Queens of the Stone Age

What Queens of the Stone Age does

Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California, founded and continuously led by Josh Homme. The company operates as a privately held musical entity with a 1–10 employee core (band and management) and monetizes through four primary revenue streams: recorded music (catalog of nine studio albums released from 1998 through 2025 on Spotify, Apple Music and physical formats), live concert tours (currently the international 'Preparing the Obscenery' tour, ticketed through Live Nation), direct-to-consumer merchandise sold via the band's online storefront, and film/video content (notably the 2024 concert film 'Alive in the Catacombs' and its behind-the-scenes documentary, distributed through a dedicated VHX storefront).\n\nThe underlying technology stack is non-proprietary: the band's digital presence is built on a standard content website (qotsa.com) integrated with third-party services — Google Analytics and Google Web Fonts for web operations, Facebook and YouTube for social/video distribution, Spotify and Apple Music for streaming, Live Nation for tour ticketing and promotion, and VHX for film distribution. The company does not develop or own proprietary technology, APIs, or software products. Customer-facing surfaces are limited to the website, the merchandise e-commerce store, and partner platforms; no mobile app is offered.\n\nThe business model is a diversified entertainment revenue stack rather than a single-channel business. Recorded music generates recurring royalty income via streaming and digital/physical sales; touring is the largest discretionary revenue driver and operates through a Core-tier partnership with Live Nation; merchandise is a transaction-fee direct-to-consumer line; and premium film/video represents a newer, higher-margin transaction layer. The customer base is a global long-tail of rock music fans, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. Privacy and compliance posture is established via a published policy covering GDPR, CCPA, and EEA data transfers, with operational contact routed through a third-party Data Protection Officer ([email protected]).

Name

Queens of the Stone Age

Legal name

Queens of the Stone Age

Website

https://qotsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Queens of the Stone Age is a privately held American rock band founded in 1996 by Josh Homme, monetizing a nine-album catalog via streaming (Spotify, Apple Music), international touring through Live Nation, direct merchandise sales, and premium concert film releases for a global fan base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Desert

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Music Sales and Streaming: Revenue from album sales through digital platforms and streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music. The band releases albums digitally and through physical media.
2. Concert Tours: Primary revenue stream from live performances. The band operates a touring schedule promoted through Live Nation integration.
3. Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through their online store (qotsa.ffm.to/onlinestore), including apparel and band-related items.
4. Film and Documentary Sales: Sale of exclusive film content including 'Alive in the Catacombs' and behind-the-scenes documentaries available for streaming or download through their video platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band that creates, records, and distributes studio albums and live concert films, performs live concerts, and sells band-related merchandise directly to consumers through its website and major streaming platforms. Founded in 1996, the band has built a multi-album catalog and continues to release new studio work, exclusive video content, and tour globally.

Product overview

Queens of the Stone Age operates a music entertainment platform centered on studio albums, live performance films, and merchandise. Their portfolio includes nine studio albums spanning their career (Queens of the Stone Age, Rated R, Lullabies to Paralyze, Era Vulgaris, Songs for the Deaf, Villains, …Like Clockwork, In Times New Roman), along with film products including 'Alive in the Catacombs' (2024) and behind-the-scenes documentaries. The company also offers merchandise through their online store and operates a touring program with the current 'Preparing the Obscenery' tour.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In Times New Roman (Studio Album) Studio album released by Queens of the Stone Age, distributed through major streaming services and the band's official channels to rock music listeners worldwide.
• Alive in the Catacombs (Concert Film) Live concert film by Queens of the Stone Age, filmed in the catacombs and distributed as a digital video offering to fans seeking exclusive live content.
• Behind the Scenes: Alive in Paris and Before (Documentary) Companion documentary released by Queens of the Stone Age alongside the "Alive in the Catacombs" concert film, providing behind-the-scenes coverage for fans of the band.
• Queens of the Stone Age Merchandise Store

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Live NationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing and concert promotion partner. Live Nation is the world's largest live entertainment company operating in Beverly Hills, CA. Partnership facilitates tour ticket sales and concert promotion for Queens of the Stone Age.
• SpotifycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic streaming partner enabling global distribution of QOTSA music. Spotify is headquartered in New York, NY and provides plugin integration on the band's website.
• Apple MusiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic streaming partner headquartered in Cupertino, CA enabling global music distribution and streaming of QOTSA catalog.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Royal Blood: British rock duo with comparable lean operational scale, festival/arena touring presence, and direct-to-consumer merchandise and streaming distribution. Modern rock positioning analogous to QOTSA.
• Muse: British rock band with comparable stadium-touring scale, multi-album discography, and direct-to-fan merchandise and streaming distribution model. Closely analogous in genre positioning and global touring business.
• Foo Fighters: American rock band of similar era and scale with comparable business model: studio albums, global touring, merchandise, and film/documentary content. Highly analogous in operational structure and audience.
• Arctic Monkeys: British rock band with similar release cadence, global touring footprint, and merchandise/streaming revenue mix. Comparable in audience demographic and modern rock positioning.
• Pearl Jam: Veteran American rock band of similar longevity with multi-decade touring business, large established fanbase, and similar album-tour-merchandise revenue mix.
• Nine Inch Nails: American alternative/industrial rock act with similar model of studio albums, extensive touring, exclusive direct-to-consumer content, and a strong founder-led creative identity (Trent Reznor).
• The Black Keys: American rock duo/band with similar album-tour-merchandise revenue structure and comparable scale of operation. Similar lean operational footprint and rock-genre audience.
• Smashing Pumpkins: American alternative rock band of comparable era with similar rotating lineup history, founder-led creative core, and touring/album/merchandise revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• Red Hot Chili Peppers: Established American rock band operating at significantly larger commercial scale but with closely analogous business model: multi-decade catalog, global arena touring, merchandise, and streaming-led distribution.

Emerging players

• Them Crooked Vultures: Josh Homme's side supergroup with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones. Highly comparable as a rock collaboration leveraging the same founder and overlapping fan ecosystem, though smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/qotsa
• Facebookfacebook.com/QOTSA

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Queens of the Stone Age