Memphis is overflowing with rich history. One of the most important elements of the city’s identity is its reputation for being home to a sound that was part of America’s musical revolution in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Today you can take a tour of the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, The Memphis Music Hall of Fame, The Orpheum Theatre or even Stax Museum of American Soul Music.
Last year, Hall of Fame songwriter David Porter announced Made In Memphis Entertainment (MIME), a new music business venture with the goal of bringing back some of the city’s former musical glory. And this time around, the integration of tech will take things to the next level.
Made In Memphis Entertainment (MIME) has a $5 million studio complex east of Downtown Memphis and serves as a home to a 8-room recording studio, a label, a production unit and a publishing division. But it’s also so much more than that. MIME was founded with an indie spirit in mind, and in that same vein, they have made strategic investments in music and tech startups including Beatroot Music — distribution and artist and label services, TuneRegistry — automated publishing administration, and RoyaltyClaim — the Google of unclaimed royalties around the world. This ensures an investment in the ability for these companies to have autonomy and resources to survive and thrive in the space.
Earlier this year, MIME also acquired Heavy Hitters Music Group, a music synchronization and licensing company. The investment allows Heavy Hitters to have access to a catalog of songs from David Porter’s post STAX catalog and a group of emerging songwriters, giving Heavy Hitters Music clients access to more than 14,000 tracks, including authentic period music.
MIME’s investments in these companies further reiterate its belief that a successful music company needs the influence of tech. Rather than relying on a huge corporate influence, they are interested in the drive and passion that comes with tech startups. That same spirit is what’s making Memphis a serious contender to be the next Silicon Valley of the South. It has a vibrant spirit and a sense of community that can ignite innovation across industries through the utilization of technology.
It’s clear that Memphis has no shortage of local talent — but MIME is working to keep well-known global talent physically local to Memphis and use that to activate the new wave of the Memphis music scene.
Are you interested in learning more about the future of music and tech in Memphis and MIME? Learn more here and follow the work the organization is doing on Instagram and Twitter.
This post is sponsored by Made In Memphis Entertainment.
