Nashville-based Concord formed a strategic, multi-year venture with New York-based Victor Victor Worldwide to grow its foothold in the hip-hop genre and promote VVW’s “cultural-defining recording catalog, which helped shape a generation,” the company said on Tuesday (April 14).
Founded in 2016 by Steven Victor, Victor Victor Worldwide is an entertainment and media company, whose most successful acts included the late Pop Smoke, Ski Mask the Slump God, Pharrell Williams, NIGO and Pusha T. Through its partnership with Universal Music Group’s division The Center, Victor worked directly with UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge to sign artists and release their music through Republic Records.
“This marks an exciting new chapter for VVW, and I look forward to working with the Concord team to help propel our artists through its global network of resources,” Victor said in a statement.
One of the largest independent music companies, Concord is a heavyweight in the business of owning older catalog music. In recent years, it has built out its frontline business breaking and developing new artists, and this deal will access both of those businesses, Concord executives said.
“We’re creating a long-term partnership designed to break new talent and build lasting career,” Tom Becci, CEO of Concord Label Group, said in a statement. “We’re honored to steward VVW’s culturally impactful catalog, allowing us to continue to build upon the legacy of its artists such as Pop Smoke and Ski Mask the Slump God. We’ll focus not just on preservation, but on thoughtful expansion—amplifying impact, creating new opportunities, and ensuring these recordings continue to evolve and inspire for years to come.”
Concord is the owner of indie distribution and fintech platform Stem, and its frontline division includes Rounder Records, Concord Jazz, Fearless Records, Concord Theatrical Recordings and the Kidz Bop franchise. Concord also has joint ventures with Loma Vista Recordings, Easy Eye Sound, and PULSE Records.
Concord’s catalog holdings include Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatricals, classical music publishing company Boosey & Hawkes, and Round Hill Music‘s catalog of songs performed by Alice In Chains, Bruno Mars, Céline Dion, Louis Armstrong, The Offspring, Wilson Pickett and Whitesnake.
In January, Billboard reported Concord’s owners are in advanced talks to sell a majority of the company to German independent music company BMG.
