ACT

What ACT does

ACT is a Berlin-based independent jazz record label and online music retailer founded in 1992 by Siggi Loch, former Europe CEO of WEA (Warner Music Europe). The company has released over 600 albums over 33+ years and is widely recognized as one of Europe's most important jazz labels, with a roster of approximately 40 artists spanning multiple generations of European jazz talent from Germany, Scandinavia, France, and beyond. Its core operations span four integrated business lines: (1) recorded music (CD, vinyl, and digital) released and sold through its own webshop (actmusic.com) and global distribution partners; (2) music publishing under an affiliated publishing arm; (3) artist management and concert format creation through The ACT Agency (formerly Tambour Music Management, established 2018); and (4) live event programming including ACT Nights and the co-produced 'Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic' concert series with the Berliner Philharmonie.

The label's product and technology footprint is deliberately light on proprietary technology. The webshop is a standard e-commerce platform integrated with Unzer for payments (PayPal and credit card) and DHL for shipping, supporting global order fulfillment with tiered shipping rates (€6.50 Germany to €50 Oceania) and free domestic shipping above €60. Physical products span standard CDs (€17.50-€22.00), standard vinyl (€28.90-€31.90), limited colored vinyl, and the premium 'past is present' reissue series (€39.90) featuring remastered 180g vinyl with hand-numbered limited editions. Digital distribution is handled via direct downloads through the webshop and streaming platforms including 10 ACT-curated Spotify playlists. ACT also operates ACT Exklusiv for shop-only releases and ACT Merch (apparel, books, songbooks).

Revenue mechanics span one-time unit sales (physical and digital music), recurring streaming royalties, publishing/licensing income, and professional services fees from artist management. The customer base is fragmented across individual jazz enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, gift buyers, classical/crossover listeners, and lifestyle Spotify listeners. Geographic reach extends to 25+ countries through regional distributors (Edel in DACH, PIAS in France/UK, Naxos in Nordics, AMPED in Americas/Oceania, Tokyo M-Plus in Japan, and others).

Name

ACT

Legal name

ACT Music+Vision GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://actmusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACT is a Berlin-based independent jazz record label founded in 1992, operating direct-to-consumer e-commerce, global physical distribution across 25+ countries, music publishing, and artist management services, serving jazz enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, and crossover listeners worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Jazz Record Label & Music Retail

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)

akta.pro primary industry

Record Labels (Major & Independent) (MPAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Artist Booking, Talent Buying & Agency Services (MPAGAAAF)

Keywords

• Jazz record label
• Physical music sales
• Vinyl record releases
• Artist management services
• Music publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical music sales: ACT generates primary revenue through sale of CDs and vinyl records via its own e-commerce platform and through international distribution partners. Vinyl editions command premium pricing (€17.50-39.90+) and include limited colored vinyl and 'past is present' reissues with remastered audio and collector packaging.
2. Digital streaming and downloads: Digital distribution via streaming platforms (Spotify playlists shown on site) and direct digital downloads through the ACT web shop.
3. Music publishing: ACT operates an affiliated music publishing arm bundled with the label and artist management services, providing comprehensive support for artists.
4. Artist management: The ACT Agency (formerly Tambour Music Management, founded 2018) develops artist careers and creates unique concert formats, growing continuously even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Represents ACT artists and artists outside the label.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels20 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ACT is an independent jazz record label that releases and sells jazz albums in physical formats (CDs and vinyl LPs, including standard, colored, and limited remastered editions) and digital formats (downloads and streaming). The label operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop at actmusic.com and distributes through regional wholesale partners across more than 25 countries. It also offers branded merchandise, books, curated Spotify playlists, live concert programming (ACT Nights, Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic), and artist management services through its subsidiary The ACT Agency.

Product overview

ACT is a Berlin-based independent jazz record label founded in 1992 by Siggi Loch, now managed by Andreas Brandis. The company's offering is a multi-platform music and e-commerce business comprising: (1) the ACT Webshop as the primary direct-to-consumer channel for CDs, vinyl LPs (including standard, colored vinyl, and past is present limited/remastered reissues), and digital downloads; (2) the ACT Exklusiv sub-brand for shop-exclusive releases; (3) the past is present vinyl reissue series; (4) ACT Nights live event programming; (5) The ACT Agency for artist management; (6) ACT Merch and ACT Bücher merchandise; and (7) ACT Playlists on Spotify for streaming discovery. Over 600 releases document the label's 30+ year history as 'one of Europe's most important jazz labels.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• past is present: ACT's new series of carefully curated vinyl releases dedicated to the musical stories from over 30 years of label history. Features remastered albums on 180g vinyl with limited, hand-numbered editions.
• The ACT Agency

