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Exclusive Q&A with Paul Sampson, CEO of Lickd

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One quick thing that came to mind after conducting the interview was: this man knows the industry. So Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Paul Sampson, CEO of Lickd.

For starterrs, Lickd is a micro-licensing and music solutions company that caters to the creator economy. If that sounds obscure, jump straight to the interview, where Paul Simpson talks in simple terms about Lickd and the present and future of the online music industry.

Q. Let’s start with a brief personal profile. Tell us about your background and career?

A. I’ve been working in music licensing since 2005. I’ve worked specifically with stock music, commercial music, and more recently, exploring ways of strengthening the creator economy.

For around five years, straight out of university, I worked in television at a small production company, climbing through the ranks. Throughout this time, I encountered the difficulties of licensing music several times, and so began to take an interest in understanding the nuances and problems that needed solving.

I’d gotten to know several renowned music licensing companies, and in 2005, one of them, Extreme Music, offered me a job in New York and with that, I followed my passion and began my career jump into the music industry. Within about two and a half years in the role, they relocated me out to Los Angeles as the Head of US.

In 2010, a new role brought me back to Europe and I was a key figure in launching the European arm of another U.S. music licensing company. This time, it was not just stock music, but a focus on more commercial music, and unsigned independent acts.

After this, I knew it was time to start acting on the music opportunities that were becoming more prevalent with the boom of the creator economy, and so following that channel, Lickd was born in 2017.

Q. Now let’s move on to Lickd. What led you to found Lickd?

A. Two words led me to found Lickd: Creator Economy. As social media became more prevalent in everyday life in the late 2000’s, the opportunities for music and creators were plentiful and so Lickd was born. A few years later, as the effects on the media landscape following the pandemic have increased the creator economy twofold, we see even more opportunities to continue to seize the moment, and the market.

Lickd is the first music company to ever develop a major music solution for content creators of all kinds. We licence music from major labels and publishers, including current music that’s in the charts and make it available for licensing, legally. Our unique software protects our users on the platform that they place music on, for example, YouTube and Instagram. Platforms like YouTube have built in music recognition software that identifies popular music being used in content, and presumes that all music uses are some sort of infringement of copyright, therefore, persecuting the creator and attempting to police them out of earning revenue.

Lickd’s software is really the magic solution that the platform sits on top of to ensure that not only can creators licence the music but that they’re taken care of and we’re protecting their revenue all the way through to the end of the content journey.

Q. What is Lickd’s specialty? 

A. What sets us apart is that we are unique in our offering. We’re working with 10,000+ labels and publishers that are linked to the Lickd platform, including Universal, Warner, Sony, BMG and Kobalt. To engage labels and publishers like that and to preclear their music for any content vertical is something that was once largely thought impossible, but Lickd has made it happen and is helping to secure new revenue streams for creators globally.

Q. Could you talk about your work with key gaming powerhouses?

A. Gaming is obviously an enormous industry, bigger than music and film combined. Any content vertical with that sort of reach has a huge platform, a huge audience to work with and promote music too.

In terms of how Lickd got together with Fortnite and Epic Games; essentially music became part of their engagement strategy, and they started paying more attention to it. Senior teams were asking key questions like: ‘how can we work with artists’ and ‘what sort of artist does our audience want to hear within a game’?

With this comes complexities around licensing and demographics. Gamers who are also content creators often live stream their content or create highlights videos for YouTube. At Lickd, we already know that in-video music on YouTube is an issue and so we collaborate with Fortnite to bridge that gap so that gamers can enjoy the wonderful events that are put on for them, while also being able to then promote and share that content in the ways that they normally would.

Whether this is for ancillary income or additional income on top of a salary, if content creation is a full-time job, Lickd protects creators on those platforms, to enable a more effective creation and lifecycle process for the content they’re publishing.

