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BandLab Technologies

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BandLab Technologies
Company typePrivate
Industry
  • Music collaboration software;
  • Instruments and accessories
  • Music publications
Founded2015; 11 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; media platforms Guitar.com, NME, Uncut and MusicTech.com ; and musical instrument retailer and distributor Swee Lee.[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

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BandLab Technologies was founded in 2015 by Kuok Meng Ru and Steve Skillings. Kuok is also the owner of music retailer Swee Lee, acquired in 2012.[3] BandLab Technologies' first product, a Cloud Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) called BandLab, was released in November 2015.[4]

In July 2016, the company acquired Composr, an iOS app for recording audio and making music.[4] 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.[7] In November, the company announced it was relaunching the Harmony Company guitar and Teisco musical instrument brand names.[8]

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.[9] Sonar was renamed Cakewalk by BandLab.[10] In October, the company acquired brands including The Guitar Magazine and MusicTech from UK-based publisher Anthem Publishing.[11]

In January 2019, BandLab Technologies sold its 49% stake in Rolling Stone to American publishing company Penske Media.[12] In May, the company bought the music publications NME and Uncut from United Kingdom publisher TI Media.[13] In August, the company announced that it was integrating its livestreaming service Chew into BandLab and renaming it as BandLab Live.[14]

In July 2020, the company released BandLab Albums, software for digital distribution for independent artists.[15]

In November 2021, BandLab acquired DIY artist services platform ReverbNation for an undisclosed sum.[16][17]

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.[18]

Brands

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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.[3] It works in a browser or with a standalone app.[19] BandLab includes BandLab Albums, a digital distribution tool for musicians.[15][4] The tool also includes BandLab Live, a livestreaming feature.[14]
  • Cakewalk – a digital audio workstation formerly known as Sonar.[10]

Brands now under NME Networks,[20][21] a division of CMG (previously part of BandLab Technologies):

  • lab.fm – an online music publication.[22]
  • MusicTech – an online music technology publication.[11]

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

  • 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.[22]
  • Swee Lee – a Southeast Asian musical instrument distributor and retailer.[3]

Business model

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BandLab Technologies does not charge for its software or digital musical content, but instead focuses on retail, manufacturing and media advertising sales.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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 "BandLab's Meng Ruo Kuok on building a business model around music". DealStreet Asia. 2020-08-22. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  4. ^ a b c "What You Need To Know About BandLab, The Singaporean Startup Behind That Rolling Stone Deal". Vulcan Post. 2016-09-29. 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. ^ "BandLab to Reboot Teisco and Harmony Guitar Brands". Reverb. 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  9. ^ "BandLab Acquires Cakewalk Assets from Gibson". Reverb. 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  10. ^ a b "Sonar now free, renamed 'Cakewalk by BandLab'". Sound On Sound. 2018-04-04. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  11. ^ a b "SG music platform BandLab acquires The Guitar Magazine, Musictech". Deal Street Asia. 2018-10-24. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  12. ^ "Penske Media Takes Full Ownership of Rolling Stone". Variety. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  13. ^ "Music bible NME sold to Singapore's BandLab". Financial Times. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  14. ^ a b "'BandLab Live' adds livestreaming to popular social music platform. 'Live' replaces previous streaming platform, Chew.TV". BandLab Technologies. 2019-08-01. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  15. ^ a b "BandLab debuts a new 'Albums' tool for self-releasing artists". Musical.ly. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  16. ^ "BandLab buys ReverbNation in artist services expansion – Music Ally". 5 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  17. ^ "Singapore's BandLab acquires DIY artist services platform ReverbNation". Music Business Worldwide. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  18. ^ NME (2023-02-01). "BandLab Technologies acquire Beat marketplace Airbit". NME. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  19. ^ "Getting set up for remote collaboration: Collaborative Platforms". MusicTech. 2020-06-09. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  20. ^ "NME, Guitar.com, Uncut & MusicTech form new media group, NME Networks". The Music Network. 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
  21. ^ "NME, Uncut and more form media group NME Networks".
  22. ^ a b c "Singapore's BandLab Technologies acquires iconic music magazines NME and Uncut". Tech In Asia. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
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