Reason Studios, the Stockholm company behind DAW software Reason, has been acquired by Canadian AI specialist LANDR.
According to the press release announcing the move, the acquisition will allow the two brands to, “combine their strengths to accelerate the evolution of Reason, expanding its reach, and deepening its impact across every major DAW environment.”
LANDR states that Reason Studios will continue to operate as its own brand, “maintaining its products, community, and creative DNA.” The announcement does say, however, that the two brands will ‘align teams across two centres of excellence’ in Montreal and Stockholm.
“This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow,” says LANDR CEO Pascal Pilon. “We’re preserving each brand’s identity and core market while unlocking new possibilities for creators everywhere.”
Reason was first launched in 2000 by Propellerhead Software, building on the success of the company’s virtual synth studio ReBirth.
Reason quickly gained popularity thanks to its distinctive UI, which emulated the look and workflow of an analogue studio setup, complete with a virtual outboard rack that could house a variety of instruments and effects. That faux-analogue design has been a defining feature of Reason throughout its history.
Despite its popularity, earlier versions were often characterised by what the DAW lacked as much as what it offered. The software was initially MIDI-only and had no audio capabilities until the launch of companion application Record, which arrived in 2009 and was later merged into Reason.
For much of its history, Reason was also entirely self-contained and had no plugin compatibility. Only in 2012 did Propellerhead open Reason to third-party developers, and even then it was only via the DAW-specific Rack Extension format. Full VST support eventually arrived with Reason 9.5 in 2017.
Despite these limitations, Reason has always had a lot of appealing features. The virtual analogue UI remains a fun and intuitive way to work, even in 2025. For our money, Reason has always had one of the strongest catalogues of virtual instruments, including classics like the Thor polysynth and Dr Octo Rex loop player, as well as more recent additions like the physical modelling synth Objekt.
In 2019, Propellerhead Software became Reason Studios. At the same time, the company launched Reason 11, which allowed the Reason Rack to be used as a plugin within other DAWs for the first time.
LANDR launched in 2014, initially as an AI-powered mastering service that used machine learning to automatically apply typical mastering engineer techniques such as EQ and dynamics refinement to tracks uploaded by users.
Over the past decade the company’s offering has expanded to include music distribution, sample and plugin storefronts, collaborative tools and online music making courses.
Reason Studios isn’t LANDR’s first acquisition. The company also owns Synchro Arts, creators of VocAlign and Revoice Pro.
According to its press release, the company will “gradually introduce new value for Reason users through deeper integrations, enhanced collaboration tools, and creator-focused, AI-powered features; all designed to make the creative process more seamless, inspiring, and accessible.”
LANDR has also announced the formation of a new Artist Council that will play a role in shaping the roadmap for future Reason updates. This council will apparently be composed of well-known producers and longtime Reason users, although no names have been revealed as yet.
LANDR VP of Strategy Daniel Rowland says: “Like a lot of producers, Reason was my first experience making music on a computer, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Reason has always been shaped by its community, and this council makes that official, giving power users a direct voice in shaping the tools they rely on, benefitting all of us.”
While it's difficult to predict exactly what this might mean for the future of Reason, witnessing one of the original music software trailblazers being acquired by a brand with AI at the core of its identity feels like a potentially significant moment for music technology.
The acquisition also sees Reason Studios’ former majority owner Verdane realise its investment in the business.
For more details on Reason, head to the Reason Studios website. Head to the LANDR site for more on the company’s other offerings.
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