Social music platform Hook has raised an additional $3 million in funding, bringing its total investment to $6 million. The round includes new contributions from Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew, The Raine Group, and Khosla Ventures, with continued support from existing investors such as Imaginary Ventures, Point72 Ventures, and Waverley Capital, co-founded by former Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr.
Hook aims to solve one of the biggest challenges in the music industry today: the widespread use of unlicensed remixes and mashups on social media. With an estimated 40% of music consumed on social platforms coming from these types of user-generated content – often shared without proper rights – Hook provides a legal alternative that benefits both creators and rights holders.
“We have built music’s new ecosystem, where creativity and rights can finally coexist,” said Gaurav Sharma, Founder and CEO of Hook. “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.”
The new funding will support Hook’s marketing expansion and strategic hiring, with a focus on growing its user base. The platform leverages AI-powered tools to facilitate licensed remixing and short-form content creation, addressing a gap in the market for legally compliant music editing software. Since launching in October, Hook has partnered with 16 music companies and features tracks from over 1,200 artists, including Justin Bieber, Playboi Carti, and James Blake.
With a growing emphasis on ethical AI practices, Hook has also joined Universal Music Group’s MusicForAI initiative, ensuring that its technology does not train on artists’ work without permission.
