BEAT MUSIC FUND CONTINUES TO ADD TO ITS ROSTER, ACQUIRES SOLA RECORDS CATALOG IN LATEST DEAL

December 14, 2023 – BEAT Music Fund, the first-ever dance music investment company from Armada Music, today announced it has acquired the back catalog of Sola Records, which offers the best in tech house from past to present. The company also acquired a significant portion of VIVa MUSiC’s catalog as well as master recordings of Ran-D’s ‘Zombie’ and Human Resource’s ‘Dominator,’ marking a significant development in BEAT's target to invest $100 million within the company's first two years and providing an artist-friendly vehicle to unlock value from recordings and copyrights within the dance arena.

"It is truly an honor that Sola Records, VIVa MUSiC, Ran-D and Human Resource are entrusting us to breathe new life into their incredible music," said Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music and BEAT Music Fund. “As BEAT continues to grow, these partnerships provide us with a prime opportunity to collaborate with the best and the brightest in dance, bolster their legacies, and bring these tracks to the forefront.”

Based in Manchester and London, Sola Records was founded by production duo Mark Foster and James Barlow, collectively known as Solardo. The label promotes dance-floor-focused tracks and represents a range of established to emerging artists in contemporary house music such as Reblok, SOSA, Andrea Oliva and more. BEAT has acquired Sola Records’ back catalog, including tracks from Solardo, Biscits, Hannah Laing, Shermanology, CamelPhat, SOSA, Piero Pirupa, Ben Hemsley, Martin Ikin, Hannah Wants, Franky Rizardo, Will Clarke and Secondcity. 

"We're excited to begin this collaborative partnership with BEAT and see this as a critical opportunity to amplify the power of dance music and share our most cherished tracks with both new and longtime fans," said Solardo. 

Additionally, BEAT has acquired a large portion of U.K.-based dance label Steve Lawler’s VIVa MUSiC catalog, the master recordings of hardstyle pioneer Ran-D’s 2018 smash hit ‘Zombie’ and Human Resource’s chart-topping 1991 single ‘Dominator’, which reached number six on the Dutch Top 40 and #36 on the UK Singles Chart. The song marked the birth of the new subgenre known as ‘hardcore/gabber’ and solidified Human Resource as one of the first Dutch dance acts with international charting success. This follows BEAT’s recent acquisitions of dance label King Street Sounds and the master and publishing catalog of Chocolate Puma, reflecting a growing appetite in the market for the $11.3 billion global dance industry.

About BEAT Music Fund

BEAT Music Fund is the world’s first dance music investment company. BEAT stands for Best Ever Acquired Tracks, which seamlessly connects with the company’s mission to acquire and exploit the very best of recording and music publishing catalogs from a range of dance-related genres. Its portfolio includes the master recordings catalog of KMS Records, founded by house and techno legend Kevin Saunderson, as well as ARTY. BEAT’s financial partner is Pinnacle Financial Partners, whose global holdings include music, sports and entertainment ventures. For more information visit us at beatmusicfund.com.

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About Armada Music

Armada Music is the biggest independent dance label in the world. Founded by Armin van Buuren, Maykel Piron (CEO) and David Lewis, the label manages an ever-growing catalog of over 40,000 tracks, built up across twenty-plus years of specialized dance music exploitation. 

Representing artists such as Armin van Buuren, ARTY, D.O.D, Eelke Kleijn, Jan Blomqvist, Loud Luxury, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Tensnake, THEMBA and Yulia Niko, Armada Music amasses more than one billion streams per month, airplay on leading radio outlets such as BBC Radio 1 and Sirius XM, and top positions in the world’s most notable charts. The label also takes great pride in major achievements such as Armin van Buuren’s GRAMMY nomination for ‘This Is What It Feels Like’, Loud Luxury and Brando’s ‘Body’ surpassing one billion streams on Spotify and breaking artists such as Lost Frequencies into global stardom. 

Across offices in Amsterdam (HQ), New York, London and Laren (NL), Armada Music offers a truly global appeal to its growing roster. The label has its own club, radio studio and multiple production studios, and hosts various live formats. Producer platform Armada University, which offers educational products and opportunities, shows the label’s sustained effort to nurture the next wave of talent. 

In 2023, Armada Music launched BEAT Music Fund, the world’s first dance music investment company that acquires catalogs with the mission of honoring, representing and reinvigorating them. BEAT’s portfolio will continue to grow; in the first six months following its launch, BEAT acquired the catalogs of, among others, electronic music star ARTY, house and techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson’s KMS Records, legendary NYC-based house label King Street Sounds and chart-topping Dutch producers Chocolate Puma.