MBW’s Stat Of The Week is a series in which we highlight a data point that deserves the attention of the global music industry. Stat Of the Week is supported by music data analytics firm Chartmetric.
In December, MBW’s Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner Meng Ru Kuok told us that he predicts there will be 1 billion music creators “by 2030, potentially even sooner”.
Meng, founder and CEO of Singapore-based Caldecott Music Group (home to NME Networks, Vista Musical Instruments, plus music tech company BandLab Technologies and its flagship music-making platform, BandLab) is arguably well-placed to make that prediction.
The BandLab app has its own global registered user base of over 60 million music creators, and Meng also revealed at the end of 2022 that BandLab’s global community of 60 million-plus users are cumulatively generating around 17 million new tracks each month.
One of those BandLab users, an artist called d4vd, just reached a significant milestone with a track produced using BandLab’s free iOS app.
d4vd has racked up more than 1 billion streams on Spotify with his down-beat lo-fi indie track, Romantic Homicide.
According to Chartmetric data analyzed by MBW, the track has been streamed over 43.3 million times on Spotify in the past month.
We told you about d4vd (real name: David Burke) last February, and explained how he had used BandLab’s free mobile app in July 2022 to record Romantic Homicide – in his sister’s closet.
To record the track, Burke used a vocal signal chain recorded via a stock BandLab fx preset.
He then used BandLab’s free algorithmic/automated mastering service – BandLab Mastering – to finish the track.
He initially started making music on BandLab in 2021 to produce his own soundtracks for his Fortnite gameplay videos (to avoid having videos taken down for copyright violations).
Burke started uploading his tracks to TikTok and built up a sizeable audience on the platform by the summer of 2022. In July of that year, he released Romantic Homicide, via DistroKid.
The track went viral on TikTok by September 2022, and led to d4vd signing to major label powerhouse Interscope/Darkroom, home of Billie Eilish.
Romantic Homicide peaked at No.33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.22 on the Official UK Singles Chart.
“We’re proud that an artist’s journey can begin with us and lead to global success,” said BandLab Technologies CEO & Co-founder Meng Ru Kuok, commenting on the news of d4vd joining Spotify’s ‘Billions Club’.
“We’re proud that an artist’s journey can begin with us and lead to global success. This milestone is a clear indication that the future is here, and it’s open to everyone.”
Meng Ru Kuok, BandLab Technologies
He added: “BandLab is not just a tool, but an ecosystem nurturing the next generation of artists.
“This milestone is a clear indication that the future is here, and it’s open to everyone.”
BandLab, partly built on AI-driven tech, claims to be “the world’s largest social music creation platform”.
In May 2023, BandLab’s parent company, BandLab Technologies secured $25 million in a Series B1 funding round that raised the company’s valuation to $425 million post-money.
BandLab also runs an AI-powered tool called SongStarter that allows users to generate musical “ideas”, including beats, melodies, and chord progressions, that can then be built upon via the main BandLab platform.
In August, BandLab became the first music creation platform to support the Human Artistry Campaign, which aims to defend the ‘irreplaceable role of human artistry’ and promote the use of ‘ethical’ AI.
At the time, BandLab said that it had seen 15X growth in the amount of music being created using its AI tools.
In October, BandLab partnered with the world’s largest music rightsholder, Universal Music Group (UMG), on what they called “an expansive, industry-first strategic relationship concentrated on artificial intelligence”.
According to UMG, the partnership will be “centered on empowering the next generation of artists, including within BandLab’s global community”.
BandLab has also been expanding its suite of creator tools in recent months. In November, for example, BandLab launched a distribution service in partnership with FUGA for its users to upload their music straight to streaming services.
And in January, it launched a licensing service for its users to make their songs eligible to be used in TV, films, games and advertising.
At the beginning of March, BandLab launched ‘Backstage Pass’, described as “an early-access, experimental program” for new creator tools and social features.
BandLab called d4vd’s 1 billion Spotify stream accomplishment “more than just a milestone” for the artist, but rather “a striking demonstration of BandLab‘s impactful and accessible tools”.
BandLab also said that the milestone “illustrates a shift in the music landscape, proving that innovative, user-friendly platforms are reshaping how music is made and discovered”.
Added BandLab: “We are in a time where you no longer need access to professional studios or high-end gear to make a song that ends up nestled in the Spotify “Billions Club,” right next to Olivia Rodrigo and Beyoncé.”
Chartmetric is the all-in-one platform for artists and music industry professionals, providing comprehensive streaming, social, and audience data for everyone to create successful careers in music.Music Business Worldwide
