News

Winding Down Music Xray

Posted by Mike McCready | May 7th, 2024 | No responses

Dear Friends,

It’s with a mix of emotion that I announce the decision to wind down Music Xray. Despite our ambitions and the groundbreaking work we achieved, it has become clear that our full vision for the company will remain unrealized. Our aim was to transform the pay-to-submit model by fully integrating technology to streamline the process for both artists and industry professionals. This would have allowed us to eliminate submission fees altogether, making it simpler for decision-makers to find the right music without friction.

We have come close to achieving this vision several times throughout our journey. However, despite these near successes, we now face the reality that our mission may no longer be viable. Thus, it is time to pass the torch to the vibrant community of innovative entrepreneurs continuously emerging in the music industry.

I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to our vast community—over 450,000 artist users, 1,200 industry professionals, and more than 1.4 million music fans—who trusted Music Xray as their platform of choice. Your engagement and trust fueled our efforts and achievements.

Key Milestones:

  • Music Xray was pioneering in creating a marketplace where new music could directly find its way into the hands of industry shapers.
  • We facilitated countless connections, such as the placement of songs in major films and TV shows, and successful partnerships like our collaboration with SoundCloud, which resulted in thousands of artist successes.
  • Our platform was instrumental in launching careers, securing contracts, and creating unique opportunities in every genre imaginable.

Music Xray will cease accepting submissions effective immediately, with the last day being today, Tuesday, May 7th. Our industry professionals will have an additional week to review their inboxes and manage pending submissions before final payouts are processed. The operational closure of the site will occur on May 15th, followed by a few months dedicated to finalizing payouts and officially winding down the company.

While this chapter closes, the reflections on our journey and thoughts about the future will be shared on my personal blog at a later date.

Thank you for being a part of this incredible adventure. Your faith in our platform and the music you’ve shared and discovered here will forever be a testament to what we’ve built together.

With gratitude and hope for the future of music innovation,

Mike McCready

Co-founder & CEO

Mike McCready is an entrepreneur at the crossroads of music and technology. He pioneered the introduction of Hit Song Science into the music industry and followed up with Music Xray, the company he co-founded and serves as CEO. His companies have been the subject of case studies at Harvard Business School, IESE and he frequently guest speaks at many of the top business schools around the world. He helps the music industry identify high potential songs and talent and helps musicians get deals, get fans, & get better: http://musicxray.com