Q. Could you briefly narrate the content deals you have with music companies and bands?

A. Over the past five years we’ve built a platform that is made up of popular music from 10,000 labels and publishers, including Universal, Warner, Sony BMG and Kobalt. We also work with lots of independent distributors. There’s around 1.4 million songs on Lickd, and another 6 million delivered and waiting to go live. The vast majority of them would be emerging acts and we certainly do our best to help and encourage discovery on the platform.

Q. In what ways does Lickd help creators to monetise their content?

A. I think it’s important to outline that wherever there is opportunity for the music industry online, it will require some sort of micro licensing commercial model, and some sort of proprietary tech, either to enable the licensing or to protect the end user.

That’s where Lickd is perfectly positioned. Our mission is to democratise music for the world’s creators. Our first product looked at creators as video content creators, but as the world changes and the digital landscape evolves, creators will also include builders in the metaverse and big brands on social platforms.

Q. How do you see the possibility of an AI text-to-background-music generator?

A. There’s various ways that AI will impact music. It’s something we’re following closely and it would be foolish for anyone to suggest that any part of the music industry isn’t already seeing some element of business being affected directly by AI. So far we’ve seen AI generated songs, well known songs of one artist being sung in the AI voice of another, and the fact that chords and melodies can be created by simply inputting into an AI, and we’re always expecting more.

The uptake of AI in music creation won’t be instant, but at some point, creators will become of faith with smart tools that allow them to generate music through these new means for use in videos. Although, once created, that music will still need to be licensed, and there will be commercial models that give users access to the tools and/or licensing opportunities for the music created by said tool.

In the metaverse, there will be music collaboration spaces and music  production event areas or venues. Generative AI is useful for creating ‘music stems’, and building a sort of catalogue of music elements that can then be used by people collaboratively to start making an entire song – something that was not happening in the past.

An AI can continuously keep churning out new beats and new melodies and new riffs and new instrumental sounds, and people will get together to create music on the fly, and that will require AI generative tools at some scale. I think you’ll see things like musical skins, where Avatars might want their own soundtrack or music identifier. How do I know someone entered the room? Well, I just heard their music handle to signify they’re here. Like boxers have ring walks, there’ll be a version of that somewhere in the metaverse.

We know that there are music metaverses and venues, and metaverse platforms based around music creation already, and there are others on the way. A good example of this is Pixelynx, Deadmau5’s music based metaverse platform. He founded the platform, one that was completely based around the music, but then was acquired by Animoca Brands, a brand with a broad portfolio of web3, blockchain and traditional games, which is a huge web3 holding company, so from launch to exit, Deadmau5 did very well out of the partnership.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch

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Cubeia, a Sweden-based iGaming software solutions provider, has unveiled the latest addition to its Originals Studio, Turbo Crash – a fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled game designed to test players’ instincts.

Turbo Crash challenges players to make the ultimate risk-versus-reward decisions in search of astronomical returns. Players place their bets and watch the multiplier soar higher and higher – but timing is everything. It’s possible to cash out at any moment with a single click and every round can be verified for total transparency and trust thanks to its Provably Fair design.

Turbo Crash continues Cubeia’s Originals Studio mission to create operator-first, fully brandable games inspired by its Operator-Up philosophy – built from the ground up around what operators and their players need.

Cubeia’s investment in gamification and community-driven features is reflected in its latest release with challenges, achievements, and duels all available to bring players closer together.

A very successful first year for Cubeia Originals has validated this approach, and with Turbo Crash, the company is setting the pace for what an Originals experience can become as it scales the portfolio further.

Cubeia’s Head of Sales, Caroline Björkman, said: “Launching Turbo Crash as we approach our first anniversary is the perfect way to celebrate how well Originals Studio has established itself in the market. In less than a year, we’ve launched ten distinctive titles – from Mines and Crash to Turbo Crash – and built a portfolio that operators can rely on and players genuinely enjoy.”

The post Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS

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Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems, and solutions, is excited to announce the launch of Werewolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank and Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. Packed with captivating visuals and engaging gameplay, this online and mobile slot duo is designed to deliver strong results for operators and offers the best in iGaming entertainment for players.

