Chordal
Chordal operates a two-sided music licensing network connecting rights holders with music supervisors and content platforms through its patent-pending InstantClear pre-clearance technology, enabling instant sync licensing of fractionally-owned commercial songs worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Chordal does
Chordal is a Los Angeles-based music rights technology company, founded in 2019, that operates a two-sided licensing network connecting music rights holders (publishers, labels, distributors, and independent rights holders) with music supervisors and content companies (streamers, networks, agencies, sports leagues, brands). The company's core technology is InstantClear™, a patent-pending pre-clearance licensing system that addresses the structural problem of fractional music ownership by verifying 100% of master and publishing rights, generating enforceable legal paper trails, and automating simultaneous fractional payouts to multiple rights holders in a single transaction. Supporting technology includes the SonoChordal AI metadata engine (19+ dimensions of creative tagging), a Smart AI Search combining audio, lyrical, rights, and commercial recognizability signals, an AudioShake-powered stem separation and lyric transcription pipeline, and a Commercial Recognizability Score (0-1000) for catalog valuation.
Chordal monetizes through tiered subscriptions across two main customer lines plus an API product. Music supervisors and content companies pay $0 (Community, up to 1,000 tracks) or $9.99/user/month (Premium, up to 20,000 tracks). Music companies (publishers, labels, distributors) pay $149.99-$349.99/month depending on seat count, with custom Enterprise pricing for 150+ employees. The InstantClear Licensing API (api.chordal.com) offers Starter (free + revenue share), Launch ($99.99/month + revenue share with AI metadata), and Enterprise ($99.99/month + revenue share with white-label, dedicated partner success, and co-branded GTM). Additional revenue comes from transaction-level license fees on sync deals flowing through the platform and performance-based revenue share with platforms and artists. The go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales combined with an API-first white-label channel and an invite-only professional network that drives word-of-mouth adoption.
The platform's adoption signals include over 205,324 clearances and 5,393 fractional payouts to date, named rights-holder integrations with Kobalt (1M+ songs), Reservoir, Believe, PIAS, Sentric, AWAL, Nettwerk, Primary Wave, and Erased Tapes, and named licensees including TikTok, Netflix, Condé Nast, Droga5, and Volvo. Chordal is expanding internationally (21 new rightsholder partners added in June 2026 across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, India, and the US), developing a coming-soon product for artists/songwriters/managers, and pursuing ecosystem buildout via integrations with AudioShake, LyricFind, DDEX, and Spotify. The company is privately held under the legal entity Curator Ventures, LLC (Delaware), and has disclosed approximately $3M in cumulative funding across 2020 and 2024 rounds.
Chordal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chordal
- Legal name
- Curator Ventures, LLC
- Website
- https://chordal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chordal operates a two-sided music licensing network connecting rights holders with music supervisors and content platforms through its patent-pending InstantClear pre-clearance technology, enabling instant sync licensing of fractionally-owned commercial songs worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chordal industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Sync Licensing Software
- NAICS
- Music Publishers (51223)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (MPAIALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sync Clearance & Rights Management (One-Stop, Negotiation, Documentation) (MPAIALAF), Rights Data, Metadata, Identifier & Repertoire Management (ISWC/ISRC/IPI, Matching) (MPAIAKAF)
Keywords
Where Chordal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chordal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform Subscription Fees: Tiered subscription model with Starter (free with revenue share), Launch ($99.99/month with AI metadata and priority support), and Enterprise tiers ($99.99/month with white-label, dedicated support). For music companies: Small Teams ($149.99/month), Mid-Sized ($249.99/month), Large Teams ($349.99/month), Enterprise (contact for pricing).
- Revenue Share / Performance-Based: Performance-based partnered revenue stream where platforms and artists earn based on licensing volume. Chordal acts as infrastructure while rights holders receive payments through automated distribution.
- Transaction Licensing: Revenue from facilitating sync licensing transactions between rights holders and licensees. Includes quote requests, license agreements, and payment processing through the platform.
