What do most artists have in common? A second job.
While musicians aren’t starving, close to 98% are forced to work 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet outside of their music. They’ve been left with what amounts to begging on the digital street corners of crowd-funding just to fund song production and maybe have something left over to pay for basic needs.
This simply isn’t fair to artists or their listeners, and it changes now.
…BY OWNING PART OF YOUR FAVORITE SONG?
And what if your favorite artist ends up being the next Ed Sheeran?
Welcome to Labelcoin. With our secure and innovative Song Exchange built on blockchain technology, you can invest and trade in your favorite songs and artists. Songholders earn royalties when the artists do. Artists and Writers earn sustainable income at the front end of their careers, ending artistic poverty. And that’s just the beginning.
Dates are just estimates and are likely to change.
IN PROGRESS
BEGINNING 2023
BEGINNING 2025
The first movement, Mozart, is the foundation of Labelcoin with a launch date planned for Q4 2022. It includes three core motifs:
A marketplace for song royalties, where Songholders can buy and sell Notes, or portions of rights to their favorite songs.
Mutual fund platform for song royalties, aimed at helping Songholders place educated investments and supporting curators themselves.
We reinvest a portion of our revenue into up and coming artists to help them complete their Initial Note Offering.
Artists can bring their future income forward by selling the digital streaming rights of their songs to Songholders. Explore the simple flow chart here:
Artists assign song rights to Labelcoin, and Labelcoin pays out the artist’s initial song valuation, royalties, and trading transaction revenue.
Songholders buy fractions of the song rights called Notes, and can trade them for profit with other fans.
Songs are uploaded to distributors like CDBaby, Tunecore, and Distrokid who in turn collect recording royalties from listeners on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and more.
Labelcoin helps register songs with all rights distributors and pays back out to respective owners.
Jonah decides to list 40% of the streaming royalties for New Awesome Song on the Song Exchange.
Jonah decides on his listing price of $100,000 for 40% of New Awesome Song, using our proprietary song valuation algorithm as a guide. Labelcoin will issue 10,000 Notes at an initial price of $10. (Songholders can buy fractions of Notes, leaving the number of fans and investors who can own part of New Awesome Song uncapped).
Labelcoin is assigned 40% of the song split by Jonah’s distributor, and New Awesome Song goes live on the Song Exchange on Jonah’s selected Listing Date.
Jonah’s fans and savvy investors buy up the Notes: 1,000 Fans buy from Jonah’s YouTube video (pinned to his page), 500 Fans buy at Jonah’s shows, 500 investors purchase, and 3 Curated Collections (mutual funds) add New Awesome Song to their Collection.
Songholders start earning royalties right away and can resell their Notes to others at market value after all of the Notes are sold or a 90 day vesting period is completed.
Jonah keeps 98% of the revenue from the sale of his Notes and never misses out on royalties, because any royalties from unsold Notes go right back to him. He also earns a passive residual income of 40% from every transaction fee each time his Notes are resold.
The earnings don’t stop with the Initial Note Offering! If Jonah has 10,000 Songvestors then we estimate an additional $3,150 per song/year from transaction fees alone.
If Jonah doesn’t need all of that money right away, he can leave it in his Labelcoin wallet and earn additional passive income automatically from the Transaction Rewards Pool. (10% of all transaction fees split evenly amongst stakers in proportion to the amount of Labelcoin they have staked).
The Labelcoin Song Exchange is the foundation for artist wealth by seeking to bring years of future income forward to the present. To explain, we’ve created this scenario where the artist, Jonah Baker, releases a new song called New Awesome Song. Hover over the tooltips in the image to see the process.
Artists choose which song rights and % of those rights they are listing for sale along with the Note (Shares) price of the INO (Initial Note Offering). Note prices hold stable until the INO is complete, meaning all initial notes have been sold. After the INO is complete, Note values for that song will rise or fall according to market demand. Labelcoin provides an estimate of the value of the song using algorithms and song appraisers to inform the song’s INO price. Artists are capped at listing no more than 50% of song rights to incentivize artists to keep pushing a song.
