrous – interview on Punk Magazine #14 (1978). Omitting to credit the other musicians involved in the making of the LP – including guitarist Jeff Beck on “Destination Nowhere” and “Inside Looking Out” – Dorian declared on the original album cover “I have no one to thank for this album but myself”. Before recording the album, Dorian had been on an elusive 7" single released in 1969 by B.T.Puppy, the record label founded by The Tokens, with a track written by Brute Force (Stephen Friedland). Other tracks were only fixed on acetates and remained unreleased. Some are entirely lost. In 2022, a previously unreleased reggae track from 1975, "In Transit to Bermuda", recorded at Electric Lady Studios by Eddie Kramer, was included in Episode 3 of Stranger Things 4 (Vol.1) and in the Stranger Things Official Playlist.

Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/0ObztW0DmBT3xKrctHY3N3
Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1jkJ728NeI

About Tracklib
Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels and publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artist Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Dance music titan Armada Music and legendary electronic producer Chicane have teamed up with Tracklib for a big music-making competition to celebrate the re-release of Chicane’s music now available for sampling on Tracklib.

Producers can now sample songs from his ground-breaking debut album “Far from the Maddening Crowds”, through Tracklib. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the re-released album, Chicane is inviting producers from all over the world to participate in a competition sampling his classic songs to create new music. The best submission, to be selected by Chicane himself, will be released by Armada Music and become part of their award-winning catalog. Armada Music is the biggest independent dance music label in the world, with a wide range of electronic music on its roster. 

“I’m excited to see what people can do now that I’ve made these samples available through Tracklib. In some way, it’s like passing the baton,” Chicane says.

“Dance music has always been about sampling and re-using existing material, but offering music pre-cleared for sampling is a big leap,” Michel Peek, Head of Publishing at Armada Music, says. “We find it inspiring Chicane is so forward-thinking and we’re curious to hear how Tracklib’s talent pool will use his repertoire.”

“Chicane is one of the founding innovators of modern trance, Balearic house and ambient house,” Pär Almqvist, Tracklib’s co-founder & CCO, adds. “We’re very excited to make his seminal music available for sampling on Tracklib, and can’t wait to hear what our community of talented music producers will create based on his music. As a part of adding Chicane’s music to Tracklib, we couldn’t resist setting up a competition together with his star-studded label, Armada Music. First prize in the competition is to get an official release on Armada Music – a dream come true for any talented music producer!”

Complete rules for the competition can be found at www.tracklib.com/blog/chicane. 

Exclusively for the competition, Tracklib will offer a special signup trial including 15 free downloads from their catalog of 100,000 songs and multi-tracks. [HYPERLINK] 

About Tracklib
 
Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Tracklib, the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, has named UnitedMasters a preferred distributor, through a collaboration supporting automated digital revenue payments directly to artists. Tracklib-sampled tracks distributed through UnitedMasters will now automatically report to Tracklib and pay-out to the correct parties, greatly simplifying the reporting of streaming revenues for the artist and producer. Tracklib will also join UnitedMasters’ Producer Exclusives.

Tracklib is the only sampling platform to support automated royalty payments with vetted digital distributors. “Both UnitedMasters and Tracklib are working to simplify and enhance the reality of music creators. We are excited to now offer UnitedMasters as a preferred distributor to refine and further automate the process of clearing samples for commercial release,” said CCO & Co-founder Pӓr Almqvist. “UnitedMasters is a culture forward company which resonates well with us, and we look forward to continuing working together in supporting music creators.”

"We want to be there for the artists at the earliest point of their creation process. We are excited to partner with Tracklib to provide the tools that will become the building blocks for the next big hit", said UnitedMasters Chief Strategy Officer Sally Shin.

Users can simply add royalty@tracklib.com as a team member in the split pay section of their tracks on the UnitedMasters dashboard with the percentage share according to their sample license from Tracklib, and all digital revenues start being accounted for directly. Then the artist or producer’s work is done. Once the song is distributed through UnitedMasters, users receive an International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) to confirm the song is released. 

About Tracklib
Tracklib is a game-changing new music tech company with a catalog of over 100,000 all-original recordings that gives music creators access to legally sample and license music in minutes. By radically simplifying music licensing, the platform unlocks creative opportunities for all the world’s music creators, furthers sampling as an art form, and injects new revenue for the music industry. Tracklib’s catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

About UnitedMasters
Launched in 2017 by Translation founder and music industry veteran Steve Stoute, UnitedMasters provides a new industry alternative for independent artists and producers. UnitedMasters gives music creators access to premium music distribution services, a suite of tools to help them directly connect with fans, and opportunities for unique partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands. The UnitedMasters platform enables creators to operationalize their independence and maximize their creative and economic potential while allowing them to maintain full ownership over their master recording rights. The company also recently launched Beat Exchange, a curated marketplace for artists and producers to buy and sell beats - extending its commitment to include producers by delivering best-in-class technology to sell beats and opportunities to grow their music careers.

As any producer knows, sampling doesn’t start in the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Digging for samples is as important as any loop or chop. Some have the perfect ear for it and hear something new just as the needle hits the record, but for most, the magic isn’t there until the sample is heard in a new context. Now with Tracklib’s new BEATS feature, users can add beats to any sample they find in Tracklib’s catalog of more than 100,000+ original tracks.

Tracklib BEATS is here to improve and encourage the creative process of producing new songs. Users start by looping any song discovered in Tracklib’s music catalog. This unique feature uses machine learning to find perfect loops in any song, from any decade or genre. Next, creators simply add a beat to get a feel for what the sample could sound like. Tracklib built a real drum machine into their music player that can play beats with any loop. 

“At Tracklib, we’re always thinking about how to modernize sampling,” said Oskar Sundberg, CPO at Tracklib. “This is not a drum loop–we’ve actually built our own drum machine that is playing each sound in the background, in the same exact tempo as the song. With beat detection based on machine learning that is directly following the song, even with tempo changes, our loop and beat features take crate digging into the next generation.

