deadmau5
deadmau5 is the electronic music brand of Canadian producer Joel Zimmerman, operating through mau5trap. It releases a 600+ track music catalog globally, runs sub-brands (Kx5, TESTPILOT, REZZMAU5), and extends into OSC/PAR production software, OBERHASLI virtual world, WAX NFTs, beathau5 licensing, MasterClass, and mau5hop merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- Headquarters—
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What deadmau5 does
deadmau5 is the electronic music brand and business of Canadian producer Joel Zimmerman, operating through Epicwin Ltd. and 720mau5 LLC (collectively, mau5trap) and headquartered in the USA with global reach. The company is a privately held entertainment venture whose core product is the deadmau5 music catalog, including 600+ tracks released via the mau5trap record label and distributed globally across Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, YouTube, Amazon, Beatport, and 40+ international radio stations. Sub-brands include TESTPILOT (techno alias), Kx5 (collaboration with Kaskade, Grammy-nominated in 2024), and REZZMAU5 (with REZZ).
The product portfolio extends well beyond recorded music into proprietary technology and brand extensions. OSC/PAR is an AU/VST3 plugin for Mac and Windows that broadcasts real-time musical events from DAWs into OSC-capable clients. OBERHASLI is an interactive virtual music and entertainment world on the Core (Manticore Games) platform. Digital collectibles are issued on the WAX blockchain. The beathau5 label licenses electronic music to film, TV, and advertising through Extreme Production Music. The deadmau5 MasterClass teaches electronic music production, and the mau5hop storefront sells direct-to-consumer merchandise. The artist is also an equity partner in StreamVoodoo (HD live streaming) and co-founded the Pixelynx gaming/metaverse venture with Richie Hawtin.
Revenue derives from multiple streams: live performance touring (the primary driver, with the cube v3 tour selling 150,000+ tickets across 39 dates), music streaming and sales, merchandise through mau5hop, NFT sales on WAX, production music licensing via beathau5, MasterClass subscription royalties, and brand partnership deals (Rocket League, Fortnite, Peloton, Zytara debit cards, Secretlab). In March 2025, Create Music Group acquired the deadmau5 and mau5trap Records catalogs, with Zimmerman and business partner Dean Wilson continuing involvement. The customer base is dominated by long-tail individual electronic music fans globally, supplemented by enterprise partners in gaming, fitness, fintech, and media.
deadmau5 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- deadmau5
- Legal name
- Epicwin Ltd.
- Website
- https://deadmau5.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- deadmau5 is the electronic music brand of Canadian producer Joel Zimmerman, operating through mau5trap. It releases a 600+ track music catalog globally, runs sub-brands (Kx5, TESTPILOT, REZZMAU5), and extends into OSC/PAR production software, OBERHASLI virtual world, WAX NFTs, beathau5 licensing, MasterClass, and mau5hop merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
deadmau5 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electronic Music
- NAICS
- Record Production and Distribution (51225)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control) (MPAIAIAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM)
Keywords
deadmau5 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Live Performance Revenue: Touring income from live shows at festivals, venues, and special events. Primary revenue driver with stadium shows, club appearances, and international festival bookings
- Music Sales & Streaming: Digital music releases sold through mau5trap label distributed via Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, YouTube, Amazon, Beatport, and other streaming platforms
- Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer merchandise through mau5hop.com including apparel, accessories, and branded items
- Digital Collectibles (NFTs): Blockchain-based digital collectibles sold on WAX blockchain marketplace with pack sales and secondary market trading
- Production Music Licensing: beathau5 specialized electronic dance music licensing label created for professional music users including film, TV, and advertising placements through Extreme Production Music
- MasterClass Partnership: deadmau5 teaches electronic music production through MasterClass platform subscription
- Collaborations & Features: Revenue from collaborative projects including Kx5 (with Kaskade) and various artist features and remixes
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NFT Digital Collectible Packs |
| Subscription | Annual | MasterClass Subscription |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
deadmau5 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
deadmau5 is an electronic music artist brand operated through mau5trap (Epicwin Ltd. and 720mau5 LLC) that releases original music catalog and collaborations (Kx5 with Kaskade, REZZMAU5 with REZZ, TESTPILOT techno alias) via mau5trap Records. The business spans live performance touring, branded merchandise through mau5hop.com, blockchain-based digital collectibles (NFTs) on the WAX platform, the OSC/PAR DAW plugin, the OBERHASLI virtual world experience on Core, the beathau5 production music licensing label, and an educational course through MasterClass.
