Tampa-based music technology and services company Symphonic has acquired Distro Nation, a music distribution and YouTube monetization platform.
According to Symphonic, the acquisition brings the YouTube channels of several prominent artists under its management, including Lindsey Stirling, Sabaton, Yanni, Good Charlotte, Bryant Myers, and Switchfoot.
The announcement added that the acquisition also includes “management and monetization of Chappell Roan’s YouTube channel for content released prior to her 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”.
Following the acquisition, Jon Baltz, CEO and Co-Founder of Distro Nation, will join Symphonic’s executive team as Head of UGC & Rights Management, along with his team.
Founded in 2011 as INDMUSIC, Distro Nation built its business managing YouTube channels for independent musicians. Its breakout moment came in February 2016, when it helped monetize The Harlem Shake by Bauer that became a viral sensation, Symphonic said. This helped Baltz’s label Mad Decent capture revenue from the song’s popularity.
Later that year, Live Nation acquired the business, renaming it Live Nation Video Network. The business was separated from Live Nation in 2024 and has since offered clients a proprietary dashboard, royalty reporting, monthly payouts, and what it describes as “Tier A “YouTube status.
Since regaining independence, Distro Nation has grown to more than 200 artists in its YouTube network.
Jorge Brea, CEO of Symphonic, said: “Distro Nation, like Symphonic, has been a champion for independent artists for many years, providing invaluable resources to help artists thrive on YouTube and beyond.”
“This acquisition was a natural partnership that will allow us to offer even better tools and strategies for success to our artist and label community. We’re excited to welcome Distro Nation and their clients to the Symphonic family!”
“This acquisition was a natural partnership that will allow us to offer even better tools and strategies for success to our artist and label community. We’re excited to welcome Distro Nation and their clients to the Symphonic family!”
Jorge Brea, Symphonic
Baltz said: “Throughout the past 15 years at Distro Nation, our goal has always been to constantly innovate and offer the support that artists need to master the distribution game in such an ever-changing landscape.”
“We are thrilled to join an industry leader like Symphonic who will help us expand even further on what we’ve built.”
Symphonic was founded in 2006 by Brea and has grown into a distribution and services operation with offices across Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Miami, and internationally in Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Europe, the UK, and Africa.
Symphonic’s roster and alumni include Imogen Heap, Sixpence None the Richer, New Radicals, Doechii, Ryuichi Sakamoto, The Midnight, Sarah McLachlan, and many more.
“Throughout the past 15 years at Distro Nation, our goal has always been to constantly innovate and offer the support that artists need to master the distribution game in such an ever-changing landscape.”
Jon Baltz, Distro Nation
The acquisition marks Symphonic’s latest strategic move after striking a deal with direct-to-fan platform EVEN in November 2025 to bring “sell-before-streaming” storefronts to Symphonic creators.
In September, Symphonic expanded its presence in Puerto Rico through a partnership with indie label High Ground Music. In July, the company hired a team of A&R Client Development Leads to expand its presence in Europe.
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