Editing Beatport (section)

==History==

[[File:Beatport-logo.svg|thumb|left|Previous Beatport logo used from 2004 to 2021.]]

===2004–2009: Founding===
The first version of Beatport's web store, Beatport 1.0, was released on January 7, 2004, and consisted of 79 [[electronic music]] [[record label]]s in its catalog. Half a year later, Beatport was beginning to become recognized after a few collaborations with well-known DJs and partnerships with the technology company [[Native Instruments]].<ref name="sonicvista">{{cite web|url=http://sonicvistaacademy.com/partners/beatport/|title=Beatport|publisher=Sonic Vista Academy|access-date=2012-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602061006/http://sonicvistaacademy.com/partners/beatport/|archive-date=2012-06-02|url-status=dead}}</ref> In January 2005, a revised Beatport 2.0 was released, with a catalog of over 100,000 tracks supplied by 2,700 signed labels. Beatport was also made accessible through a scaled-down GUI embedded within [[DJ]] software: [[Traktor DJ Studio]] by Native Instruments. On August 7, 2006, Beatport released Beatport 3.0 Fully Loaded, the third version of its original store, which featured improvements to navigation, customized content subscription via My Beatport, and new payment options.

===2007–2008: Beatport Player===
In February 2007, Beatport launched the Beatport Player, a viral marketing web widget to play back relevant content by Artist, Label, Genre, and Chart. Built using [[Adobe Flash]] and HTML, the player gives users the ability to create custom, dynamic playlists from song previews of Beatport's catalog to be embedded into nearly any HTML website.

In August 2007, Beatport launched a community-oriented music site, Beatportal, whose stated mission is "...to provide music lovers with up-to-date information about the world of electronic music". Following up on the idea of the community-oriented site, Beatport introduced the [https://archive.today/20130102100434/http://www.beatportal.com/tags/tag/beatport+music+awards/ Beatport Music Awards] on March 18, 2008. Each year Beatport users can vote for the best electronic music artists in an effort to trace the progress of these artists over the years or determine which has the largest growing fan base. The BMAs are broken down into 19 categories, including Best Artist categories from each genre, Best Remix, and Best Single. The nominees for the BMAs are based solely on unit sales at Beatport.

===2009–2012: The New Beatport===
The third version of the online store, named "The New Beatport", was released on January 21, 2009.<ref name=beatportnew>{{cite web | url = https://news.beatport.com/the-new-beatport-redefining-your-senses/ | title = The new Beatport puts the power back in your hands | publisher = Beatport Buzz | date = 2011-01-14 | access-date = 2015-09-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150930143918/https://news.beatport.com/the-new-beatport-redefining-your-senses/ | archive-date = 2015-09-30 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Multiple features were added to the site including embedded artwork in purchased music, a new user-preference system named "My Beatport", keyboard shortcuts and sitewide multilingual support.<ref name=realeyes/> As a newer version of the store, it integrated the use of an [[Adobe Flex]] 3 web application provided by RealEyes Media.<ref name=realeyes>{{cite web | url = http://www.realeyes.com/blog/2009/02/15/beatport/ | title = Case Study: Beatport Website | publisher = RealEyes Media Blog | date = 2011-01-15 | access-date = 2015-09-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104857/http://www.realeyes.com/blog/2009/02/15/beatport/ | archive-date = 2016-03-04 | url-status = dead }}</ref> On July 14, 2011, Beatport launched their [[HTML5]] website with new features, designs and a new platform. Beatport officially added [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]] downloads as an option on their platform on September 9, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Siciliano |first1=Peter |title=Introducing AIFF format |url=http://news.beatport.com/blog/2011/09/09/introducing-aiff-format/ |website=Beatport News |access-date=24 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130311084751/http://news.beatport.com/blog/2011/09/09/introducing-aiff-format/ |archive-date=2013-03-11 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The annual revenue of Beatport for 2012 was reportedly around $15–18 million, with losses of $2 million.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-f-x-sillerman-continues-424821 | work=The Hollywood Reporter | title=Robert F. X. Sillerman Continues to Grow EDM Empire With Purchase of Beatport}}</ref>

