Report: Bertelsmann Eyeing Concord Acquisition
Bertelsmann-owned BMG Rights Management is in talks to acquire independent music company Concord, a deal that could be worth $7b in cash and stock, according to a Bloomberg report.
Concord CEO Bob Valentine would lead the company under the new structure. BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld will become chairman/CEO of Bertelsmann on Jan. 1, 2027.
If the deal is completed, the new company could create a rival to the three major record groups. Observers tell HITS that Concord has passed on offers of $6b over the last two years.
Concord is majority owned by the State of Michigan Retirement System.
In March, Concord purchased STEM Distribution, which joined such holdings as Rounder Records, Loma Vista, PULSE Records, Fantasy Records, Sugar Hill Records and Bicycle Music. The company’s catalog includes 1.3m songs, compositions, films, plays and musicals among its label, publishing, theatrical and TV properties.
For its part, BMG acquired 17 catalogs in 2025, including Jason Aldean’s, bringing its total music-rights investments over the past four years to $1.4b.
On the recorded-music side, it signed OneRepublic, Evanescence and Olly Murs. BMG songwriters, meanwhile, had a hand in such global smashes as Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga's "Die With a Smile" and Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "luther," Grammy-nominated for Record and Song.
In other potential acquisition news, HITS hears that distribution company DistroKid may be on the sales block as well.