Epidemic Sound plans to cut 150 positions: 'It is heavy' Every third person will leave the music company - but it's not because they are financially pressured. 'It is heavy of course, but we also see that it is completely necessary for us,' says Sara Börsvik, acting CEO and CFO, to Dagens industri. Web Editor It is the second time in a short period that Epidemic Sound is making major cutbacks. As recently as December, 10 percent of the workforce was notified. That meant 50 positions, now the company wants to cut an additional 150 positions. In just a couple of months, the workforce has almost halved. However, the company denies that it is about being financially pressured, but rather that it is about adapting the company to the new AI reality. 'There is no doubt that we are in a historic shift right now,' says Sara Börsvik, who is the acting CEO at Epidemic Sound, to Dagens industri. According to reports to Breakit, employees were informed on Tuesday morning, and subsequently, staff have been continuously called into HR. The new cutback affects practically all departments at the company, including tech and product, which were spared in previous notifications. AI threat significant for Epidemic Sound. For a company like Epidemic Sound, the arrival of AI on the scene is transformative. The company sells access to a giant bank of music that can be used by creators without them needing to worry about copyright. The better AI tools become at making their own music, the less need there should logically be for Epidemic Sound. 'Practically all previous business models will become obsolete if they haven't already,' says Hjalmar Winbladh, who co-founded the company and recently became chairman of the board. Epidemic Sound now plans to counter this threat by launching a new product named Studio. There, customers will be able to use both human-created music and AI-assisted tracks. It is not yet clear where the cutbacks will be made at the company. According to Sara Börsvik, it involves comprehensive changes across the entire company. She also does not want to say how much the company will save. The company's annual report for 2025 is not yet public. The financial statement for 2024 showed an operating loss of over 400 million kronor, including write-downs of over 500 million kronor. At the EBITDA level, the profit amounted to 107 million kronor.

Blackbird integrates Epidemic Sound library into elevate.io. Published 04/08/2026, 04:14 AM (C) Reuters. LONDON - Blackbird plc (AIM:BIRD) announced Tuesday the integration of Epidemic Sound's royalty-free music library into its browser-based video editor elevate.io, according to a company press release. The integration provides elevate.io users direct access to Epidemic Sound's music catalogue within the editor. Users can search, preview and add tracks to their projects, with music licensing handled during video export. The licensing can be tailored to individual user requirements. Epidemic Sound owns all rights to its catalogue, which features in content generating over 3 billion views daily. The company's clients include GoPro, Coca-Cola, Apple and Levi's. Ian McDonough, Executive Chair of Blackbird, stated the integration eliminates the need for creators to search for music outside the platform. "World-class music, right there in users' workflows," he said. Matt Sage, Interim Chief Product Officer at Epidemic Sound, said the integration demonstrates how the company's API enables creative platforms to expand their offerings through music. Blackbird operates in the software-as-a-service, media and entertainment sectors. The company's patented technology enables frame-accurate video editing in the cloud. Its Blackbird suite serves broadcasters, sports and news video specialists, and content owners, while elevate.io targets professional teams and the creator economy. Epidemic Sound operates a music licensing model that provides brands and creators with full usage rights. The company partners with artists through a 50/50 royalty split arrangement, along with upfront payments and bonuses. Is BIRD a bargain right now? The fastest way to find out is with our Fair Value calculator. We use a mix of 17 proven industry valuation models for maximum accuracy. Get the bottom line for BIRD plus thousands of other stocks and find your next hidden gem with massive upside.

elevate.io partners with Epidemic Sound. Summary by AI [BETA] close X. Blackbird plc has announced a strategic partnership with Epidemic Sound, a leading music licensing platform, to integrate Epidemic Sound's extensive music and sound effects catalogue directly into Blackbird's collaborative video editing platform, elevate.io, by the end of the first quarter of 2026. This integration aims to enhance the user experience by providing creators with instant access to royalty-free music, thereby simplifying content creation and eliminating copyright concerns. Industry analysts project the collaborative video editing market to reach $4.5 billion by 2029, and this partnership is expected to bolster elevate.io's competitive position within this growing market. elevate.io partners with Epidemic Sound to bring music to its collaborative video creation platform. elevate.io continues its strategy of rapid platform iteration, focussing on global leading partners like Epidemic Sound to deliver ultimate creative experience to the Creator Community. 7 January 2026, London - Blackbird plc (AIM:BIRD), the developer of the browser-based collaborative video editor elevate.io, today announces a partnership with Epidemic Sound, the leading music licensing platform for creators and brands. This partnership will mean Epidemic Sound's expansive music catalogue will be integrated directly into elevate.io, the Company's online collaborative video editing platform, before the end of the first quarter of 2026. This integration will give elevate.io users instant access to Epidemic Sound's world-class catalogue of music and sound effects within the platform's editor, making it easier than ever to create polished, professional content and removing the stress of copyright worries or additional royalties. Creator-first company Epidemic Sound provides high-quality, royalty-free music and sound effects for creators, brands and media companies. By owning all the rights to its catalogue, it makes music licensing simple, safe and worry-free. Its surging popularity generates over 3 billion views per day from videos which include Epidemic Sound's music. Trusted by global brands including GoPro, Coca-Cola, Apple and Levi's, Epidemic Sound is deeply embedded in the creator ecosystem through partnerships with renowned artists such as legendary guitarist Johnny Marr and integrations across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Adobe, Canva and DaVinci Resolve. "Industry analysts forecast the collaborative video editing market will reach $4.5 billion by 2029. elevate.io aims to lead this category by bringing world class video creation tools to our customers within a single, seamless experience. Every creator knows that music not only embellishes their stories, it completes them." said Blackbird Executive Chair, Ian McDonough. "Partnering with Epidemic Sound to provide an integrated, fluid experience not only enhances elevate.io's value proposition for its users, but enables them to create, iterate and deliver professional videos while never breaking their creative flow. This partnership is also an early validation of our unique approach to collaborative video editing by the industry's leading music and soundtrack service for creators and brands." "We're delighted elevate.io has chosen to integrate our world-class music and sound effects into their innovative collaborative video editing platform via the Epidemic Sound API," said Sam Hall, Chief Product Officer at Epidemic Sound. "This partnership is a testament to our commitment to make it as easy as possible for global content creators to find the perfect soundtrack for their projects, publish without copyright worries, and enable them to focus on creating."