Gibson Dunn Advised Founders Of Stem Distribution On Sale To Concord Music Group
Gibson Dunn Advised Founders of Stem Distribution on Sale to Concord Music Group
Gibson Dunn advised the founders of Stem Distribution on its sale to Concord Music Group, the world’s leading independent music company.
Stem, a market-leading music distribution platform, provides personalized distribution, digital strategy, data-driven insights, playlisting, and financial tools for independent artists and labels. Following the transaction, Stem will operate as a separate division within Concord Label Group, continuing under the leadership of CEO Milana Lewis and President Kristin Graziani.
With Concord’s backing, Stem will have access to expanded financial and operational resources, accelerating its global expansion and investment in new technology. The transaction also includes the spin-off of Tone, Stem’s business platform dedicated to royalty accounting and financial tools for record labels, which will operate independently with Concord as an investor.
Key executives commented on the acquisition: Tom Becci, Chief Executive of Concord Label Group, said, "Our investment in Stem will equip them with the tools necessary to deliver first-class service across the globe while further modernizing the indie music landscape."
Bob Valentine, CEO of Concord, said, "Milana and her team have spent a decade creating a company that provides immense value to both artists and labels. Their focus aligns with Concord’s mission of empowering artists to realize their visions and grow their careers."
Milana Lewis, Founder and CEO of Stem, said, "Now, with Concord’s backing, we gain more fuel for the engine and a global team to help us scale. This isn’t an exit—it’s an expansion. We’re doubling down on raising the standard for independent artists."
Kristin Graziani, President of Stem, said, "We know Concord’s capital, global label services, and strategic expertise will immediately strengthen Stem’s offering while allowing us to continue empowering independent artists and labels."
The Gibson Dunn team advising Stem’s founders was led by Sarah Graham (Partner, Corporate, Los Angeles), Taylor Hathaway-Zepeda (Partner), and Christopher Lee (Associate). Century City Partner Sean Feller advised on benefits-related aspects of the transaction.