“Just a basic kick can add groove to many old tracks. It’s like bringing a drum machine to a dusty record store.”

The feature introduces four beats, each based on a popular genre: Classic Bap, Trap Essentials, Early House, and a Simple Kick. More beats will be added continuously. The Beat settings allows you to adjust the tempo from half (½X) to the original (1X) to double (2X) beat tempo. Additionally, a simple sidechaining feature known as “ducking” lowers the sample volume when the kick drum hits. Users can save their loop with the beat to their favorites or add to any of their collections. 

”Tracklib BEATS is an extension of our vision: to liberate creativity,” said Pär Almqvist, Tracklib CEO & Co-founder. “It’s a powerful tool for both professional and amateur music producers, making it possible for anyone to instantly create a unique sound based on a sample from our vast catalog of original music.”

BEATS helps users recontextualize what they hear. Pressing the download button generates a perfect loop, ready to be used as is or further modified in a DAW or any other music production software.

“The technology powering our loop and beat player is unique and technically on the same level as many modern DAWs, but accessible right in your web browser,” Sundberg said. “We can’t wait to hear what our users will do with this feature. And this is just the first step. We’re now looking at several more advanced features, including advanced sample chopping.”

Music sample library Tracklib is partnering with audio software company Serato to host weekly live beat-making sessions, including weekly beat-making challenges for viewers via their Twitch and Discord channels. The series, called Serato’s Kitchen, is hosted by different renowned professional producers each month. 

Using Serato Studio and Tracklib, participant producers sweat it out in Serato’s Kitchen to test new music recipes, cook up some beats, and show off their unique music-making process. Weekly episodes will take place throughout 2022, beginning March 1st. Each week, the host will provide a fresh “sample of the week” from the Tracklib catalog for viewers to try to flip, with the best beat taking away a free 6-month Tracklib Standard subscription plan and a promotion on Tracklib’s newsletter and socials. Serato will also promote the winners on their socials.

Kicking off the series, producer Wize will host on the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th of March. Austin Millz and Dibia$e are set to host in April and May, respectively, with dates to be determined.

As the first host, Wize looks forward to the creativity this contest–and Tracklib’s collection–will inspire. “I'm excited to be a part of Serato's Kitchen with Tracklib,” he said. “Tracklib has really brought the fun of digging for original tracks back into my production workflow. They make it easy to find exactly the vibe I am looking for in no time.”

Serato’s Kitchen combines the powers of Tracklib and Serato Studio. Tracklib, the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, makes sample clearance affordable and accessible. Serato Studio is the fastest and most intuitive DAW for making beats, allowing beat makers to create album-quality beats with its modern workflow and sampling technology.

“Tracklib has decades of amazing ingredients for beats, from legendary 70s soul and funk to anime to hot new stems from producers like Frank Dukes,” says Tracklib CEO Pӓr Almqvist. “We’re eager to hear how producers use our catalog and Serato Studio to make something new.”

The partnership with the two companies is very exciting given how well they fit together. “We’ve found a partner that really is a great fit for Serato Studio. Between one of the best sample catalogs on the planet, and the power of a sample focused DAW, you’ve got an amazing experience for beat makers.”said Serato CMO Scotty Hoogerbrug. “This is super important for us as it’s all about inspiration and workflow at the end of the day.”

About Tracklib

Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Media Assets

Tracklib, the world’s first fully licensed library of samples and stems from classic recordings, announced a license agreement with BANDAI NAMCO Arts Inc.(headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Satoshi Kono), an operator of the music label Lantis, and the driving force behind One-Punch Man, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slim, and Violet Evergarden.

The licensing agreement between BANDAI NAMCO Arts and Tracklib will provide a new opportunity for existing original songs from BANDAI NAMCO Arts’s label to be used by music producers worldwide as building blocks for new tracks. The partnership has kicked off with the sound sources of BANDAI NAMCO Arts’s Higuchi Kaede, a virtual YouTuber from NIJISANJI. These sounds have been added to Tracklib’s catalogue of over 100k all-original recordings. More tracks, stems, and sounds from BANDAI NAMCO Arts will continue to be added throughout 2022.

“We are excited to be able to bring Anime Music, which holds a large portion of Japanese pop culture, to all overseas creators,” explained Akiho Matsuo,Chief Producer of the Music Rights Department at BANDAI NAMCO Arts Inc. “This will not only be about our original artists gaining new income; they will also gain whole new opportunities! We look forward to seeing songs created with our samples top the Billboard Charts in the near future.”

The partnership echoes the decades-long connection between hip hop and anime. Some trace it back to Cartoon Network’s anime-packed Toonami that aired in the early 2000’s and provided inspiration for today’s producers. This anime influence can be seen through artists like Childish Gambino, Soulja Boy, and Kanye West. “Anime soundtracks are a major inspiration to artists and producers all over the world,” said Tracklib CEO & Co-founder Pӓr Almqvist. “We are very excited to now get them easy and legal access to BANDAI NAMCO Arts's foundational catalog for the genre.”

About Tracklib

Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and levelling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalogue includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Tracklib:  Media Assets

Tracklib, the world's largest service for sampling and licensing original music, announced today a partnership with Repost, the distribution and creator services division of SoundCloud, to make its professional marketing and monetization service, Repost by SoundCloud, a preferred distributor on the Tracklib platform. Through the partnership, creators and producers will be able to distribute their Tracklib-sampled tracks all while their streaming revenue is reported automatically to Tracklib and paid to the right parties, leveraging Repost by SoundCloud’s automated payment splits feature. This simplifies the process and supports fast and easy automated digital revenue payment, meaning creators and producers can spend less time with revenue reporting and more time doing what they love. 

Tracklib is the only sampling platform to support automated royalty payments with specific, vetted distributors. “Tracklib is pleased to partner with Repost by SoundCloud to refine, simplify and further automate the process of clearing samples,” said CEO & Co-founder Pӓr Almqvist. “We look forward to continuing making improvements in the industry with Repost by SoundCloud. SoundCloud has always been an important and creator-first platform, so this partnership resonates well with us.”

