Ever since the launch of the iTunes store back in 2003, remixes and mash-ups have been hard to find on the service, due to the legal complexities involved in the copyright for these kinds of songs. Often, remixes and mash-ups include content from multiple songs, meaning multiple publishers and/or record labels would require payment. According to Dubset, however, its Mixbank technology solves that problem.
Mixbank basically analyzes a mix or mashup to determine the original recordings within the new song in order to find the rights holders to each piece of music — sort of like Shazam for samples. Using Mixbank, rights holders can also blacklist songs and set a limit to how much of a song can be used in a new mix, according to Billboard.
It’s important to note that there are certainly accuracy issues with Mixbank from time to time. However, it seems to be the best option for both rights holders and content creators for now. In fact, Dubset has deals with a hefty 14,000 record labels and music publishers.
Remixes and mash-ups have been growing in popularity over the years, especially over the last decade, as EDM has risen to prominence and the tools required to make music at home have become much more affordable. SoundCloud quickly became the go-to place for remixers to upload their music, but with streaming services like Apple Music proclaiming that they will now welcome remixes and mash-ups, that could certainly change. It will be interesting to see how SoundCloud reacts to the new competition.
It’s not yet known when Apple Music will begin incorporating remixes and mash-ups into its service, but we’ll keep you updated.
