Epidemic Sound Reviews

Epidemic Sound is a global royalty-free soundtrack providing company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Here are the key points about the company:

Overview

• Founded: 2009 by Peer Åström, David Stenmarck, Oscar Höglund, Hjalmar Winbladh, and Jan Zachrisson.
• Industry: Music, specifically focused on providing high-quality, restriction-free music for content creation, in-store music, and streaming platforms.

Products and Services

• Music Catalog: Over 40,000 original tracks and 90,000 sound effects, available in various genres and styles.
• Direct Licensing Model: Offers a subscription-based model with all rights included, allowing users to publish content worldwide without worrying about copyright, royalties, or legal risks.
• Stems and Creative Tools: Provides tracks in stems, allowing users to customize their tracks by removing certain layers like drums, bass, or melody.
• Global Reach: Music is played in public spaces like restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and car parks, as well as being used in video content on social media, TV, and film productions.

Business Model

• Subscription-Based: Customers gain access to the extensive music library for usage in content production, with no reporting needs.
• Financial Support for Artists: Musicians are paid upfront for each track and receive half of the streaming revenue, ensuring fair financial support for creators.

Partnerships and Funding

• Partnerships: Collaborates with major brands like Adobe, Getty Images, iStock, Pinterest, and Canva.
• Funding: Raised over $500M in funding across five rounds, with the latest equity round raising $450M from Blackstone Group and EQT Growth, valuing the company at $1.4 billion.

Management and Governance

• CEO: Oscar Höglund.
• Chairperson: Andrew Fisher, former CEO and Chairman of Shazam.
• Board Members: Includes Victor Englesson, Vania Schlogel, Jan Zachrisson, Vincent Letteri, Kirsten Wolber, Adrienne Gormley, and others.

Global Presence

• Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden.
• Offices: Operates across the globe with offices in Stockholm, New York City, Los Angeles, Seoul, Berlin, London, and Oslo.

Epidemic Sound continues to expand its catalog and customer base, aiming to "soundtrack the world" by providing more local offerings and supporting music creators financially and creatively.

Pros of Epidemic Sound:

• Large Library: Over 40,000 high-quality tracks and 90,000 sound effects.
• User-Friendly Interface: Easy to navigate, with intuitive layout and features like playlists and themes.
• Customization: Ability to download tracks in stems, allowing for precise control over music elements.
• Quality Music: Collaborations with real artists ensure high-quality music, rivaling platforms like Artlist.
• Cost-Effective: Affordable pricing plans, including a personal plan at £10/month and a commercial plan at £39/month.
• Customer Support: Excellent customer support, with a dedicated team for enterprise-level clients.
• Convenient Integration: Seamless integration with Adobe Premiere Pro and other editing software.

Cons of Epidemic Sound:

• Limited Free Trial: Only a 30-day free trial available, after which a subscription is required.
• Copyright Issues: Some users have experienced copyright claims from YouTube, despite using Epidemic Sound tracks.
• Confusing Terms: Some users find the terms and conditions confusing, particularly regarding content usage after subscription cancellation.
• Navigation Issues: The interface is not the most modern, which can make it difficult for some users to find what they need.
• Limited Channel Support: The personal plan only allows linking one channel and one podcast feed, requiring multiple subscriptions for multiple channels.