Product overview
deadmau5 is an electronic music artist and brand operated by mau5trap (Epicwin Ltd. and 720mau5 LLC). The core offering is the deadmau5 music catalog released through mau5trap Records, including solo productions, collaborations (Kx5 with Kaskade, REZZMAU5 with REZZ), and TESTPILOT techno alias. The product portfolio spans music releases (singles, EPs, albums), the mau5hop merchandise store, the OSC/PAR VST3/AU plugin for DAW integration, the OBERHASLI virtual world experience on Core, digital collectibles (NFTs) on WAX Blockchain, the beathau5 licensing label, and the deadmau5 MasterClass. Music is distributed globally via streaming platforms and radio broadcasts worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- mau5trap Records: Record label imprint for electronic music artists, home to deadmau5 and various signed artists
- beathau5
- TESTPILOT
- Kx5
- REZZMAU5
Products and services
- Error5 EP Four-track electronic music EP released by deadmau5 through mau5trap Records, distributed globally via streaming platforms and digital stores.
- Science (Single) Single-track collaboration between deadmau5 and Stevie Appleton, distributed through mau5trap Records to streaming platforms.
- Ameonna (Single) Standalone single by deadmau5 released through mau5trap Records and distributed via major streaming services.
- WAF XII – Disk 2 (Various Artists Compilation) Various-artists compilation album from the We Are Friends series on mau5trap Records featuring deadmau5 and roster artists.
- WAF XII – Disk 1 (Various Artists Compilation) Various-artists compilation album from the We Are Friends series on mau5trap Records, Part 1 of WAF XII.
- OSC/PAR Plugin AU/VST3 plugin for Mac and Windows that broadcasts transport information, MIDI notes, automation events, and song lists from a DAW to any OSC-capable client over the network, for interactive live performance and stage integration.
- OBERHASLI Virtual World Interactive music and entertainment virtual world developed on the Core platform, featuring evolving social spaces, virtual concerts, games, and curated content for fans.
- Deadmau5 Digital Collectibles (NFTs) Limited series of blockchain-based digital collectibles issued on the WAX Blockchain, including audio-reactive and digital artworks verifiable and tradable on blockchain marketplaces (SuperRare for exclusive one-of-ones).
- beathau5 Licensing Label Specialist electronic dance music licensing label offering cleared tracks for film, TV, and advertising placements, distributed through Extreme Production Music.
- Deadmau5 MasterClass Course Online masterclass teaching electronic music production techniques, hosted and sold via the MasterClass subscription platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 150,000+ tickets sold across 39-date tour
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use deadmau5
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
deadmau5 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
deadmau5 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Create Music GroupcoreCreate Music Group acquired deadmau5 and mau5trap Records catalogs. The partnership maintains the artist's legacy while providing infrastructure for catalog management and expansion. deadmau5 and dean Wilson continue involvement ensuring legacy continuity.
- ZytaramajorPartnership with banking, NFT and digital currency company for branded deadmau5 physical and virtual debit cards accepted at 45+ million merchants worldwide, with integrated banking app.
- FandiemminorFan-sourcing fundraising sweepstakes partnership supporting ASPCA. Fans can donate to win Ultimate deadmau5 Basel Adventure including jet ski adventure with deadmau5.
- Core (Manticore Games)coreExclusive platform partner for Oberhasli virtual music experience. Core provides user-created multiplayer games and virtual worlds platform for deadmau5's interactive metaverse space.
- PixelynxcoreGaming venture co-founded with Richie Hawtin to create metaverse portal bridging digital collectibles, gaming partnerships, and virtual worlds. Purchased LAND in The Sandbox metaverse.
- The SandboxmajorMetaverse collaboration through Pixelynx venture. Both artists have virtual LAND and build presence inside The Sandbox's metaverse.
- beathau5 (Extreme Production Music, mau5trap, UTA)majorSpecialist electronic dance music licensing label created specifically for professional music users including film, TV, and advertising placements.