“At SoundCloud we are fundamentally impressed with the problem that Tracklib is solving for artists and producers around sample licensing,” said Jeff Ponchick, Vice President and Head of Creator, SoundCloud. “Tracklib’s offering is the ideal complement for Repost by SoundCloud creators to have access to, and we look forward to working alongside them to help drive revenue for artists in a new and compelling way.”

Users can simply add soundcloud.com/tracklib in the split pay section of the Repost by SoundCloud Dashboard with the percentage share according to their sample license from Tracklib, and all digital revenues start being accounted for directly. Then the artist or producer’s work is done. Once the song is distributed through Repost by SoundCloud, users receive an International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) to confirm the song is released. 

About Tracklib
Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and levelling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalogue includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

About Repost
Created for serious artists who want to take their career to the next level while staying independent, Repost gives any artist access to professional marketing and monetization services and industry-leading distribution features. Artists getting traction through Repost could be eligible for the invite-only program, Repost Select – a program for professional artists who want to unlock their potential and take their music career full time. Repost Select offers support from a team of experts, first access to premium promotional opportunities, prime placement on music services and radio stations, and top consideration for funding and advances. To date, Repost has generated over 40MM in royalties for artists and grown the number of independent artists monetizing on SoundCloud to over 100K. For more information, visit: https://www.repostnetwork.com.

Tracklib, the sample library that includes groundbreaking commercial recordings and stems from around the world, is teaming up with virtual instrument pioneers Native Instruments and Timbaland’s Beatclub, the premier global marketplace for music creators. The trio has just launched its first joint initiative together with Frank Dukes/Kingsway Music. 
 
"At Beatclub we always look to support the Music Creator in as many ways as possible. Tracklib has taken the idea of sample music creation into the digital future, so it only makes sense to partner together on this activation. When you add the credibility of Native Instruments with their incredible line of creator tools, and the genius sonic creations of Frank Dukes, you have the perfect storm for true forward thinking disruption.” - Daniel Glogower, Beatclub Head of Business Development.
 
“It’s exciting to bring together some of the most innovative and inspiring players in creator tools and sounds, as well as a legendary producer like Timbaland in a cool contest like this,” says Tracklib CEO Pär Almqvist. “We hope our work together will energize the producer community to make the most of what we all have to offer.”
 
The first initiative Beatclub, Native Instruments, and Tracklib have collaborated on is a beat battle based on stems and samples from GRAMMY-winner Frank Dukes’ Kingsway Music Library, included in the Tracklib catalog. Producers can work their magic and enter their track. Ten top tracks will be selected by the Beatclub team, then the final winner will be chosen by Timbaland himself. Winners will receive a bevy of great Native Instruments products as well as year-long subscriptions to Beatclub and to Tracklib’s huge pre-cleared library. 
 
Full beat battle details here. Competition ends December 17, 2021.
 
About Tracklib
 
Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and leveling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalog includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.
 
About Beatclub

Beatclub is the world’s premier global marketplace that connects the creative community with record labels, music publishers, gaming companies, TV and Film companies and independent artists. Beatclub recently announced partnerships with several companies including Horizon Fintex / Upstream which allows creators to offer fan fractionalization ownership in music, film, NFTs and more. Beatclub will be available to everyone in early 2022. Beatclub is the brainchild of GRAMMY Award Winning super producer Timbaland and his longtime business partner Gary Marella. Beatclub allows creators to keep their master and publishing rights,100% of their revenue from beat sales or licensing, and gives them the ability to customize their licenses, allowing the creator to set their own terms and fees. This empowering, creator-centered model has attracted an impressive list of elite producers, song writers and artists to join the platform including: Justin Timberlake, J. Cole, Mike Dean, Cash Money AP, Tommy Brown, Jozzy, Illmind, Larrance Dopson, Federico Vindver, Boogz, Tainy, Mike WiLL Made-It and hundreds of others that have been invited are all early members of Beatclub who will be selling beats, loops, sounds, acapellas and demos on the platform.

With an increase of 10% more samples on popular albums and a steady number of samples in 14% of the songs in Billboard’s Hot 100 charts (2020: 13% | 2019: 15%), it’s safe to say that samples are still very present in the sound of today’s popular music. Most notably in hip-hop: 48% of the songs on the Grammy-nominated releases for Best Rap Album include samples. Throughout 2021, songs by DJ Khaled, J. Cole, Kanye West, Tyler, the Creator, Pop Smoke, and Drake have dominated the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

This year clearly established “The New Nostalgia,” an emerging trend spearheaded by a new generation of producers who sample sounds from the 90s and early noughties—particularly classic hip-hop and R&B hits. But as shown by our stats, sampling 70s soul continues to keep coming in and out of fashion as well.

However, one of this year’s most intriguing trends takes place outside of the charts: there seems to be a much higher sense of awareness around sampling—even among a new, younger generation. Millennials and Gen Z get schooled on sampling through popular videos on TikTok (which according to our research, account to well over 500 million views). People’s reactions to news surrounding Timbaland’s sample usage, Olivia Rodrigo versus Paramore, Daft Punk’s sampling of Eddie Johnson “One More Time,” among other examples, show deep engagement and involvement when it comes to sampling. For the good and the bad: from viral praise for old originals to cancel culture-fueled backlash.

The state of sampling is a steady one, but newly-fueled awareness indicates that there’s a generational shift in sampling happening, too.

Below are some key findings from Tracklib’s 2021 State of Sampling report.  Read the full analysis here:  Tracklib’s 2021 State of Sampling Report.

• STAT: 14 % of the songs which charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021 sampled from other previously released songs.
   
• STAT: More than half (54%) of the albums that charted on Billboard during 2021 contains samples from other previously released songs.
   
• STAT: 48% of the songs on the 5 albums nominated for Best Rap Album of 2021 sampled from other previously released songs.
   
