Memphis Industries

What Memphis Industries does

Memphis Industries is an independent music group based in North London, founded in 1998 by brothers Matt and Ollie Jacob. It operates three integrated lines of business: a record label releasing music by its signed artists, a publishing arm administering composition rights and royalties, and an artist management service (in some cases co-administered with partners such as Peel Park and Permanent Creeps). The active roster comprises 18 artists spanning indie rock, post-punk, folk, and electronic genres, including The Go! Team, Field Music, Yard Act, This Is The Kit, Poli ça, Dutch Uncles, Rozi Plain, and Blue States.

The company's core technology footprint is intentionally light: there is no proprietary platform, app, or API. Distribution and direct-to-consumer sales are handled through third-party digital storefronts — Bandcamp, MusicGlue, and per-artist online stores — alongside standard social channels (YouTube, Instagram, Twitter/X) for promotion. Consumer-facing digital and physical releases are sold globally through these channels, while the management and publishing services are B2B relationships with artists.

Memphis Industries generates revenue across three streams: record release income (one-time license/physical and digital sales), publishing royalties, and artist management fees. The company is privately held by its two founders, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds. It operates with 1–10 employees, giving it a boutique, founder-led scale that is typical of long-running UK independent labels.

Name

Memphis Industries

Legal name

Memphis Industries

Website

https://memphis-industries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Memphis Industries is an independent North London–based music group, founded in 1998 by brothers Matt and Ollie Jacob, operating an integrated record label, music publishing, and artist management business for around 18 active indie artists across multiple genres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Music Label Services

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230)

akta.pro primary industry

Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Full-Service Artist Management (MPAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Independent record label
• Music publishing services
• Artist management services
• Music distribution
• Music rights administration

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Record Label Services: Revenue from record releases including physical and digital sales through platforms like Bandcamp and MusicGlue. The label releases music for its roster of artists.
2. Publishing: Publishing revenue from managing music publishing rights for artists on the roster.
3. Artist Management: Management services for artists including career development and live performance coordination.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Memphis Industries is an independent music group comprising a record label, publishing company, and artist management firm. Founded in 1998 by brothers Matt and Ollie Jacob in North London, the company provides integrated services including record releases and distribution, music publishing rights administration and royalty collection, and artist management covering career development and live performance coordination. The company serves a roster of 18 active artists spanning multiple genres and operates consumer-facing storefronts through Bandcamp and MusicGlue.

Product overview

Memphis Industries is an independent music group comprising a record label, publishing company, and artist management service. Founded in 1998 by brothers Matt and Ollie Jacob, the North London-based company operates three integrated core offerings: record label services for releases and distribution, music publishing for rights management, and artist management for career development. The roster includes active artists such as The Go! Team, Field Music, Poliça, Yard Act, This Is The Kit, Dutch Uncles, Blue States, Baba Ali, NZCA Lines, Pigeon, Rachael Dadd, Robin Kester, Rozi Plain, Francis Lung, Fat Dog, Shortstraw, Silvergore, and Silverwingkiller. The alumni section lists former signed artists including Barbarossa, El Perro del Mar, Elephant, Girlhood, Haley, Malihini, Papercuts, Menace Beach, Mush, Sir Was, Odetta Hartman, Pure Bathing Culture, The Phoenix Foundation, Peter Matthew Bauer, Stats, The Ruby Suns, Tokyo Police Club, and Weaves.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Record Label Services
• Publishing Services
• Artist Management

Named customers18 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• City Slang: Independent European record label founded in 1990 in Berlin, with roster including Gold Panda, Calexico, and El Perro del Mar (a Memphis Industries alumni). Directly comparable as a similar-vintage European indie label with overlapping artist history and similar scope.
• Warp Records: Influential UK independent record label founded in 1989, known for electronic and experimental artists including Aphex Twin, Danny Brown, and Kelela. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a long-running UK indie label with comparable structure, though focused on electronic/experimental genres.
• Ninja Tune: UK independent record label founded in 1990, focused on electronic, hip-hop, and experimental music with roster including Bonobo, Coldcut, and Amon Tobin. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a UK indie label of similar vintage with diverse roster and integrated label/publishing operations.
• Bella Union: Independent UK record label founded in 1997 by former Cocteau Twins members; operates label and publishing for indie/alternative artists including Father John Misty and Beach House. Directly comparable to Memphis Industries as a similarly sized UK indie label with multi-decade operating history and a roster of critically respected artists.
• 4AD: UK independent record label founded in 1980, currently releasing artists including Big Thief, The National, and Pixx. Comparable to Memphis Industries as an established UK indie label with a long history of artist development and a roster spanning multiple genres.
• Rough Trade Records: Pioneering UK independent record label founded in 1978, currently releasing artists like The Strokes, Jarvis Cocker, and Anohni. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a long-established UK indie label, though Rough Trade also operates a chain of retail record stores.
• Domino Recording Company: Leading independent UK record label founded in 1993, home to Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, and Animal Collective. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a UK-based indie label operating records, publishing, and artist development, though at significantly larger scale.
• Transgressive Records: Independent UK record label founded in 2004 with roster including Wolf Alice, Foals, and Flume. Directly comparable to Memphis Industries as a similarly scoped UK indie label focused on artist development across multiple genres with integrated label services.

Broad incumbents

• Sub Pop Records: US independent record label founded in 1986, home to Nirvana, Beach House, and Fleet Foxes. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a major independent label with decades of artist development history, though significantly larger and US-based.
• Merge Records: US independent record label founded in 1989 by members of Superchunk, home to Arcade Fire, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Caribou. Comparable to Memphis Industries as a long-established independent label with integrated artist development, though larger scale and US-based.

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/memphisind
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLf-3768gEw4wA81xLP1c1g
• Instagraminstagram.com/memphis_industries
• Facebookfacebook.com/memphisindustries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/memphis-industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Memphis Industries