Symphonic Distribution

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{{Infobox company

| name = Symphonic Distribution

| image = Symphonic_Logo.png

| type = Private

| genre = Digital distribution
Music publishing

| foundation = 2006

| founder = Jorge Brea

| key_people = Jorge Brea (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer)

| location_city = Tampa

| location_country = United States

| area_served = Worldwide

| industry = Music industry

| products =

| services = On-demand music distribution

| num_employees = 150

| subsid =

| homepage = {{url|https://symphonic.com/}}

| footnotes =

| intl =

}}

Symphonic Distribution is a digital music distribution company launched in late 2006 by Jorge Brea, in Tampa, Florida. Symphonic Distribution delivers music from independent record labels and musicians to online retailers such as Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, Napster, Deezer, Pandora, Amazon, and Beatport.

History and background

Symphonic Distribution is based in Tampa, Florida and was founded in late 2006. By 2010, Symphonic Distribution was earning more than half a million dollars a year in revenue.{{cite journal|last=Brown|first=Jo-Lynn|title=Who knew? Worldly music distributor makes Wesley Chapel work|date=August 11, 2011|series=Tampa BizCurrents|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/blog/2011/08/who-knew-worldly-music-distributor.html?page=all|accessdate=14 April 2014}} It generated $2.3 million in revenue in 2014, about $500,000 of which was profit.{{cite web|title=Wesley Chapel company distributes digital music around the world|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/from-a-small-office-in-wesley-chapel-music-is-distributed-around-the-world/2230703/|website=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=22 May 2015}}

In 2016, Symphonic Distribution announced an expansion into New York with the intention of establishing relationships for its distributed labels, artists, and independent brands.{{cite web|title=Symphonic Distribution Expands to New York City|url=http://blog.symphonicdistribution.com/2016/05/symphonic-nyc-office/}} In addition, following the closure of Beatport's Distribution company, Baseware Distribution, Symphonic signed over 200 distribution accounts from the defunct distributor.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

In 2017, Symphonic Distribution received a growth capital investment of $4M from Ballast Point Ventures, a Tampa-based private equity firm. After the investment, the company hired former Orchard executives Nick Gordon and Eshan Shah Jahan as Chief Client Officer & GM and Head of Product based in New York respectively.{{Cite news|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/symphonic-distribution-hires-eshan-shah-jahan-as-head-of-product-in-new-york/|title=Symphonic Distribution hires Eshan Shah Jahan as Head of Product in New York - Music Business Worldwide|date=2018-08-01|work=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/symphonic-distribution-makes-senior-hires-in-new-york-and-los-angeles/|title=Symphonic Distribution makes senior hires in New York and Los Angeles - Music Business Worldwide|date=2018-05-09|work=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en-US}}

The company continued to hire staff members through 2017 and 2018. In 2018, the company hired Jakub Alexander as Director of A&R & Client Development. Jakub, a veteran of label Ghostly International.{{Cite news|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/symphonic-distribution-hires-jakub-alexander-from-ghostly-international/|title=Symphonic Distribution hires Jakub Alexander from Ghostly International - Music Business Worldwide|date=2018-06-18|work=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en-US}} In addition, Symphonic built out a Client Marketing team, expanding its marketing in Latin America, Hip Hop, Pop, and more. Jon Mizrachi also joined as Senior Director of Sync Licensing after spending 12 years at Carlin America as Creative Director for synchronization licensing in film, television and advertising.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

In April 2018, the company relocated headquarters to downtown Tampa, Florida where it shares an office building with Tampa Theatre.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cltampa.com/music/music-news/media-gallery/21000793/symphonic-distributions-new-4000squarefoot-downtown-tampa-headquarters|title=First look into Symphonic Distribution's new, 4,000-square-foot downtown Tampa headquarters (PHOTOS)|work=Creative Loafing: Tampa Bay|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en}} Following the move, the company worked in collaboration with the Tampa Downtown Partnership to create several Spotify playlists, each embodying experiences unique to the Tampa Bay area and featuring local artists.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-tampa/up-and-coming-tampa-musicians-featured-in-six-new-downtown-tampa-playlists-on-spotify|title=Up-and-coming Tampa musicians featured in six new Downtown Tampa playlists on Spotify|last=O'Reilly|first=Sean|date=2018-07-06|work=WFTS|access-date=2018-10-31|language=en-US}}