• STAT: The average year to sample (for the sampled songs that charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021) is 1992.
   
• TREND: There’s a clear trend to sample older songs this year with the average year being 1992. 2020’s average was 1999 and 2019’s average was 1998.
   
• TREND: Sampling the 70s is officially back in fashion — being 122% more popular to sample (for the sampled songs that charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021) compared to last year.
   
• RECORD: The oldest sample (among the sampled songs that charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021) of the year can be found in Justin Biebers’ controversial album opener “2 Much”, sampling from Martin Luther King Jr’s famous 1963 speech.
   
• RECORD: The newest sample (among the sampled songs that charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021) of the year can be found in Drake’s hit “Fair Trade”, sampling Charlotte Day Wilson’s “Mountains” released just 2 months prior.
   
• RECORD: Drake’s album “Certified Lover Boy” is the most sample-based album of all Billboard charting albums in 2021, with 15 samples in an album containing 21 previously released songs.
   
• FUN FACT: There were only 2 drum break samples found in all songs which charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 during 2021. Both sampled by Tyler The Creator for his album “Call Me If You Get Lost”. Seems Tyler is the last drum-break-sampling man standing.
   
• FUN FACT: The opening sound of Drake’s album “Certified Lover Boy”, “Champagne Poetry” has quite the sampling history. In 1965 The Beatles released “Michelle” in their album “Rubber Soul”, in 1972 that song was covered by The Singers Unlimited in an A Capella album, in 2017 that cover was sampled and chopped up by Masego for his track “Navajo”, and these chops are the ones sampled to create the opening of “Certified Lover Boy”.

About Tracklib

Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and levelling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalogue includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON.

Tracklib:  Media Assets

Stockholm-based Tracklib, the sampling platform that provides music producers and artists with pre-cleared, high-caliber original music for sampling, is announcing its latest funding round. The company secured $12.2 million in investment from existing investors, as well as several new investors including key international family offices and former NBA player, actor and music producer Baron Davis. 

Tracklib plans to use the funding to reinforce and grow its community, including via original collaborations with leading producers and artists, as well as to expand both the available catalog and the features on the platform. Tracklib recently announced partnerships with producer Frank Dukes, as well as Bob James and Isaac Hayes.

“We are thrilled to see the interest of investors, existing and new, in supporting Tracklib’s vision to liberate creativity by creating a better way to sample for millions of music creators,” says CEO Pӓr Almqvist. “Samples from original music are integral to how artists and producers make music, no matter the genre, and we’ve been pioneers in connecting these creators with important music catalogs in an easy, legal, and affordable way. ”

“An amazing tool for creators. It is dope for me as a creator and a DJ. It gave me the confidence to work on my own projects and release some of my music. I can listen to samples, see what other people have put out there and vibe out on Tracklib.” says Baron Davis.

Investors joining this round include several prominent Europe-based family offices and funds. Earlier investors in the company include Sony Innovation Fund, WndrCo and Jörg Mohaupt’s  Bridford.

About Tracklib

Tracklib is the world’s first and only digital service for clearing samples, finally solving a huge problem in the music industry and levelling the playing field by making sample clearance accessible and affordable. Their catalog consists of over 100k all-original recordings from over 400 record labels/publishers around the world. The catalogue includes everything from Isaac Hayes to Mozart and Jazz artists Bob James, whose music has been sampled in 1000s of songs. Samples from Tracklib have been used in major songs from artists like J. Cole, Phantogram, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled and BROCKHAMPTON

Since producing the timeless Drake anthem “0-100”,  3-time-GRAMMY Award winner Frank Dukes has been a go-to producer while quietly climbing the ranks with one infectious radio hit at a time. Seemingly born with the Midas touch when it comes to the studio, Dukes has a catalog consisting of more than 30 platinum records working with the likes of Travis Scott, The Weekend,  Taylor Swift, Kanye, Post Malone and Camila Cabello just to name a few. 

Today is a new day as Duke's fan favorite sample imprint Kingsway Music Library has partnered with Tracklib, the Stockholm-based sampling service further revolutionizing  sample clearance. The library has been used frequently by other hitmakers like Metro Boomin, Murdabeatz,  Boi1da and Hit-Boy. The new care package encompases more than 200 masters, 800 stems from Frank Dukes Archive.

Initially a place for Dukes to release volumes of his own compositions that were then sampled by many producers and artists on their own tracks, it grew to include compositions and releases from many young up and coming producers such as CVRE, FORTHENIGHT, Mino, Louis Bell, Wallis Lane, Allen Ritter and others.

“We’re excited to be the first sample library to be included in Tracklib, who have further innovated in the sampling and music production space and pushed for artist rights as well as making it easier for the world’s creators to collaborate remotely,” Dukes said. 

Tracklib is the world's first and only digital platform for legally clearing samples, solving a big problem in the music industry: a vast majority of all sampling is done illegally because of the complexities and high cost usually involved with sample clearance. The massive library consists of over 100,000 original recordings—everything from Mozart to Isaac Hayes—and can be licensed for sampling for as little as $50.

Tracklib's revolutionary solution has been embraced by artistic and industry giants such as Scott Storch, Redman, 9th Wonder, Jazzy Jeff, and Zaytoven, who have publicly praised the company. Artists who have released songs with samples from the platform include DJ Khaled, Mary J. Blige, Lil Wayne, BROCKHAMPTON, Phantogram, and J. Cole also used a Tracklib sample for his 6x Platinum single "Middle Child". Tracklib launched in 2018 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with representation in New York City and London.

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Respected business leader Karl-Henrik Sundström, who took NXP Semiconductors to NASDAQ and was named best CFO in Europe, has joined the Tracklib board as chairman. He will advise the Stockholm-based music platform and help enable its next phase of growth. Sundström has previously been involved in the company as an early investor, but will now take a more active role.

“We’re excited to have Karl-Henrik join and lead our board,” says Tracklib CEO Pär Almqvist. “His business expertise in a wide range of industries will prove invaluable as Tracklib matures as a company.”

