New Orleans market launch set for September 25, with plans to expand nationwide in 2027
September 24 Launch Event at Hangar 33 Free to Attend; Features platform demonstrations plus live music by T-Ray the Violinist, Alfred Banks, Sess 4-5, Hondo & Xsomnia, DJ Paige, DJ Evan, DJ Mig and Surco
Reserve your spot now at www.musichabitat.com
NEW ORLEANS — Music Habitat is proud to announce its upcoming launch of the first full-service operating system for independent music — providing the tools, connection and exposure artists need to grow, venues need to thrive and fans need to discover music they love. Across the country, independent artists work tirelessly to build audiences and sustain careers. Venues fight for visibility and consistency. Fans often struggle to discover meaningful experiences happening around them. Music Habitat was designed to bring these communities together in one connected, easy-to-operate system. Artists will build their profiles, book shows, sell merchandise and connect with fans – and receive 100% of the profits*. Venues can maintain their presence and participate in the booking ecosystem. Fans can discover new artists, find live music and connect with the artists they love.
The platform will first launch in the New Orleans market on Friday, September 25, with plans to expand nationwide in 2027. Artists, venues and fans can join Music Habitat for free at MusicHabitat.com, where they can create their profiles, connect and begin using the platform. Music Habitat will soon be available to download on the app store.
Music Habitat will also host a free New Orleans Launch Party (RSVP required for entry) on Thursday, September 24 (6 – 10 pm) at Hangar 33 (1511 S Rendon St), featuring performances by New Orleans artists T-Ray the Violinist, Alfred Banks, Sess 4-5, Hondo & Xsomnia, DJ Paige, DJ Evan, DJ Mig and Surco. The event will also include live platform demonstrations and opportunities for fans, artists and venue owners to connect with the Music Habitat team, ask questions and provide platform feedback. Reserve your spot now at musichabitat.com/the-launch/.
Music Habitat was created by Founder and CEO Brandon Beard with one core idea: music should create opportunity. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, Beard built Music Habitat from a personal conviction rooted in watching his father — a traveling musician with real talent — navigate a music industry with no infrastructure built for him.
“Like so many independent artists, my father had the talent, the passion and the work ethic—but he never had the infrastructure to help him build a sustainable career,” said Beard. “For decades, we’ve expected independent artists to navigate a fragmented industry with disconnected tools, impossible odds and very little ownership. I created Music Habitat because I believe they deserve better. Now artists, venues, fans and songwriters can come together in one connected ecosystem and all benefit from each other’s success. When independent music thrives, communities thrive.”
Beard’s personal experience drives every decision Music Habitat makes: 100% back to artists, tools that create ownership instead of dependency and a platform that treats independent musicians as the professionals they are.
Music Habitat is designed as a one-stop-solution for artists, songwriters, music venues and fans:
- Venue Intelligence: StageBid™ booking engine that connects artists to venues, private clients and event bookers through smarter discovery, structured negotiation and automatic payment, Patron Communication Suite, ticketing, analytics and direct fan ownership — the complete operating system for an independent live music venue.
- Artist Infrastructure: Smart discovery via StageBid™, structured booking system, secure payments, live streaming capabilities, real-time tipping, direct licensing capabilities, ticketing, AI artist tools and education— everything an independent artist needs to build a sustainable career in one platform, with 100% of every dollar from bookings, tickets, tips and merch coming directly back to the artist.
- Fan Discovery: Local show discovery, artist following, show alerts, ticketing, tipping and Go Live streaming — free for fans, forever.
- Songwriter Economy: Co-write marketplace, virtual writing sessions, direct licensing, and royalty tracking — the creative economy finally has a home.
Artists and venues on the platform will also have the opportunity to participate in Music Habitat’s “Habitat Sessions,” an artist storytelling podcast series and the cultural engine at the heart of Music Habitat. The ongoing series features artists, venue stories, songwriter conversations and music culture perspectives from New Orleans and beyond. Every episode will spotlight an independent artist through intimate performance, creative conversation and the kind of authentic storytelling that discovery platforms never make room for. Music Habitat has signed a strategic partnership with FoxDog Studios in Baton Rouge, where Habitat Sessions will be filmed. Artists can now visit musichabitat.com/sessions/ to apply to be featured.
Although Beard currently lives in Kalispell, Montana, he knew that New Orleans was meant to be the original home of Music Habitat for its initial launch.
“Launching Music Habitat in New Orleans first was an easy decision,” said Beard. “There is no city in America with a richer musical heritage or a deeper connection between its artists, venues and culture. If we’re going to help shape the future of independent music, there’s no more meaningful place for that journey to begin than Louisiana.”
For more information on Music Habitat, please visit www.MusicHabitat.com. Follow Music Habitat on social media @MusicHabitat (Instagram), @MusicHabitatOfficial (Facebook) and @MusicHabitatOfficial (YouTube) for additional updates.
*Credit Card fees may apply.
In Memoriam: Dr. John Noble
Dr. John Noble, Beard’s co-founder and close friend, sadly passed away after a battle with cancer before he was able to see Music Habitat officially come to market. His belief in the company and its mission helped shape Music Habitat from its earliest days, and his influence remains part of what the company is building today.
“Dr. Noble believed in me, and he believed deeply in Music Habitat,” said Beard. “I loved Dr. Noble. He was my co-founder, my friend and someone who believed in what we were building before the rest of the world could see it. Bringing Music Habitat to market is a win for Dr. Noble, for his beautiful wife Lucinda, and for the millions of independent artists, venues and fans we built this to serve. We’re finishing what we started together. I will miss you, my friend.”