BandLab Expands Licensing Platform to Connect Artists and Rights Holders to AI Companies, Opening the Door to Legal AI Music Models

02 July 2025 - Press release

BandLab, the world's largest social music creation platform, today announced a major expansion of BandLab Licensing (licensing.bandlab.com), introducing a structure with clear guidelines that allows artists, labels, and publishers to signal interest in licensing their music to train AI models. This landmark initiative provides a clear pathway for AI companies to legally license music from rights holders for training purposes, ensuring that AI and music can evolve together in a way that prioritizes creators while also driving potential new revenue streams.

In addition to BandLab Licensing's existing options to submit music for licensing in TV, film, games, and apps, those using the platform can now also indicate their interest in AI training licensing deals by marking songs as "Open to AI licensing." This selection registers rights holders in a dedicated database, creating a simple process for AI companies to seek authorization and legally license compositions and recordings from artists, labels, and publishers.

Every AI training licensing opportunity presented through BandLab Licensing requires explicit approval from the licensor. This ensures that artists from BandLab's global community of over 100 million creators, and any other rights holders, have control and transparency over what AI training licensing deals they choose to participate in.

As AI rapidly changes the music industry, artists at every level are being subjected to unauthorized scraping, exploitative loopholes, and vague blanket agreements positioned as solutions. BandLab has long advocated for artist-first AI, and this expansion of BandLab Licensing introduces a scalable and structured option that gives creators control over how their music is licensed for training AI models. It also ensures independent and emerging artists have the chance to access AI training licensing opportunities alongside major rights holders, giving all creators a voice in shaping the future of music and AI while reinforcing their copyright protections.

Developed in consultation with leading industry stakeholders, this initiative is essential to advancing ongoing industry efforts to drive innovation, while ensuring that AI companies can follow responsible licensing practices that protect, rather than destroy the value of human creativity.

"At BandLab, we believe the future of music must be built on artist-first innovation that respects both legacy and the next generation of creators," said Meng Ru Kuok, CEO & Co-Founder of BandLab. "At a time when AI exploitation is rampant, we need to aggressively and proactively take action to protect artist rights. Creating pathways and marketplaces for permissible AI training is essential to ensure that AI and music can collaborate in a way that empowers artists, safeguards creativity, and drives real economic value for rights holders."

Artists, labels, publishers, and AI companies can learn more about BandLab Licensing at licensing.bandlab.com.