Music sampling service Tracklib switches to a subscription model and adds more songs and features

Music sampling service Tracklib, which enables you to legally purchase songs that can be sampled and used in your own productions, has announced that it’s switching to a subscription model. It’s also increased the number of songs in its library and overhauled the user interface.

Whereas, previously, all downloads cost $1.99 each, Tracklib is now a tiered subscription service with three options:

Essential: 5 track downloads each month ($5.99/month or $59.90/year)
Standard: 15 track downloads each month ($13.99/month or $139.90/year)
Professional: 35 track downloads each month ($29.99/month or $299.90/year)

There’s also a 14-day trial period during which users can download up to 7 songs. Songs added to the Tracklib library include tracks from the likes of Sly & Robbie, Les Baxter, Blowfly, The Stylistics and Jackie DeShannon.

Other improvements include a better interface on mobile devices, including a full-screen player, plus one-click downloads, better browsing functionality and more detailed waveforms that make it easier to find and loop particular sections of songs.

“When we launched two years ago, offering a unified system and pricing model for sample clearance was revolutionary yet unproven for those labels, publishers, artists, producers, and songwriters who had lost a lot of revenue to unlicensed sampling,” said Pär Almqvist, founder, and CEO of Tracklib.

“Tracklib has since proven our model, reassuring labels and publishers that automated sample clearance can work. We are very proud that the vast majority of revenue coming into Tracklib goes right back out to the talented artists whose works support the culture. In fact, many music creators make more money from Tracklib than from streaming services.” 

It should be noted that, if you want to release a track with a Tracklib sample in it, you also need to pay for a sample license, which can cost anything from $50. The price depends on category and sample length.

To celebrate the new features, Tracklib is running a competition, giving you the chance to produce the new single by rapper Styles P.

Find out more on the Tracklib website.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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