1. RIGHTS: Those rights are assigned to Labelcoin to sell to Songholders.
2. PROCEEDS: Artists receive 98% of the INO proceeds.
3. TRANSACTION: Labelcoin handles the currency exchange. In one simple transaction, Songholders buy Notes with Labelcoin by purchasing the corresponding amount of USD. The Song Exchange calculates the cost of the Notes at $Labelcoin’s current price and charges the Songholder that amount in USD plus network and trading fees.
4. FEES: Songholders will pay a transaction fee of $.375 in addition to any blockchain or credit processing fees. The transaction fee revenue is distributed as follows: Labelcoin 40%, Artists 40%, Distributors 10%, Labelcoin Token Stakers 10%.
5. ROYALTIES: Royalties are received by Labelcoin and distributed weekly to rights holders according to their percentage share of the song.
6. OPEN MARKET: Notes may be traded again by Songholders after the song’s INO is complete (all Notes have been purchased).
Labelcoin’s Curated Collections are essentially mutual funds for songs. Songholders may choose to invest in a collection of songs, curated by a Label, Music Blogger, Venue, or just a music lover. Curators are rewarded with 5% of the royalties from the songs in their collection, creating revenue streams that support more segments of the industry while adding value to the Songholder.
Curated Collections – mutual funds for songs – are created by fund managers, or Curators they trust (such as labels, producers, venues, blog-writers, or even well-informed music fans).
Curated Collections hold a variety of Notes from different songs that are played by passive listeners on their favorite streaming platform. The owners of these collections receive a portion of royalties from the Songholders that buy into them.
Songholders, or investors, buy into the Curated Collection. Songs included on the curated collection are played on streaming services by passive listeners, earning the songs’ royalties.
Royalties are then paid out to the Songholders who started the cycle as well as to the Curated Collection owner they benefited from.
1% sold every $.10 increase until 10% total is sold
1% sold every $.25 increase until 20% total is sold
1% sold every $.50 increase until 35% total is sold
1% sold every $.75 increase until 50% total is sold
1% sold every $1 increase until 75% total is sold
1% sold every $2 increase until 100% total is sold
Labelcoin’s revenue will come from 3 sources: fees from trading and note sales, investments in the Artists Launch Fund, and token sales.
Calculator based upon these assumptions: average song listing at $6k and 7 average trades per day per song.
Labelcoin is a team of visionaries in music, finance, and marketing dedicated to stamping out artistic poverty. Click the profiles below to get to know us.
Mark Miller has served artists in the booking space for over 10 years as a founder and CEO of Brave Enough Entertainment, specializing in talent for the college market. Mark also founded Taikai Esports, a mobile virtual reality entertainment service for fairs, colleges, and corporate spaces. As a creative business owner and blockchain enthusiast, Mark founded Labelcoin in 2021.
Chad has spent most of his career leading and funding start-up companies. He started his career as an investment banker in Morgan Stanley’s Mergers & Acquisitions Department in New York City. Since then, he has worked at the venture capital firms of NanoHoldings in CT and Capital Resource Partners in Boston, each a worldwide leader in its respective investment space (“green” nanotechnology and early-stage mezzanine).
Chad has also started and led multiple businesses and charitable organizations. These include iverCity, Wall Street Exodus, Thousand Fold Films, Receiving Jesus Football Camps, Level Field Lacrosse, IMPACT Football and HOPE-20. He has also served as the interim Chief Financial Officer of Skyway Studios, Nashville’s only full-service television and film production studio. Chad received a B.B.A. in finance and international business from The University of Michigan.
While in school, he was a 1st Team Academic All-Big Ten wide receiver for the Michigan Football Team where he was a Rose Bowl Champion and the recipient of the Merrill Lynch-Heisman Award, which acknowledges the University’s #1 scholar-athlete. Chad lives in Nashville, TN with his wife of 20 years Kirsten and their three children – Erika (17), Brocks (15) and Matthew (13).
John Platillero worked as a Founder & Chief Executive Officer at EventBooking. EventBooking is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company that specializes in online booking and venue management for arenas, stadiums, convention centers, and performing arts centers. John has also since funded several successful business startups in the music industry, with the latest being Labelcoin.
