Global Records is having a moment – and the numbers prove it.
The Romania-headquartered independent music company has surpassed 40 billion global streams across all platforms, up from 25 billion when MBW last profiled the company in spring 2024, and up from 2 billion in 2021.
That explosive growth is mirrored in Global Records’ financial trajectory.
The company says it generated revenues of approximately €65 million ($75 million) in 2025, with double-digit year-on-year growth forecast for 2026.
To put that in perspective: Global Records told MBW back in 2022 that the company was generating around $17 million annually at the time.
By 2024, that figure had jumped to $54 million.
If Global Records hits its 2026 target, it will have grown its revenues more than fivefold in just four years.
But Global Records, whose top artists include the likes of INNA, Minelli, Carla’s Dreams, Antonia, Holy Molly, Alina Eremia, Irina Rimes, and others, isn’t just a streaming success story.
Under founder Ștefan Lucian‘s leadership, the company has evolved into what he describes as “an advanced, multi-vertical entertainment ecosystem” spanning recorded music, publishing, live events, brand partnerships, and film and TV placements.
Perhaps the most visible manifestation of that ambition is Beach, Please! – the urban music festival co-founded by Global Records in Costinești, Romania.
The event attracted over 500,000 attendees across five days in 2025, with 155,000 people on its busiest day, making it, according to its organizers, one of Europe’s largest festivals.
Its lineup has featured global superstars including Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, 21 Savage, and Wiz Khalifa.
“What began as a vision to create a festival that speaks directly to young people has quickly transformed into one of Europe’s largest and most talked-about events,” Lucian tells MBW.
Global Records has also been active on the M&A front.
In spring 2024, the company acquired a majority stake in Los Angeles-based publishing company Honua Music, which has secured collaborations with household names including The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Jin (BTS), Teddy Swims, and Ava Max.
That same year, Paris-based Believe, which distributes Global Records’ catalog, acquired a 25% equity stake in the Romanian company, marking a deepening of a long-standing partnership.
The expansion comes at a time when Central and Eastern Europe is emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing music markets.
“Many international players still treat these markets as secondary, or group them together as a single block,” says Lucian. “However, our experience shows that each territory has its own nuances, trends and local heroes that deserve dedicated focus.”
“Romania, for instance, is the only market we are aware of where an independent company holds a larger radio market share than the majors.”
He adds: “Central and Eastern Europe remains an emerging region and one of the fastest-growing music markets globally, as highlighted in the latest IFPI report, with countries like Romania and Hungary among the top performers in terms of growth.
“Romania, for instance, is the only market we are aware of where an independent company holds a larger radio market share than the majors.”
Beyond its home market success, Global Records has achieved chart positions across territories from France to Turkey.
The company recently launched the first edition of the Global Records Academy, an intensive artist development program inspired by the structured training models seen in K-pop and other Asian markets.
Here, Ștefan Lucian discusses Global Records’ 40 billion streaming milestone, the company’s revenue target for 2026, and why Central and Eastern Europe represents one of the music industry’s most overlooked opportunities…
GLOBAL RECORDS HAS EVOLVED FROM A RECORD LABEL INTO WHAT YOU CALL “AN ADVANCED, MULTI-VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT ECOSYSTEM” – WHAT’S DRIVEN THIS EXPANSION?
We always start from a simple question: “What does an artist need to perform at the highest possible level? If I were the artist, what would I need?”
When you answer that honestly, you realize many of those needs are shared across most artists, but there is also some part that is very specific to each career.
For the common needs, we decided to build a full ecosystem. A talent signed to Global Records has a very high chance to appear in a movie, to perform at the biggest festivals – whether they’re produced by us or by our partners – and to work with major brands through our in-house agency, which at its core has a creative team that generates tailored ideas for each project, uniting the artist’s vision with the specific goals of each release or collaboration, ensuring every initiative feels authentic, innovative, and fully integrated across campaigns, performances, and audience engagement.
For the more specific needs, we’ve put together a dedicated team that is always ready to challenge assumptions, explore possibilities, and bring these requirements to life.
