I Like Music
I Like Music (Broadchart International Limited) is a UK-based online music licensing platform providing PPL/PRS-licensed commercial and production music to broadcasters, DJs, educators, and retail/hospitality businesses via self-serve and enterprise channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersRichmond, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What I Like Music does
I Like Music (legal entity: Broadchart International Limited, also trading as 'I Like Music plc') is a UK-based online music licensing platform operating from Richmond/London since 2001. The company curates and distributes a commercial and production music catalogue of over 1.5 million commercial tracks—anchored by the heritage vinyl collection of founder Phil 'The Collector' Swern, a BBC Radio 2 Producer—and over 1 million production music tracks aggregated from more than 200 libraries. The platform delivers broadcast-quality WAV files (44.1/48 kHz, uncompressed) with full PPL and PRS/MCPS licensing, supporting legal music use across broadcast, public performance, in-store, and educational settings.
The platform is built on a web-based database with search, streaming, and download functionality, supplemented by a developer-friendly API with mapping tools for third-party integration and an automated AutoCue Sheet tool that converts EDL files into compliance-ready cue sheets. Sub-brands include AutoCue Sheet and Desktop DJ. The technology stack supports five distinct service lines: Broadcast Music Library, Pay As You Go (DJ downloads), In-Store Music, Music for Education, and Production Music hosting.
The business operates a hybrid GTM model combining self-serve PAYG for individual DJs (credits from 50p per track via PayPal, no expiry), monthly subscription contracts for broadcasters and enterprise (minimum 3-month commitment), tiered annual education subscriptions (£250-£1,000/year by student count), quarterly hosting fees from music labels, and B2B content licensing to background music providers. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, M&A activity, or revenue figures, serving 18,000 registered production music users and 30,000+ music professionals in the UK and overseas, including BBC, ITV, Channel 5, Bauer Media, Absolute Radio, RTE, ITN, BFBS, and Harrow School.
I Like Music firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- I Like Music
- Legal name
- Broadchart International Limited
- Website
- https://web.ilikemusic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- I Like Music (Broadchart International Limited) is a UK-based online music licensing platform providing PPL/PRS-licensed commercial and production music to broadcasters, DJs, educators, and retail/hospitality businesses via self-serve and enterprise channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
I Like Music industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Licensing Services
- NAICS
- Music Publishers (512230), Record Production and Distribution (51225)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (MPAIALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Performance/Neighboring Rights for AV Uses (Cue Sheet & Reporting Services) (MPAIALAK)
Keywords
Where I Like Music is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
I Like Music business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Pay As You Go (PAYG) Downloads: Users purchase credits to download individual tracks. Credits purchased via PayPal with no expiry date. Flexible pricing from 50p per track depending on volume commitment. For DJs, entertainers, and independent producers.
- Monthly Subscription Contracts: Monthly contracts for broadcasters, corporates, and enterprise clients offering exclusive and unlimited access to ILM database. Custom pricing based on organization needs and usage requirements. Minimum commitment period of 3 months.
- Education Annual Subscription: Annual subscription for educational institutions based on number of registered students. Pricing tiers from £250/year (under 500 students) to £1,000/year (1,501+ students). Simple annual fee structure.
- Production Music Hosting Fee: Music labels and producers pay quarterly service and hosting fee to submit and host their catalogue on ILM platform. Fee varies by volume of submissions.
- B2B Content Licensing: Licensing ILM's catalogue as master content supplier to background music providers, technology providers, and corporate brands needing legal music for their venues or services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay As You Go - Per Track Download |
| Subscription | Monthly | Broadcasters, Corporates & Enterprise - Unlimited Access |
| Subscription | Annual | Education - Student-Based Annual Subscription |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Production Music - Quarterly Hosting Fee |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
I Like Music product offering
Product offeringCore offering
I Like Music is an online commercial and production music database and licensing platform serving businesses. It provides broadcast-quality WAV recordings (44.1/48 kHz, stereo, uncompressed) that customers can audition, stream, and download on demand, with monthly subscription contracts for broadcasters and enterprises, Pay As You Go downloads for DJs and entertainers, and a developer API for technology integrators. The catalogue includes every UK Top 40 single since 1952, the majority of the US Hot 100 since 1954, and over one million production music tracks aggregated from 200+ labels, fully licensed by PPL and PRS/MCPS.
