Universal Music Group has become the first client of Connex, a new A&R administration platform designed to collect and manage complete credits and audio files for creators.
The platform launched Thursday (May 1) after four years of development and consultation with music professionals. STAGE, which specializes in music rights and royalties management systems like Session Studio, Salt and RDx, was also involved in the development.
Connex says its platform connects music creators and their preferred creator tools with labels, distributors, and publishers. This helps build connection between creators and labels, allowing them to better manage credits and audio files for “better collaboration and transparency.”
“As a creator, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges in ensuring everyone gets the recognition and fair compensation they deserve. Connex is a crucial step towards a future where technology empowers transparency and collaboration, enabling us to build a more equitable and sustainable music industry for all,” said ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus during the launch.
“Connex is a crucial step towards a future where technology empowers transparency and collaboration, enabling us to build a more equitable and sustainable music industry for all.”
Björn Ulvaeus, ABBA
Connex adopts the DDEX global standard RIN message (Recording Information Notification), which establishes a common digital language for passing credits throughout the music ecosystem. Kim Beauchamp, DDEX chair and EVP of Strategic Business Transformation & Operations at Universal Music Group, noted that while the standard exists, implementing it has been challenging.
“DDEX developed the RIN message to standardize the way that data collected in the studio is passed on to music labels and other recipients. Unfortunately, the standard doesn’t address the reality of how labels receive credits today which often involves receiving information from multiple sources via multiple mediums.”
Beauchamp said, “Connex has been built to bridge that gap and make the vision of RIN a reality, to make the transmission of credits from the studio to the label as easy, robust, and accurate as possible.”
The launch of Connex comes as the music industry has struggled with credit management and improving credit accuracy as production has grown more complex.
“Connex represents a real step forward for the music industry. It simplifies the process of managing creator credits and audio and enables stronger collaboration and faster decision-making across the industry,” said David Campbell, Managing Director of Connex.
“UMG joining us as our founding customer is testimony to Connex’s capabilities and further supports our mission to solve the industry’s complex data challenges with software products that people want to use. Importantly Connex is accessible to all music companies, from independents to the world’s largest music catalogs.”
Connex also integrates with existing creator tools including Session Studio, VevaSound, MusicTeam, and Patchbay, potentially connecting “hundreds of thousands” of music creators directly to labels and publishers. The platform also incorporates sample detection technology to identify potential clearance issues early in the production process.
“UMG joining us as our founding customer is testimony to Connex’s capabilities and further supports our mission to solve the industry’s complex data challenges with software products that people want to use.”
David Campbell, CCONNEX
The platform offers both a shared SaaS version for independent labels and a dedicated enterprise version with private infrastructure for larger companies like UMG.
For UMG, the Connex adoption aligns with its efforts to advocate for the protection of creator’s interests. In February, UMG adopted the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) system to improve identification of creators and artists across the music industry.
Last year, UMG and instrument maker Roland – known for its synthesizers and drum machines, among other things – published the Principles for Music Creation with AI, a manifesto for the responsible use of AI in music creation. A few months later, over 50 prominent entities in the music industry added their support to the initiative.
Music Business Worldwide
