Hook, a platform where users can easily and legally remix songs by some of the top musicians in the world while earning income, announced the closing of $3 million in additional funding, bringing its total funding to $6 million. The funding round includes new investments from Khosla Ventures, Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew, and The Raine Group, alongside continued support from existing investors, including Imaginary Ventures, Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures, KSHMR, and Waverley Capital, co-founded by former Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
Hook addresses one of the most critical challenges in the music industry now: the spread of unlicensed content across social media platforms. And with 40% of music consumed on social media coming from remixes and mashups, often created without proper licensing, Hook provides a legitimate solution for creators while ensuring that rights holders maintain control and monetize their content.
This new funding will advance Hook’s marketing efforts and strategic hiring, focusing on user acquisition. And the platform is the first specialized AI-powered tool for creating and distributing licensed remixed music content in short-form formats, filling the gap that existing editing tools haven’t addressed for the music industry.
Hook goes beyond traditional music creation tools. It is an expression platform that enables creators to produce legitimate, monetizable content while ensuring proper compensation for rights holders. This approach creates a sustainable model for the future of music creation and distribution in the social media era.
In only four months, the company has partnered with 16 music partners. It features music from over 1,200 artists such as Justin Bieber, Teddy Swims, James Blake, BLOND:ISH, Playboi Carti, Ty Dolla $ign, KSHMR, Hardwell, Swae Lee, Big Sean, Migos, Soulja Boy, Sadie Jean, Jaden Smith, Killer Mike and Cash Cobain to create authorized remixes from their songs/catalog.
Hook is changing music creation through its AI and Machine Learning technologies that power creative remix tools, including genre and mood-changing filters and mashups. Hook’s commitment to ethical AI practices includes never training algorithms on artists’ music, an approach that has earned it industry recognition, with Universal Music Group including Hook in its MusicForAI initiative as an approved, ethically sound AI platform.
Since the app’s launch in October 2024, Hook has continued to expand its features for music fans with better discovery and recommendations and improved music remixing and video editing tools that make it easier than ever for fans and creators to express their music creativity and increase their viral potential. To support the music creator economy, And Hook is transforming short-form music monetization through its new creator monetization program. Music creators can now earn money based on engagement, referrals, and bonuses, empowering them to turn their passion into a sustainable income stream. Additionally, artists can now promote their catalog through on and off-platform promotions and Remix Challenges, allowing creators and fans to interact with music creatively and win prizes.
KEY QUOTES:
“We have built music’s new ecosystem, where creativity and rights can finally coexist. For too long, the industry has been stuck choosing between protecting artists’ rights and enabling creative expression. Hook creates a future where fans and creators can freely express themselves, artists and labels can properly monetize their work, and the entire music community thrives together. This isn’t just about fixing a broken system – it’s about building the foundation for music’s next chapter.”
- Gaurav Sharma, Founder & CEO of Hook
“We are incredibly excited to invest in Hook and support its mission to innovate how artists and creators engage with their work and interact with their fans. We look forward to working with and supporting Gaurav and his team on this journey.”
- Michael Diaz, CEO of Palm Tree Crew
