Ola Sars is on a mission to revolutionize how businesses access and pay for music, aligning creator rights with commercial practices.
Ola Sars, a veteran in the music-tech sphere, has embarked on a significant journey with Soundtrack Technologies, a leading B2B music streaming platform tailored for commercial environments. With a focus on modernizing music licensing and payment processes, Sars aims to bridge the gap between how music is consumed in commercial spaces and the rights of artists. Soundtrack Technologies provides businesses, from gyms to hotels, with fully licensed music streaming services, ensuring compliance with copyright laws while enabling businesses to enjoy a rich musical experience.
Sars’s background includes pivotal roles at Beats Music and Apple Music, where he gained insight into the music licensing landscape and identified a pressing need for change in commercial music use. Traditional systems had left many businesses unknowingly infringing on copyright laws, leading to significant revenue losses for artists and labels. Sars recognized this oversight and pinpointed it as a vast opportunity to innovate.
His previous venture, Pacemaker, also laid the groundwork for his understanding of the complexities surrounding music rights and tech. With that experience, Sars moved on to Soundtrack Technologies—an endeavor that has since positioned the company as the largest licensed B2B music streaming service globally, now operational in 73 countries and partnering with well-known brands such as Uniqlo and Four Seasons.
The platform’s success stems from nearly ten years of negotiations with music rights holders, navigating a landscape fraught with outdated reporting methods. Sars emphasized the importance of establishing accurate, modern systems for reporting and paying royalties. He believes that adherence to transparent practices not only serves the ethical interests of creators but also lays the groundwork for sustained innovation within the industry.
According to Sars, the value of music in commercial settings is vastly underestimated. Many businesses continue to rely on unlicensed music, missing out on potential income for artists and publishers. He argues that properly licensed accounts can yield significantly higher revenue—up to six times that of consumer subscriptions—because commercial music usage reaches a broader audience simultaneously. By implementing advanced analytics and AI-driven tools, Soundtrack allows businesses to strategically utilize music, aligning it with their brand identity and customer engagement.
As the music industry adapts to trends like artificial intelligence, Sars envisions a future where commercial music becomes a critical asset for businesses, rather than just background noise. His mission is clear: to modernize how businesses use music, ensuring that creators receive fair compensation while creating a richer auditory experience in commercial environments. With Soundtrack Technologies, Sars aims to reshape the commercial music sector, aligning it with the advancements seen in consumer streaming.