By combining all these elements, we provide a uniquely integrated support system, and to our knowledge, we are the only ecosystem offering such a wide range of services, from film placements to advertising opportunities and beyond.
YOUR CATALOG HAS SURPASSED 25 BILLION GLOBAL STREAMS WITH CHART SUCCESS ACROSS MARKETS FROM FRANCE TO TURKEY – WHAT’S THE STRATEGY BEHIND ACHIEVING SUCH WIDESPREAD GEOGRAPHICAL REACH?
We’re proud to announce that we’ve officially surpassed 40 billion streams across all platforms! That being said, talent development is at the core of everything we do. Every year, we work with at least ten artists in early development, each supported by a significant investment. We follow a music-first philosophy combined with an independent mindset, which allows us to move faster and more flexibly than many other players on the market. We focus on developing talent rather than signing artists simply because they fit a trend.
“Talent development is at the core of everything we do.”
Our most recent initiative in this direction has been the first edition of the Global Records Academy, which we have successfully completed. Inspired in part by the structured training and development model seen in K-pop and other Asian markets, the Academy brought together a group of emerging artists for an intensive program.
Participants worked closely with producers, vocal coaches, choreographers, and branding specialists, refining their sound, strengthening their performance skills, and shaping a distinct artistic identity. The program also exposed them to real-world challenges, from songwriting and recording sessions to stage-presence coaching, offering a realistic understanding of what a long-term career truly requires.
WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
One of the most transformative trends shaping the music industry today is the rapid evolution of AI. Beyond its capabilities, the real challenge is understanding how to protect our artists, their identity, and their intellectual property in an environment where technology can replicate voices, styles, and even entire performances.
We believe the future of music will depend not on choosing between digital or analog, but on ensuring that technology enhances the human element rather than replacing it. Our priority is to integrate AI in ways that support creativity while preserving authenticity.
Another trend we are monitoring closely is the increasing localization of markets, particularly within the EU. Audiences are becoming more segmented, and cultural nuances matter more than ever. At the same time, we see opportunities to break this pattern by building strategies that allow a single artist or song to perform strongly across multiple countries.
This involves a combination of early artist development, data-driven planning, and tailored release strategies that resonate locally while still having international appeal.
Overall, we are preparing for a future where AI and human creativity coexist, and where smart, multi-market strategies are essential for sustained global success.
HOW CENTRAL IS LIVE MUSIC/ CONCERT PROMOTION TO YOUR BUSINESS AND DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO LAUNCH ADDITIONAL LIVE MUSIC VENTURES?
At the core of our business are music ownership and artist development. Everything starts there.
The live music and concert promotion side was built as a natural extension of this focus – a support system designed to amplify our acts. Live shows not only deepen the connection between artists and their fans, but also accelerate career growth, strengthen their brand, and broaden their audience.
We continue to grow our live activities with one clear filter in mind: every initiative must serve our artists first and maximise the impact of their creative work.
YOU ACQUIRED A MAJORITY STAKE IN HONUA MUSIC IN SPRING 2024 – WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS PUBLISHING COMPANY AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO THE GLOBAL MUSIC GROUP?
We were first attracted to Honua Music because of the people behind it. We’ve had a longstanding relationship with Axident, one of Honua’s co-founders, for more than 10 years through several of INNA’s releases, and we’ve always respected his talent and vision.
We also have great chemistry with Noah Gopen, President of Honua Music, whose leadership and creative mindset align perfectly with our approach to artist development and global growth.
In the years leading up to the acquisition, we collaborated closely with Honua on writing sessions and camps, building a strong rapport, an excellent working rhythm, and a deep understanding of the quality of their work. So when the opportunity to acquire a majority stake arose in spring 2024, it felt like a natural step.
Honua fits perfectly into Global Music Group by strengthening our publishing capabilities and expanding our international songwriting network, directly supporting our artists and accelerating the growth of our catalog.
WHAT M&A OPPORTUNITIES ARE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET, HOW CENTRAL IS M&A TO YOUR STRATEGY, AND CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY DEALS IN THE PIPELINE?