- API/Platform Integration Fees: Revenue from white-label licensing integrations for platforms and apps embedding Chordal's InstantClear technology.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Community - Free tier for music supervisors and content companies |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium - $9.99/user/month or $99.99/user/year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Small Teams - Free + Chordal Pro $149.99/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Mid-Sized Teams - $249.99/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Large Teams - $349.99/month |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise - Contact for pricing |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | API Starter - Free with revenue share |
| Subscription | Annual | API Launch - $99.99 + revenue share |
| Subscription | Annual | API Enterprise - $99.99 + revenue share |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Chordal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chordal is a B2B music licensing network that uses its patent-pending InstantClear™ technology to enable synchronization licensing of fractionally-owned commercial songs. The platform connects music supervisors and content companies with music publishers, labels, and distributors, automating pre-clearance of master and publishing rights across multiple co-rights holders and processing fractional payouts in a single transaction. Offerings are delivered through a web-based collaborative platform, a white-label JSON REST Licensing API, and supporting modules such as Smart AI Search, AI-powered metadata tagging, and stem-separation tooling.
Product overview
Chordal is a music licensing network and collaborative rights management platform built around its patent-pending InstantClear technology. The platform operates as a two-sided marketplace connecting music supervisors and content companies with rights holders and publishers. The core Chordal Platform provides the infrastructure for music discovery, project collaboration, and catalog management, while InstantClear serves as the pre-clearance and payments layer enabling instant sync licensing for fractionally-owned commercial music. Additional offerings include the InstantClear Licensing API for developer integration, the Chordal Desktop App for video editors, and specialized modules for music supervisors (featuring Smart AI Search, AudioShake AI for stem separation and lyric transcription) and music companies (featuring PitchAssist recommendations, Storefronts, and DDEX integration). The platform has facilitated over 205,000 clearances and 5,393 fractional payouts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chordal for Music Supervisors & Content Companies Subscription SaaS platform that enables music supervisors and content companies to receive, curate, search, manage projects, share, clear, and connect music libraries, including Smart AI Search, AudioShake-driven AI features, and access to pre-cleared commercial catalogs.
- Chordal for Music Companies Subscription SaaS platform for music publishers, labels, and distributors to manage catalogs, collaborate with co-rights holders in real time, run AI-powered search and metadata tagging, pitch via storefronts, and monetize catalogs through the InstantClear™ pre-clearance system.
- InstantClear Patent-pending pre-clearance and payments technology that turns budgets, requested media rights, and use cases into custom pre-cleared catalogs, verifies 100% of master and publishing rights across fractional owners, automates payouts to multiple rights holders, and produces enforceable legal paper trails for every license.
- InstantClear Licensing API JSON REST API enabling approved platforms and apps to embed pre-cleared sync licensing flows over fractionally-owned commercial songs, supporting pre-cleared programs, project creation, track browsing, audio and stem downloads, license reporting, and white-label experiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- 205,324 clearances completed on the platform
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Chordal
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chordal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
AI capability10 records
Feature7 records
Chordal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- 21 International Rightsholder Partnerscore21 new international rightsholder partners from UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, India, and US joined Chordal's platform. These music publishers and independent labels will gain access to Chordal's patent-pending InstantClear pre-clearance licensing system and growing global licensee network.
- AudioShakecoreAudioShake's AI-powered stem separation technology is integrated with Chordal's platform to enable music rightsholders to license derivative works such as remixes, edits, and sampled tracks more efficiently. Also provides lyric transcription and time-stamping services.
- Kobalt Music PublishingflagshipKobalt Music Publishing partnered with Chordal to enhance global sync licensing by integrating Chordal's platform with Kobalt's catalog of over one million songs. The collaboration automates clearing fractional rights and payments using Chordal's InstantClear system.
