Cosmos Music

What Cosmos Music does

Cosmos Music is a privately held, independent music company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, founded in 1966, that operates integrated label, music publishing, sync licensing, and creative studio businesses. The company is structured across Cosmos Music AB (label), Cosmos Music Publishing AB (publishing), Cosmos Music AS (Norway), and Ace Music (a jointly controlled subsidiary holding a substantial interest in the Ace Records catalogue of approximately 9,000 masters and 3,000 compositions). Cosmos claims to be the biggest independent music company in Sweden, owns what it states is the largest independent catalogue of masters in Scandinavia spanning over six decades, and through its publishing division represents close to one million international copyrights for the Nordic region.

Cosmos generates revenue from four principal streams: (1) record label income from artist releases distributed globally via streaming platforms and digital stores, (2) music publishing royalties from mechanical, performance, and synchronization rights administered for nearly one million Nordic copyrights, (3) direct sync licensing of its catalogue to film, TV, and advertising productions (with documented placements in BMW, Volvo, Netflix, Nike, Kia, Circle K, Filippa K, and Massimo Dutti), and (4) catalogue acquisition and management, exemplified by the 2017 long-term agreement with Ace Records. The roster includes Madcon, Say Lou Lou, SKOTT, Andreas Moe, Cazzette, Little Lies, and Emma Noble, supported by Cosmos Studios — a seven-unit songwriting complex in central Stockholm that operates as a creative hub with regular songwriting camps.

Cosmos's go-to-market is A&R-driven artist and songwriter discovery combined with global digital distribution through a network of close distribution partners, marketing teams, publicists, and radio pluggers, augmented by a network of 15+ sub-publishing partners (including Because Music, Bucks Music Group, Concord Music, Faber Music, Mute Song, and Mushroom Music) for reciprocal rights flow. The company has no external funding, no public listing, and no parent company; ownership appears to rest with founders and management including founding partner Fredrik Ekander. Cosmos has positioned itself defensively on AI by publishing a rights reservation policy that explicitly prohibits machine learning, AI training, web scraping, and data mining uses of its content without advance license.

Name

Cosmos Music

Legal name

Cosmos Music AB

Website

https://cosmos-music.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cosmos Music is a privately held independent music company founded in 1966 in Stockholm, operating a record label, music publishing administration, sync licensing, and seven songwriting studios, serving artists, songwriters, and brand/film sync clients with the largest independent master catalogue in Scandinavia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230)

SIC

Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Songwriting & Composition (Topliners, Co-writers, Camps) (MPAIABAA), Sync Marketplaces & Licensing Platforms (MPAIALAG)

Keywords

• Independent music label
• Music publishing services
• Sync licensing
• Master recordings catalogue
• Music rights administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Music Publishing Royalties: Cosmos Music Publishing represents close to one million international copyrights for the Nordic region, generating royalties from mechanical, performance, and synchronization rights.
2. Sync Licensing: Licensing of music catalog to Film/TV productions and advertising campaigns. Sync team works closely with key players in regional film, TV, and advertising industries.
3. Record Label Revenue: Revenue from artist releases across digital platforms globally, with Cosmos owning the biggest independent catalogue of masters in Scandinavia spanning over six decades.
4. Catalogue Acquisitions: Revenue from managing and commercializing acquired catalogues such as Ace Records (9,000 masters and 3,000 compositions), with focus on digital sales, marketing, and synchronization opportunities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cosmos Music is an independent music company operating stand-alone record label and music publishing divisions. It signs artists, releases recordings globally through digital distribution partners, administers songwriter copyrights and collects royalties across the Nordic region, and licenses its catalogue for synchronization in film, TV, and advertising. The company also operates Cosmos Studios, a seven-unit songwriting complex in Stockholm, and manages the Ace Records masters and publishing catalogue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cosmos Selected Hits: Sub-imprint under Cosmos Music label for curated hit releases
• Cosmos Indie Pop
• Cosmos Music New Releases
• Ace Music
• Ace Records

Quantifiable outcome

• Acquired 9,000 masters and 3,000 compositions from Ace Records
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Because MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing and distribution partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Bucks Music GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Budde MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Concord MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing and distribution partner. Concord Music is referenced in Cosmos's sync history for BMW iX3 placement.
• CTM EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Cymba Music PublishingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Faber MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Manners McDademinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Mushroom Music PublishingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Mute SongminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Origin Music PublishingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Bella FiguraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• CTM Outlander (TEN Songs)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• ESSEX MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Roba MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publishing partner listed on Cosmos Music's partners page.
• Ace RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCosmos Music entered into a long-term agreement to acquire a substantial interest in Ace Records' owned master and publishing repertoire (approximately 9,000 masters and 3,000 compositions). Cosmos works closely with Ace's management team (Ted Carroll, Trevor Churchill, Roger Armstrong) to maintain and build on Ace's 46-year legacy, focusing on marketing, sales, and promotion of these rights in the digital marketplace and synchronization opportunities. Ace Records remains an independent record company under existing management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Concord Music Group: US-headquartered independent music publisher, record label, and rights owner with deep legacy catalogue. Directly comparable to Cosmos — and notably a listed distribution/publishing partner — operating across masters, publishing, and sync.
• Beggars Group: UK-based independent music group (4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, XL Recordings). Comparable as a long-tenured independent label group with diversified catalogue assets and selective A&R approach similar to Cosmos's 1966-vintage indie operation.
• Sub Pop Records: Seattle-based independent record label with long catalogue and selective A&R. Comparable to Cosmos as a decades-old independent label with strong roster curation and rights ownership across masters and publishing-adjacent assets.
• Cooking Vinyl: UK-based independent record label and publishing company with artist-friendly deal structures and selective catalogue acquisitions. Comparable to Cosmos as a long-running European indie with label, publishing, and rights-management scope.
• PIAS (Play It Again Sam): Belgian-headquartered independent music company combining label, distribution, and marketing services across Europe. Comparable to Cosmos as a European indie label/distributor with a strong physical and digital catalogue focus.
• Kobalt Music Group: Independent music publisher and label services platform focused on royalty transparency and technology-driven rights administration. Comparable to Cosmos Music Publishing's administration of approximately one million copyrights, but with a technology-led operating model.
• Secretly Group: US-based independent music company (Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Numero Group, Dead Oceans). Comparable to Cosmos as an indie label group with curated catalogue, artist development, and selective acquisition of legacy repertoire.
• Domino Recording Company: UK-headquartered independent record label with strong international artist roster. Comparable to Cosmos as a long-standing indie label with artist-development focus and global reach through distribution partners.
• Believe Digital: Paris-based independent music company combining label services, distribution, and publishing for indie artists and repertoire owners globally. Directly comparable to Cosmos as a hybrid indie label/publisher with international distribution infrastructure.

Broad incumbents

• BMG: Germany-headquartered music publishing and recording company owned by Bertelsmann. Comparable to Cosmos as a hybrid publisher/label, but operates at materially larger scale with global infrastructure and significant acquired catalogue assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CosmosMusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/CosmosMusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cosmos-music-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cosmos Music