Acclaimed DJ/producer AC Slater Brings Night Bass Label to Create Music Group in New Joint Venture

Third studio album “Together” out June 16th via Night Bass

(LOS ANGELES, CA   June 16, 2023)   DJ/producer AC Slater today announced that he will bring his iconic record label Night Bass to Create Music Group, one of the world’s leading data-driven media and technology companies focused on empowering artists and creators. The deal kicks off with the release of Slater’s highly anticipated third studio album, Together, which drops June 16th on all major streaming platforms. 

“AC Slater is an incredible talent with whom we’ve had a long and successful track record,” said Eric Nguyen, SVP, Global Corporate Development & M&A at Create Music Group.  “We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with AC as we work to expand the global audience for him and all of the artists on Night Bass.

Known for pioneering the Bass House genre, Slater has rocked such stages as EDC Las Vegas, Coachella, Lollapalooza and more. For the release of his third studio album, Together, Slater has enlisted Kaleena Zanders, Murkage Dave and Chris Lorenzo, and several artists from the Night Bass roster.

The first new music under the deal is the single “Until Morning” featuring Jay Robinson, which is currently on all DSPs

“I love being able to support the next generation of DJs and artists,” said AC Slater. “Someone paved the way for us, and we’re paving the way for someone else. Moving Night Bass over to my longtime friends at Create Music Group will give my artists and me even more resources and technology to expand our audiences all over the world.”

Check out AC Slater’s new album, Together, via his label imprint Night Bass HERE.

 

About Create Music Group 

Established in 2015, Create Music Group is a data-driven media and technology company focused on empowering artists and creators. Named #2 on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growth Companies in America in 2020, its industry-leading platforms enable rights holders, distributors, artists and brands to identify and secure monetization opportunities and build new audiences. The company works with superstar artists, major and independent record labels, and global media brands including Jennifer Lopez, Marshmello, and PepsiCo. It operates a number of media networks including Label Engine, one of the largest independent music distribution platforms in the world, with over 25,000 artists and 5,000 label clients; and Flighthouse, a digital entertainment and marketing agency focused on Gen Z,  which has more than 28 million followers on TikTok. Create Music Group is based in Hollywood, CA and has 200 employees worldwide.

Create Music Group buys majority interest in YouTube channel network The Nations, launches Web3 JV

Create Music Group has acquired a majority interest in The Nations, a portfolio of curated music YouTube channels that reaches a collective audience of more than 60 million people.

The deal also includes the acquisition of the independent record label Lowly. According to Create, Lowly artists have have generated over 200 million global streams in the last 12 months across DSP’s.

The Nations was founded as a single YouTube channel, Trap Nation, in 2012 by Andre Benz when he was 15 years old. Trap Nation has become one of YouTube’s most popular curation channels for electronic music on the platform. After Trap Nation, Benz launched verticals in other genres, including Chill, Hip-Hop and Latin.

 

The Nations and Lowly. will continue to operate under the direction of Burke and Benz. The deal also creates a future joint venture company that will be focused on Web3, including NFTs, the metaverse and gaming.

Lowly. was founded in 2017 and is led by Benz Media President Creighton Burke. The label has played a role in developing the careers of artists such as Said The Sky, Arrested Youth, Inzo, Des Rocs, Greyson Chance, William Black and Maya Delilah.

The label is expected to be able to leverage Create’s owned and operated audience of 400 million to promote its artists on multiple platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, Snap and Instagram, says Create.

In January of this year, Create also expanded its social media marketing capabilities by acquiring content management and influencer marketing agency, VRTCL.

The news followed Create’s acquisition of Mumbai-based Nirvana Digital in November 2021.

“Create and The Nations were both launched by harnessing the power of YouTube to break artists.”

Jonathan Strauss, Create Music Group

Jonathan Strauss, Founder and CEO of Create Music Group, said: “Create and The Nations were both launched by harnessing the power of Youtube to break artists.

“Create accomplished this through technology while The Nations did it through curation and brand building. Together we are unstoppable.”

Alexandre Williams, Co-Founder and COO of Create said: “This acquisition not only substantially adds to our direct global audience, but also brings The Nations founder, Andre Benz, President Creighton Burke, and a deep bench of talent from one of the most groundbreaking curation companies in the business into the Create Music Group fold.

“We are particularly excited about Lowly. whose artists will now have direct access to our owned audience of 400 million people.

“We can’t wait to get started.”

“To be a leader requires this exploration and further push the envelope and be the modern-day music brand that others speak to being.”

Andre Benz

Andre Benz, said: “Witnessing the growth of Web3 and NFTs, we knew there was not only an opportunity but a responsibility to our artists, partners and team to always evolve, explore and incorporate new models.

“To be a leader requires this exploration and further push the envelope and be the modern-day music brand that others speak to being.

“That is why we are excited to announce a formal partnership and collaboration between Create Music Group and Benz Media Group in order to head up all Web3 & NFT initiatives within a shared ecosystem between both companies.”

