SourceAudio

What SourceAudio does

SourceAudio is a cloud-based music licensing marketplace and CMS that connects music rights holders (publishers, labels, libraries, composers) with music buyers (broadcast networks, streaming platforms, agencies, content creators) for sync, broadcast, digital, and AI training use cases. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the platform hosts more than 37 million songs from over 111,000 publishers and 505,000 writers, serving 140+ broadcast/streaming networks, 2,500+ U.S. radio stations, and 320+ actively monitored TV and radio stations. Its core product, Catalog Manager, functions as a white-label music CMS with integrated e-commerce, YouTube Content ID, global publishing administration, broadcast monitoring (SA Detect watermarking), and file delivery to third-party platforms including DSPs and YouTube Shorts.

The technology stack combines proprietary AI with select third-party models: Artemis AI for natural language search, generative metadata tagging, and an AI Playlist Generator are first-party; Sonic Search leverages Cyanite.ai's similarity engine; and stem separation is delivered through a Music.AI integration. Distribution is extended through embedded integrations with Adobe Premiere/Audition and Native Instruments, plus a public API for programmatic access. Pricing spans a $29/month self-serve entry tier with a 30-day free trial through custom enterprise contracts; e-commerce, file delivery, and AI metadata tagging were made free for all Catalog Manager sites in 2024 to drive adoption.

The revenue model is diversified across SaaS subscriptions, e-commerce transaction fees, YouTube Content ID revenue sharing, per-track broadcast monitoring fees, DSP distribution, and — most recently — an AI Dataset Licensing Marketplace launched in June 2025 that generated $1.35M in new ARR for rightsholders in May 2025 with $119M+ in additional pipeline deals. The company is privately held (legal entity SourceAudio Holdings LLC), appears founder/management-owned with no disclosed institutional backing, and operates with a small team (11–50 employees).

Name

SourceAudio

Legal name

SourceAudio Holdings LLC

Website

https://sourceaudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SourceAudio is a cloud-based music licensing marketplace and CMS connecting publishers and labels with broadcast networks, streaming platforms, agencies, and AI companies. It hosts 37M+ songs, serves 140+ broadcast/streaming networks, and operates an AI dataset licensing marketplace for rights-cleared training data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Licensing Platform

akta.pro primary industry

Music & Audio Streaming Platforms (BPAMAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Recognition, Lyrics & Metadata Platforms (MPAIADAK), Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG), Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM)

Keywords

• Music licensing platform
• Music catalog management
• Sync licensing marketplace
• Broadcast music monitoring
• AI music search

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Palos Verdes

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription: Monthly subscription plans for catalog managers, labels, and publishers to host, manage, and license their music. Pricing tiers based on features and track counts.
2. E-Commerce Licensing: Transaction-based licensing fees for music sync rights, digital downloads, and direct music purchases. Integrated with PayPal and Braintree payment processing.
3. YouTube Content ID: Revenue sharing from YouTube advertising on videos containing registered music through Content ID system. Includes micro-licensing for claims offenders and YouTube Shorts library inclusion.
4. AI Dataset Licensing Marketplace: New revenue stream from licensing music catalogs to AI companies for training data. Generated $1.35M in new ARR for rightsholders in May 2025. Curated datasets of 500K to 5M+ tracks with quarterly payouts and minimum guarantees of $0.75/song/quarter.
5. Broadcast Monitoring (SA Detect): Monthly subscription per hosted track for watermarking and TV broadcast detection services
6. DSP Distribution: Direct distribution to digital service platforms

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SourceAudio is a cloud-based music licensing platform and marketplace that enables music publishers, labels, libraries, and composers to host, manage, search, distribute, and monetize their audio catalogs. The platform combines a music CMS with AI-powered search (Artemis, Sonic Search), broadcast monitoring (SA Detect watermarking), YouTube Content ID, e-commerce licensing, publishing administration, and an AI dataset licensing marketplace, connecting music rightsholders with broadcast networks, streaming platforms, advertising agencies, and AI companies at scale.