Tracklib has solved one of the music business’ toughest licensing challenges: sampling. Its platform allows musicians and producers to find tracks and stems for sampling, obtaining clearance nearly instantly via a simple licensing agreement process. It recently announced notable catalog additions, including a global deal with BMG to access their prestigious catalog and a deal with the estate of Isaac Hayes to release previously unheard songs, stems and multitracks on the Tracklib platform. Tracklib samples have appeared in many charting hits, including tracks by DJ Khaled, Mary J Blige, J.Cole, Young MA, and BROCKHAMPTON. 

Sundström is a member of the board of Mölnlycke and tech hardware manufacturers NXP, chairman of the tax delegation for Swedish Business and Commerce, and member of the board of the Marcus Wallenberg Foundation. He was CEO of Stora Enso, a major European paper corporation, from 2014-2019. He joined Stora Enso in August 2012 as CFO and member of the Group Leadership Team. In June 2013 he took on the role as Executive Vice President for division Paper and Wood Products. Prior to joining Stora Enso, Mr. Sundström held the role as CFO of NXP Semiconductors 2008–2012. Before that, he held several managerial positions in Ericsson, including CFO. 

“I am eager to work with Tracklib’s board and advisors to help bring another Swedish startup with clear international potential to its next stage.” says Karl-Henrik Sundström.

International music company BMG has signed a deal with Tracklib, the Stockholm-based sampling service that has revolutionized sample clearance. BMG will provide a selection of quality music from its massive catalog to be featured on Tracklib, where producers can sample the music and get straightforward clearance in a few clicks, something that historically could take months. 

It’s the latest step in Tracklib’s continuing mission to make music sampling and clearance easy, legal, and affordable. “It’s great to work with BMG, one of the most pro-active music companies in the world, to bring their amazing music to producers everywhere,” says Tracklib co-founder and CEO Pär Almqvist. 

BMG VP Global Licensing Pete Gardiner said, “Actively licensing our recorded repertoire is a key service BMG offers. Tracklib offers a new outlet which promises to benefit everyone involved in sampling.”

Tracklib allows users to find, sample, and license recordings using a simple system with fixed prices and instant licenses. Producers and artists know before buying a track how much a sample license will cost. In this era of continuous, spontaneous releases and non-traditional distribution, the platform’s ease and clarity present a unique solution to one of the music industry’s thorniest ongoing issues.

Major artists like J.Cole, Mary J. Blige, and BROCKHAMPTON have used Tracklib-licensed samples in their hits, and icons like Isaac Hayes have released previously unheard material from the vaults via the platform. Tracklib has also strived to open the world of sampling to new artists and producers, by making the sample clearance process much more efficient.

“Tracklib is here to serve both big-name producers who are used to clearing samples, and understand how much Tracklib simplifies the process, as well as aspiring producers who never had the possibility to clear samples before,” says Pär. “We have strong support from the artist community. Our partnership with BMG demonstrates how established labels and publishers are getting behind our new approach to music licensing. We’re very excited about the creative possibilities this deal creates.”

About Tracklib:
Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 100,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. Tracklib samples have been in hits by J. Cole, DJ Khaled,  and many others.

Tracklib, the one-stop service for sample licensing, is introducing a ground-breaking new feature on its platform: Tracklib Loops. It’s part of a larger plan for lowering the entry bar for sampling. The Stockholm-based music startup will launch Loops October 24th.

Loops’ easy interface allows you to find a sweet spot in any track from Tracklib’s pre-cleared catalog, click on it, and the loop will start playing instantly – making it much easier to find great parts of a song that’s suitable for sampling. It’s like bringing an automatic sampler to a dusty record store.
 
“Even if you’ve never sampled original music before, you can use and have a blast with Loops,” says Pӓr Almqvist, Tracklib CEO. “It’s part of how we’re working to open up sampling and music production to more aspiring creators.”

Finding loops automatically may seem simple, but it’s technically complex. Tracklib bases its loop points on advanced audio analysis using neural networks - the technology behind modern Artificial Intelligence - as well as a combination of several algorithms. Therefore it can build a loop even if a track changes speed, which is usually the case with music recorded in the 60s and 70s. “You can’t simply take a song’s BPM to calculate perfect loop points. It won’t work. We knew we had to analyze tracks granularly to find perfect loops and the only solution we found was using neural networks. Because we have much more precise beat data, we can do so much more and that’s how we built Tracklib Loops,” explains Oskar Sundberg, Tracklib’s Chief Product Officer. “You can easily see if musicians are pushing or pulling the tempo in the song, so it works great for finding loops in stems and older recordings.” 

Loops is a great addition to Tracklib’s strong offerings for producers. Tracklib have been praised by the likes of Zaytoven, Inspektah Deck, Jazzy Jeff and Erick Sermon. Pro Tracklib users have crafted chart-topping new songs this year for artists such as J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Young M.A, BROCKHAMPTON, Vic Mensa, and Mary J. Blige using Tracklib samples.

The new feature also promises to expand the possibilities for emerging producers, those just digging into sampling. “We’re creating new ways users can interact with our catalog,” Almqvist says. “Our current interface focuses on finding music, and Loops enriches that.”

About Tracklib:
Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 100,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. Tracklib samples have been in hits by J. Cole, DJ Khaled,  and many others.
www.tracklib.com

Tracklib has announced a deal with the estate of soul legend Isaac Hayes to offer a select group of 20 unreleased songs on the site’s catalog. These tracks have never been released publicly, and, thus, represent a landmark catalog acquisition for Tracklib and a new way of mining the vaults for the Isaac Hayes estate. Now producers and artists can access this goldmine of previously unheard material, sample from it, and make new music.

Isaac Hayes III, son of the legend and manager of his estate, said that his father was “with it” when it came to sampling, which explains why he is one of the most sampled artists ever. Before his death, Hayes befriended key producers, including the RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. Samples of Hayes’s material have always been part of soul and hip hop’s backbone, including recent hits like Alessia Cara’s “Here,” Kanye West’s “30 Hours,” and “6 Inch” by Beyonce.