Another location opened in 2018 with the opening of the Nashville office of Symphonic, headed by VP, Business Development, Randall Foster who previously worked at Naxos and Anthem Entertainment. Symphonic has continued to launch new locations in Colombia, Brazil, Africa, Mexico, and other countries around the world as well as cities throughout the USA like Los Angeles and Brooklyn, and has continued to launch new solutions in the areas of Catalog Management and Transfer, SplitPay, Analytics, and more. In addition, Symphonic has paid over $100 million in artist royalties since its inception.{{cn|date=November 2022}}

In January 2022, Symphonic announced a $37 million investment in a Series B round of funding led by NewSpring and Ballast Point Ventures. Symphonic then acquired Streaming Promotions and expanded into Canada. The same year, the company launched a DIY option called "Symphonic Starter", which lets artists upload unlimited songs for a yearly fee in exchange for 100% of royalties.{{Cite web |title=Starter |url=https://symphonic.com/starter/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Symphonic |language=en-US}}

= Video Distribution =

In July 2014, Symphonic launched its Video Distribution services. In 2018, Symphonic partnered with Vevo, allowing artists to create and upload music videos on the platform.{{cite web|url= http://symphonicdistribution.com/video-distribution/|title=Music Video Distribution|publisher=Symphonic Distribution}}

= Acquisition of Houseplanet Distribution =

In 2017, Houseplanet Distribution was acquired by Symphonic Distribution.{{Cite news|url=http://blog.symphonicdistribution.com/2017/02/symphonic-acquires-houseplanet-distribution/|title=Symphonic Acquires Houseplanet Distribution|last=|first=|date=2017-02-01|work=Symphonic Distribution Blog|access-date=2017-06-17|language=en-US}} Houseplanet Distribution, located in Madrid, Spain, as of 2006, focuses on the distribution of house music.{{Cite web |title=Houseplanet Distribution |url=https://www.stems-music.com/stems-partners/stems_partners_distributors_houseplanet/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Stems |language=en-US}}

= Sync Licensing =

Symphonic extended its distribution and label services with a sync licensing division. In addition to being a standalone full-service sync licensing agency, Bodega will serve as the sync licensing arm of Symphonic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/symphonic-distribution-launches-sync-licensing-arm-bodega-sync/|title=Symphonic Distribution launches sync licensing arm, Bodega Sync|date=2019-02-14|website=Music Business Worldwide|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-16}}

= Publishing Administration =

In March 2019, Symphonic Distribution announced a partnership with Music Publishing Administration Service.{{cite web|url=http://blog.symphonicdistribution.com/2019/03/weve-partnered-with-songtrust/|title=Symphonic Distribution announces a new business partnership with Songtrust|last=|first=|date=|website=blog.symphonicdistribution.com|publisher=|accessdate=27 March 2019}}

Partnerships

In 2021, Symphonic Distribution, UnitedMasters, and Horus Music partnered with the music funding company beatBread to offer clients more access to capital.{{Cite news |date=August 18, 2021 |title=Music Fintech Pioneer beatBread Partners with Leading Services to Power Dedicated Artist Advance Offerings |work=Yahoo! News |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/music-fintech-pioneer-beatbread-partners-160000842.html |access-date=August 15, 2022}} beatBread's chordCashAI technology provides an automated advance experience for independent musicians while enabling clients to choose their own terms and retain ownership of their music.{{Cite news |last=Ingham |first=Tim |date=August 18, 2021 |title=UNITEDMASTERS IS NOW OFFERING $1M ADVANCES TO INDIE ARTISTS, PLUS REAL-TIME STREAMING ROYALTY PAY-OUTS |work=Music Business Worldwide |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/unitedmasters-is-now-offering-1m-advances-to-indie-artists-and-real-time-streaming-royalties/ |access-date=November 15, 2022}}

In 2023, Symphonic became a founding member of the Music Fights Fraud Alliance, a global task force which was created to eradicate streaming fraud.{{cite web |last1=Stassen |first1=Murray |title=Believe, EMPIRE, Spotify, Amazon Music and more team up to form global task force 'aimed at eradicating streaming fraudAMING FRAUD’ |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/believe-empire-spotify-amazon-music-and-more-team-up-to-form-global-task-force-aimed-at-eradicating-streaming-fraud/ |website=Music Business Worldwide |access-date=26 April 2024}}