Music for everyone
Welcome to the DIY revolution
At iMusician we believe music shouldn’t just be a hobby; musicians deserve to be paid. From day one, we’ve fought to tear down the walls erected by the music industry. And we won. Each day, we strive to give independent artists and labels access to the marketplace so they can compete on equal footing and build the lives they deserve.
Our mission is to be heroes for DIY musicians and independent record labels around the world. We want to make it easy for everyone to sell, manage, protect, and monetize their music. If you’re financially sustainable, you’ll make more music. It’s that simple.
40+
Team Members
15
Nationalities
2
Offices
500,000
Community Members
By musicians, for musicians
20 years ago, we were electronic musicians starting our own record label. After finding our own way as artists, we founded iMusician to help our friends easily maneuver the music industry. Over the last 20 years, we fought for artists’ rights and our dream evolved into a thriving community of half a million DIY artists and independent record labels.
Our evolution happened as physical record sales were plummeting and digital stores and streaming platforms started to pop up. We grew with it, and now we’re well equipped to navigate the music industry and whatever comes next.
1999
As successful artist Greed, Tobi Wirz founds dance music imprint SOGrecords at the height of the Progressive House craze.
2000
In the US, industry sales of CDs peak with 942.5 million units sold. (source)
2002
Shigs Amemiya joins SOGrecords as a label manager.
2003
From a windowless attic studio, SOGrecords doubles output and branches into publishing, booking, and management. Apple launches iTunes store; Beatport opens digital store focused on dance music.
2005-2008
YouTube, Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music spring up.
2012
iMusician leads a class action "anti-competition case" against the IFPI and the Majors in Switzerland. In 2012, we win, with the court forcing the IFPI to open the charts to all independents.
2015-2016
iMusician jumps from 10,000 to 25,000 members, rolls out YouTube Monetization, launches in Spanish and Italian, and opens an office in Berlin, Germany.
2019
iMusician launches in Brazil and Portugal, quietly reaches 100,000 members. CD sales hit all-time low with only 46.5 million units sold globally. In the US, streaming takes 80% of digital sales.
2020
iMusician reaches 200,000 members and launches Instant Mastering.
Our values
We grow with you
We know that it’s hard for musicians to find the information and access they need; the music industry creates veils of mystery. But we want to help you move forward. It doesn’t matter if you went to Music School or have an MBA; anyone can have a successful and sustainable music career.
We walk the walk
We know that financial sustainability in the music doesn’t happen overnight; dreams are paved with a lot of hard work and consistent steps towards goals, one release at a time. We want to help artists and labels meet their goals by giving them solutions they can use every day and advice they can apply towards their own path. We are solution-oriented, aware of the changes that have happened to the industry, and offer realistic and up-to-date advice.
We cut the hype
We know that the music industry uses hype to create illusion, fantasy, dreams, and failure. We lift the veils to give musicians what they need to make a living from their music. Our team is made up of musicians, record labels managers, DJs, tour managers, and more. We use this experience to create services that make it easier for DIY musicians and independent labels can use to build a sustainable business.
We are a global community
At iMusician, we believe in the power of a unified global community. We share our knowledge so that we can lift each other up. We’ve got each other’s backs and only want the very best for one another.
We’re one of you
We’re a team of DIY musicians and label owners. It’s a part of us and in our DNA. We’re a part of the same community and understand the obstacles and problems that musicians face every day. We don’t know more because we’re better — we’re all on equal footing; we just have the experience and want to share it.
Who we are
Meet the faces behind the scenes. A team of DIY musicians, label owners and event promoters, we’ve experienced the highs and the lows of the music industry. We know the playing field and are here to help you progress through your music career.
Release today!
Ready to sell your music to more than 200 digital shops and streaming platforms around the world? Our simple interface makes it easy to have your release ready for distribution in just a few minutes.
A Deeper Understanding
Written by musicians and industry experts, check out blog posts, videos and artist features provide tips on how to grow your music career. Supported with insights from our team of artist and label managers plus music industry guests, you’ll find a library of resources to get your career on the right path.