BandLab Technologies

"Guitar Magazine" redirects here. Not to be confused with Guitar for the Practicing Musician.
BandLab Technologies
Company typePrivate
Industry
  • Music collaboration software;
  • Instruments and accessories
  • Music publications
Founded2015; 9 years ago (2015)
Founders
  • Kuok Meng Ru
  • Steve Skillings
HeadquartersSingapore
Key people
Kuok Meng Ru (CEO)
Products
Websitebandlabtechnologies.com

BandLab Technologies is a Singaporean company founded in 2015 that operates a social music platform, called BandLab, and also owns a variety of music-related brands, including Harmony and Heritage Guitars; Guitar.com, NME, Uncut and MusicTech.com media platforms; and Swee Lee musical instrument retailer and distributor.[1]

In December 2021, the company announced a reorganisation under the newly formed parent company Caldecott Music Group (CMG). BandLab Technologies is the music technology division of CMG.[2]

History

BandLab Technologies was founded in 2015 by Kuok Meng Ru and Steve Skillings. Kuok was a Singaporean mathematics graduate from Cambridge University who is the son of agribusiness conglomerate Wilmar International's billionaire founder and CEO Kuok Khoon Hong, and Skillings was the developer of the JamHub audio mixer.[3] Kuok is also the owner of music retailer Swee Lee, acquired in 2012.[4] BandLab Technologies' first product, a Cloud Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) called BandLab, was released in November 2015.[3]

In July 2016, the company acquired Composr, an iOS app for recording audio and making music. The app and its users were integrated into BandLab.[3] In September, the company acquired MONO Creators Inc, an American manufacturer of instrument cases, straps and accessories.[5] Also in September, BandLab Technologies acquired 49% of American music magazine Rolling Stone from publisher Wenner Media.[6]

In September 2017, the company acquired Chew.tv, a video streaming service for DJs. The service was renamed Chew By BandLab, and was integrated into BandLab's web platform.[7] Also in September, the company signed a sales and marketing partnership with Heritage Guitars.[8] In November, the company announced it was relaunching the Harmony Company guitar and Teisco musical instrument brand names.[9]

In February 2018, BandLab Technologies acquired digital audio workstation Sonar from musical instrument company Gibson, after Gibson acquired and closed Sonar's developer, parent Cakewalk.[10] Sonar was renamed Cakewalk by BandLab.[11] In October, the company acquired brands including The Guitar Magazine and MusicTech from UK-based publisher Anthem Publishing.[12]

In January 2019, BandLab Technologies sold its 49% stake in Rolling Stone to American publishing company Penske Media.[13] In May, the company bought the music publications NME and Uncut from United Kingdom publisher TI Media.[14] In August, the company announced that it was integrating its livestreaming service Chew into BandLab and renaming it as BandLab Live.[15]

In July 2020, the company released BandLab Albums, software for digital distribution for independent artists.[16] In October 2020, the company reported that 22 million people were using the BandLab app.[1] In March 2021, BandLab Technologies reported that there were 30 million people using the app.[17][18]

In November 2021, BandLab acquired DIY artist services platform ReverbNation for an undisclosed sum.[19][20]

In December 2021, the company announced a new parent company, Caldecott Music Group.[2] Caldecott Music Group (CMG) oversees three divisions: BandLab Technologies (technology and software), NME Networks (media), and Vista Musical Instruments (manufacturing, retail, and distribution).

In February 2023, it was announced BandLab had acquired the beat marketplace company, Airbit.[21]

Brands

Brands within the BandLab Technologies division of CMG:

  • BandLab – a free online Cloud Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) tool for creating music and collaborating with other musicians.[4] It works in a browser or with a standalone app.[22] BandLab includes BandLab Albums, a digital distribution tool for musicians, allowing them to also create exclusive content for listeners such as demo tracks and behind-the-scenes videos.[16][3] The tool also includes BandLab Live, a livestreaming feature.[15]
  • Cakewalk – a digital audio workstation formerly known as Sonar.[11]

