The Deals: BeatStars Strikes ‘Ethically-Sourced’ AI Partnership; Insomniac Parties With Emo Night

Beats marketplace BeatStars signed a partnership deal with AI music startup Lemonaide that will make “ethically-sourced AI” available to music creators to help them write and produce new works. Lemonaide’s AI technology “purposefully generates short musical ideas to spark inspiration, push creative boundaries, and pull artists out of their creative slump,” according to a press release. The companies claim the AI is “trained exclusively on voluntarily contributed data from producers” to ensure proper compensation for and active participation by those whose musical works are used.

Music festival and live events promoter Insomniac and music and lifestyle brand Emo Nite announced a partnership that will encompass projects ranging from events to music to apparel. First up is the launch of Grave Rave, a new event series coming to Los Angeles in December that will feature “both legendary and emerging bands and DJs…fusing the sounds of electronic music with the melodies of the emo, pop-punk, and rock genres,” according to a press release. A preview party for the series will be held on August 26 at Insomniac’s Academy LA venue with a surprise lineup of DJs who “built their careers on pop-punk/alternative/emo influences,” the press release adds. The two companies have also teamed for the launch of a new record label, Graveboy Records, with forthcoming single releases by We The Kings, Say Anything and Noelle Sucks. The first collection of Insomniac x Emo Nite merch will also debut at HARD Summer 2023.

Atlanta-based record label and management company Love Renaissance (LVRN) will utilize music streaming and discovery platform Audiomack‘s proprietary ArtistRank system to discover and develop emerging musicians under a new partnership. According to a press release, ArtistRank “allows partners to identify better when an artist is building a lasting fanbase, differentiating itself from other analytical tools by emphasizing engagement metrics rather than solely through play growth.” It provides detailed analytics on fan demographics as well as predictive data that analyzes an artist’s potential growth trajectory.

NetEase Cloud Music formed a partnership with leading Chinese music and entertainment company RYCE Entertainment that will see the companies extend their previous agreement while also giving NetEase access to an expanded portfolio of RYCE’s music catalog in China, with 30-day initial launch rights to distribute new additions to the catalog. The companies will additionally team up to promote RYCE artists and music in China. RYCE’s catalog includes works by Jackson Wang, Amber Liu and Tablo, among many others.

NLess Entertainment co-founders Zach “Z-Bo” Randolph (a former NBA star) and Marcus “Head” Howell are leading a funding round for Connect Music Group, a Black-owned Memphis music company that offers tools and resources to help independent musicians build successful careers while retaining ownership of their masters. Along with fellow investor Richard W. Smith, CEO of airline and international at FedEx, Randolph and Howell recently hosted an investor event to raise capital for Connect. The amount of the funding round is unknown.

MNRK partnered with New York industry workshop Steel Sessions — based in downtown recording studio The Engine Room — along with its producers Francis “Buda Da Future” Ubiera, Dan “Grandz Muzik” Garcia and Michael “Mike Kuz” Kuzoian. Under the deal, Ubiera, Garcia and Kuzoian will develop artists in the studio to eventually sign them to MNRK while also providing production services for MNRK Urban’s frontline releases, lo-fi instrumental albums, brand partnerships, soundtracks and artist synchs.

Deezer renewed its partnership with French telecoms provider Orange which was first struck in 2010. Under the deal, Orange customers will continue to have access to the Deezer streaming service. In celebration of the renewal, Deezer and Orange will offer six months of Deezer Premium for free to new customers who subscribe to a “Plus que forfait” plan.

Don McLennon, formerly of Brockhampton, has partnered with Nashville-based music tech company Artiphon to release his new track, “Halcyon,” exclusively via the company’s handheld smart instruments, Orba 2 and Chorda. Utilizing stems, Artiphon and McLennon will offer fans the ability to remix the track without any prior musical skill.