Product overview

SourceAudio is a cloud-based music licensing platform and marketplace operating as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core platform (Catalog Manager) serves as a best-in-class music CMS for publishers, labels, and composers to manage, search, distribute, and monetize audio assets. Key products include: Music Supervisor Pro for content buyers to discover and license music; Broadcast Solutions serving 140+ TV/streaming networks and 320+ radio stations; SA Detect for broadcast monitoring via audio watermarking; YouTube Content ID for YouTube royalty claims; Global Publishing Admin for international royalty collection; E-Commerce for digital storefront licensing; and the AI Dataset Licensing Marketplace for AI training data licensing. AI-powered features include Artemis natural language search, Sonic Search (audio similarity via Cyanite.ai), Generative Metadata tagging, AI Playlist generation, AI artwork creation, and Stem Separation (via Music.AI). Additional modules include Brief Inbox for licensing workflows, SourceAudio Agents for workspace-to-workspace delivery, Works Management for PRO registration, and Third-Party File Delivery for external platform distribution. The SourceAudio API enables programmatic access for developers. The platform hosts over 27 million songs from diverse production music libraries, indies, and major publishers with direct access to 2,500+ U.S. radio stations and platforms like YouTube Shorts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catalog Manager Cloud-based music CMS for music publishers, libraries, labels, and composers to manage their entire catalog with total control over settings, style, and user access. Provides integrated access to downstream opportunities including YouTube Content ID, broadcast monitoring, and sync licensing.
• Music Supervisor Pro Curated catalog selection with AI search tools and direct connectivity to music publishers, designed for music supervisors and content creators to find and license music efficiently.
• Broadcast Solutions Full suite of tools built specifically for broadcast networks and streaming platforms. Includes monitoring, cue sheet automation, and licensing integration. Served to 140+ broadcast/streaming networks and 320+ TV & Radio stations.
• SA Detect Broadcast Monitoring Standalone broadcast monitoring and watermarking service using audio watermarking technology (not fingerprinting) for accurate music detection on TV. Distinguishes music used in programs vs. advertising. Monitors 320+ TV and Radio stations and reports on music usage. Pricing is per hosted track per month.
• YouTube Content ID YouTube Content ID integration for registering musical works, claiming advertising revenue on videos containing music, and managing claims. Includes automatic whitelisting for subscribers, micro-licensing for claims offenders, and YouTube Shorts library inclusion.
• Global Publishing Admin (SourceAudio Collect) Publishing administration service for collecting and managing international publishing royalties. Part of the royalty and income support suite alongside TV monitoring and radio monitoring.
• E-Commerce Licensing Digital storefront for synchronized music licensing and digital downloads. Supports PayPal, Braintree Merchant Services, and all major currencies. Free for all Catalog Manager sites as of June 2024.
• AI Dataset Licensing Marketplace First scalable, fully cleared AI dataset licensing marketplace offering over 14 million fully cleared tracks, 3 million sound effects, and 200 sampled instruments to AI companies on an opt-in basis. Generates revenue for rightsholders with quarterly payouts and minimum guarantees of $0.75 per song per quarter.
• SourceAudio API Public API for automating track imports, track searches, and Sonic Search. Token-based authentication with managed access tokens. Provides programmatic access to workspace management, track metadata, music licensing, and delivery features for developer integrations.
• Generative Metadata Tagging AI-powered metadata tagging that generates rich, descriptive metadata (genre, mood, tempo, style tags) for music catalogs. First 20 songs free on self-serve. Auto-updates to continually improve over time. Replaces manual tagging workflows.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1.35M+ new ARR generated for artists and publishers in May 2025 from AI dataset licensing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability11 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Native InstrumentscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Partnership brings SourceAudio into one of the most widely used music-creation ecosystems in the world, aiming to reduce friction in music licensing workflow for Native Instruments users.
• Musical AIcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Musical AI, an attribution and rights management platform for generative AI, partnered with SourceAudio as an audio rightsholder. SourceAudio catalogs can participate in Musical AI's licensing marketplace enabling AI companies to license content with proper attribution to creators.
• Symphonic DistributioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Symphonic Distribution artists and labels can now opt into SourceAudio's AI music dataset licensing marketplace, opening new revenue streams through AI training data licensing.
• Music.AIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2024Music.AI partnership brings AI-powered stem separation directly to the SourceAudio platform, allowing users to create broadcast-quality instrumentals and stems with unmatched precision.
• Adobe Premiere/AuditioncoreTechnology or IntegrationSourceAudio Adobe extension for Premiere and Audition allows users with SSO or Alpha/Premiere Networks accounts to access music directly within their editing workflow.
• Pro Sound EffectscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPro Sound Effects partnered with Musical AI's attribution platform through SourceAudio's AI dataset licensing marketplace for audio rights management.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Epidemic Sound: Subscription-based music licensing platform providing cleared music for content creators, brands, and agencies. Directly comparable as a music rights and licensing marketplace serving overlapping creator and brand buyer segments, though Epidemic Sound owns its catalog rather than hosting third-party publishers.
• Artlist: Subscription music and sound effects licensing platform for video creators and filmmakers. Comparable business model around cleared music licensing for content production, with overlapping buyer segments (content creators, agencies, brands) and a similar platform-plus-marketplace structure.
• Musicbed: Sync licensing marketplace connecting filmmakers and brands with independent musicians and composers. Highly comparable in serving the sync licensing workflow for film, TV, and advertising — directly competing for music supervisor and content creator budgets with similar curated catalog positioning.
• Songtrust: Music publishing administration service collecting global royalties for songwriters and publishers. Comparable overlap with SourceAudio's Global Publishing Admin offering, serving the same music publisher and songwriter customer segment with rights administration and royalty collection.
• BMAT: Music identification and content matching technology provider serving broadcasters, rights organizations, and DSPs. Directly competes with SourceAudio's SA Detect broadcast monitoring offering using audio fingerprinting for TV/radio detection, with overlapping broadcast and rights organization customer base.
• Audible Magic: Audio fingerprinting and content identification platform serving UGC platforms, broadcasters, and rights holders. Comparable technology stack to SourceAudio's SA Detect (audio identification for rights enforcement), serving overlapping music rights customers with broadcast and platform monitoring solutions.
• Audio Network: Production music library licensing original music for film, TV, advertising, and broadcast. Comparable as a sync licensing platform serving the same broadcast and content creator buyer segments, with curated production music catalogs competing for similar licensing budgets.

Emerging players

• Splice: Music creation platform offering samples, loops, and sound content with creator-focused licensing. Comparable at the intersection of music metadata, AI tools, and creator workflow — increasingly overlapping with SourceAudio's AI metadata and search features as it expands beyond sample licensing into broader creator tooling.

Broad incumbents

• Gracenote: Music metadata, identification, and content recognition provider (owned by Nielsen) serving broadcasters, streaming platforms, and consumer electronics. Broader incumbent competing with SourceAudio's metadata, broadcast monitoring, and music recognition capabilities as part of a much wider data and metadata portfolio.
• Kobalt Music Group: Independent music publisher and rights administration platform offering publishing, neighboring rights, and creative services. Comparable in music publishing administration and royalty collection (overlap with SourceAudio's Global Publishing Admin), operating at much larger scale across recorded music and publishing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sourceaudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/158459084192047

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SourceAudio