Alex Akimov is the man you have never heard of who is behind the popularity of many of your favorite musical acts. He has developed a platform and runs an agency that has become essential to promoting up-and-coming and global artists. Simple Social and Sound.Me are revolutionizing how artists collaborate and grow their audiences worldwide.
Akimov immigrated to the United States when he was just 19, pursuing a music career. He was a touring guitarist for some time before transitioning into music management. Akimov and his wife Lani poured their time into promoting the boy band New District, taking advantage of the social media boom of the 2010s to launch the band’s career. Their strategy worked, and they were able to give New District a global fanbase. The group won a Teen Choice Award and toured with popular acts Fifth Harmony and Bebe Rexha. This success caught the attention of industry giants Randy Jackson and Mike Caren, who were eager to work with Akimov.
Photo Courtesy: Alex Akimov
He spent the next few years gaining experience in the music marketing industry, working with major record labels on social media marketing campaigns. In 2017, Akimov founded Simple Social, a digital marketing agency that offers record label marketing services and analytics tools. His deep understanding of the industry and social media and his studies at LA Music Academy and MIT gave Akimov a unique perspective on technology and how it could revolutionize music marketing. Simple Social promotes artists in smaller markets across the globe, finding the ideal market for the organic growth of a particular artist and helping them gain a fanbase before promoting them in more saturated markets. This technique of finding “trigger markets” is an innovative concept pioneered by Akimov.
As successful as Simple Social was, Akimov began thinking that there was another application for his talents. In 2022, he founded Sound.Me, a leading creator marketplace combining music promotion, influencer collaboration, and disruptive technology. The platform eliminates artist, agency, and influencer negotiations by using AI to analyze the creator’s value and match them with other collaborators accordingly. Sound.Me has grown to nearly 1 million users by setting transparent compensation rates and getting artists and labels the best promotional deals. Music can now be promoted globally for artists with any budget with the click of a button.
Akimov’s music promotion technology has made him a leader in the music marketing industry. With AI technology, he has bridged the gap between emerging artists and global reach. New artists can use Sound.Me to grow their fanbase globally through lucrative partnerships with influencers. Akimov has conquered global music marketing through social media and global data analytics.
Combining technology and art is a challenging venture, but Akimov has found the convergence of music and artificial intelligence. His marketing platforms promote music while not compromising the integrity of the artists. In the contemporary market, there’s a perception that technology may replace talent rather than enhance it. However, Akimov uses technology to show global markets exciting new music and give artists a louder voice.
Published by: Khy Talara