===2013–2015: SFX, pivot towards original content===
In February 2013, Beatport was acquired by [[Robert F.X. Sillerman]]'s [[SFX Entertainment]], a conglomerate focusing on EDM properties such as festivals and promoters.<ref name=nyt-beatportacquired>{{cite news|title=SFX Entertainment Buys Electronic Dance Music Site|url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/sfx-entertainment-buys-electronic-dance-music-site/|work=Media Decoder|publisher=The New York Times|access-date=16 April 2013|first=Ben|last=Sisario|date=26 February 2013}}</ref> Additionally, Beatport announced that it would partner with the music recognition service [[Shazam (music app)|Shazam]] to index its catalog.<ref name=bb-shazambeatport>{{cite web|title=Beatport's Matthew Adell on Shazam Deal, Why Music Biz Is a 'Disaster Model'|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/1538517/beatports-matthew-adell-on-shazam-deal-why-music-biz-is|work=Billboard.biz|access-date=21 September 2013|archive-date=8 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008011159/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/1538517/beatports-matthew-adell-on-shazam-deal-why-music-biz-is|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2013, the company laid off 20 employees in the Denver office and six in San Francisco, reportedly leaving the site's technical infrastructure supported by only a skeleton crew.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/12/08/beatport-layoffs/|title=Beatport "Bloodbath" As Dance Music Startup Lays Off Engineers|last=Constine|first=Josh|date=8 December 2013|work=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=14 November 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wegotthiscovered.com/music/breaking-beatport-sfx-entertainments-miscarriage-beloved-brand/|title=Investigating How SFX Entertainment Destroyed Beatport|last=Cameron|first=John|date=2016|website=We Got This Covered|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-03}}</ref>

Under SFX ownership, Beatport began to reposition itself towards the overall [[electronic dance music]] culture. On January 6, 2014, [[Clear Channel Media and Entertainment]] (now known as [[iHeartMedia]]) announced that as part of a wider marketing partnership with SFX, it would syndicate a Beatport top 20 countdown show to its major-market [[contemporary hit radio]] stations beginning later in the year. Clear Channel staff, including [[John Sykes (American businessman)|John Sykes]], believed that the deal (particularly the Beatport countdown show) would help provide a higher level of national exposure to current and up and coming EDM artists.<ref name=billboard-sfxcc>{{cite web|title=SFX and Clear Channel Partner for Digital, Terrestrial Radio Push|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/branding/5862283/sfx-and-clear-channel-partner-for-digital-terrestrial-radio-push|work=Billboard.biz|access-date=6 January 2014|archive-date=11 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111063358/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/branding/5862283/sfx-and-clear-channel-partner-for-digital-terrestrial-radio-push|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=billboard-bethebest>{{cite web|title=John Sykes, Robert Sillerman on New Clear Channel, SFX Partnership: 'We Want to Be the Best'|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/branding/5862290/john-sykes-robert-sillerman-on-new-clear-channel-sfx-partnership|work=Billboard.biz|access-date=6 January 2014|archive-date=10 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110053955/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/branding/5862290/john-sykes-robert-sillerman-on-new-clear-channel-sfx-partnership|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="wsj-ccsfx">[https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/01/06/clear-channel-and-sfx-strike-electronic-dance-music-marketing-deal/ Clear Channel and SFX Strike Electronic Dance Music Marketing Deal] from ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' (January 6, 2014)</ref>

In December 2014, Beatport revamped its website to extensively target mainstream fans of electronic music, adding original content (such as news articles), as well as live streaming shows and [[electronic music festival|festival]] coverage. Additionally, Beatport launched a free music streaming service, which allowed users to stream full-length songs from Beatport's library, as well as curated playlists and charts. Beatport CEO Greg Consiglio and executive creative director Clark Warner explained that only 300,000 of the site's 50 million unique users had actually purchased music from the service, and that the majority of users were using the Beatport store's time-limited samples of tracks for music discovery instead.<ref name="billboard-streaming"/> In March 2015, the site launched a [[mobile app]], featuring the streaming service, and a "Beatport Shows" feature which highlights upcoming events and provides integrated access to ticket purchases.<ref name="verge-beatportapp">{{cite web|title=Dance music service Beatport finally launches an app|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/3/26/8292399/dance-music-service-beatport-finally-launches-an-app|website=The Verge|date=26 March 2015|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> The streaming service is subsidized by Beatport's store, which was re-branded as Beatport Pro (in concert with the service's desktop client software) and remained primarily focused towards professionals.<ref name="billboard-streaming">{{cite magazine|title=Beatport Aims to Be the One-Stop Streaming Shop for DJs with New Strategy|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6413844/beatport-streaming-expansion-sfx|magazine=Billboard|date=19 December 2014|access-date=9 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="tc-newstreaming">{{cite web|title=First Look At Beatport's Free Dance Music Streaming Service|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/02/23/beatport-streaming/|website=TechCrunch|date=23 February 2015 |access-date=9 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="tnw-beatportexpand">{{cite web|title=How Beatport hopes to become the home of electronic music|url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/05/24/how-beatport-hopes-to-become-the-home-of-electronic-music/|website=The Next Web|date=24 May 2015|access-date=9 March 2016}}</ref>

