CVC Capital Partners to Make Majority Investment in DistroKid
DistroKid, the world's leading music distributor, has announced that CVC Capital Partners, one of the world's leading private markets investment firms, has signed a definitive agreement to make a majority investment in the company via CVC Capital Partners IX. DistroKid's longtime investor, Insight Partners, will retain a significant minority stake. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year, subject to customary closing conditions. Terms were not disclosed.
Phil Bauer will continue to lead DistroKid as President, alongside the company's existing leadership team.
Founded in 2013, DistroKid has grown beyond music distribution to offer a broad set of tools for independent musicians. Along with music and video distribution, DistroKid offers instant mastering, direct-to-fan experiences, on-demand and custom merchandise, and more. The company continues to invest in new tools that make it easier for musicians around the world to create and release music and connect with listeners.
"We've been incredibly impressed by what Phil and the entire DistroKid team have built," said Sebastian Künne, a Partner at CVC Capital Partners. "DistroKid has earned the trust of millions of artists by staying focused on what they need most. We look forward to partnering with Phil and his team, drawing on our experience across music, entertainment and consumer subscription businesses to help DistroKid support the next generation of artists around the world."
“DistroKid has transformed how independent artists share their music with the world,” said Deven Parekh, Managing Director at Insight Partners. “We’re proud of our partnership with Phil and the DistroKid team and are excited to continue supporting the company alongside CVC.”
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and The Raine Group served as financial advisors to DistroKid.
About DistroKid
Founded in 2013, DistroKid distributes roughly 40% of all new music in the world. They have built their business on providing musicians, managers and record labels with online tools and services that are innovative, easy-to-use, and affordable. More than 4 million artists rely on DistroKid, including hobbyists, up-and-coming musicians, top influencers, and international stars. DistroKid’s expanding array of services include music and video distribution, direct-to-fan tools, instant mastering, monetization, metadata customization, storage, and marketing tools. DistroKid’s skilled staff, coupled with a largely automated backend, has enabled DistroKid to process more than 45 million songs, while simultaneously providing fast, personal & friendly customer service to artists of every size.
About CVC
CVC is a leading global private markets manager with a network of 29 office locations throughout EMEA, the Americas, and Asia, with approximately €209 billion of assets under management. CVC has seven complementary strategies across private equity, secondaries, credit, and infrastructure, for which CVC funds have secured commitments of over €257 billion from some of the world's leading pension funds and other institutional investors. Funds managed or advised by CVC's private equity strategy are invested in approximately 150 companies worldwide, which have combined annual sales of over €240 billion and employ more than 660,000 people. For further information about CVC, please visit https://www.cvc.com/. Follow us on LinkedIn.
About Insight Partners
Insight Partners is a global software investor partnering with high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. As of December 31, 2025, the firm has over $90B in regulatory assets under management. Insight Partners has invested in more than 900 companies worldwide and has seen over 55 portfolio companies achieve an IPO. Headquartered in New York City, Insight has a global presence with leadership in London, Tel Aviv, and the Bay Area. Insight’s mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with tailored, hands-on software expertise along their growth journey, from their first investment to IPO. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on X (@insightpartners).