deadmau5 has cut a deal with Create Music Group, giving them complete control and ownership of his near 26-year back catalogue and record label in exchange for $55 million up front.
The deal will see Creative Music Group own, repurpose and re-release not only deadmau5’s recorded work to date but also the content of his mau5trap Records label, giving them the rights to over 4000 tunes including early gems such as Skrillex EP Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites and classics from Noisia, Rezz and i_o.
Announcing the deal to MusicWeek, Jonathan Strauss, co-founder and CEO of Create Music Group, said: “When Deadmau5 put on that helmet, he didn’t just create a brand – he sparked a movement. His vision redefined electronic music, pushing boundaries and reshaping the industry.
"From the earliest days of Create Music Group, [co-founder and COO] Alexandre Williams and I had the privilege of working alongside Joel and his business partner Dean Wilson, witnessing firsthand the evolution of an icon.
“Now, as the stewards of deadmau5 and mau5trap’s legendary catalogue, we inherit a legacy that changed music forever. Joel’s influence reaches far beyond sound – his mastery bridges music, gaming and technology… This is more than an acquisition; it’s a responsibility.”
Meanwhile, deadmau5, (aka Joel Zimmerman) said: “I have worked closely with Jonathan, Alex and Create for nearly two decades now, building my own career as well as the artists on mau5trap. We didn’t need to look far when we were considering a partner to help get it all to the next level. With Create, I feel the music is going to reach more."
So far the deal is promising “a multi-platform strategy” which will include the remastering and re-releasing of “key catalogue pieces”, aimed at putting the mau5trap content in front of “new generations of fans”.
But, in short – as per every big music rights deal – the collab allows Zimmerman to effectively take his eye off the ball and appoint someone better placed to grab those licensing deals, soundtrack placement and future revenue streams.
And – fans will be pleased to hear – the deal will include the release of “exclusive new content”, so it seems like Zimmerman hasn’t quite hung up the helmet just yet.
Faxing the bank…
While the deal certainly has a hi-tech 2025 twist it’s just the latest in an ongoing trend for artists who – shall we say – are less busy than they were and would prefer to make hay and enjoy the sun while it still shines.
Similar recent deals include the total handover of Pink Floyd’s assets for £400 million ($517 million), Sony paying $600 for Michael Jackson assets, Bruce Springsteen selling up for $500 million and Genesis, Bob Dylan, Kiss and Tina Turner all taking around $300 million in similar up-front deals.
The big hitter being Queen’s back catalogue which went under the hammer for $1 billion.
The deadmau5 deal, by comparison, may perhaps feel a little early for such a cash out, and with the content perhaps best described in music circles as niché, that’s a fact that’s reflected in the price.
Nonetheless, for EDM/dance music, and just 26 years after getting started, this is a notably big deal, though, perhaps given Zimmerman’s reputation for the unexpected, not entirely a surprise.
The often (needlessly?) confrontational music production and DJ superstar has always forged his own path. Always ready to criticise and eager to show contempt for his art, he’s become a divisive figure that – while the creator of some amazing, hugely influential work – isn’t going to win any popularity contests any time soon.
This is the guy that called “all DJs” “f______ c____” after all.
Indeed, increasingly in recent years both the EDM community and deadmau5 himself have been keen to keep each other at an outstretched palm’s length, so this looks like the perfect time to take possession of $55 million.
And with the artist’s potentially infinite, Kiss-like, non-visible, is-that-him-anyway stage and broadcast persona, you can expect this mau5 to run and run.