===2016–present: SFX re-organization, LiveStyle===
Beatport incurred US$5.5 million in losses for 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.residentadvisor.net/news.aspx?id=33670|title=SFX to sell off Beatport|last=McDermott|first=Matt|date=2016-03-01|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=2016-04-03}}</ref> In March 2016, as part of SFX's bankruptcy, the company announced that it planned to auction off Beatport and digital firm [[Fame House]] (the latter eventually sold to [[Universal Music Group]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2016/05/31/universal-music-buys-digital-marketing-agency-fame.html|title=Universal Music buys digital marketing agency Fame House |work=L.A. Biz |publisher=American City Business Journals |access-date=2016-08-19}}</ref> to focus more on its live events business.<ref name="billboard-bpsale">{{cite web|title=SFX to Auction Off Beatport in May, Looks to Sell Fame House|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6897144/sfx-selling-beatport|website=Beatport|date=March 2016|access-date=9 March 2016}}</ref> On May 10, 2016, Beatport announced that the auction of the company had been suspended, and that it would instead cut back its operations to focus solely on its music sales business—resulting in the discontinuation of Beatport's streaming, live and original content operations.<ref name="billboard-suspendauction"/> The company also announced layoffs as it underwent restructuring, with as many as 49 employees departing the workforce.<ref name="billboard-suspendauction">{{cite magazine|title=Beatport Suspends Auction and Shuts Down Streaming, News and Events Divisions|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7364598/beatport-suspends-auction-shuts-down-streaming-news-events-dance|magazine=Billboard|date=10 May 2016|access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref>

In September 2016, Italian record label Art & Music Recording called for an investigation into allegations that third-parties had artificially inflated the download counts of several of its songs ("juicing") on Beatport, which caused Beatport to remove the songs under policies prohibiting labels from making purchases of tracks to increase their chart performance.<ref name="amplify-juicing">{{cite web|title=Beatport "Juicing" Claims Popup in SFX Bankruptcy|url=http://ampthemag.com/the-real/beatport-juicing-claims-popup-sfx-bankruptcy/|website=Amplify|access-date=10 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011135904/http://ampthemag.com/the-real/beatport-juicing-claims-popup-sfx-bankruptcy/|archive-date=11 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="billboard-juicedcharts">{{cite magazine|title=Dance Label Wants Beatport to Prove It 'Juiced' the Charts: Report|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7510349/amr-beatport-juiced-charts|magazine=Billboard|date=14 September 2016|access-date=10 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="wsj-amrprobe">{{cite news|title=AMR Seeks Probe of SFX Entertainment Over Digital Music Charts|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/amr-seeks-probe-of-sfx-entertainment-over-digital-music-charts-1473809375|website=Wall Street Journal|date=13 September 2016|access-date=10 October 2016|last1=Corrigan|first1=Tom}}</ref>

In December 2016, SFX emerged from bankruptcy under new leadership, and renamed [[LiveStyle]]. The company's CEO, Randy Phillips (formerly of [[AEG Live]]) stated that Beatport had returned to profitability.<ref name="billboard-livestyle">{{cite magazine|title=SFX Emerges From Bankruptcy with a New Name, LiveStyle, and New Leader in Randy Phillips|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7604354/sfx-emerges-bankruptcy-new-name-livestyle-new-leader-randy-phillips|magazine=Billboard|date=7 December 2016|access-date=9 February 2017}}</ref>