'The poster child of DIY Music' - Forbes
Ari Herstand is the CEO and founder of the music business education and artist advocacy company, Ari’s Take. Started in 2012 as a blog, Ari's Take has become the go-to resource for independent musicians on how to run a successful music career in the NEW music business. He is also the author of the best-selling book, How To Make It in the New Music Business which is a #1 Amazon best-seller in 3 categories and has been adopted by over 300 universities and translated into Russian and Spanish. Herstand's well-researched, relatable, no BS approach is why so many musicians continue to trust him for advice. He offers encouragement without condescension and maintains a 'we're all in it together' attitude not found elsewhere in the space.
In 2018, Herstand launched the online school Ari’s Take Academy which brings in experts in the field to teach courses on running successful careers in the new music business. ATA currently has over 3,000 students enrolled.
He is also the host of the popular music business podcast, the New Music Business where he interviews innovators and experts in the music industry. Since its launch in March of 2020, over 350,000 people have listened to the show.
An independent musician who has played over 1,000 shows around the country, he has performed on Ellen, and has had his music featured in countless TV shows, commercials and films. He currently leads the funk project Brassroots District.
Herstand has written for many of the top musician trade magazines and websites including Music Connection Magazine, American Songwriter, Digital Music News, Playback Magazine, CD Baby, Tunecore, Reverbnation, Roland, Discmakers, ASCAP, Hypebot and others. He has been a featured speaker at SXSW, BBC One's Amplify, NAMM, ASCAP Music Expo, SF MusicTech, CD Baby's DIY Musician Conference and Berklee College of Music.
He was one of the co-founders of the UnCancelled Music Festival, a live-stream festival launched mere weeks after the COVID live music shutdown. The festival presented over 150 shows and raised $100,000 in 10 days for musicians and venues.
Megan Davies is a Nashville-based, Alt-Pop, singer-songwriter originally from Harrisburg, PA. She graduated from Belmont University where she studied song-writing and classical guitar. During the summer of 2013, Megan began uploading acoustic covers and mashups to YouTube – creative stylings have garnered her over 157 million views and 1.1 million subscribers.
While Megan enjoys producing covers and mashups, her passion lies in writing and performing her own original music. Her debut original project, Bad Poetry EP was released on 7/28/17. Her unique sound has been influenced by a combination of commercial pop, indie folk and experimental rock.
In April 2016, Megan was the featured Artist for the Spotify curated playlist “Acoustic Covers” which received global visibility. Her songs on Spotify maintain over 2 Million listeners a month. In both US and Global Spotify Viral 50 charts. The Coffee House station on XM Radio voted Megan and fellow artist Emily Hackett’s cover of Lorde’s “Royals” the Best Cover of 2013.
Growing up in a very musical family, I fell into music naturally, and early on. I was homeschooled all the way through high school, and was blessed with two amazing parents who invested in me, and nurtured my passion for music. With not many other things that interested me as a kid, I put most of my free-time into practicing my instruments and finding my voice. With my first laptop, and guitar, my passion for performing crossed paths with a new-found interest in mixing and producing.
I started posting videos on YouTube in 2012, with just an iPhone and my bedroom. They were pretty bad! But I had fun making them.
I was so blown away and excited when I got my first 1,000 views on one of my videos. So I kept creating. Kept posting videos. I had some early supporters online who really encouraged me to keep going. And I’ve never stopped since.
Today, I continue to make music, and enjoying a simple life with my beautiful wife Celine, and our doggie Jasper. I’m so unbelievably grateful for all the supporters who watch my videos and listen to my music - giving me the opportunity to do what I love full time.
Canadian-born, LA-based singer/songwriter Kirsten Collins was named an Innovator by The Wall Street Journal with over 2 million followers in her growing social network ahead of launching her newest artist project. Kirsten presents a unique urban soulful pop style sporting an energetic vocal style, she is an accomplished writer and has written for a list of artists, film, tv and more. Her most recent favorite is the single title track for album “SAVAGE” and song “I’LL MAKE YOU CRY” on the K-pop girl group Aespa’s new album released October 2021. Which garnered 100million views on YouTube and counting within a week of release. Reached top 20 on Billboard charts and the #1 album in South Korea and 2x platinum. With a series of Kirsten Collins song releases including “Woo Hoo” “Up & Away” and “SZNS” follows the release of this series of infectious singles “Call my name” ,“Grown Men Cry,” “Rainbows,” “Bad,” and the anticipation of her E.P coming mid 2022.
