The catalog gold rush has a new major player, as Intercept Music secures $50 million to acquire U.S. and Latin music assets, betting its AI and predictive analytics can rewrite the playbook for monetizing these song collections.
Tech-driven valuation: The funding round sees founder Ralph Tashjian as a co-investor, and signals a distinct approach in a market crowded by traditional buyers. Intercept plans to deploy its proprietary tech to amplify earnings and audience reach for catalogs often seen as having untapped potential. Intercept's AI-powered platform—which it claims was an industry first for marketing and distribution—is not just to manage acquired rights but to fundamentally enhance their value. CEO Tod Turner said in a release, "This is more than just a funding deal—it's a commitment to restructuring music rights management." The system has already powered over 2 billion streams for its independent artists, and can identify and exploit under-leveraged revenue streams within acquired catalogs.
Strategic expansion: The capital infusion will also fuel the expansion of Intercept's catalog management operations and further embed advanced AI across its services, including broader YouTube offerings. Tashjian noted the company is "expanding our territorial footprint" into growing Latin music markets.
While competitors like Believe and The Orchard also operate in the independent distribution and catalog space, Intercept is positioning its technology as a core differentiator and touting flexible deal structuring through both full and partial rights acquisition.
Immediate deployment: With several initial acquisitions reportedly already under review, Intercept Music is moving quickly to put the $50 million to work. Recognized by Manage Marketing Magazine as a "Top Ten" Music Marketing Service Provider in 2024, the company is now stepping onto a larger stage.