Brands now under NME Networks,[23][24] a division of CMG (previously part of BandLab Technologies):

  • Guitar.com – a music news website that also published The Guitar Magazine (published from 1991 to 2021).[25][12] It ceased physical magazine publication in December 2021, announcing it would focus solely on the digital offering from January 2022 onwards.[26]
  • lab.fm – an online music publication.[25]
  • MusicTech – an online music technology publication.[12]
  • NME – formally known as New Musical Express, a UK-based music journalism website and former print publication.[14]

Brands now under Vista Musical Instruments, CMG (previously part of BandLab Technologies):

  • Harmony Company – originally America's largest musical instrument manufacturer, relaunched in 2018 by BandLab with guitars and amplifiers.[27]
  • Heritage Guitars – a United States–based guitar manufacturer.[1]
  • MONO – a manufacturer of instrument cases, straps and accessories.[5]
  • Teisco – a brand of musical effects pedals.[25]
  • Swee Lee – a Southeast Asian musical instrument distributor and retailer.[4]

Business model

BandLab Technologies does not charge for its software or digital musical content, but instead focuses on retail, manufacturing and media advertising sales.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Covid: NME owner says pandemic impact wasn't all negative". BBC. 2020-10-03. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  2. ^ a b "Caldecott Music Group revealed as new umbrella of BandLab". The Music Network. 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  3. ^ a b c d "What You Need To Know About BandLab, The Singaporean Startup Behind That Rolling Stone Deal". Vulcan Post. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  4. ^ a b c "BandLab's Meng Ruo Kuok on building a business model around music". DealStreet Asia. 2020-08-22. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  5. ^ a b "BandLab debuts a new 'Albums' tool for self-releasing artists". Deal Street Asia. 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  6. ^ "A Large Stake in Rolling Stone Is Being Sold to This Singaporean Company". Fortune. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  7. ^ "BandLab Technologies acquires Chew.tv, a video streaming service for DJs". Techcrunch. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  8. ^ "Heritage Guitar Teams with BandLab". MS Retailer. 2017-09-11. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  9. ^ "BandLab to Reboot Teisco and Harmony Guitar Brands". Reverb. 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  10. ^ "BandLab Acquires Cakewalk Assets from Gibson". Reverb. 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  11. ^ a b "Sonar now free, renamed 'Cakewalk by BandLab'". Sound On Sound. 2018-04-04. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  12. ^ a b c "SG music platform BandLab acquires The Guitar Magazine, Musictech". Deal Street Asia. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  13. ^ "Penske Media Takes Full Ownership of Rolling Stone". Variety. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  14. ^ a b "Music bible NME sold to Singapore's BandLab". Financial Times. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  15. ^ a b "'BandLab Live' adds livestreaming to popular social music platform. 'Live' replaces previous streaming platform, Chew.TV". BandLab Technologies. 2019-08-01. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  16. ^ a b "BandLab debuts a new 'Albums' tool for self-releasing artists". Musical.ly. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  17. ^ "Music-making platform BandLab now has 30m registered users – Music Ally". 31 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  18. ^ "BandLab crosses 30 million users around the globe". MusicTech. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  19. ^ "BandLab buys ReverbNation in artist services expansion – Music Ally". 5 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  20. ^ "Singapore's BandLab acquires DIY artist services platform ReverbNation". Music Business Worldwide. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  21. ^ NME (2023-02-01). "BandLab Technologies acquire Beat marketplace Airbit". NME. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  22. ^ "Getting set up for remote collaboration: Collaborative Platforms". MusicTech. 2020-06-09. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  23. ^ "NME, Guitar.com, Uncut & MusicTech form new media group, NME Networks". The Music Network. 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  24. ^ "NME, Uncut and more form media group NME Networks".
  25. ^ a b c d "Singapore's BandLab Technologies acquires iconic music magazines NME and Uncut". Tech In Asia. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  26. ^ "Subscribe to Guitar Magazine". magazines.nmenetworks.com. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  27. ^ "NAMM 2018: Harmony resurrected with new guitars and amps". Music Radar. 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2020-11-17.