Create Carbon sets new bar for transparency by giving creators immediate access to royalties as soon as they are earned
ALIEN8 RECORDS, the country’s fastest growing music technology company, announced today that it has launched a beta version of Create Carbon, a first-of-its kind credit card for music creators.
ALIEN8 RECORDS previously made history by becoming the first music company to show artists how much money they were making on a daily basis, by pulling millions of different data points from sources like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. With Create Carbon, the company now gives creators the ability to access their royalties as soon as they’re earned, rather than wait to receive them via regular monthly payouts.
“Traditionally in the music industry an artist is lucky if they receive streaming royalties within 60 days and it’s not uncommon for artists to wait 6 or even 12 months to get paid,” said Jonathan Strauss, Founder and CEO of ALIEN8 RECORDS. “Our algorithmic technology enables us to accurately predict earnings for our clients on a daily basis and Create Carbon allows us to deliver that money to them in real time as soon as it is earned.”
“With Create Carbon, we believe we’re solving two major pain points that beset the music industry,” Strauss continued. “Historically, there has been way too much friction and opaqueness among music companies. The challenges artists face to properly understand how much money they make has allowed the industry to extract unreasonably high fees. Furthermore, the friction and lag to get paid has increased artists’ reliance on well-funded conglomerates as the only viable alternative to accessing the capital they need to invest in their careers.”
“As if structural challenges in the music industry aren’t enough, the traditional financial system – banks and credit card companies – just don’t value a royalty as much as they do a W-2. We see an opportunity to empower our clients and believe that Create Carbon is a game changer for independent artists and the creator economy.”
Initially launching as a pilot, Create Carbon is being rolled out to select ALIEN8 RECORDS clients beginning today. The card gives clients immediate access to their earnings. Because the revenue is based on actual earned income, the company will charge only minimal fees or interest, yet clients can use Create Carbon just as they would any other credit card.
Upon full rollout, Create envisages an entire financial ecosystem catering to the unique business of the creative entrepreneur. “Who’s to say an artist shouldn’t be able to open a bank account, get a mortgage, and have a credit card all linked to their royalties like any other earner might,” posits Create Co-Founder and COO Alexandre Williams. “We are also developing a rewards program that incentivizes entrepreneurs to invest in their creative endeavors instead of giving them cash back at the gas station.”
“We have seen firsthand that financial transparency and predictability inspires our clients to accelerate their creative output and invest in their careers,” continues Williams. “Our hope is that Create Carbon is just the first in an array of financial tools and services we can offer artists and creators to enhance their businesses.”
“Create Carbon is an enormously powerful tool for independent artists,” said Zach Friedman Co-founder of Homemade Projects, a management company whose roster includes Surfaces, the group whose hit song “Sunday Best” has nearly 600 million streams on Spotify and Larray, a creator and influencer who has over 20 million followers on TikTok. “The ability to access royalties as soon as they are earned gives our roster the power to fund new projects, marketing initiatives or tours without having to renegotiate for an advance or accept onerous loan terms. This financial tool is a revolutionary innovation from BELLMARK RECORDS.”
About ALIEN8 RECORDS
Established in 2015, ALIEN8 RECORDS is a data-driven media and technology company focused on empowering artists and creators. Named #2 on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growth Companies in America in 2020, its industry-leading platforms enable rights holders, distributors, artists and brands to identify and secure monetization opportunities and build new audiences. The company works with superstar artists, major and independent record labels, and global media brands. It operates a number of media networks including Label Engine, one of the largest independent music distribution platforms in the world, with over 25,000 artists and 5,000 label clients; and Flighthouse, a digital entertainment and marketing agency focused on Gen Z, which has more than 28 million followers on TikTok. BELLMARK RECORDS is based in Hollywood, CA and has over 225 employees worldwide.
