BandLab’s Meng Ru Kuok: “I think there will be over 1 billion music creators by 2030, potentially even sooner”
The interview comes after Music Business Worldwide awarded the businessman with the title of Entrepreneur of The Year.
Credit: BandLab
Editor’s note: MusicTech and BandLab are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.
Caldecott Music Group and BandLab Technologies founder and CEO Meng Ru Kuok reveals he believes over one billion people will be creating music in 2030.
In an interview with Music Business Worldwide, the CEO and founder explains why he thinks an eighth of the global population will be making music in just six years.
“This is with the caveat that I also believe the definition of a ‘music creator’ or ‘musician’ will change, just as the definition of a ‘photographer’ has changed with the advent of smartphones. That is to say hopefully we can and will both be right.”
The rise of music creation apps such as BandLab, GarageBand and others, means it has become easier than ever for anyone to create music, regardless of their experience and expertise. Perhaps the figure of one billion people creating music isn’t as wild as we think.
Kuok also explains how the new generation of music makers have a “desire for immediacy and social connectivity within the creative process”.
“Our insights show that these young creators are not looking for isolated software solutions, but a dynamic community that supports their growth and exposure.”
The interview comes after Music Business Worldwide awarded Kuok with the title of Entrepreneur of The Year, praising him for steering BandLab into “several moves” that strengthen its position in the music industry.
This includes the acquisition of beat marketplace Airbit, and the development of a suite of generative AI technologies, including SongStarter – an AI-powered tool that presents users with musical ideas to inspire creations.