The chance for aspiring producers to have access to this material, and to clear the samples easily and legally on the Tracklib platform itself, makes this a rare opportunity for hip hop heads to go back to their roots. Hayes III longs to see his father’s legacy grow beyond repackaging or re-releases of material that is already, deservedly, classic. The songs being released are all multi-tracked, meaning there is a lot of material to play with here.

Tracklib and Isaac Hayess III have previewed the material for a number of key producers in the sampling world, and the response has been excitement verging on chomping at the bit to get their hands on this material. Erick Sermon, Prince Paul, Drumma Boy, Jazee Pha, and Organized Noise have all heard the tracks and expressed excitement in getting to work with them.

Tracklib’s success within the hip-hop and producer communities made it a natural new home for these unreleased tracks, as they have had a recent string of high-profile releases made with samples from the Tracklib catalog, including DJ Khaled, Mary J. Blige, and Brockhampton. Hayes III admitted Tracklib was on his radar for a long time, but their recent success with J. Cole’s “Middle Child” was the one that grabbed his attention and helped to seal the deal. 

Hayes III concluded that he is “really excited for today’s producers all around the world to get their hands on these unreleased Isaac Hayes samples and continue his musical legacy, to create new records, new sounds, new ideas.” With this deal with Tracklib, that goal is within reach, and aspiring producers and fans of hip hop and soul will be all the better for it. 

About Tracklib:

Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 100,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. Tracklib samples have been in hits by J. Cole, DJ Khaled,  and many others.
www.tracklib.com

Tracklib dares you to spin the wheel and play your own round of Rhythm Roulette, the fun challenge video series from Mass Appeal. And as a special nod to Tracklib, legendary East Coast hip-hop producer Rockwilder flipped a track from the online sampling library on the latest installment of the popular YouTube series.

Mass Appeal’s Rhythm Roulette gets top producers to make a beat sampling three records picked at random (where the roulette part comes in). Over the past four years, the YouTube series has showcased producers’ technique and artistry, shining a light on what makes a producer great in a world that often favors emcees. Over a hundred producers--including Large Professor, Just Blaze, Erick Sermon, and DJ Jazzy Jeff, to name a few--have taken on the challenge so far.

The resulting videos are riveting and wildly popular, and now Tracklib wants to get its producer community to do more than watch. It has teamed up with Mass Appeal to give all producers the chance to play Rhythm Roulette, by building out a special themed feature on the Tracklib site. “We created a wheel that’s a nod to the one on Rhythm Roulette. It gives you three random tracks from our catalog to play with,” explains Tracklib’s Per Stenius. “You sample the track and make your beat.” 

Beatmakers can spin the wheel once a day, run with the results, and submit their favorite beats to Tracklib, as part of a month-long contest. Rockwilder will personally pick the winner. The first prize is a trip to New York (from anywhere in the world), for a private studio session with Rockwilder at Def Squad Studios.

The contest reflects Tracklib’s mission to empower emerging producers, as well as support big names, as they create fully licensed tracks under reasonable, affordable terms. Recent and soon-to-be-released tracks from Young M.A, Charlie Heat, Vic Mensa, BROCKHAMPTON, and Mary J. Blige all featured Tracklib-licensed samples. For as little as $50, producers can license most tracks on Tracklib without the delays, negotiations, or onerous legal complications that plagued samples in the past.

"You can go to Tracklib, test out three greatest joints, and see what is up,” Rockwilder says.

Today, Inspectah Deck, founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, and Tracklib, the all-in-one sampling and licensing platform, announced the winner of their unique sampling contest. The contest asked producers to make a beat using samples from Tracklib, with the winning beatmaker getting flown to New York to finish the track in the studio with Inspectah Deck. The song will also appear on Inspectah Deck’s upcoming album, all of which will be comprised of songs that were made with samples exclusively from the Tracklib library.

The winner of the contest is Jonathan Myles, an independent producer from Atlanta, GA. Myles’s style was influenced by many of the kings of beatmaking: Pete Rock, DJ Premier (Gangstarr), Alchemist, and, of course, the RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. “I’m just an average Joe,” said Myles, who had to pull over in his car to celebrate the news. Myles recognizes what this opportunity means for his career: “It’s like the hip-hop gods have spoken.” Inspectah Deck himself found Myle's work reminiscent of one of those gods: "That Wu Kung Fu reminded me of RZA 1995 in his basement.”

Myles will be flown to New York City for a studio session with Inspectah Deck on Monday August 5th to complete the track. Myles will receive full-credit for his participation on the track. Inspectah Deck also announced that there were so many amazing entries that a few more beats from the contest will actually make it onto the album, demonstrating the vast, untapped talent of beatmakers worldwide. Deck said, “It was a long, hard decision, a lot of heat, a lot of fire in the inbox.”

The contest itself drew worldwide interest, as Tracklib received well over 1000 entries, from 45 countries on 6 continents and 38 different states in the U.S.

About Tracklib:

Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 100,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. Tracklib samples have been in hits by J. Cole, DJ Khaled and many others.
www.tracklib.com

The Akai MPC revolutionized beatmaking, and over 30 years after the MPC60 it’s still the weapon of choice for many beatmakers. 

Tracklib knows the value of a great controller in beatmaking, which is why they’ve teamed up with Akai, Erick Sermon and Reservoir Media for this month’s Beat Battle.

Producers are invited to make a beat by sampling, ‘Every Little Beat of my Heart’ by Flashlight, and the winning beat will be selected by MPC master Erick Sermon. The winning producer will receive an Akai MPD218 controller, one full sample license and 100 Tracklib download credits.
 
For more details about the competition, please see Tracklib's landing page.

About Tracklib:

Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 70,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. www.tracklib.com

Inspectah Deck and Tracklib announce a global first: an album entirely produced with Tracklib samples. 