- StreamVoodoomajordeadmau5 joined as equity partner/Supreme Overlord. StreamVoodoo provides HD live streaming platform with near-zero latency for live concerts and streaming sessions. deadmau5 integrated the platform within 5 minutes.
- Spotify/PelotonminorCollaborative Spotify Power Hour playlist takeover with Peloton integration.
- SecretlabminorPartnership for gaming chairs with affiliate marketing relationship through refersion platform.
- Patreon (Horde)minorPatreon community 'Horde' for exclusive content access and direct fan support.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
deadmau5 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tiësto: Legendary Dutch DJ and broader-brand entertainment figure. Provides an established top-tier incumbent benchmark for festival economics, brand collaborations, and catalog scale that frames deadmau5's potential ceiling.
- Calvin Harris: Top-tier producer and global headliner at the same festivals and venues as deadmau5. Comparable on streaming scale, headline billing, and catalog economics, anchoring the upper end of EDM artist valuations.
Direct peers
- Marshmello: EDM artist with an iconic masked brand identity and direct gaming crossover (Fortnite concerts). Directly comparable to deadmau5 on visual-icon brand strategy and gaming/platform partnership flow.
- Skrillex: Influential American DJ/producer and founder of OWSLA label. Competes for the same headline slots and electronic music producer audience, with adjacent gaming and label operations aligned to mau5trap.
- Richie Hawtin: Techno artist and M_nus label founder who co-founded the Pixelynx gaming venture with deadmau5. Direct peer on the artist + label + technology-venture axis, with comparable electronic music pedigree.
- Kaskade: Top-tier American EDM artist and producer who is deadmau5's direct collaborator on the GRAMMY-nominated Kx5 project. Their joint LA Coliseum stadium show confirms directly comparable headliner scale and audience economics.
- Above & Beyond: British electronic music group behind Anjunabeats and Anjunamusic. Direct competitor to mau5trap in releasing, marketing, and touring electronic music, operating a similar artist-plus-label enterprise.
- Steve Aoki: Electronic music artist and Dim Mak Records owner with parallel ventures into NFTs, gaming, and Web3. Competes at the same festival headliner tier as deadmau5 and mirrors the artist-plus-label-plus-tech-venture operating model.
- Armin van Buuren: Trance pioneer and founder of Armada Music label. Runs a near-identical electronic-music artist-plus-label business model and competes in the same festival headline market.
Emerging players
- Monstercat: Independent electronic music label and media company. Competes with mau5trap on releasing and marketing electronic music, though at smaller scale and across a broader genre mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
deadmau5 social profiles
Digital presencedeadmau5 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
deadmau5 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
deadmau5 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
deadmau5 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
deadmau5 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about deadmau5
What does deadmau5 do?
deadmau5 is an electronic music artist brand operated through mau5trap (Epicwin Ltd. and 720mau5 LLC) that releases original music catalog and collaborations (Kx5 with Kaskade, REZZMAU5 with REZZ, TESTPILOT techno alias) via mau5trap Records. The business spans live performance touring, branded merchandise through mau5hop.com, blockchain-based digital collectibles (NFTs) on the WAX platform, the OSC/PAR DAW plugin, the OBERHASLI virtual world experience on Core, the beathau5 production music licensing label, and an educational course through MasterClass.
Is deadmau5 a public or private company?
deadmau5 is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was deadmau5 founded?
deadmau5 was founded in 1999.
How does deadmau5 make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Live Performance Revenue is the primary driver. The others are music Sales & Streaming, merchandise Sales, digital Collectibles (NFTs), production Music Licensing, masterClass Partnership and collaborations & Features.
Who are deadmau5's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tiësto and Calvin Harris. Direct peers are Marshmello, Skrillex, Richie Hawtin, Kaskade, Above & Beyond, Steve Aoki and Armin van Buuren. Monstercat is listed as an emerging player.
Does deadmau5 have an API?
No public API is recorded for deadmau5.
What industry is deadmau5 in?
deadmau5's product category is Electronic Music. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAIAI, Live Performance & DJ Software (Playback, Mixing, Lighting Control), with a secondary code of MPACABAM, Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51225.