Werewolf It Up featuring Cash Bank is the Halloween-themed follow-up to Inspired’s smash hit Wolf It Up! Set in a mystical, spooky forest, the game combines fairy-tale charm with thrilling win potential. The base game introduces cash-packed candy symbols and the Bonus Wolf, which together trigger the Cash Bank Free Spins Bonus with eight free spins. A pseudo-persistence mechanic adds further excitement, with collected candies building towards the Lucky Wheel for chances to win one of four Prize Pots.

As with all our games, players can enhance their gameplay with customisable features including Bonus Buy for instant bonus entry, Fortune Spins for boosted hit potential, and Inspired’s Gamble, for potentially bigger rewards. Werewolf It Up delivers spook-tastic thrills, fun features, and a broad appeal for casual players looking to win big this Halloween.

Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo is a 5×3 reel, 20 win-line slot adventure that brings the power of Zeus, the King of the Ancient Greek Gods, to the reels. In a new art style for Inspired, the game blends ancient Greek mythology with fun gameplay features, the game introduces Inspired’s new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, designed to deliver escalating excitement and legendary rewards.

Players collect coins to feed three pseudo-persistent bags, Double Coins, Pot Fill, and Zeus Boost, that unlock epic bonus rounds powered by Inspired’s thrilling Win & Spin mechanic. With expanding reels, escalating prizes, and Zeus himself boosting values, every spin builds suspense toward greater wins. Optional features include Bonus Buy, Gamble, and a new multi-level Fortune Bet that allows players to supercharge their bonus rounds. Zeus Legends of Olympus combines a mythic theme and modern gameplay with Inspired’s signature innovation.

Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil these two exciting new slots, each offering something truly unique for players. Werewolf It Up! is set to be this Halloween’s standout game, blending proven mechanics with spooky, visuals that will have players howling with delight. Our seasonal games have become player favorites, and Werewolf It Up! is a perfect addition to our portfolio of holiday-themed titles. Meanwhile, Zeus Legends of Olympus raises the bar with our brand-new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, kicking off a powerful new series of ancient Greek god–themed content. We’re confident both titles will engage players worldwide and deliver outstanding performance at launch and well into the future.”

The post INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer

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Northern Lights Gaming, the award-winning studio known for blockbuster slot titles such as Unusual Suspects and Bison Moon, has promoted Chris Loftus to CEO.

The promotion comes after Andrew Goodale chose to step away from the studio after more than eight years at the helm to pursue other opportunities.

Chris is a seasoned online slot studio executive with more than 17 years of industry experience and joined Northern Lights Gaming back in April 2025 as Commercial Director.

His career began at Inspired Entertainment, where he spent a decade as Head of Content Operations before moving on to 1X2 Network, where he served as Commercial Director for the leading studio and aggregation platform.

This was followed by a stint as Sales Director at fast-growing game studio Playnetic, where he further expanded his expertise in commercial strategy and business development, before joining the Northern Lights Gaming team.

As CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, Chris brings seasoned insight and an energetic approach to the studio, which has both a strong legacy and ambitious plans for the future.

Robert Henrysson, Chairman at Northern Lights Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to promote Chris to the position of CEO and for him to lead Northern Lights Gaming into the next chapter of its success story.

“Of course, we’d like to thank Andrew for his many years of service and for helping to drive Northern Lights Gaming forward with passion and purpose and wish him well for the future.

“Change always brings adjustments, but our direction and mission remain the same – and that’s to create the very best games and experience in the industry.

“And with Chris leading our incredible team and with a strong product roadmap in front of us, we are highly confident of doing just that.”

Chris Loftus, CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, added: “It’s an honour to have been promoted to CEO of Northern Lights Gaming and to have the trust of the team to steer the ship and continue to build on the incredible progress we have already made.

“The key to success for any studio is to create great games that hit the mark with players, and we have the team and process in place to keep adding epic titles to our portfolio.

“Our product roadmap is packed with truly exceptional games, and we can’t wait to see them leave our production line and for players to fire up the reels.”

The post Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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