In October 2017, [[Robb McDaniels]] was announced as CEO of Beatport.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8005745/robb-mcdaniels-beatport-ceo|title=Robb McDaniels Named CEO of Beatport|last=Iasimone|first=Ashley|date=17 October 2017|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=14 November 2019}}</ref> In February 2019, Beatport announced a joint venture with digital music record pool company DJcity, forming Beatsource, a digital music retail platform aimed at open-format DJs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/tech/8498295/beatport-djcity-beatsource-joint-venture-open-format-djs|title=Beatport & DJcity Team Up to Form Beatsource for Open-Format DJs|last=Stutz|first=Colin|date=13 February 2019|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref> Around that time, Beatport had 450,000 active DJ customers and 35 million [[unique visitors]] per year.<ref name=":0" /> In August 2019, producer and DJ [[A-Trak]] joined the board of managers as an advisor.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8527743/a-trak-joins-beatsource-board-of-managers|title=A-Trak Joins Board of Managers at Beatsource: Exclusive|last=Bain|first=Katie|date=19 August 2019|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=13 April 2020}}</ref>

In May 2019, Beatport announced two new subscription services tailored towards professional DJs: Beatport Link is a streaming service allowing music from the platform's library to be streamed directly into supported DJ software. [[Pioneer DJ]] served as a launch partner, offering integration through its newly developed mobile app WeDJ, and announcing that [[Cross/CrossDJ|Rekordbox]] would support Link later in the year. Beatport also announced Beatport Cloud, which features full track playback, a management interface, and unlimited redownloads of purchased songs.<ref name="mixmag.net">{{Cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/read/beatport-subscription-service-beatport-link-news|title=Beatport reveals new DJ subscription service, Beatport LINK|website=Mixmag|access-date=2019-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8511389/beatport-dj-subscription-service-beatport-link|title=Beatport Announces DJ Subscription Service 'Beatport LINK'|magazine=Billboard|date=14 May 2019|access-date=2019-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/05/14/beatport-link-cloud/|title=Aimed at Professional DJs, Beatport Unveils Two Subscription Services — Link and Cloud|last=Sanchez|first=Daniel|date=2019-05-14|website=Digital Music News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-16}}</ref> In March 2021, Beatport launched a [[Web application|web-based]] DJ application known as Beatport DJ for Link subscribers, which offers support for [[Bluetooth]] and [[USB]]-based [[DJ controller|DJ controllers]] from major manufacturers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beatport DJ allows you to mix tunes on your internet browser |url=https://mixmag.net/read/beatport-dj-mix-tunes-internet-browser-tech |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=Mixmag}}</ref>

Beatport stated that it had sold approximately 25.5 million songs in 2022, which accounted for approximately 12% of worldwide digital music sales. While the [[International Federation of the Phonographic Industry]] (IFPI) estimated in a 2023 report that global revenue from digital music sales had declined by 43.75% due to increased use of consumer-oriented music streaming services,<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Smirke |first=Richard |date=2023-03-22 |title=Five Takeaways From the 2023 IFPI Global Music Report |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/global-music-revenue-growth-slows-takeaways-ifpi-report/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Beatport had an increase of 35% over the same period, due primarily to its targeting of a [[captive market]] of DJs. At the same time, its streaming services had increased by 60% in the past two years. CEO Robb McDaniels cited familiarity with the streaming model among its customers, as well as a decision to lower the prices of its music downloads amid the onset of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in order to attract new and returning users.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Narozniak |first=Rachel |date=2023-04-14 |title=As Music Downloads Tank, DJs' Favorite Platform Beatport Is Selling More Than Ever |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/beatport-streaming-download-numers-dj-platform/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

In May 2022, Beatport acquired the music discovery portal LabelRadar.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-26 |title=Beatport acquires music discovery portal LabelRadar |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/beatport-acquires-music-discovery-portal-labelradar/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}</ref>

In February 2023, it was announced that Beatport had acquired a majority stake in [[International Music Summit]] in [[Ibiza]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Beatport acquires majority stake in Ibiza's International Music Summit |url=https://mixmag.net/read/beatport-majority-stake-international-music-summit-ibiza-ims-news |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Mixmag}}</ref>

In 2024 Beatport launched a global DJ competition with Miller called Miller Mix. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilkinson |first=Juan |date=3 May 2024 |title=Miller & Beatport launch global DJ contest, live shows, and docu-series |url=https://electronicgroove.com/miller-beatport-launch-global-dj-contest-live-shows-and-docu-series/}}</ref>