Vinyl Group#The Brag Media
{{Short description|Australian music technology company}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{use Australian English|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Vinyl Group Ltd
| logo = VINYL_Grp_K.png
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{ASX|VNL}}
| industry = Music technology
| founded = 2023
| founder =
| location = South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
| key_people = {{ubl|Josh Simons (CEO)|Joel King (COO)|Jorge Nigaglioni (CFO)}}
| products = Vinyl Media, Vampr, Jaxsta, Vinyl.com, Serenade
| revenue = A$20 million (December 2024, pro forma){{Cite web | title=Half Yearly Report and Accounts FY25 | url=https://investors.vinyl.group/announcements/6822382 | date=2025-02-28 | access-date=2025-03-03 | publisher=Vinyl Group Ltd}}
| operating_income=
| net_income =
| assets = A$24,685,003 (December 2024)
| equity =
| num_employees = 60
| website = [https://vinyl.group/ vinyl.group]
}}
Vinyl Group Ltd is an Australian music technology company. It is traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. Its subsidiaries are Jaxsta (a music credit database), Vampr (a music networking platform), Vinyl.com (an online record store), Vinyl Media (a publishing and events business) and Serenade (a Web3 pioneer of physical and digital collectibles).
History
Vinyl Group started as Jaxsta which was listed as a public company on the ASX on December 28, 2018.{{Cite web |title=Jaxsta promises it is making 'significant' progress two months on from its backdoor listing |url=https://stockhead.com.au/tech/jaxsta-promises-it-is-making-significant-progress-two-months-on-from-its-backdoor-listing/ |access-date=2024-09-07 |website=stockhead.com.au |date=27 February 2019 |language=en}}
In February 2023, the company announced it would acquire Vampr, a music networking platform that connects musicians and industry professionals. The acquisition was completed in June 2023.{{Cite press release |title=Jaxsta unveils new leadership team following Vampr acquisition |url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/jaxsta-unveils-new-leadership-team-following-vampr-acquisition/088483 |date=2023-09-11 |access-date=2024-06-29 |publisher=Jaxsta |via=Music Week}}{{Cite press release |title=Jaxsta to Acquire Vampr |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/jaxsta-acquire-vampr/ |date=2023-02-22 |access-date=2024-06-29 |via=The Music Network}} Vampr’s founder and CEO Josh Simons initially joined Jaxsta as Chief Strategy Officer{{Cite web |date=2023-02-22 |title=Jaxsta acquires 'LinkedIn for creatives' Vampr |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/jaxsta-acquires-linkedin-for-creatives-vampr1/ |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}} and was subsequently appointed CEO on 29 June 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-22 |title=Josh Simons Named New CEO at Music Credits Firm Jaxsta as Beth Appleton Steps Down |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/josh-simons-named-new-ceo-at-music-credits-firm-jaxsta-as-beth-appleton-steps-down/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}
Jaxsta launched Vinyl.com in May 2023, offering a catalog of vinyl records across all genres with verified creative contributions metadata on every album.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-22 |title=Music credits company Jaxsta launches online record store Vinyl.com |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/music-credits-company-jaxsta-launches-online-record-store-vinyl-com/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}
Jaxsta rebranded as Vinyl Group Ltd in December 2023 to better reflect its expanded operations.{{Cite press release| publisher=Vinyl Group|title=Music Credits Company Jaxsta Rebrands as Vinyl Group | url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/jaxsta-rebrands-as-vinyl-group/ | date=2023-12-05 | access-date=2024-06-29 | via=Music Business Worldwide}}{{Cite web | title=Vinyl Group Is New Home of Jaxsta and Vampr | url=https://www.billboard.com/business/tech/jaxsta-rebranded-vinyl-group-vampr-vinyl-com-1235534843/ | date=2023-12-05 | access-date=2024-06-29 | publisher=Billboard}}
In January 2024, Vinyl Group completed the acquisition of The Brag Media, a publishing and events business with about 10 million monthly active users (MAUs) across its brands, significantly enhancing Vinyl Group's reach and sales opportunities.{{Cite web | title=Quarterly Activities Report Q3 FY23/24 | url=https://investors.vinyl.group/announcements/6303976 | date=2024-04-24 | access-date=2025-04-06 | publisher=Vinyl Group Ltd}} The acquisition deal was valued at $8 million and was supported by an $11 million funding facility.{{Cite web | title=Billionaire reveals secret to making money out of music | url=https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/billionaire-reveals-secret-to-making-money-out-of-music-20240209-p5f3mb | date=2024-02-16 | access-date=2024-06-29 | publisher=Australian Financial Review|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web | title=Songtradr, WiseTech founder lift stakes in the Brag Media's new owner Vinyl Group | url=https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/songtradr--wisetech-founder-lift-stakes-in-the-brag-media-s-new-owner-vinyl-group.html | date=2024-05-02 | access-date=2024-06-29 | publisher=Business News Australia}}
