SURF Music (discover.surf) officially launched its global B2B digital platform in Japan, Korea, and the United States. With the slogan "Bringing Power Back to the Creators," the platform enables songwriters, producers, and music creators to sell unreleased music directly to buyers across the entertainment industry.
The SURF platform, which uses AI, automation, and analytics, serves as a comprehensive marketplace where creators can connect with buyers such as record labels, advertising agencies, and film and TV production companies. It offers tools to help manage catalogs, tag songs with AI, and match unreleased tracks to specific briefs from buyers.
Initially launched as a trial service in Japan and Korea in 2021, SURF has already attracted over 500 songwriters, producers, and music creators from around the world. It is currently used by major record companies and more than 200 A&R representatives in Japan and Korea.
This platform allows creators to browse briefs, organize playlists, and secure opportunities for their music. Buyers can, in turn, filter songs using AI technology, express interest in available tracks and place them in various projects across the entertainment spectrum.
With a growing user base, the Middle East presents a promising market to tap into. Co-founder Carl Margetts shares his thoughts:
How do you see the partnership with Musivv being beneficial to Surf?
We see an incredible partnership opportunity between Musivv and Surf Music, given that we are both passionate about empowering artists, promoting local culture, and cultivating a global community. There are some amazing synergies to realize. We are aligned in our missions to empower creators. Surf Music is committed to leveling the playing field for all creators, regardless of background, and ensuring they are rewarded fairly. With Musivv as a platform that features independent artists, we believe this partnership is an excellent way for up-and-coming creators to branch out and reach a wider audience—something we are actively working toward at Surf Music.
Our mission is to connect creators with music buyers from all over the world on one platform. We’ve designed the Surf platform to be as seamless as possible—it's easy to sign up, upload content to the marketplace, and have that content discovered and purchased directly by buyers using our advanced AI technology. By cutting out the middleman, we ensure that creators retain 100% of their royalties!
Is there potential to open up a Middle East market for Surf?
Absolutely. The Middle East is high on our list of markets to focus on next. We already have creators signing up from all over the world, including the U.S., Japan, Korea, Europe, and South East Asia—and now we’re aiming to focus more on the Middle East. We see it as a melting pot of global influences, perfectly situated for our mission to bridge East and West.
We’re excited to partner with Musivv, as their local expertise and passion for empowering creators in the region fully align with our goals.
The trial service began in Japan and Korea in 2021, and currently all major record companies and over 200 A&Rs in Japan and Korea are using the service, in addition to over 500 songwriters, producers, and music creators from around the world registering unreleased songs.
The service allows songwriters, producers and music creators around the world to browse creative briefs from labels, ad agencies and film and TV production companies, manage their catalogs with AI song tagging services, organize playlists and provide song opportunities, while A&R and music buyers can filter and find songs with an AI filtering system, place holds or interests on available songs and place songs for artists and projects.
With its focus on empowering creators and simplifying access to a global marketplace, SURF Music is rapidly becoming a game-changer in the world of unreleased music.
