Abe Batshon and Jon Platt Talk About Their Ground-Breaking Partnership

Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.

It's extremely important. Creators pour their heart and soul into music, and whether it's a dollar or a million dollars, all of it makes money. BeatStars at its core services DIY creators, and by offering publishing services, they can maintain independence until they're ready for a bigger situation. It's crucial that their songs are protected and they're paid fairly. That's why we're happy to collaborate with you to help these creators receive what they're owed.

I'll take you back a bit. I grew up in Denver and Oakland, and I've always loved music and the information behind it. I became a DJ, managed producers, and got them a publishing deal with EMI in the early '90s. My passion has always been close to creators, and that aligns with BeatStars. I see BeatStars as a community, not just a platform. When the opportunity to partner came from a junior A&R who was aware of the community, I immediately got it. The conversations were effortless, like we'd known each other for 20 years because we were doing the same thing on different paths.

In the last few years, this is how music has been created, but it didn't have an outlet. You've provided the technology and passion for music. I like being in business with people who care about the music and creators. Your community and hip hop kept music playing during the pandemic because they were already conditioned to create without being in the same room. Much great music came from that. The business is evolving, and we want to be part of that evolution. Aligning with you has been a great experience.

When someone calls us the biggest, that's a fact, but I'd rather be referred to as the best. We care about our creators. Going back to your point about the community—the publishing portal allows creators to handle their business and protect their music on the front end. Historically, things happened on the back end, with creators chasing licensing after a record deal. Now, with structure on the front end, they can maintain 100% ownership or do an administration deal. The spirit of BeatStars is DIY, and together we allow them to do that with publishing. There are so many creators around the world—I've always believed there are more people like that everywhere. BeatStars is a meeting spot for them. It's fantastic.

It's a lot of work to administer publishing services. Once creators see how much goes into it, they'll appreciate it and have more time to create hits. It's a heavy lift, so it's important to partner with someone reputable. I've seen too many people sign with people who don't resemble an administrator. We're making it easier to get to us and have your works administered the way you want. It prepares you for the next step in your career. Every creator should look at their business as a business—manage it correctly on the front end for value on the back end.

With a co-publishing deal, you get access to our A&R team to amplify your success, connect you with other creators, and get your beats to artists. There are sync opportunities for TV, film, and video games. We're collaborating with Sony labels to create submission opportunities for admin clients as well. We want to expand opportunities beyond a handful of people. Everyone is looking for that one shot, and it can come from a submission. The community has so much scale and music. I lean into the DIY creative process—I applaud creators choosing their own path. This is the perfect opportunity because we physically could never reach all the people on this platform. I'm very thankful.

Without those platforms, the world may have never heard that music. I love that people are making it happen on their own, and it comes through in the music with authenticity. You've worked with big artists, and now you see a new generation collaborating differently through technology. It's more efficient and gives more opportunities for success. It's reviving careers of past stars—like Soulja Boy picking up a beat from BeatStars and going viral on TikTok. It's exciting to see different sounds, cultures, and languages being democratized.

You've worked with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jay-Z. When you go on BeatStars, what do you hear? I hear the same thing I heard in 1995 when I started at EMI. It takes me back. As the business progressed, there was less opportunity for that, and now it's back. It's so much easier to do A&R now because you can get to creators directly. Most of the people I signed were found through other creators or managers. Now with BeatStars, it's like Disneyland for creators. Every established artist was once new and needed music to pair with their talent. Now they have that opportunity. You can find quality on the platform—producers who have become millionaires. The industry may not know their names, but the streets do. As a songwriter, you want people to know your songs, not just your name.

Tremendously. It affects your publishing earning potential tremendously. Another thing about BeatStars is that it can be faceless—someone just starting or someone who's been trying for 20 years. When people go on the platform, they want to hear the music, so you don't get judged by interaction. Your music creates the opportunity. Publishing is now front and center in people's minds, which wasn't always the case. But songwriters shouldn't get caught up in the conversation—stay focused on your craft and make sure your business is straight. There are people doing the work and people talking about those doing the work. You want to be on the side of doing the work. Our community is head down, knocking out beats. It's fine to be inspired by someone's journey, but ultimately your journey is the one that matters. Do things your way. It may take longer, but you'll last longer.

No, I just think it's amazing what you've built. You've created a platform for so many to build a community and have opportunities they wouldn't have had otherwise. Old Town Road is the biggest example, but it may not have happened without the platform. At its core, it wouldn't have happened without the platform. And without the people, the platform doesn't happen either. It's a beautiful marriage between the community investing in us and us creating tools to help their careers.

Ed, thank you, man. We're excited as well. I wish all of you the best of luck. We're happy to be part of the journey with you.