Product overview
I Like Music operates as a unified online music database and licensing platform offering multiple service tiers for different professional markets. The core Broadcast Music Library serves content creators and broadcasters with commercial and production music, while the Pay As You Go service provides on-demand access for DJs and entertainers. An automated AutoCue Sheet tool generates compliance-ready cue sheets from EDL files. In-Store Music delivers licensed background music for retail and hospitality, and Music for Education provides streaming access for academic institutions. The Production Music Library aggregates over one million tracks from 200+ labels, accessible across all service tiers. All offerings provide high-quality WAV format files (44.1/48 kHz, stereo, uncompressed, no encryption) and are licensed through PPL and PRS/MCPS.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AutoCue Sheet: An automated cue sheet tool that converts exported EDL files into cue sheets for reporting, including pre-populated copyright information.
- Desktop DJ
Products and services
- Broadcast Music Library Monthly subscription service providing broadcasters and production companies with on-demand access to a comprehensive commercial and production music catalogue featuring every UK Top 40 hit since 1952, majority of US Hot 100, and over one million production music tracks from hundreds of libraries, delivered in broadcast-quality WAV format.
- Pay As You Go (PAYG) DJ Music Service On-demand music download service for DJs, entertainers and independent producers offering high-quality WAV tracks purchased via credit packs through PayPal, with credits that never expire and pricing from 50p per track depending on volume, with instant 24/7 download access for live performance requests.
- AutoCue Sheet Automated web tool that ingests exported EDL (Edit Decision List) files from broadcast production workflows and generates compliance-ready cue sheets with all required PRS/MCPS and PPL copyright information pre-populated, delivered free to users.
- In-Store Music Service Fully licensed commercial music service for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, providing access to chart hits, clean edits, instrumentals, and daily-updated playlists for background music use, distributed directly or via channel partners including Cloud Maestro, Startle and Beebox Systems.
- Music for Education Licensed commercial music streaming platform for educational institutions offering unlimited streaming of classroom-safe content with optional explicit content filtering, access via username/password or IP range authentication, and pricing tiers from £250/year for under 500 students to £1,000/year for 1,501+ students.
- Production Music Library Aggregation Aggregation and hosting service providing access to over one million production music tracks from over 200 production music libraries and labels, with labels paying a quarterly hosting fee to submit and host their catalogue, and registered users receiving access for broadcast and public performance use.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30,000+ music supervisors, editors, and producers use ILM services
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use I Like Music
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
I Like Music technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
I Like Music partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- TuneIncoreMusic platform integration partner. TuneIn logo appears in 'We collaborate with' section indicating partnership for music streaming and distribution.
- ApplecoreMusic platform integration partner. Apple logo appears in 'We collaborate with' section indicating partnership for music distribution to Apple ecosystem.
- SoundmousecoreMusic reporting and rights management partner. Soundmouse logo appears in 'We collaborate with' section. ILM integrates with Soundmouse for music usage tracking and royalty reporting.
- 7DigitalcoreMusic platform and API integration partner. 7Digital logo appears in 'We collaborate with' section indicating partnership for music delivery infrastructure.
- PPLcoreUK music licensing company. ILM is official master content supplier licensed by PPL. PPL licenses recorded music for public performance and distributes royalties to performers and record companies.
- PRS for Music / PRS/MCPScoreUK performing rights organization representing 100,000+ songwriters, composers, and music publishers. ILM is licensed by PRS/MCPS. PRS licenses musical compositions and lyrics for public performance.
- PPL PRS Ltd (TheMusicLicence)coreJoint venture between PPL and PRS for Music issuing TheMusicLicence. Since February 2018, provides single license covering virtually all commercially released music for UK businesses.
- RattlefishmajorAudio branding company. Exclusive 10+ year partnership. Rattlefish delivers high-end audio branding solutions using ILM library as essential part of their creative process.
- Cloud MaestrominorBackground music technology provider. Partnered for in-store music solutions serving retail and hospitality venues.
- StartleminorBackground music provider for retail and hospitality. Partnered for in-store music solutions.
