LA's Create Music Group Valued at $2.2B
Los Angeles-based Create Music Group just completed a $450 million fundraise, pushing its valuation to $2.2 billion. The new equity and debt capital will be used to fuel the music tech company's expansion.
Founded in 2015 by Jonathan Strauss and Alexandre Williams, the company initially carved out a niche by collecting unclaimed YouTube revenue for electronic and hip-hop artists. Its data-driven approach to rights management and distribution quickly attracted a roster of clients ranging from emerging creators to established acts. The fresh capital injection is earmarked for continued strategic acquisitions. This follows an aggressive M&A streak, with the company investing over $500 million in the past year on buyouts and artist advances, acquiring catalogs from artists like Deadmau5 and labels such as Monstercat, !K7 Music, and Cr2 Records. This funding round more than doubles the company's previous valuation of $1 billion, which was set during a $165 million private equity round led by Flexpoint Ford in June 2024. The new financing includes participation from new investors Ares Management and 2 Mile, alongside returning investor Flexpoint Ford, with the founders retaining majority ownership. Create Music Group's services now encompass a full suite including distribution, publishing, and marketing. The company differentiated itself early by offering artists transparent, daily royalty data from platforms like YouTube and Spotify, and by providing faster payouts than traditional industry standards. A landmark success for the company was the distribution of the single "Trollz" by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj. The track debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the first time a song