Our approach has always prioritized building and scaling projects organically, ensuring that every initiative is grounded in long-term value creation.
While the global M&A market remains highly competitive, we are actively exploring selective opportunities within our region. At the same time, our focus continues to be on developing projects internally under the Global umbrella, with any acquisitions considered only when they clearly enhance our strategic vision.
COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION PLANS FOR 2026?
We plan to further strengthen our ability to support artists as they expand into new territories, while keeping our Bucharest and Los Angeles offices as key strategic hubs.
At the same time, we want to build on the incredible momentum we’ve created with Honua. Together, we’ve secured collaborations with global household names such as The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Jin (BTS), Teddy Swims, Ava Max, Giveon and others, offering a strong foundation to continue growing our footprint in the US market.
BELIEVE ACQUIRED A 25% STAKE IN GLOBAL RECORDS – WHAT DOES THIS PARTNERSHIP BRING TO YOUR BUSINESS?
Our partnership with Believe is the result of a long-standing relationship in which we’ve earned each other’s trust over many years. Together, we’ve built and refined our distribution infrastructure and significantly improved our collection and reporting processes, with clear benefits for our artists and clients. In that context, Believe acquiring a 25% stake in Global felt like a very natural next step.
Importantly, this collaboration goes far beyond distribution. It is a strategic partnership that has developed organically and is designed first and foremost to serve the artist. Through Believe’s global network, our roster gains access to new regional and international collaboration opportunities, support in opening up new markets through promo and marketing, as well as creative input on A&R. All of this strengthens our ability to take local talent to the global stage.
WHY DOES GLOBAL RECORDS MATTER GLOBALLY?
Global Records has demonstrated that world-class music, compelling artists, and scalable entertainment ecosystems can emerge from outside the traditional industry capitals. With more than 40 billion global streams, a rapidly expanding publishing network, and strong creative partnerships across the US, Europe, and Asia, we have become one of the most influential independent players in Eastern Europe.
What makes us relevant globally is our ability to consistently develop artists who resonate internationally, while operating with the agility, innovation, and long-term thinking that define independent success stories.
WHAT UNIQUE ADVANTAGES DOES ROMANIA / CEE OFFER FOR BUILDING A GLOBAL MUSIC COMPANY?
Central and Eastern Europe is one of the youngest, fastest-growing regions in the global music landscape. Audiences here adopt new sounds quickly and engage deeply with emerging artists. Romania, in particular, has an extraordinary density of creative talent. Producers, songwriters, vocalists, choreographers, engineers, the quality is remarkably high relative to the market size.
This gives companies like ours a unique advantage: the ability to develop ideas rapidly, iterate creatively, and test concepts with highly engaged audiences. It’s an environment that rewards innovation, agility, and long-term artist development — which has become one of our biggest strengths internationally.
WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT GLOBAL RECORDS’ FINANCIAL STRUCTURE AND THE ELEMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE COMPANY’S LONG-TERM STABILITY?
Global Records is built entirely on organic growth. For more than 15 years, we have reinvested the majority of our profits into talent development, catalog expansion, and the creative and operational infrastructure that supports our artists.
“Global Records is built entirely on organic growth.”
Today, our business model is deliberately diversified: recorded music, publishing, live entertainment, brand partnerships, and film and TV placements all contribute to a balanced and resilient revenue structure. Our long-term stability is further reinforced by our strategic equity partnership with Believe, which expands our global capabilities while allowing us to remain fully independent.
This combination, diversified revenue, disciplined reinvestment, and trusted international partnerships ensures that Global Records grows sustainably and remains a reliable partner for artists, collaborators, and industry stakeholders worldwide.
IF THERE WAS ONE THING YOU COULD CHANGE ABOUT THE GLOBAL MUSIC BUSINESS IN 2026, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
A critical challenge in the global music industry today is the collection and management of publishing rights. Even now, it remains extremely difficult to track and administer these rights accurately across territories, and this complexity often limits the ability of artists and songwriters to receive the compensation they are owed. Simplifying and streamlining this process would not only benefit creators, but also strengthen the overall ecosystem of the music industry.
Music Business Worldwide