Tracklib and Inspectah Deck also know that one placement with the right MC can make a producer’s career, and that’s why they are leaving one spot open for an aspiring beatmaker to complete the album alongside the rest of the top-tier team.

Producers are invited to make a flavorful beat using any sample from Tracklib, and the winning beat will be selected by Inspectah Deck himself. The winning producer also gets studio time with Inspectah Deck along with full writing credit and compensation.

Watch Inspectah Deck announce the competition on YouTube here. You can read more about the competition here. 

About Tracklib:

Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable samples at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 70,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and and sample length calculation. www.tracklib.com

Back in the day, sampling was usually about looking through a limited stack of records, often from your parents’ collection or the dollar-bin at your local thrift store. That’s pretty much what you had to finding that break, loop or sound to build your track around. The choices you made were based on whatever was there, and you put it all together the way birds build their nests, from available materials you scrounged. The process was (and for old-school producers, is still) very slow and limited.

The licensing picture was murky as anything, but the ways of addressing it were somewhat straight-forward. As the recordings were all filtered through the label system, you could figure out how to track rights holders down, though they might never come to an agreement with you. If you didn’t and you put the music out there anyway, you ran the risk of getting sued.

Today, with the internet at your fingertips, producers and DJs can easily find just about anything, in seconds. They might find a sound in a Russian Instagram video or sample a 70s Turkish funk song straight off Youtube. Sampling has become a significant source of inspiration, and for many the very foundation of their music. Especially if you’re an electronic musician or hip hop producer.

This is great for artists, but it sucks for legal music release. And that it still sucks so extensively, after all these years, is heartbreaking.

Though you may think otherwise, samples from obscure internet finds are hard as hell to license, jeopardizing the legal, monetized distribution of tracks that use them. As the copyright screws are tightened on user-generated content platforms and music services, it’s going to be even more important to have everything cleared, or risk takedowns or blocked uploads. And yet, even as sampling has seeped into music everywhere, many younger producers and artists seem unaware of the potential pitfalls of leaping to get music out there. And they have no idea where to even begin trying to license them.

The only way to fix this for everyone is to fix sampling clearance. For too long, for an entire generation in fact, sampling has been someone else’s problem, from the rights holders’ perspectives. But it’s become so embedded in the way musicians of all styles make music, it’s not going away. One in five tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018 had a sample, and a portion of these were rock and other genres you don’t normally associate with sampling.

Sampling went from niche to mainstream and ubiquitous, but the licensing procedures didn’t change. That means it takes days or weeks or months to figure out who owns something you sampled and get clearance. As a result, so much music is sitting in vaults because younger artists were taking their own spin to older content but didn’t know how to get things cleared or simply couldn’t afford to.

Sampling needs to be embraced by the music business for what it is: a tool, an instrument that producers and artists are using in diverse, unique ways. This means figuring out ways to simplify clearance and democratize price points, so that emerging artists can use samples and develop their careers. We’re working with the producer community to get licensing caught up to the way people make music - and a lot of big and small labels are catching on.

This is taking a community to change. If we team up, there won’t be another lost generation of sampling musicians. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t have to be Kanye or have a Kayne-sized budget to get your tracks distributed legally. And your music shouldn’t be condemned to oblivion, just because you couldn’t navigate the ridiculously complex rules.

Stockholm-based Tracklib, the first service to offer legal, affordable samples at scale, has invited two Spotify veterans to their advisory board.

Petra Hansson joined Spotify in early 2007 from top Swedish law firm Mannheimer Swartling. During her time at Spotify, she served as General Counsel and Head of Business Affairs & Associate General Counsel. After 10 years, she moved on to assist startups and other companies as an advisor and investor.

Niklas Ivarsson has devoted decades to sales and technology, and was the global head of licensing at Spotify for nine years. Now he supports promising startups through advisory roles, board representations and angel investments.

It’s no coincidence that two major players from the Swedish startup that transformed the music industry are teaming up to support another Swedish startup poised to spark its own revolution. “Petra and Niklas have decades of experience between them in the areas that are most vital to us,” says Pär Almqvist, founder and CEO of Tracklib. “We’ve built great relationships with the global music industry over several years, and their insights will be important guides as we move into our next phase of growth.”

This growth promises to accelerate in 2019, as Tracklib quickly adds catalog to its existing offerings, making a large amount of songs available in high-quality file formats for legal sampling. Tracklib customers – music producers in more than 130 countries – can already today easily browse more than 70,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a licence using an easy-to-use category and sample length calculation. No waits, no negotiations, no huge fees. Just great, original music ready for commercial release. “We’re making sample clearance a possibility for everyone,” Almqvist notes.

“Tracklib’s platform makes otherwise complex sample licensing easy for the creative community,” says Hansson. “By doing so, Tracklib not only enables the creation of new music, but also respects and rewards the creators of the original musical works and sound recordings.”

"Collaboration in music will continue to grow and Tracklib's platform will help the creative community to become even more creative, while at the same time making sure that the monetary value is fairly shared between the right copyright owners." agrees Ivarsson.

Ivarsson and Hansson join an already strong group of Tracklib advisors, consisting of industry legends and producers, and including Erick Sermon, Zaytoven, Drumma Boy and Prince Paul. All with first-hand knowledge of the agony and struggle of clearing samples the traditional way. “I think Tracklib will definitely change the way people create music,” enthuses Prince Paul, the legendary producer behind beloved hip hop classics from the likes of De La Soul.

Tracklib is announcing the first major charting hit featuring a sample taken from its extensive library of original music. J. Cole’s “Middle Child” is currently taking US charts by storm and is based on a sample from Reservoir Media Management’s Philly Groove catalog powered by Tracklib. The Swedish company has transformed the way samples are licensed and is built to empower artists and producers to sample easily, legally and cost-effectively.

