This week, Insight Holdings Group, the private equity firm behind DistroKid‘s $1.3 billion valuation, acquired German digital distributor Zebralution from collecting society GEMA.
Meanwhile, Universal Music Group moved closer to completing its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings after Reuters reported the company is set to receive conditional EU approval for the deal.
Elsewhere, Sony Music Entertainment bought a 49% stake in Vietnamese media giant YeaH1 Group’s music unit, launching a new joint venture called SYE Holdings that debuted boy group UPRIZE.
Also this week, AI music platform Udio struck a licensing deal with independent music organization Merlin, following similar settlements with Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, while the indie music financing space heated up with both Duetti securing $200 million in fresh financing led by The Raine Group and Matt Spetzler’s Jamen Capital launching Pipeline with over $200 million in backing.
Here are some of the biggest headlines from the past few days…
1. DISTROKID INVESTOR BUYS INDIE DISTRIBUTOR ZEBRALUTION FROM GEMA
German collecting society GEMA has sold digital distributor Zebralution to New York-based private equity firm Insight Holdings Group, which previously made a substantial investment in DistroKid in 2021, valuing that platform at $1.3 billion.
GEMA confirmed on Tuesday (January 20) that it is selling its 100% shareholding in Zebralution GmbH, a digital media distributor for audiobooks, podcasts, and music, as part of its corporate strategy to focus more on its core business of collective rights management.
The transaction marks GEMA’s exit from digital distribution just over five years after acquiring a majority stake in the Berlin-based company in December 2019… (MBW)
2. UMG ‘SET TO WIN EU NOD’ TO BUY DOWNTOWN MUSIC, REUTERS REPORTS
Reuters reported on Tuesday (January 20) that Universal Music Group is set to receive conditional approval from the European Commission for its proposed $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings.
The report followed UMG’s December offer to divest Downtown’s Curve royalty accounting business to address the EC’s competition concerns about the transaction.
The news agency, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter, reported that the EU antitrust watchdog has not demanded further concessions… (MBW)
3. SONY MUSIC BUYS 49% STAKE IN MUSIC UNIT OF VIETNAM MEDIA GIANT YEAH1; COMPANIES LAUNCH NEW SYE HOLDINGS JOINT VENTURE
Sony Music Entertainment has made significant moves in Vietnam by acquiring a 49% stake in 1Label JSC, the music production and artist management unit of Vietnamese media giant YeaH1 Group.
Following the deal, Sony Music and YeaH1 Group launched a joint venture called SYE Holdings, which debuted a new boy group called UPRIZE earlier this week.
In a filing to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange on December 16, 2025, YeaH1 said Sony Music Entertainment Hong Kong will hold 49% of 1Label’s voting shares via a share subscription. YeaH1, however, will retain a 49.88% stake in the business, making it an associated company… (MBW)
4. UDIO STRIKES AI LICENSING DEAL WITH MERLIN AFTER UMG AND WARNER MUSIC SETTLEMENTS
Independent music licensing group Merlin has partnered with artificial intelligence music platform Udio to license recordings for training AI models.
The partnership follows settlements Udio reached with Universal Music Group in October and Warner Music Group in November.
The agreement with Merlin allows Udio to develop AI systems using music from Merlin members who choose to participate, with compensation flowing back to those labels and artists… (MBW)
5. DUETTI SECURES $200M IN FRESH FINANCING, WHILE MATT SPETZLER’S JAMEN CAPITAL LAUNCHES PIPELINE WITH $200M IN BACKING
The landscape of alternative funding options for indie artists, labels, and distributors heated up this week with two major financing announcements totaling $400 million.
Music investment company Duetti secured $200 million in fresh financing led by a $50 million Series C equity investment by Raine Partners, the flagship growth equity fund of The Raine Group, alongside a second $125 million private securitization and a $25 million increase of an existing credit facility. In connection with the equity financing, Joe Puthenveetil, Partner at The Raine Group, will join the Duetti Board of Directors.
Meanwhile, a new financing platform called Pipeline, backed by Matt Spetzler’s investment firm Jamen Capital, emerged from stealth with over $200 million in capital and ambitions to become the largest funder of independent music globally… (MBW / MBW)