- Beebox SystemsminorBackground music technology provider. Partner for in-store music solutions.
- BanijaymajorMajor international production and media company. AutoCue Sheet integration partner for production workflow automation.
- Warner BrosmajorMajor entertainment company. AutoCue Sheet integration partner for production workflow automation.
- National GeographicmajorGlobal media company. AutoCue Sheet integration partner for production workflow automation.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
I Like Music competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Artlist: Subscription music licensing platform focused on video creators, agencies, and brands. Competes with ILM on the SMB/creator side with a polished SaaS-style offering.
- Musicbed: Sync licensing marketplace connecting filmmakers, brands, and agencies with independent composers. Overlaps with ILM's sync and licensing use cases for film, TV, and advertising productions.
- Epidemic Sound: Subscription-based music licensing platform targeting content creators, YouTubers, and businesses. A more product-led, modern alternative competing for the same paying music-licensing customers, especially in digital and creator segments.
- Pond5: Marketplace for royalty-free music, video, and media assets including production music for commercial use. Comparable business model as a broad licensing marketplace serving production companies.
- BMG Production Music: Production music arm of BMG offering licensable tracks from a large catalog for broadcast, film, TV, and advertising. Overlaps directly with I Like Music's 200+ library aggregation and broadcaster supply model.
- APM Music: Major production music library providing licensable tracks to broadcasters, production companies, and in-store music services. Competes head-to-head for production music aggregation and sync opportunities in broadcast and advertising.
- Audio Network: UK-based production music library serving broadcasters, producers, and content creators with licensed music for broadcast and digital use. Directly comparable to I Like Music's production music aggregation and broadcast licensing model.
Regional players
- Startle (Soundnet): UK/EU background music provider for retail and hospitality. Listed as an ILM channel partner, but also a buyer-side user of ILM content, illustrating how the in-store music segment bridges competitor and partner relationships.
Broad incumbents
- Sony Music Publishing: One of the world's largest music publishers administering rights to songs and compositions across recorded, performed, and synchronised uses. While broader in scope, it competes at the rights-administration and licensing level with ILM.
- Universal Music Publishing Group: Global music publishing incumbent administering vast catalogues of compositions and managing sync licensing for major works. A structural counterparty/competitor as rights holders drive licensing economics for ILM's commercial music database.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
I Like Music social profiles
Digital presenceI Like Music financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
I Like Music leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
I Like Music funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
I Like Music M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about I Like Music
What does I Like Music do?
I Like Music is an online commercial and production music database and licensing platform serving businesses. It provides broadcast-quality WAV recordings (44.1/48 kHz, stereo, uncompressed) that customers can audition, stream, and download on demand, with monthly subscription contracts for broadcasters and enterprises, Pay As You Go downloads for DJs and entertainers, and a developer API for technology integrators. The catalogue includes every UK Top 40 single since 1952, the majority of the US Hot 100 since 1954, and over one million production music tracks aggregated from 200+ labels, fully licensed by PPL and PRS/MCPS.
Is I Like Music a public or private company?
I Like Music is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was I Like Music founded?
I Like Music was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is I Like Music based?
I Like Music is headquartered in Richmond, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does I Like Music make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Pay As You Go (PAYG) Downloads are the primary driver. The others are monthly Subscription Contracts, education Annual Subscription, production Music Hosting Fee and B2B Content Licensing.
Who are I Like Music's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Artlist, Musicbed, Epidemic Sound, Pond5, BMG Production Music, APM Music and Audio Network. Startle (Soundnet) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group.
Does I Like Music have an API?
Yes. I Like Music offers a developer-friendly API that allows businesses to integrate music into websites, applications, software, hardware, or other services. The API provides access to the ILM catalogue of more than 1.5 million recorded tracks. The API is designed to be adaptable to fit unique requirements and create new and innovative products for each client's specific needs. New music is added every day with an average of 10,000 tracks and new releases ingested monthly.
What industry is I Like Music in?
I Like Music's product category is Music Licensing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIALAG, Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAIALAK, Public Performance/Neighboring Rights for AV Uses (Cue Sheet & Reporting Services). Its NAICS code is 512230 and its SIC code is 7822.