J. Cole created the track together with multi-platinum producer T-Minus (who’s worked with Drake, Kendrick Lamar, DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, Big Sean and The Weeknd). To get access to exclusive material to sample and get licenses quickly and easily, they turned to Tracklib. On the platform, producers can dig through virtual crates, find gems and in many cases even multi-track versions of songs. For “Middle Child,” T-Minus and Cole sampled the brass section from First Choice’s “Wake Up To Me,” a soul song from 1973, one of the 15 stems available from the song on Tracklib.

“Cole and I found a loop on Tracklib. It was the initial inspiration for the record," says T-Minus about the First Choice stem. “The special thing about having individual tracks is that you can take something that sounds one way in its original body of work, and completely flip it to a different vibe. You can really change the progression of the music that way. It takes sampling to a new level."

“We have a lot of stems and multi-tracks that aren’t available elsewhere,” explains Pär Almqvist, CEO of Tracklib. “The stems offer producers and artists many new possibilities, and for some songs we even have unique alternate takes. The cool thing is that after you sample, you can get a complete sample license in a few clicks for as little as $50.” No need to spend weeks or months to manually seek clearance, it’s all instantly available.

“Middle Child” dropped on a Wednesday evening US time – only to hit #1 on iTunes the next morning and to rack up more than 27 million streams on Spotify in less than a week. The single is currently the most streamed track in the US.

“There has been so much great music that’s never been released, simply because it’s gotten hung up in sample licensing negotiations. There are so many artists who’ve been sued in the past,” Almqvist reflects. “This is terrible for the artists, for fans, and even for rightsholders, whose catalogs can get a serious boost thanks to this kind of discovery by both established and upcoming producers and artists.”

“Artists and producers have no time to have their songs hung up on a sample licensing snag. They need to get their tracks out there now,” says Almqvist. “We’re here to make that happen.”

About Tracklib:

Tracklib is the world’s first and only music service that offers legal and affordable sampling from previously released original music at scale. Music producers can easily browse more than 70,000 tracks and purchase downloads for sampling, then instantly get a license with an easy-to-use category and sample length calculation, for as little as $50. The service launched in 2018 and has already been supported by industry heavyweights such as Questlove, Zaytoven, Bloodshy, Drumma Boy, Prince Paul, and Erick Sermon. www.tracklib.com/

Tracklib has solved one of the music business’ biggest licensing challenges: samples. The backbone of several key, commercially successful musical styles, samples often prove next to impossible to clear with the original recordings’ rights holders--if the right parties can be located. Even when rights holders are open to a deal, the negotiations can drag on for months or years and can result in an impasse and in unreleased potential hits. Artists, producers, and their fans often turn desperately to social media, begging someone, anyone to help them, only to hear crickets.

Tracklib CEO Par Almqvist took this pivotal problem on, diving blithely into an epic struggle to win over a skeptical industry. It started the way most crazy adventures do, with a chat between friends. Almqvist was talking to producer and artist Eric Amarillo, one half of the Swedish house duo The Attic and Tracklib co-founder. Amarillo mentioned how many people wanted to sample his music and how he wished there was a platform that gave instant permission to sample legally, without all the endless back-and-forth traditional licensing negotiations require. Almqvist suggested they build one.

Little did he suspect that it would take five years to bring that cool idea to fruition. Almqvist was used to tough challenges and liked them; he had been a driving force in bringing distributed solar power, and thus electricity, to villages across India. “I often joke that if you’ve been able to bring distributed power to rural India, you just might be ready for a music licensing-based project,” laughs Almqvist.

Almqvist and his team developed a sample licensing model that is refreshingly simple and intuitive. Unlike the opaque and unpredictable negotiations in traditional sampling deals, Tracklib offers licenses by song category (which determines license pricing). Of the three song categories, 90% of Tracklib’s repertoire falls into the least expensive category ($50/license). Rights holders are also given a share of the new track’s revenues, depending on the length of the sample. The best part: Once a user picks a track and pays the appropriate fee, they have the license and can get sampling immediately. Tracklib even offers guidance about how to register the results with a local PRO.

The approach has been embraced by the producer and artist community as an antidote to years of sample licensing-induced misery. Producers like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Zaytoven, and Erick Sermon have supported Tracklib and its growing community of users. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment all my life,” enthuses producer and musical mastermind Questlove. “Someone sees it!”

Artists weren’t the only ones who needed to see the value. Other important stakeholders, especially publishers and labels, had to get on board. As Tracklib brought independent publishers and labels’ catalog into its system, however, Tracklib got big enough and popular enough to persuade industry skeptics and heavyweights. “This will change the music industry in more ways than anyone could ever imagine,” Tom Silverman, Tracklib partner and founder of Tommy Boy Records, states.

The complexity of the licensing and royalties landscape made persuasion necessary. The dual copyrights related to each recorded work, the entrenched and glacial systems that manage them, the intense distrust of digital formats and sampling meant Tracklib had a series of deep-seated challenges to tackle. Almqvist and his team knew they needed all their licensing ducks in a row before opening the service to the public. “We are probably the only music service ever that was fully licensed at launch,” says Almqvist proudly.

To clear that bar required a whole new way of dealing with one of the thorniest issues in music today: cleaning and matching data to ensure proper royalty payouts. “We assume that the data we’re getting from publishers and labels may be incorrect as a matter of course,” explains Almqvist. “We’ve made it our standard practice to double and triple-check against various databases, as well as conducting our own research, to be absolutely sure.” In a world where everyone everywhere listens to (and sample everything), where a decades-old recording of a Soviet chorus or rare Chinese folk song can make it into a viral rap hit as a sample, this data sleuthing and cross-checking has vital importance. Tracklib has developed proprietary systems and technology to accomplish this because “everything else out there left something to be desired,” notes Almqvist.

Tracklib is the revolutionary response to the automation of sample clearances with their brilliant digital crate of music to dig through, making sampling easier, more accessible and affordable, enthuses Deborah Mannis-Gardner, licensing expert, who’s cleared samples for Drake, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar (among many others), and Tracklib partner. “It’s one-stop shopping for samples: Buy it! License it ! Release it!”