If you put out tracks through DistroKid, nothing changes on your account today, but the company behind your distribution now has another owner with labels of its own. Create Music Group holds a minority stake in DistroKid, and CEO and co-founder Jonathan Strauss confirmed it on October 28.
Create made the investment earlier this year, next to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, which announced its majority deal for DistroKid in July. No terms were disclosed for either deal. Phil Bauer stays on as president.
The stake matters for electronic artists because of who Create already owns. Since 2025 the Los Angeles company has bought Monstercat, Cr2 and !K7, plus the deadmau5 and mau5trap catalogues. It has also agreed to invest more than $300 million in Nettwerk Music Group. In March it raised $450 million at a $2.2 billion valuation.
DistroKid says it handles around 40% of all new music released worldwide. It is also fighting a lawsuit that Universal Music Group filed on September 15, which alleges deceptive trade practices and copyright infringement.