Heard Well

Heard Well works with social influencers and celebrities to curate compilation albums of their favorite music.{{cite magazine | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhumphrey/2015/10/27/connor-franta-talks-heard-well-a-tastemakers-record-company/#54cbf33610a2 | title = Connor Franta Talks About 'Heard Well,' A Tastemaker's Record Company | date= 27 October 2015 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | magazine = Forbes | author = Michael Humphrey }} After licensing the music, the label, in tandem with the influencer, bring it to market both digital and physical form.{{cite web | url = https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/280770 | title = The Surprising Second Act for One of YouTube's Biggest Stars | date= 17 August 2016 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | work = Entrepreneur.com | author = Laurie Sandell }} The label is the first music company powered by social tastemakers and their communities.{{cite magazine | url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/connor-frantas-music-label-inks-873411 | title = Connor Franta's Music Label Inks Deal With Sony's Red Distribution (Exclusive) | date= 8 March 2016 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | magazine = The Hollywood Reporter | author = Natalie Jarvey }}{{cite web | url = https://musicbiz2016.sched.com/speaker/jeremywineberg | title = Music Biz 2016 - Jeremy Wineberg | accessdate = 21 July 2017 }}

In November 2014, YouTube personality Connor Franta created and released a compilation album titled Crown, which went on to become one of the top 20 best-selling pop albums of 2014 on iTunes. Subsequently, Franta released a second compilation album several months later.

By July 2015, Franta formalized the project by founding Heard Well as a music label. He partnered with Jeremy Wineberg, owner of the music distribution and licensing company Opus Label, as well as his then-talent manager and later CAA agent, Andrew Graham.

One month later, Franta produced and released the label's first album, Common Culture, Vol. 3.{{cite magazine | url = http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6634344/heard-well-label-connor-franta-amanda-steele-lohanthony-jc-caylen | title = YouTube Star Connor Franta Forms Label, Powered By Fellow Social Tastemakers | date= 16 July 2015 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | magazine = Billboard | author = Marc Schneider }} In 2015, Heard Well created the soundtrack for Gayby Baby, an Australian documentary about marriage equality.{{cite web | url = https://www.out.com/entertainment/2016/4/15/exclusive-youtuber-connor-franta-talks-internet-fame-crying-lot-and-coming | title = Exclusive: YouTuber Connor Franta Talks Internet Fame, Crying a Lot, and Coming Out Online | date= 15 April 2016 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | work = Out Magazine | author = Nicholas Richard Rees }} That same year, Heard Well produced an album by Anthony Quintal (a.k.a. Lohanthony) entitled "Landscapes".{{cite magazine | url = http://people.com/celebrity/lohanthony-releases-landscapes-compilation-album-on-connor-franta-label/ | title = Lohanthony Releases His First Compilation Album on Connor Franta's Label (and We're Losing All Chill) | date= 21 August 2015 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | magazine = People | author = Lydia Price }}{{cite news | url = https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/connor-franta-lohanthony-heard-well/ | title = Connor Franta's Heard Well label taps Lohanthony as its next release | date= 2 August 2015 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | work = Daily Dot | author = Rae Votta }} In June 2016, Heard Well signed author, activist and podcast host Tyler Oakley to create a 13-track compilation album called Pride Jams, which celebrated LGBT Pride month. As of August 2016, each album released by Heard Well charted in the Billboard Top 200, and sold thousands of copies.

In April 2017, Heard Well launched Heard Well Radio with online radio company TuneIn.{{cite web |last1=Weiss |first1=Geoff |date=27 April 2017 |title=Connor Franta Enters Music Streaming With Launch Of Heard Well Radio |url=http://www.tubefilter.com/2017/04/27/connor-franta-music-streaming-heard-well-radio/ |publisher=TubeFilter}} By May 2017, Heard Well had signed twelve of YouTube's most subscribed to personalities, with an average following of 3.8 million people. Signees include Oakley, JC Caylen, Amanda Steele, Tom Cassell and others.

In December 2024, Franta filed a lawsuit in California superior court alleging that Wineberg and Graham embezzled more than $1 million from the company for personal use. The suit labels Wineberg as the principal bad actor, purportedly using an American Express Black Card obtained in the company's name for international travel, concert tickets, tattoos, groceries, and plastic surgery. The suit also alleges that Lindsay Wineberg & Associates, Heard Well's business manager and accountant that was led by Jeremy Wineberg's father, acted negligently. According to the suit, Franta "hardly saw a dime of profit directed his way throughout the company's nearly 10-year lifespan." Jeremy Wineberg, Lindsay Wineberg, and Graham all denied the allegations.{{Cite web |last=Perelli |first=Geoff Weiss, Amanda |title=YouTuber Connor Franta accuses business partners of siphoning more than $1 million from Heard Well. They deny it. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-star-connor-franta-accuses-business-partners-embezzlement-suing-lawsuit-2024-12 |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}

In March 2025, Jeremy Wineberg filed a $1 million counter-suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Franta. Wineberg’s filing alleges that Franta failed to participate in business decisions, ignored internal communications, and did not deliver on his commitments to promote the label, despite continuing to be publicly associated with the company. Wineberg is seeking damages and Franta’s formal removal from Heard Well. Franta's attorney released a statement denying the claims in the counter-suit.{{Cite web |last=Abed | first=Kawter |title=Youtuber Connor Franta sued for $1 million in messy business dispute. |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtuber-connor-franta-sued-for-1-million-in-messy-business-dispute-3158555/ |access-date=2025-04-08 | website=Dexerto|language=en-US}}{{Better source needed|reason=WP:DEXERTO|date=June 2025}}

• Tom Cassell
• JC Caylen
• Gabby Douglas{{cite magazine | url = http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7662459/gabby-douglas-gymnast-compilation-album-conqueror-track-list | title = Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas Releases Compilation Album, 'Conqueror' | date= 20 January 2017 | accessdate = 21 July 2017 | magazine = Billboard | author = Jenna Romaine }}
• Tyler Oakley
• Anthony Quintal
• Amanda Steele
• Tanner Braungardt
• Andrea Russett
• The Dolan Twins
• Annie LeBlanc
• LUKA{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8475168/luka-signs-with-heard-well-records-i-have-something|title = LUKA Signs with Heard Well Records, Drops New Song 'I Have Something': Exclusive| magazine=Billboard }}
• Camille Kostek

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{{Official site|heardwell.com}}

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Category:American independent record labels

Category:Companies based in Los Angeles

Category:Record labels established in 2015