Exceleration Music Expands Operations With Redeye Acquisition

LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – Exceleration Music, the global independent music company dedicated to advancing the future of independent music, has announced the expansion of its operational reach with the acquisition of Redeye, a leading worldwide digital and physical distribution and music services company. The acquisition also includes  Redeye’s in-house labels, Yep Roc and Sundazed, and its publishing company, Riff City Sounds.
Under the terms of the agreement, Redeye founders Glenn Dicker and Tor Hansen have become shareholders in Exceleration Music. Dicker and Hansen will continue to lead Redeye, maintaining its existing team and infrastructure while benefiting from the additional resources and expertise offered by the Exceleration Music team.
Redeye represents several of the world’s top independent labels, in the USA and globally, including Beggars Group, Domino, New West, Yep Roc, Sundazed, Saddle Creek, Mom+Pop, Kemado/Mexican Summer, Stones Throw, Warp, Drag City, Real Gone, Innovative Leisure, Carpark, !K7, Thrill Jockey, Luaka Bop, Partisan, Sargent House, Ninja Tune, Barsuk, Daptone, the Exceleration labels and more.
This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for Exceleration Music (launched in 2020) which has concentrated on investing in the acquisition, production, and optimization of music rights. The expansion provides indie music partners of both Exceleration and Redeye with a fully independent and well-resourced path to market; including worldwide physical and digital distribution, as well as label, marketing, and technical expertise.
Exceleration is led by its group of original founders, five of independent music’s most influential executives: Glen Barros (former CEO of Concord Music Group), Dave Hansen (Executive Chairman of Merlin and former GM of Epitaph), Charles Caldas (former CEO of Merlin), Amy Dietz (former GM of Ingrooves) and John Burk (GRAMMY-winning producer and former president of Concord Records).
Founded by Hansen and Dicker, Redeye is headquartered in North Carolina and maintains a team of over 120, dispersed across 15 locations spanning the US, Canada, Europe, the UK and Australia. The company has been wholly owned and operated by Dicker, Hansen, and their team.
“The addition of Redeye, Yep Roc, Sundazed and Riff City Sounds represents an important expansion of Exceleration’s overall strategy to strengthen the independent community,” says Exceleration Music partner Glen Barros. “Redeye already provides a great service to an impressive set of first-rate indie labels looking for a distributor that can service both physical and digital channels on a global basis. Together with Glenn, Tor and the Redeye team, we plan to expand Redeye’s already impressive network and to collectively help our current, and future label partners to truly thrive.”
“Working with the Exceleration team feels like expanding the family,” says Redeye co-founder Glenn Dicker. “Sharing strong ideals and a strategic vision, it feels like the next natural step on our journey towards providing our world class distribution service to an expanded independent community.”
Redeye maintains a robust European distribution operation in Sweden (acquired through its merger with Border Music in 2019), and has emerged as a vital player in the realm of independent distribution and label services.
Redeye also owns and manages two significant US labels: Yep Roc, home to esteemed artists like Nick Lowe, Dave Alvin, Aoife O’Donovan, Alejandro Escovedo, Chuck Prophet, and Jobi Riccio, as well as the Sundazed label, a prominent reissue label in the United States.
The integration of Exceleration’s expanding catalog into Redeye’s systems is set to bolster their market offerings, driving additional revenue. The expanded entity aims to provide a robust, self-sustaining, fully independent path to market for artists and labels.
Redeye’s operational structure remains unchanged, with founders Tor Hansen and Glenn Dicker retaining their leadership roles. Key executives, including Michael Petkov, Head of International; Jason Taylor, Director of Global Sales (Physical and Digital); Laura Pittard, Director of Global Marketing; Michael Howard, Associate V.P. of Global Operations; Hank Stockard, Global Business Development Director; Sean Pecor, IT Director; and Jim Trenner, Global Accounting Director, continue to be instrumental in Redeye’s ongoing success.