With a natural knockout stage presence and confidence, Kirsten is a born entertainer having performed on the YouTube VidCon Stage in front of a crowd of 3,500+ while 23 million viewers joined the live stream including Bilibili live streams with over 900,000 live viewers. Kirsten served as a brand ambassador for MTV and presently co-hosts SAMSUNG LIVE. She has represented talent for many brands and festivals including Revolve, BeautyCon, Stagecoach, Coachella to name a few and many more. Kirsten is an innovator in releasing music NFTs in a collaboration with NFT Blue on her current “Nova of Light '' collection and is drawn to the ongoing adventure the crypto world has to offer. Kirsten’s message in all forms of artistic expression and across all social platforms is one of positivity, self-worth, and finding purpose in all endeavors. With over 200,000 monthly Spotify listeners and nearing 1 million followers on Facebook and 1 million followers on Tiktok, Kirsten finds herself with a loyal fanbase eager for more of her vivacious attitude, colorful personality and undeniable talent.
Karisma Collins has organically grown her social media following to over 1.5M across the board. As a singer/songwriter herself with many connections in the fashion, media, tech and music space, Karisma is an experienced brand Ambassador for 100’s of companies. She is also a cofounder of the luxury clothing company Ephina.
Over the last 20 years, Torben has worked in professional services delivering major global technology implementations. Industries include central and investment banking, oil and gas, FX and energy trading.
Torben was responsible for the delivery of the United Kingdom’s central banking regulatory systems, for the Bank of England.
He is passionate about creating highly productive teams, projects, and systems. He is committed to discovering new economic models and real-world applications of blockchain.
Anthony William Shannon is a serial technology entrepreneur from Montreal, Canada. He has over 12 years of experience working at the intersection of technology, innovation and impact - from startups to large scale organizations. He thinks outside the box when it comes to technology and has a passion for starting & incubating high-growth technology ventures with potential for impact. He has a passion for solving worldwide problems and regularly works with top industry professionals at the intersection of talent technology, impact & innovation.
He has co-founded MUVE and built a team of expert technologists, designers and builders around the venture, which is set to revolutionize accessible transportation & community engagement, for people living with accessibility needs by providing top tier, universally designed technology solutions to governments. He also has extensive venture building experience in Music & Entertainment, including holdings in TuneStars, SIGUI and SodoMoodLab, in collaboration with Wyclef Jean amongst other industry leaders.
Being good is more important than being great. By being good, doing good and surrounding ourselves with good people - the likelihood of achieving greatness and happiness is greatly enhanced.
At Loeb & Loeb, this is what we do every day.
We represent a wide range of organizations, as well as high net worth individuals and families. We help these clients identify opportunities, expand into new markets, launch innovative products and services, protect their assets, resolve disputes, and connect with audiences in new ways. We know our clients’ businesses and understand their personal objectives. And we have tremendous multidisciplinary know-how in today’s technology and mobility trends, which continue to transcend all industries.
Denise focuses on entertainment, copyright and trademark transactions, and has particular experience in the music, publishing, touring, television and motion picture industries. Her principal clients include recording artists, songwriters, producers, authors, music industry executives, record labels, music publishers, motion picture and television production companies, and television personalities
In addition to counseling leading talent in the music industry, Denise also has a significant body of institutional transactional work. She has participated in both small- and large-scale music catalog sales and acquisitions, including acquisitions by Reservoir Media Management, Rezonant Music Publishing and Parallel Music Publishing, as well as advised on intellectual property aspects of Warner Music Group’s $3.3 billion sale to Access Industries. Denise also has experience in the negotiation and renegotiation of recording and publishing agreements, and agreements related to international touring, merchandising, sponsorships and endorsements for major label recording artists and preeminent songwriters.
Added to Denise’s broad spectrum of entertainment industry clients, her multi-genre and multi-platform talent representation includes Loretta Lynn, Lauren Alaina, Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Charles Esten and Carrie Underwood.
