A ROCK music legend has joined a tech start-up company based in Alexandria - and he is encouraging the music industry to get involved.
Songbox is a platform that aims to change the way musicians handle their audio files.
It allows artists and other audio content creators to securely store and share their files with anyone they choose, from co-creators, collaborators, and industry figures, to media outlets.
The platform allows the content creator to know that the file has been received and whether it has been listened to – even confirming which tracks have been played and for how long. And it’s all done with built-in privacy and security.
Candian rock singer Bryan Adams was one of the first renowned names to use the newly launched Songbox for his work and has helped to add new features to the product.
He said: “Songbox allows me to share new music that I’m working on in a way that I couldn’t before. I don’t need to send out MP3 files or physical products, so it keeps my ideas and early versions safe and secure until I’m ready to officially release the songs.
"It was exactly what I was looking for. I’m delighted to join Songbox and to help tell other people in the music business how great this tool can be for their work.”
The idea for Songbox came from a Scottish musician’s frustration at trying to get attention for his work in the traditional ways – burning CDs and putting them in the post, only to be met, for the most part, with silence.
Songbox founder Michael Coll also saw this from the other side of the fence, when he later worked as a web developer at a major music industry player.
He said: “Like many other bands, we’d send out demos and never even know whether they had been received, let alone listened to.
"And in my job, I’d see people’s hard work in the form of hundreds of demos arrive every week, only to pile up in a corner without ever being opened. We called it ‘the corner where dreams went to die.’ I knew there had to be a better way.”
His idea led to the creation of Songbox, which was launched without any external funding and already has thousands of global users, including Grammy winners and hobbyists alike.
It’s designed for anyone who works with audio files, with various pricing options including a free package for those who want to give it a try without commitment.
Michael and co-founder Ciaran O’Toole are looking to grow Songbox and will soon begin a series of funding rounds.
Michael adds: “Bryan coming on board as a co-founder has been a great boost to the company. And as a Songbox collaborator, he has also helped organically grow the product through adding new features that he knew would benefit fellow Songbox users. That kind of insight has been invaluable.”
