Top 21 music startups you must know in 2024

What are music startups?

Music startups are using the latest technology to innovate the way we listen, distribute,  create, and understand music.

Top music startups

Complete list of the best music startups that are worth knowing:

Vampr

Founded in 2014, Vampr designed engagement features connecting artists seeking complementary talent and opportunities. With over one million members, creatives network by location, skills and project needs like songwriters, guitarists or mixing engineers. Profiles allow sharing works-in-progress privately first.

Vampr accelerates innovation by systematically removing barriers. Unique bonding sparks more art exceeding individual means. By organizing intent city-by-city online, serendipity propagates faster. Opportunity concentrates where creators circulate.

OneOf

Launched in 2020, OneOf uses blockchain technology to let artists generate NFTs like songs, artwork, videos, and more. Fans can then buy limited edition certified digital collectibles.

OneOf facilitates direct artist-fan engagement and community building. By removing barriers, they aim to make web3 accessible for all music creators and supporters.

AlphaBeats

Founded in 2017, AlphaBeats uses EEG brainwave data to gauge stress and anxiety. Their library of clinically-tested music is then tuned to induce relaxation.

The app aims to provide immersive musical experiences that lower stress and improve sleep. AlphaBeats quantifies the impact through brain and biometrics tracking.

Q Department

Founded in 2013, Q Department crafts custom soundscapes ranging from sweeping cinematic scores to subtle ambient backgrounds. Their composers and engineers bring scenes to life through evocative audio.

Q Department provides an end-to-end audio solution tailored to each project’s visual narrative. For productions needing high-impact sound, their team consistently delivers.

Riyaz

Launched in 2019, Riyaz leverages machine learning to analyze and score singing pitch, tone, rhythm and more. Users get real-time feedback to refine their skills. Courses guide beginners through vocal training.

Riyaz aims to make quality instruction and practice accessible anytime, anywhere. The app’s personalized feedback targets areas needing improvement.

Epidemic

Founded in 2009, Epidemic provides a catalog of high-quality background music and sound effects. Users can search genres and moods to find the perfect custom track.

The music is licensed on a subscription basis for commercial or personal use. By providing an affordable music resource, Epidemic aims to make professional audio easily accessible. For content creators needing polished music, Epidemic delivers convenience and choice.

Corite

Launched in 2017, Corite aims to showcase rising talent and help independents build audiences. Listeners discover new artists while their subscription fees directly support creators.

Corite offers an extensive catalog of indie music across genres. Playlists and recommendations help connect the right fans with each artist. By facilitating discovery, Corite empowers independent musician success.

Heir Apparent

Launched in 2021, Heir Apparent aims to help emerging musicians gain fans. Artists create profiles and share their songs, videos, and news updates. Fans can follow their favorite acts and get notified when they release new content.The app facilitates fan engagement through exclusive artist commentary, contests, and livestreams.

By offering tools to cultivate audiences, Heir Apparent empowers indie artists with solutions tailored to their needs.For unsigned talent, Heir Apparent delivers core exposure-building capabilities.

Audius

Launched in 2018, Audius lets artists share songs, get paid directly, and maintain full ownership rights. Fans can discover emerging talent, interact with creators, and get rewards for participation.

By operating on blockchain, Audius facilitates community-driven music discovery and compensation. Artists retain autonomy while tapping into crypto-enabled revenue streams.

BeatBread

Founded in 2020, BeatBread’s online studio environment supports co-producing songs and tracks. Artists can share ideas, record parts, and provide feedback seamlessly.

The platform synchronizes workflows regardless of location. By removing geographic barriers, BeatBread aims to make collaboration easier at every stage of music creation.

Songtradr

Launched in 2014, Songtradr opens new monetization avenues for artists through B2B music licensing. Musicians and rights holders can showcase their catalogs to potential commercial partners.

Businesses can search for the perfect music for campaigns, content, and productions. By streamlining licensing, Songtradr generates incremental value from music assets.

Podimo

Launched in 2019, Podimo aims to help podcasters monetize their work while retaining creative freedom. The platform handles hosting, distribution, and subscription payments. Creators keep 85% of earnings.

For as little as $2-3 per month, fans support hosts directly and access member-only episodes. By enabling paid content, Podimo opens new revenue streams for indie podcasts.

Yousician

Founded in 2011, Yousician uses audio recognition to listen and score a user’s playing in real time. The app then makes personalized recommendations to advance skills. Courses are available for guitar, piano, ukulele, bass and singing.

Yousician aims to make learning engaging and efficient through technology. By combining instruction with accountability, the platform trains technique and theory. Yousician offers premium subscriptions without ads or limits.

Freshsound

Launched in 2020, Freshsound offers a library of high-quality background music for content creators. Users can browse genres and preview clips to find the perfect track.

Licensing is simple and affordable on a subscription basis. By streamlining access, Freshsound makes professional audio easily available to individuals and businesses.

Soundboks

Founded in 2013, Soundboks designed a Bluetooth speaker meant for outdoor use and travel. The waterproof, rugged unit delivers 126 decibels of room-filling audio. Battery life reaches 30+ hours.

Soundboks caters to users with active lifestyles whether at the beach, camping, or on the go. For parties and events, it provides concert-level immersive sound through a transportable unit.

Acast

Founded in 2014, Acast offers podcast creation, ad insertion, tracking, optimization, and distribution tools. Creators can publish professional shows while generating revenue. Listeners access content across platforms.

By centralizing workflows, Acast aims to simplify podcast operations for both talent and audiences. Their analytics and monetization capabilities empower audio producers with solutions tailored to their needs.

Auddy

Founded in 2021, Auddy enables creators to produce and manage shows while maximizing reach and revenue. Key features include built-in sponsorship capabilities, custom websites, and listener data insights.

For enterprise clients like brands and media companies, Auddy provides the infrastructure to launch shows aligned with business goals. The end-to-end solution aims to make podcasting simple and effective.

NumberEigh

Founded in 2018, NumberEight’s algorithms leverage device sensors like GPS, cameras, microphones to discern real-world context. This enables relevant notification timing, interface adaptation, and personalized content.

The software runs fully offline protecting privacy. By deducing situational context, NumberEight aims to enhance the mobile experience with speed and intelligence.

PodMe

Launched in 2019, PodMe allows podcasters to share new episodes with fans before public release. Listeners can discover and preview upcoming episodes from top shows.

Creators can also get feedback to inform edits ahead of launch. By enabling early drops, PodMe gives fans a coveted first listen while engaging their input.

USound

Founded in 2012, USound designs miniature speakers and other audio components optimized for size and power efficiency. Their ultrathin speakers deliver robust sound in a form factor under 2mm thick.

USound also produces audio processors and software to enhance the listening experience. By reimagining audio hardware for mobility, the company aims to enable rich, immersive sound anywhere.

Viberate

Launched in 2017, Viberate provides profiles of musicians, DJs, and other talent. Users can browse performance schedules, discographies, contact info, and real-time charts.

By centralizing music data points, Viberate fosters discovery and collaboration within the industry. Artists unlock promotion and booking opportunities. For fans and professionals alike, Viberate illuminates the musical landscape.

Conclusion

The music industry has entered a new era driven by advanced technologies like AI, streaming platforms , NFTs etc. The 2020s will likely see established practices challenged and reinvented by creative music startups. Music creation, distribution, and consumption may be almost unrecognizable compared to previous decades.