UMG Invests in Stationhead Following Merger with Mellomanic, Doubling Down on “Superfan” Strategy
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Global Music Group (UMG) is bolstering its position in the burgeoning “superfan” economy with a minority investment in Stationhead, a platform designed to connect artists directly with thier most engaged fans. The investment follows stationhead’s recent merger with Mellomanic, an online music event platform, creating a combined entity operating under the Stationhead name.
The merger brings together Stationhead’s capabilities in live listening sessions with Mellomanic’s expertise in virtual music events and audience data analytics. The newly formed company aims to offer a comprehensive platform encompassing e-commerce, fan data insights, and revenue-generating tools for artists and labels. Currently, Stationhead integrates with Spotify and Apple Music, with plans for further streaming service integrations.
Chicago-based private equity firm Sterling Partners holds a controlling interest in the merged entity,with UMG taking a minority stake. Alongside the investment, UMG has entered into a commercial agreement to leverage Stationhead’s technology. According to a company release, UMG is supporting “an independent, industry-wide platform designed to benefit artists, fans, and the broader music ecosystem.”
UMG’s Expanding “Superfan” Portfolio
This investment isn’t UMG’s first foray into the superfan space. Two years prior, the company invested in HYBE’s Weverse, another prominent platform catering to dedicated fan communities. Grainge recently outlined plans to “accelerate these efforts” by launching enhanced premium tiers for superfans through existing Digital Service Providers (DSPs) and collaborating with emerging platforms focused on exclusive events and products, both virtual and physical.
Elsewhere in the industry, Warner Music Group was reportedly developing its own superfan app as of last year, demonstrating the widespread recognition of this growing market segment.
Leadership and Vision for the Future
David Rappaport, former head of Mellomanic and previously Chief Operating Officer of Global Touring at AEG Presents, will serve as CEO of Stationhead. Ryan Star, a recording artist and Stationhead co-founder, will assume the role of chief Creative Officer. Steven Taslitz, Co-Founder and Chairman of Sterling Partners, will chair the company.
“This merger creates the ultimate direct-to-fan platform the industry needs,” Rappaport stated. He emphasized the potential to unlock previously untapped revenue streams for all stakeholders, including artists, labels, publishers, and streaming services. “By bringing Stationhead and Mellomanic together, we’re building an additive, ecosystem-wide solution that drives real business and data.”
Star added that Stationhead was “built from the ground up to bring artists and fans together in real time, around the music itself.” He believes the merger will establish the platform as “the definitive home for fan communities, where listening becomes participation.” Through live listening parties, the platform has already facilitated billions of streams on premium streaming services, demonstrating the commercial viability of fandom at scale.
Taslitz expressed excitement about leading the development of what he believes is a “truly transformational company.” Sterling Partners brings a four-decade track record of scaling community-driven businesses in technology and music, and sees Stationhead as a compelling opportunity to drive incremental value for the entire music industry by fostering closer connections between artists and their communities.
“At Universal Music Group, we see tremendous potential in technology innovation that brings artists and their biggest fans more closely together, and Stationhead’s independent platform exemplifies that opportunity,” said Michael Nash, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at UMG. “Collaborative, artist-centric, super fan-focused innovation like this is essential to the future of our industry.”
