{{Short description|Digital music distribution company}} {{distinguish|Amuse Inc.}} {{Infobox company | name = Amuse | logo = Amuseio AB.png | type = Music company | industry = Music Industry | founded = {{Start date and age|2015}} in Stockholm, Sweden | founders = {{Unbulleted list|Diego Farias| Andreas Ahlenius|Christian Wilsson|Jimmy Brodd|Guy Parry}} | hq_location_city = Stockholm | hq_location_country = Sweden | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Giorgio D'Ambrosio, CEO | revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|24 million|link=yes}} (2023) | website = {{URL|amuse.io}} }} '''Amuseio AB''', doing business as '''Amuse''', is a global music company offering digital music distribution, funding and artist services to artists and managements, enabling them to stay independent while growing their careers. The company was founded as a modern alternative to major record labels in 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden by entrepreneurs Diego Farias, Andreas Ahlenius, Christian Wilsson, Guy Parry, and Jimmy Brodd. Amuse is based in Stockholm, Sweden, with offices in London, UK and New York, US. In 2024, Giorgio D'Ambrosio was appointed interim CEO of the company.
== Business model == Amuse's proprietary technology platform uses the streaming data from digital music services to partner with independent artists with momentum.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=O'Hear |first=Steve |date=2018-05-22 |title=Amuse scores $15.5M for its free music distribution service and 'next gen' record label |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/22/amuse/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> When the company discovers music it can help grow, Amuse's Artist & Label Services team can offer artists a tailor made licensing deal, including services like funding, artist marketing and rights management, in return of a revenue split. The licensing deal means that artists remain in control of master rights.
Amuse's self-service digital distribution service lets any self-releasing and independent artists release and monetize their music, through all major streaming services. Amuse offers three subscription tiers for self-service music distribution - Artist, Artist Plus and Professional<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amuse Plans |url=https://www.amuse.io/en/pricing |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=amuse |language=en-us}}</ref> - as well as connected services such as automated royalty advances,<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |last=Wang |first=Amy X. |date=2019-02-05 |title=A Music Startup Is Paying Artists For Their Future Royalties |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/amuse-music-startup-future-royalties-786154/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> AI mastering<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Stream |first=Platform & |date=2023-08-23 |title=Amuse Launches 'Master Your Music' |url=https://medium.com/platform-stream/amuse-launches-master-your-music-2f49631d5701 |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=Platform & Stream |language=en}}</ref> and music performance insights.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Music Biz Member Amuse Launches New Music Insights Service To Empower Artists With In-Depth Data |url=https://musicbiz.org/news/music-biz-member-amuse-launches-new-music-insights-service-to-empower-artists-with-in-depth-data/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=Music Business Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
== History == Amuse was founded in 2015 by Diego Farias, Andreas Ahlenius, Christian Wilsson, Guy Parry, and Jimmy Brodd, with the ambition to redefine artist discovery and record label deals. The first Amuse iOS and Android digital distribution application was released in March 2017, allowing anyone to self-release and manage their music catalog straight from their smartphone.<ref name=":0" /> In June 2017, American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, record producer, voice actor and philanthropist will.i.am joined the company's list of co-founders.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7950298/william-amuse-startup-mobile-record-label-interview|title=Will.i.am Joins 'Mobile Record Label' Startup Amuse, Talks 'Defining a New Type of Record Industry'|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Later on in May 2018 Amuse raised $15,5M USD in series A funding round led by venture capital firms Lakestar and Raine Ventures.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-22 |title=Swedish startup Amuse closes $15.5m funding round |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/swedish-startup-amuse-closes-15-5m-funding-round/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2019 the company launched Fast Forward<ref name=":1" /> - an automated royalty advance service for self-releasing artists.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/amuse-now-offers-ai-driven-royalty-advance-money-to-independent-artists/|title=Amuse to pay AI-driven royalty advance money to independent artists|date=February 5, 2019|website=Music Business Worldwide}}</ref>
In the end of 2018, Lil Nas X uploaded his song Old Town Road through Amuse. According to former CEO Diego Farias, he had previously uploaded several tracks which had not gained much attention. However, in the beginning of 2019 the company could see, through their algorithms, that Old Town Road was doing extremely well, and so they offered the artist a deal. Lil Nas X later on chose to sign a deal with Columbia Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/lil-nas-x-rejected-a-1-million-plus-deal-with-amuse-before-signing-to-columbia-records/|title=Lil Nas X rejected a $1 million-plus deal with Amuse before signing to Columbia Records|date=June 4, 2019|website=Music Business Worldwide}}</ref> The song Old Town Road, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, ended up becoming one of the most prized songs in the history of Billboard Hot 100, as it spent record-breaking 19 weeks at No.1.