“We have a very strong team at Lowly and The Nations.”

Creighton Burke, The Nations and Lowly.

Creighton Burke, co-founder and President of The Nations and Lowly., added: “After numerous conversations with Jonathan and Alex, it was clear we are a perfect match and both have some exciting things in the pipeline.

“We have a very strong team at Lowly and The Nations, which is led by music veteran, Vice President Sarah Landy and Nations head of programming Brandon De Oliveira.

“By joining the Create family, Lowly. artists now have access to one of the most powerful promotional vehicles in the music industry.”

Create Music Group acquires viral marketing agency VRTCL

Create Music Group is expanding its social media marketing capabilities with the acquisition of content management and influencer marketing agency, VRTCL.

Founded by Griffin Haddrill and Sean Young, Las Vegas-based VRTCL will continue to be led by Haddrill with the backing of Create, who have direct access to nearly 500 million social media followers through its various media properties.

Create has made “substantial” investments in content properties on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, it says, as well as the non-influencer brand Flighthouse, which has more than 28 million followers on TikTok.

Founded in 2019, VRTCL was created to “bridge the gap between the music and digital landscape”, says the company.

VRTCL says that it offers strategic social media counsel to major record labels, brands and artists, and has worked on several TikTok No.1 Singles, including tracks by Lil Nas X, Saweetie, Glass Animals, Coi Leray, Bee Gee’s, Gotye, and over 20 singles that have broken through to Billboard’s Top 10 Hot 100 charts.

The company claims to have grown 1,000% year-on-year from 2020 to 2021.

The company’s portfolio now spans labels like Atlantic, AWAL, Republic Records, and Sony, to artists such as Lauv and Saweetie.

Today’s news follows Create’s acquisition of Mumbai-based Nirvana Digital in November 2021.

At the time, the company stated that this was the first move of a planned $50 million investment the company is making in India and the broader region in Asia over the next several years.

Jonathan Strauss, Founder and CEO of Create Music Group, said: “What Griffin has built in VRTCL is one of the most exciting music marketing companies in the business.

“The addition of VRTCL to Create’s group of companies ensures that we are able to offer independent artists all over the world the best digital marketing expertise and execution available anywhere.”

“VRTCL continues to be a leader in the viral marketing space.”

Griffin Haddrill

Griffin Haddrill, added: “Sean and I are excited to bring VRTCL to Create Music Group as we look to expand our business within social media.

VRTCL continues to be a leader in the viral marketing space committed to execution and innovation. We have a hyper-focus on data which will continue to be strengthened by this partnership.”

Create Music Group Acquires Nirvana Digital, One of India’s Leading YouTube Enterprise Partners and Rights Management Companies

Move Dramatically Expands Create’s Global Footprint in One of the Fastest Growing Media Markets in the World.

Continue reading “Create Music Group Acquires Nirvana Digital, One of India’s Leading YouTube Enterprise Partners and Rights Management Companies”

Create Music Group Introduces Create Carbon, the First Credit Card for Artists and Creators

Create Carbon sets new bar for transparency by giving creators immediate access to royalties as soon as they are earned Continue reading “Create Music Group Introduces Create Carbon, the First Credit Card for Artists and Creators”

Spotify Canvas is Available to All Create Music Group clients

Spotify Canvas, which allows songs on Spotify to feature a 3-8 second looping video instead of static album art, is now fully accessible to all artists that use Create Music Group or Label Engine to distribute music. Previously, this feature was only available to selected artists.

Continue reading “Spotify Canvas is Available to All Create Music Group clients”

Create Music Group Lands Number 2 Spot on Inc. 5000, Becoming First Music Company Ever To Land In Top 5

(LOS ANGELES, CA  August 12, 2020)  Inc. magazine today revealed that Create Music Group has landed the Number 2 spot on its annual Inc. 5000 List, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Not only are they the fastest growing media company on the list, they are also the first music company to ever land a spot in the Top 5 of the annual business ranking.  Create Music Group is also the Number One fastest growing company in California, a feat that Inc. profiled earlier this year HERE.

The Inc. 5000 represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the list.

“At Create Music Group our mission is to empower the next generation by building an ecosystem where millions of creators can make a living from what they love to do” said Create Music Group Co-Founder and CEO, Jonathan Strauss.  “For a fully independent music technology company to land the Number 2 spot on this prestigious list shows the power of the independent artist and incredible growth of the music sector”.

Alexandre Williams, Create’s Co-Founder and COO commented: “We couldn’t have gotten here without the contributions of every single member of the Create team and most of all the artists and record labels that are at the heart of our business. We are so proud and so grateful to everyone who has supported us over the years.”

Create Music Group attained the Number Two spot on Inc. 5000 with revenue growth of almost 47,000%. The company joins the ranks of past winners like Microsoft, Oracle, Intuit, Zappos, Dominos and others.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 12.

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.”

Check the video interview with Alexandre Williams and Jonathan Strauss on Inc website.

