Universal Music Group Acquires 8Ball Music
Universal Music Group (UMG) appears to have acquired an independent music company in the Netherlands named 8Ball Music.
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Hilversum, 8Ball describes itself as an “interdisciplinary sound recording company,” engaged in management, live events, and sponsorship.
Some of the artists they represent include Miss Montreal, Direct, Davina Michelle, Dotan, and Manfield.
UMG is publicly traded in the Netherlands on the Amsterdam Exchange.
Details of the Acquisition
Entertainment Business was the first to report this news. However, MBW did some further investigation into applications available at the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, confirming that Universal is listed as the “only shareholder” of 8Ball.
According to the regulatory application discovered by MBW, Universal has been the sole shareholder of the company since February 12, 2025.
The Dutch music industry has shown remarkable growth. According to a report released on March 3 by the industry group NVPI, the revenue in the Dutch music business grew by 12% year-on-year in 2024, amounting to 334 million euros (361.5 million US dollars at average yearly exchange rates).
NVPI attributed the majority of this revenue increase to price hikes in digital streaming services.
“This means that music is being valued (a little) better, and that more can be invested in new music. This is beneficial for both the industry and consumers,” stated Anne de Jong, the managing director of NVPI.
The acquisition of 8Ball aligns with UMG’s strategy of expanding through strategic acquisitions of independent music companies.
Last fall, UMG completed the full acquisition of Belgian company Pias, which owns several indie labels, including Play It Again, Sam, Harmony of Mundy, Demain, Spinefarm, and Source, as well as the label services company Integral, which UMG initially acquired a 49% stake in back in 2022.
Additionally, last fall, the indie artist and UMG label Virgin Music Group announced its plans to acquire music holdings in Downtown for 775 million dollars.
UMG has also pursued strategies beyond North America and Europe, such as acquiring a controlling stake in the Japanese label A-Sketch earlier this year and the acquisition of the Nigerian Afrobeats label Mavin in 2024.
This strategy, however, has faced opposition, particularly from the European indie music sector.
Just a week prior to the news of the acquisition of 8Ball, the industry group Impala, which represents 6,000 European indie music companies, warned that “Universal Music Group (UMG) could tighten its grip on the music market if allowed to acquire key distribution companies, leading to diminished options for fans and artists alike.”
The executive chair of Impala, Helen Smith, recently commented on the 8Ball deal: “Tony and Floris have built 8Ball Music into an exceptionally successful company. We thank them for their support as members and on our council over the years. While we appreciate their success, we remain concerned that another major acquisition has taken place without regulatory oversight.”
“This exemplifies why regulatory authorities should scrutinize these acquisitions, as we indicated in our detailed submission to key competition authorities last week. There comes a time when ‘Big’ becomes too big, potentially impacting outcomes for the entire market. It’s time to put an end to Universal’s juggernaut strategy.”
Universal acquires Netherlands-based indie music company 8Ball
