LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Music and entertainment company Create Music Group has announced the acquisition of Monstercat, the influential electronic music brand.
Founded in Waterloo, Canada, in 2011, Monstercat operates the genre-focused imprints Uncaged, Instinct, and Silk, and has released more than 8,000 recordings from high-profile artists such as Kaskade, Alan Walker, Vicetone, Punctual, WHIPPED CREAM, DJ DIESEL (aka Shaquille O’Neal), and Koven, among others.
Following the acquisition, Monstercat will continue under its current leadership: President Daniel Turcotte, Vice President Orri Sachar, and Director of Finance Rob Hill. Monstercat founders Mike Darlington and Ari Paunonen will remain involved in advisory roles to support the label during the ownership transition.
In addition to its artist roster and release catalog, the acquisition also includes Monstercat’s active live events business, which features branded stages at high-profile EDM events such as Tomorrowland, Rampage Open Air, Amsterdam Dance Event, and Miami Music Week.
“Monstercat is everything an independent label should strive to be — exclusive, globally trusted, and capable of breaking artists and songs at the highest levels,” said Jonathan Strauss, Co-Founder and CEO of Create Music Group. “Mike, Ari, Daniel, Orri, and the entire Monstercat team have built a culture and community at a scale rarely achieved in the music industry. We are excited to support their mission.”
“Our mission has always been to build sustainable, long-term careers for exceptional artists,” said Daniel Turcotte, President of Monstercat. “Create gives us the reach and support to do that at a larger scale, without changing what makes Monstercat special. We’re still artist-first — only now with more tools to serve them.”
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Artisan, Reed Smith, and Fasken served as legal advisors to Monstercat. Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Paul Hastings, and Osler advised Create Music Group. Create’s VP of Business Development, Adam Shomer, also played a significant role in securing the deal.