 

About Create Music Group 

Create Music Group (CMG) is a technology driven music company encompassing distribution, label services, publishing, and rights management. Create’s proprietary software allows its clients, from independent artists and labels to major corporations, to efficiently manage and grow their assets on more than 100 platforms around the world. The company currently publishes over 12 billion monthly streams cross platform. The company owns and operates a number of media properties, including the media brand Flighthouse, which has more than 25 million followers on TikTok and 1 Billion monthly views. Create Music Group’s headquarters, a 25,000 square foot creative campus in the heart of Hollywood, CA, is replete with state-of-the art recording studios, soundstages, offices and other production facilities.

 

Methodology

The 2020 Inc. 5000 Regional Series is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

 

About Inc. Media

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Wayne Hampton, Jonathan Strauss and Alexandre Williams named Billboard’s 2020 Indie Power Players

Create Music Group, which focuses on unsigned artists that self-release their music, reports that it surpassed $100 million in revenue in 2019. Moreover, it says that it has 500 clients alone that generate $3,000 per month in revenue. “We’re laser-focused on creating a middle class for the music industry,” says Strauss, “and we believe that over the next five years, as we expand globally, we will have over 10,000 artists that are able to support themselves entirely through streaming royalties — something that has never been possible in the industry traditionally dominated by a select few.”

Advice for a Young Indie Artist: “Make quick decisions, release music, engage with fans and be authentic.” – Strauss

Wayne Hampton
Co-founder/chief business officer, Create Music Group
Jonathan Strauss, 34
CEO, Create Music Group
Alexandre Williams, 32
Co-founder/COO, Create Music Group

Read more on Billboard

Create Music Group Now Offering Clients Daily YouTube, Apple Music/iTunes & Spotify Revenue Reports

The company will be the first distributor in the world to offer this capability.

Los Angeles-based indie startup Create Music Group unveiled a new function on Monday (Jan. 28) for its distribution platform that allows clients to access streaming revenue figures from YouTube, Apple Music/iTunes and Spotify on a daily basis.

Create Music Group already pays its clients within 48 hours of receiving payment from digital service providers and is the first distributor in the world to offer this capability. Said Create Music Group Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer

Read more on Billboard.

How Create Music Group Became Inc.’s No. 1 California Company: Proof You Can Profit From YouTube

By the mid-2010s, big-name artists like Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney were railing against YouTube: The site was home to loads of unauthorized uploads of their songs, and even the authorized versions paid paltry royalty sums. It was an even harder battle to fight for the much less famous–and less lawyered-up–musicians in the industry. So, a lot of them simply put music on YouTube for free and focused on other ways to make money.

It was that middle-class of artists that Jonathan Strauss and Alexandre Williams had in mind in 2015 when they founded Create Music Group, a platform designed to help musicians monetize their music on YouTube. Their pitch was simple and convincing: It consisted of an Excel sheet that showed all the instances in which a particular rising star’s music had been uploaded without her consent. Also in the doc was a royalty figure–not massive, but for some in the thousands–the musician would be able to collect per month if she signed up with Create.

“It was a month-to-month deal, no commitment. It was the difference between getting something and getting nothing,” says Williams, CMG’s chief operating officer. “It was impossible to say no.”

Online streaming has become the music industry’s biggest growth driver. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, in 2018 recorded music generated an estimated $9.8 billion in revenue, with streaming accounting for $7.4 billion of that total. And CMG is one of a handful of competitors, including TuneCore, Stem, and Distrokid, that are attempting to collect some of that revenue for artists.

Naturally, CMG also gets a cut. More than 10,000 musicians use CMG’s platform to collect royalties, with around 500 of them earning at least $3,000 or more a month. CMG itself pulled in $28 million in annual revenue in 2018, up from just $133,000 in 2016. That performance helped the business land at the top of the Inc. 5000 Series: California, a tally of the fastest-growing private companies in the state this year. How it got here–and where it goes next–has everything to do with CMG’s ability to become much more than just two guys and their spreadsheets.

CMG’s first big break came from targeting electronic music DJs, who often had no idea that other people were uploading their music to YouTube and profiting off the streams. “They were the most infringed upon,” says Strauss, the startup’s CEO. After months of pursuing DJ and producer Marshmello, CMG finally landed him as a client by offering him a $150,000 advance and a promise that the company would be able to find double what he was collecting in digital royalties at the time. And CMG delivered on that promise. A third co-founder and now chief business officer, Wayne Hampton, joined in 2016 and helped CMG gain a following among hip-hop artists.

Over the past five years, the company has catered to additional genres and expanded its artist services. Today, the 150-person startup offers music publishing and distribution to more than 100 media streaming platforms, data-driven music release strategies, a content creation team, and soon its Hollywood headquarters will offer artists the ability to record in one of its five studios currently under construction. CMG also runs the YouTube channels for Jennifer Lopez, DJ Dillon Francis, and others, and two of the top three music labels in the U.S. use CMG to track digital royalties for their artists.

Read more on Inc.