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Secretly Group Acquires 50% Stake in Merge Records as Co-Founder Departs
- During A2IM's Indie Week in June 2025, Secretly Group announced that it had taken a half ownership position in Merge Records, bringing together two prominent independent music labels.
- The acquisition followed discussions triggered by Merge co-founder Laura Ballance’s choice to step down from her co-presidential role and exit the music industry after 36 years.
- Merge Records, founded in 1989 by Ballance and Mac McCaughan in North Carolina, has a legacy releasing albums from Neutral Milk Hotel, Arcade Fire, and The Magnetic Fields.
- McCaughan expressed that he has had long-standing relationships with many individuals involved with Secretly, and he is confident that their commitment to supporting artists aligns closely with Merge's own values.
- The partnership builds upon a distribution agreement established in 2012 and will foster Merge's expansion while allowing it to maintain its independence within the Secretly Group.
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Durham’s Merge Records sells 50% stake to Secretly Group
Influential indie label Merge Records has sold a 50% stake to Indiana-based Secretly Group. Co-founder Mac McCaughan remains president, while Laura Ballance is stepping away from the music business. The deal provides Merge with global distribution and operational support.
·Washington, United States
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