Too Lost Distribution's CEO and co-founder, Gregory Hirschhorn, recently spoke with Xposure Music's Sydney Hubbard for an in-depth interview discussing the unique approach his company takes to music distribution. He explained how their services aim to ensure both exposure and benefits for underrepresented artists and micro Digital Service Providers (DSPs) across various territories.
The music industry landscape is vast. With a myriad of distributors, artists, labels, and technology, it's easy for things to get lost in translation. This is where Gregory saw room for improvement. After starting a record label in high school and gaining industry experience at Sony, Gregory identified gaps in the system and set out to provide a unique solution.
"There is a lot of royalty collection that goes unnoticed, whether it's fraudulent behavior, just mis-accounting, it could be accidental, but there's a lot of royalties that kind of get swept under the rug. The goal with Too Lost is to make sure an artist's back catalog is properly represented."
Building a Music Distribution Platform
Gregory had big ideas to improve the music industry's products and services. However, he faced various challenges in the corporate world, hindering him from fully implementing his innovative solutions. As the COVID-19 pandemic began, he launched Too Lost from home, a software solution for independent artists and labels. It quickly gained a dedicated following, with around 10,000 users in just four months. As of now, the platform represents 250,000 artists and labels, managing a catalog of about 4.5 million recordings and delivering over 150,000 new releases every month.
The Birth of Too Lost
The name "Too Lost" represents three key concepts. Firstly, it reflects the issue of royalties disappearing in the music industry due to mis-accounting, fraudulent behavior, and lack of transparency. Secondly, it describes how artists often feel literally lost within the industry, with confusing systems and multiple distributors. Lastly, Gregory wanted to steer away from clichéd tech-company names, choosing something that sounded more like a band or record label name, hinting at the company's culture of loving music first and foremost.
Micro DSPs: A Game Changer for Artists
Gregory shed light on the concept of micro Digital Service Providers (DSPs), which is often confusing for artists. Micro DSPs are smaller streaming services or utilities that utilize artists' music but on a less grand scale than major platforms like Spotify or Apple. Although these platforms might not generate a significant part of an artist's income, they can provide benefits like market data and increased exposure. In a competitive music industry where thousands of tracks are released daily, any additional visibility can be beneficial.
Gregory emphasized the importance of giving artists and labels the choice of where they want to distribute their music, a principle at the core of Too Lost Distribution. Despite the traditionally conservative stance of major labels, who seek to protect the value of copyrights and control where music is available, Too Lost aims to empower their artists and labels by providing them the freedom to choose.
Gregory's vision and commitment to solving the industry's challenges have made Too Lost a significant player in the world of music distribution.
Connect with Gregory HIRSCHHORN on Xposure Music and follow Too Lost at @toolost
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