- TikTokflagshipLandmark partnership enabling TikTok to access Chordal's pre-cleared licensing ecosystem. Chordal technology provides scalable fractional owned music availability for branded content integration and monetization on TikTok.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chordal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SourceAudio: SourceAudio is a sync licensing marketplace and music catalog platform serving publishers, labels, and content creators. Directly comparable to Chordal as a B2B catalog and sync infrastructure provider.
- Songtrust: Songtrust (owned by Downtown) is a music publishing administrator providing global rights administration, royalty collection, and sync licensing tools. Directly comparable to Chordal's rights-administration and sync focus.
- Music Reports Inc. MRI provides music rights and royalty administration, cue sheet tracking, and synchronization reporting services. Closely comparable to Chordal's pre-clearance and sync royalty workflow.
- Songtradr: Songtradr is a global B2B music licensing marketplace serving content creators, brands, and platforms. Comparable to Chordal in two-sided marketplace dynamics and sync licensing focus.
- FUGA: FUGA provides distribution, rights management, and royalty processing for independent labels and publishers. Comparable to Chordal in rights infrastructure with overlap on catalog onboarding and sync enablement.
- SXWorks: SXWorks operates a synchronization licensing marketplace connecting music supervisors with rights holders. Closely aligned with Chordal's core sync marketplace function.
Emerging players
- Pex: Pex operates an audio content identification and rights management platform. Comparable to Chordal as enabling infrastructure for music rights identification and royalty allocation at scale.
- BMAT: BMAT provides audio fingerprinting and music matching infrastructure for rights holders and broadcasters. Adjacent to Chordal's rights identification technology stack.
- Audible Magic: Audible Magic is an audio fingerprinting and content identification platform serving platforms and rights holders. Comparable as enabling infrastructure for music rights workflows that underpin Chordal's verification.
Broad incumbents
- Downtown Music Services: Downtown operates a portfolio of music services including Songtrust and CD Baby, providing broad rights administration and distribution services. Comparable to Chordal's rights management focus as part of a much broader music services portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chordal compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Chordal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chordal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Chordal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chordal M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chordal
What does Chordal do?
Chordal is a B2B music licensing network that uses its patent-pending InstantClear™ technology to enable synchronization licensing of fractionally-owned commercial songs. The platform connects music supervisors and content companies with music publishers, labels, and distributors, automating pre-clearance of master and publishing rights across multiple co-rights holders and processing fractional payouts in a single transaction. Offerings are delivered through a web-based collaborative platform, a white-label JSON REST Licensing API, and supporting modules such as Smart AI Search, AI-powered metadata tagging, and stem-separation tooling.
Is Chordal a public or private company?
Chordal is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chordal founded?
Chordal was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chordal based?
Chordal is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chordal make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Platform Subscription Fees are the primary driver. The others are revenue Share / Performance-Based, transaction Licensing and API/Platform Integration Fees.
Who are Chordal's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SourceAudio, Songtrust, Music Reports Inc., Songtradr, FUGA and SXWorks. Emerging players are Pex, BMAT and Audible Magic. Downtown Music Services is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Chordal have an API?
Yes. Chordal offers a JSON REST API called the InstantClear Licensing API that enables approved platforms to launch sync-licensing products backed by fractionally-owned commercial songs. The API provides endpoints to browse pre-cleared catalogs, build licensing projects, download audio and stems, and report usage/issue licenses. It is offered in tiered access levels: Starter (API access, transaction-level license issuance, automated licensor payments), Launch ($99.99/mo with AI-powered music metadata and SonoChordal creative tagging, priority support), and Enterprise ($99.99/mo with fully white-labeled licensing flow, real-time recognizability data, stems/instrumentals, dedicated partner success manager). Authentication uses Bearer tokens (JWT). Available via https://api.chordal.com with OpenAPI and Postman documentation. Developer documentation is at api-licensing-docs.chordal.com.
What industry is Chordal in?
Chordal's product category is Music Sync Licensing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIALAG, Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAIALAF, Sync Clearance & Rights Management (One-Stop, Negotiation, Documentation). Its NAICS code is 51223 and its SIC code is 7370.