Beats Music Funding, Investors & Competitors

Kakao Entertainment is a Seoul-headquartered entertainment powerhouse resulting from the 2021 merger of Kakao Page and Kakao M. It manages over 50 subsidiaries covering webtoons, digital novels, music production, film distribution, TV dramas, and live performances. Kakao Page specializes in original IP creation and global platforms reaching Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia, while the Kakao M division nurtures K-pop artists, produces concerts, and invests in series like Vincenzo and films such as Hunt. The company distributes content via partnerships with platforms like Netflix and Tving, establishing dominance in Korea's digital entertainment ecosystem.

Create Music Group is a Los Angeles-headquartered music technology company providing digital distribution, publishing, sync licensing, rights management, A&R, marketing, and recording services to independent artists. Notable clients include Marshmello, 6ix9ine, and Tory Lanez. The company also runs Flighthouse, a TikTok brand with 28 million followers engaging youth audiences.

Epidemic Sound is a Stockholm-based music licensing company offering a catalog of over 40,000 tracks across 180 genres for video creators. Subscribers access unlimited downloads cleared for YouTube, TikTok, and broadcast use worldwide. Founded in 2009, it employs in-house composers and serves millions of users monthly.

Saregama India Ltd is a holding company, which engages in the production and distribution of music, television programs, and movies. It operates through the following segments: Music, Films/TV Serials, and Publication. The Music segment deals with the business of manufacturing and sale of Music storage devices viz. Carvaan, Music Card, etc, and dealing with related music rights. The Films/TV Serials and Event segment engaged in the production and sale/telecast/broadcast of films/TV Serials, pre-recorded programs, organizing live musical events, and dealing in film rights. The Publication segment publishes the weekly current affairs magazine ‘OPEN’ through its publication business. The firm derives a majority of its revenue from the Music segment.

SoundCloud is a Berlin-headquartered online audio distribution platform enabling creators to upload, share, and monetize tracks. It hosts content from independent artists and major labels, supporting reposts, comments, and stats analytics. Launched in 2007 with offices in New York and London, SoundCloud connects over 175 million users across web, iOS, and Android.

gamma is a Los Angeles-based media and music company that equips artists with tools for content creation, distribution, and monetization. The platform hosts a creator marketplace connecting musicians with producers, visual artists, and marketers. gamma manages artist brands through social media strategies, NFT drops, and merchandise lines. Notable projects include collaborations with independent hip-hop acts and electronic producers, enabling direct fan engagement via tokenized assets and live streaming events.

Spotify is the leading global music streaming service, with over 750 million monthly active users and nearly 300 million paying subscribers, with the latter constituting the firm’s premium segment. Most of the firm’s revenue and nearly all its gross profit come from subscribers, who pay a monthly fee to access a music library that includes most of the most popular songs ever recorded, including all from the major record labels. The firm also offers access to audiobooks and integrates podcasts within its standard music app. Podcast content is not exclusive and is typically free to access on other platforms. Ad-supported users can access a similar music catalog, but cannot customize a similar on-demand experience.

Cloud Music is the second-largest online music service provider in China, founded in 2013 by NetEase. NetEase currently holds approximately 58% of Cloud Music’s equity stake and controls 90% of its voting power. The platform’s business model is similar to its main competitor, Tencent Music, as both offer music streaming services along with social entertainment features like live streaming to engage users and drive additional revenue.

Deezer SA is an independent music streaming platform providing access to lossless HiFi audio, new recommendation technology and industry-defining features. The company brings artists and fans together on a scalable and platform, to unlock the potential of music through technology. The company is based in France, Germany, the UK, Brazil and the US.

KT Genie Music Corp creates greater happiness through various activities such as music distribution/investment, performances, and AI platform Genie.

LiveOne Inc, formerly LiveXLive Media Inc is a premium internet network devoted to live music and music-related video content. The company has been building an online destination for music fans to enjoy live performances from music venues and music festivals around the world, such as Rock in Rio, Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, and Hangout Music Festival, as well as original content, artist exclusives, and industry interviews. The Company operates mainly through three segments, PodcastOne, Slacker, and Media Group, with a majority of its revenue derived from the Slacker segment.

Comcast is made up of three parts. The core cable business owns networks capable of providing television, internet access, and phone services to 65 million US homes and businesses, or nearly half of the country. The firm provides services to about 47% of the locations in this territory. Comcast acquired NBCUniversal from General Electric in 2011. Following the spinoff of several cable networks, including CNBC, MSNBC, and USA, NBCU now consists of the NBC network, several local NBC affiliates, Bravo, the Peacock streaming platform, Universal Studios, and several theme parks. Finally, Sky, acquired in 2018, is a large television provider in the UK and Italy.

Epic Games is a Cary, North Carolina-headquartered video game developer and software provider. The company creates the Unreal Engine, licensed for high-fidelity games and 3D applications on PC, consoles, mobile, and VR platforms. Epic develops titles such as Fortnite, released in 2017, and Rocket League via Psyonix acquisition, while operating the Epic Games Store since 2018 to support indie developers with an 88/12 revenue split.

Labs is a Santa Monica, California-headquartered holding company overseeing labs in AI, immersive realities, blockchain, and human enhancement technologies. Restructured in 2025 from LavLabs Inc., it manages entities like Labs Intelligence, Labs Realities, and Labs Crypto, alongside brands such as Yuhmmy for social-taste experiences. The firm supports ecosystems in finance, realty, education, and entertainment through its family of specialized labs.

Icon Health & Fitness is a global subscription technology company delivering interactive personal training via iFIT. It powers brands including NordicTrack, ProForm, Weider, Freemotion, and Sweat with a platform integrating software, on-location workout content, and connected hardware. Members access trainer-led sessions that automatically adjust equipment settings across studio classes, global workouts, cross-training, and Google Maps routes worldwide.

Patreon is a San Francisco-headquartered membership platform empowering over two million creators with recurring fan support. Launched in 2013, it hosts podcasts, videos, art, and music, allowing patrons to fund exclusive content through monthly pledges. The service processes billions in payouts annually, serving artists in gaming, writing, and visual media worldwide.

Rec Room is a San Francisco-headquartered social VR platform supporting multiplayer games and user-generated worlds on Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, and PC. Launched in 2016, the service hosts daily events for millions of users across basketball courts, paintball arenas, and custom rooms created with its toolkit.