Illustration by Mia Angioy for Creative Boom
From viral hits to custom collaborations, we explore how independent creators leverage the music licensing platform to amplify their impact and reach new audiences.
From YouTube to TikTok and beyond, music plays a pivotal role in capturing an audience’s attention, conveying emotions and building a distinctive brand. So, for independent creators, finding the right soundtrack can be a game-changer, transforming good content into unforgettable experiences.
Enter Epidemic Sound, a platform that’s not just providing music but actively empowering creators to reach new heights.
In this fourth instalment of our series on the power of sound, we’ll explore how Epidemic Sound is revolutionising how independent creators work with music – helping them amplify their impact, expand their reach, and collaborate with artists in groundbreaking ways.
The power of the right soundtrack
For YouTube production company Catface, founded by the creator known as Aphmau, finding the perfect music for their animated Minecraft series ‘MyStreet’ was crucial to connecting with their massive audience of 21.7 million subscribers.
And so in 2018, they turned to Epidemic Sound and discovered a track that would become integral to their brand: ‘Faster Car’ by Loving Caliber.
The impact was immediate and profound. Aphmau’s animated music video featuring the track has amassed over 49 million views, demonstrating the powerful synergy between visually compelling content and the right musical accompaniment.
But the story doesn’t end there. Recognising the deep emotional connection their audience had formed with Loving Caliber’s music, Aphmau took an unprecedented step. They reached out to Epidemic Sound to explore a partnership with the artist for the final season of MyStreet, set to premiere in 2025.
This collaboration showcases the unique position Epidemic Sound occupies in the creator ecosystem. By fostering relationships between creators and artists, they’re enabling new forms of creative partnerships that benefit everyone involved.
The result of this collaboration is ‘I Wouldn’t Change a Thing’, a song tailored specifically for MyStreet’s final season. This custom track, created through a two-month collaborative process between Loving Caliber, Aphmau and Epidemic Sound, is exclusively licensed by Aphmau for 18 months, supported through distribution on music streaming platforms, and will subsequently be released into Epidemic Sounds’ music catalogue.
For independent creators, this story illustrates the potential of viewing music not just as a background element but as an integral part of storytelling and brand building. It also highlights how Epidemic Sound can facilitate connections that go beyond simple licensing, opening up new avenues for creative collaboration.
From YouTube to viral chart sensation
While Aphmau’s story showcases the power of long-term musical partnerships, music artist Katori Walker’s experience with Epidemic Sound demonstrates how the platform can catapult an independent artist into the spotlight through content creator collaborations.
When well-known British YouTube group The Sidemen launched their reality show Inside this June, they chose Katori’s track ‘Himothy’ as a recurring musical theme. The show became an instant hit, accumulating over 40 million views in a short period. But the real surprise was the explosive popularity of ‘Himothy’ among viewers.
The stats speak for themselves:
A 1600% week-on-week increase in streams across music platforms
Over 50% of new listeners actively searched for the song and added it to their playlists
A 100% increase in Shazams, with Apple adding the track to their Shazam Discovery Top 50 playlist at number 8
A 20% week-on-week increase in streams across Katori’s entire catalogue
This exposure through a popular YouTube series has been transformative for Katori, an independent artist. “Working with Epidemic Sound has been fun and exciting,” he says. “It’s taught me a lot about myself and has pushed me to move out of my own way. They expose my music to people and audiences I’ve never reached before and helped me feed my family in a blissful way.”
This success story underscores Epidemic Sound’s unique position in the creative ecosystem. By connecting independent artists with content creators, they create opportunities for mutually beneficial exposure and success.
Jordan Schwarzenberger, co-founder of Arcade Media and manager of The Sidemen, emphasises the significance of this relationship: “Being able to soundtrack our content with music by brilliant artists like Katori Walker is key in keeping our audience engaged,” he says. “And to be able to give back to emerging artists by empowering them to go viral and be discovered at scale by new listeners across the globe is a true privilege.”
For independent creators, Walker’s story serves as an inspiring example of how the right musical choice can enhance content, launch careers, and create lasting connections with audiences.
Empowering creators across platforms
These are not isolated examples, either. Earlier this year, Epidemic Sound released its 2024 Future of the Creator Economy Report, in which 83.7% of creators emphasised its importance in audience connection and 80% agreed it significantly affects content success.
Cathrin Manning, a full-time creator with 496K subscribers, gives her own take on why this might be. “Understanding trendy music and captivating beats can easily keep your audience watching longer,” she explains. “Who doesn’t love it when a catchy song comes on? You naturally want to keep listening.
“Obviously, you want the visual to keep people’s attention,” she adds. “But when paired with the right song, you’re setting yourself up for success with longer viewer retention.”
Epidemic Sound’s vast library and user-friendly interface help creators like Cathrin find the perfect tracks to enhance their content and keep viewers engaged. This increased engagement can translate directly into better monetisation opportunities.
As the creator economy continues to grow and evolve, Epidemic Sound is committed to growing alongside it and continuously innovating to meet the needs of independent creators. Oscar Höglund, CEO of Epidemic Sound, says: “We are proud to be at the forefront of the creator economy, providing valuable insights and tools to help content creators maximise their potential earnings and succeed in this rapidly evolving industry.”
Katori Walker
