Warner Music Group on Wednesday announced the acquisition of B2B independent music distribution service Revelator, the latest confirmation of a hot market for distributors as music labels look to tap into the independent market.
Neither Revalator nor WMG shared financial details of the sale, though they said the deal is expected to close in the next fiscal quarter.
“Combining Revelator’s leading technology and premium service suite with our global infrastructure will advance our shared mission to support more brands and artists around the world,” WMG CEO Robert Kinkel said in a statement. “I am very pleased to welcome the Revelator team to the WMG family.”
As Bruno Goez, Founder and CEO of Revelator, added: “Since launching Revelator in 2012, we have strived to make the music industry fairer, simpler and more transparent by bridging the gap between creativity, technology and distribution. We are very pleased to partner with WMG to serve artists, labels and distributors around the world.”
WMG’s Revelator deal comes on the heels of Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music’s $775 million purchase of Downtown Music, which gave the company CD Baby and FUGA distribution services. Meanwhile, Concord bought independent distributor Stem a year ago as well. Music companies targeting distribution platforms reflect the ongoing boom in the independent music market, which has grown significantly in the streaming era where artists can more easily record and release music themselves. As appetite for traditional label deals declines, record labels are targeting independent distribution services to gain a greater stake in the future of the industry. Getting distributors also helps increase market share.
WMG had previously considered purchasing French music company Believe, the parent company of prominent music distributor TuneCore, although Warner later decided in 2024 not to pursue a deal.
The acquisition of Revelator from WMG is the latest in the company changing its distribution business as it competes with Sony’s The Orchard and UMG’s Virgin Music. Last summer, WMG named Warner Music Latin America president Alejandro Duque president of its distribution arm ADA, with former president Kat Kredic announcing the day before that she would step down.
