A Timeline Of Industry Firsts

BEHIND THE GROUNDBREAKING MOVES THAT HELPED PUSH THE INDUSTRY TOWARD THE FUTURE

2001

Kobalt offered the first full-service deals — encompassing categories of A&R, synch and administration — for its music creator clients. To further differentiate itself, the company also offered writers the ability to keep 100% ownership of their songs.

2002

Kobalt became the first platform to collect and register directly in all major markets on behalf of its music creator clients, eliminating intercompany subpublisher charges.

2002

Kobalt launched the first-ever online portal giving statements and royalty analysis for every writer, allowing clients to track and access their individual incomes and manage their rights and royalties directly.

2008

The publisher’s portal evolved to become the first to offer online advances, show global registration status and counterclaim data, flexible royalty analysis and a live pipeline of synch activity.

2010

Kobalt became the first (and still only, a decade later) nonmajor publisher to have greater than 10% of the market share in the United States and the United Kingdom.

2011

Kobalt created the first regulated music fund with Kobalt Music Capital, which has gone on to invest over $1 billion.

2013

The company developed the first portal to show an activity feed of global catalog events, YouTube user-generated-content video earnings and viewing data, global chart positions and videos of global licensed synch commercials.

2013

Kobalt’s Neighboring Rights service became the first to directly collect in all major markets.

2013

Kobalt is named the inaugural winner of the publisher administrator of the year honor at ASCAP’s annual Pop Awards.

2015

Kobalt launched the first mobile app showing all portal data, giving creators quick access to financial and consumption information.

2015

Kobalt became the first publisher to offer global direct collection from digital sources with the relaunch of AMRA, which today operates in China, Brazil and Japan, among other markets.

2017

Kobalt developed the first recordings app to visualize streaming data and revenue for AWAL artists.