By 2023, Amuse was a top 5 DIY digital music distribution service worldwide, in terms of release volume.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nylin |first=Lars |date=2023-12-19 |title=4 Snabba: Roshi Motman, VD Amuse |url=https://www.musikindustrin.se/2023/12/19/4-snabba-roshi-motman-vd-amuse/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=Musikindustrin |language=sv-SE}}</ref> They also had five of the ten most streamed songs on Spotify in Sweden and launched Music Insights, providing distribution users with granular statistics about their music performance, including user-generated content from YouTube and TikTok.<ref name=":3" /> "Master Your Music", a new AI release mastering service, was launched in July 2023 through a collaboration with the Norwegian startup Masterchannel, used by artists like Ane Brun and Skinny Days (producers for Tiësto, Alan Walker and Seeb).<ref name=":2" />
== Operations ==
Amuse has two main operations - digital music distribution and licensing of music. Their offering stretches across a range of services for independent artists, from an open digital music distribution platform to artist services, marketing and funding.
Amuse's label works with a selection of licensed artists, like US indie pop/rock acts Yot Club, Emei, The Walters, Penelope Scott, Stela Cole, Vundabar, Hotel Ugly, Bedroom and Mind's Eye, UK Drill phenomena Fumez the Engineer, Canadian rap/R&B artist 80purppp and Turkish chill trap artist Serhat Durmus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Label |url=https://www.amuse.io/en/record-label/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=amuse |language=en-us}}</ref> In early 2024, Amuse celebrated that Hotel Ugly and Yot Club had both surpassed 1 billion streams during their partnership with Amuse.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Major |first=Michael |title=Indie Phenomenon Yot Club Surpasses 1 Billion Streams Since Partnership |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Indie-Phenomenon-Yot-Club-Surpasses-1-Billion-Streams-Since-Partnership-20240124 |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> The label has received a series of US, Canadian and UK Platinum certifications for licensed artists, as well as US, Canadian and UK Gold certifications.
The data-driven royalty advance service Fast Forward that was officially launched in April 2019, utilises machine learning to calculate and offer users up to six months of their upcoming royalties through the Amuse smartphone application. The service is very scalable and able to offer artists advances between US$10 up to thousands of USD.<ref name="auto">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/amuse-music-startup-future-royalties-786154/|title=A Music Startup Is Paying Artists For Their Future Royalties|first1=Amy X.|last1=Wang|magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 5, 2019}}</ref>
== Financials ==
Amuseio AB is based in Sweden and is required to release their financials. In 2023 they had a gross revenue of $24M USD and made $1.2M USD loss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amuseio AB i Stockholm (559036-7016) - Merinfo.se |url=https://www.allabolag.se/foretag/amuseio-ab/stockholm/datautveckling-systemutveckling-programutveckling/2KGCYSOI5YDOJ |access-date=2020-09-23 |website=www.merinfo.se}}</ref>
== Associated artists == {{Div col}} * Yot Club * Vundabar * The Walters * Emei * Stela Cole * 80purppp * Melvitto * Lil Nas X * Yasin * Lil Tecca * Kite * Asme * Håkan Hellström * 1.Cuz * Bedroom * Mind's Eye * Julie * Sad And Insane * Ryan Mack * Serhat Durmus * Sarettii * yuji * awfultune * Fumez the Engineer * Skinny Atlas * ChilledCow * Shakka * Lil Chainz * Georgia Ku * Albin Myers * Fricky * Moonica Mac * Sean Slick {{Div col end}}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.amuse.io/en/}}
{{Music digital distribution platforms}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Music production companies Category:Companies based in Stockholm Category:Online music stores of Sweden Category:Digital audio distributors Category:Swedish companies established in 2015 Category:Internet properties established in 2015 Category:Entertainment companies established in 2015 Category:Mass media companies established in 2015