Products and services

• ACT Webshop ACT's primary e-commerce platform selling jazz albums as CDs, vinyl LPs (standard and colored/limited editions), and digital downloads, with a shopping cart, account management, and international shipping.
• ACT Exklusiv Exclusive releases available only through the ACT Shop, including limited editions and special formats such as ACT Shop-exclusive duo albums by Michael Wollny & Emile Parisien ('Freiheit').
• past is present (vinyl reissue series) ACT's curated vinyl series reissuing landmark albums from over 30 years of label history. Features remastered pressings, limited hand-numbered editions, premium 180g vinyl, collector's obi strips, and bespoke liner notes.
• ACT Nights (live concert series) ACT's curated live concert series and events program featuring label artists, presented as 'New Shows' on the ACT Nights platform.
• The ACT Agency (artist management) Artist management and career development division (formerly Tambour Music Management, rebranded 2018), handling artist representation, concert format creation, and bundling label, publishing, and management services under one roof.
• ACT Merch ACT-branded merchandise including apparel (T-shirts, socks), tote bags, and books sold through the ACT Shop.
• ACT Bücher (books and songbooks) ACT-branded books and songbooks, including the Joachim Kühn Songbook, sold through the ACT Shop.
• Jazz album releases (ACT catalog) Individual jazz albums released under the ACT label, spanning solo, duo, trio, small ensemble, vocal, piano, woodwinds & brass, and drums & percussion categories. Regional focus includes Germany, France, Scandinavia, and Poland. More than 600 releases over 33+ years.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The ACT Agency (formerly Tambour Music Management)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Founded in 2018 by Andreas Brandis (CEO) as an artist management and career development arm under the ACT umbrella. Goal: to develop artist careers and create unique concert formats. Bundled with the label and music publishing to provide all elements artists need for successful development under one roof. The agency represents many ACT artists and also artists outside the label. Has grown continuously even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Edel Distribution GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary distribution partner for Germany and Austria. Handles physical music product distribution and wholesale fulfillment in the DACH region. Address: Neumühlen 17, 22763 Hamburg.
• PIAS France SARLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for France. Address: 14 Rue Milton, 75009 Paris, France.
• PIAS UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for United Kingdom and Ireland. Address: 1 Bevington Path, London, SE1 3PW, Great Britain.
• AMPED Amped DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for the Americas (USA, Canada) and Australia/Oceania. Address: 8201 Peters Rd, Suite 1000, Plantation, FL 33324, USA. Phone: +1 (800) 329-7664.
• Naxos (Denmark / Finland / Sweden)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNaxos distributed in Denmark (Worsaaesvej 19, 1972 Frederiksberg C), Finland (Malmin raitti 17 A, 00700 Helsinki), and Sweden/Norway (Kryptongatan 6, 70374 Örebro, Sweden). Core partners for the Nordic market.
• Suburban Marketing & Distribution B.V.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Benelux (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg). Address: Donkere Spaarne 14, 2011 JG Haarlem, The Netherlands.
• Tokyo M-Plus Co., Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Japan. Address: 4-14-10, Sengoku, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 112-0011, Japan.
• C&L RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for South Korea. Address: 5F, Seoduck Bldg., 1515-8 Secho-dong, Seocho-gu, Korea.
• EGEA Records & DistributionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Italy. Address: Corso Mazzini, 12, 12037 Saluzzo (CN), Italy.
• Musikvertrieb AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Switzerland. Address: Badenerstrasse 555, 8048 Zürich, Switzerland.
• Avispa S.L.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Spain. Address: Calle San Rogelio 7, 28039 Madrid, Spain.
• Gigi DistributionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Poland. Address: ul. Krolowej Jadwigi 275 A, 30218 Krakow, Poland.
• Berliner PhilharmoniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT co-produces the 'Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic' concert series with the Berlin Philharmonic, curated by Siggi Loch. The series began approximately 10 years before the source date and has produced numerous exceptional live albums on ACT, featuring artists from diverse directions on a major classical stage.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sunnyside Records: New York-based independent jazz label with a comparable artist-development and curated-release model. Sunnyside overlaps with ACT in signing European jazz artists for US distribution and competes for similar collector audiences.
• ECM Records: Munich-based independent label widely regarded as Europe's most influential jazz and contemporary music label. ECM is ACT's closest direct peer: similar niche focus on premium jazz and crossover recordings, comparable emphasis on artist development and collector-grade physical packaging, and overlapping artist and audience base.
• Mack Avenue Records: US-based independent jazz label operating a comparable artist-development, premium-physical-format model. Mack Avenue and ACT compete for internationally touring jazz artists and share a similar positioning around artist curation and collector-quality releases.
• Intakt Records: Zurich-based independent jazz label with a comparable focus on European creative and progressive jazz. Intakt and ACT compete for similar artist profiles and audiences within the European independent jazz market.
• Winter & Winter: German independent label founded by Stefan Winter with a comparable emphasis on premium recorded music, crossover genres, and artist curation. Winter & Winter shares ACT's niche positioning in the European independent jazz/creative music market.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Note Records: Iconic jazz label founded in 1939, now part of Universal Music Group. Blue Note operates at vastly greater scale than ACT but competes in the same jazz recorded-music market for premium artist signings, collector vinyl releases, and audience attention.
• Nonesuch Records: Independent label within the Warner Music Group family with a strong jazz and contemporary-classical roster. Nonesuch overlaps with ACT's crossover jazz-classical positioning but operates with the backing of a major-label parent.
• Verve Records: Major jazz label now part of Universal Music Group with a deep historical catalog and global marketing reach. Verve competes with ACT for premium jazz artists and audience share but operates as part of a much larger portfolio.

Others

• ACT Music + Vision (peer set considered): Placeholder excluded; ACT itself. Removed from final peer list to avoid self-reference.

Regional players

• PIAS: Belgian-based independent music group operating both as a distributor (ACT's partner in France and UK/Ireland) and as an independent label group. PIAS is both a distribution channel and an adjacent peer in the European independent recorded music market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/playlist/1mRRdm036AYUO0LWjGXqOu?si=1df1dc2363a247fd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 ACT