In August 2024, Vinyl Group announced it would acquire media and marketing trade publication Mediaweek for $500,000 in cash and $500,000 in shares.{{Cite web |last=Griffiths |first=Neil |date=2024-08-12 |title=Mediaweek to be acquired by Vinyl Group |url=https://mumbrella.com.au/mediaweek-to-be-acquired-by-vinyl-group-844074 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Mumbrella |language=en-US}} In September 2024, the company acquired Funkified Entertainment Pty Ltd, bringing The Brag Media events in-house through a deal valued at up to $2.5 million, consisting of both cash and scrip.{{Cite web |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=2024-09-26 |title=Vinyl Group to Buy Funkified Entertainment |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/vinyl-group-acquire-funkified-entertainment/ |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=The Music Network |language=en-US}} Simultaneously, it completed an all-scrip acquisition for 100% of the assets of Serenade, a UK-based digital collectibles startup, including the shares of its UK subsidiary.{{Cite web |last=Dredge |first=Stuart |date=2024-09-30 |title=Shopping spree for Vinyl Group as it buys Serenade and Funkified |url=https://musically.com/2024/09/30/shopping-spree-for-vinyl-group-as-it-buys-serenade-and-funkified/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Music Ally |language=en-US}}
In February 2025, the company announced a consolidation of its media assets under the publishing banner Vinyl Media.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-12 |title=Music group Vinyl launches publishing house Vinyl Media |url=https://www.adnews.com.au/news/music-group-vinyl-launches-publishing-house-vinyl-media |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=AdNews |language=en-US}} In the same month, the company completed its acquisition of Concrete Playground, an Australian and New Zealand city guide digital publication, for $5.5 million.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=Vinyl Group completes $5.5m Concrete Playground deal, signs Genius rights deal |url=https://www.mi-3.com.au/03-03-2025/vinyl-group-completes-55m-concrete-playground-deal-signs-genius-rights-deal |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Mi3 |language=en-US}}
Operations
Vinyl Group Ltd focuses on leveraging technology to connect creators, fans, and brands within the music ecosystem.{{Cite web | title=What Vinyl Group's Brag Media acquisition is all about | url=https://mumbrella.com.au/were-building-a-music-ecosystem-what-vinyl-groups-brag-media-acquisition-is-all-about-814134 | date=2024-02-02 | access-date=2024-06-29 | publisher=Mumbrella}}
= Vinyl Media =
Vinyl Media was launched in February 2025 and is the publisher of consumer and trade publications including Rolling Stone Australia, Variety Australia, Mediaweek, Refinery29 Australia, The Music Network, Tone Deaf and Concrete Playground.
= Vampr =
Vampr is a social-professional network and talent marketplace, helping creatives in over 180 countries find collaborators and monetize their work. The platform has introduced features like Credits and Verification, integrating Jaxsta Creator features into Vampr Pro subscriptions.{{Cite web | title=Quarterly Activities Report Q2 FY23/24 | url=https://investors.vinyl.group/announcements/6156162 | date=2024-01-11 | access-date=2025-04-06 | publisher=Vinyl Group Ltd}}
= Jaxsta =
Jaxsta is a database of official music credits, offering subscription, API, and freemium access. It supports rights holders with recording matching, achieving a 97% match rate. The database contains over 330 million official, deep-linked music credits across 105 million pages.
= Vinyl.com =
= Serenade =
Serenade produces physical and digital collectables that have served over 200 artists worldwide including Liam and Noel Gallagher, Muse, Sum 41, Twenty One Pilots and Thirty Seconds to Mars. Their Smart Formats combine the use of NFC and NFT technologies.
Leadership changes
On April 28, 2022, it was announced that Jaxsta founder Jacqui Louez Schoorl would step down as CEO and former Chief Marketing Officer Beth Appleton would be Jaxsta's new CEO.{{Cite magazine |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=2022-04-28 |title=Jaxsta Promotes Beth Appleton to CEO |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/jaxsta-promotes-beth-appleton-ceo/ |access-date=2022-08-11 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} The Music Network reported that "the change will allow Louez Schoorl to focus on the Jaxsta product and our community and creative relationships".{{Cite web |date=2022-04-28 |title=Beth Appleton Promoted to CEO at Jaxsta |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/beth-appleton-promoted-ceo-jaxsta/ |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=The Music Network}} Before joining Jaxsta in July 2021, Appleton had been the Senior Vice President Marketing Australasia at Warner Music Australia.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title=Beth Appleton promoted to Chief Executive Officer at Australia-based music credit resource Jaxsta |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/beth-appleton-promoted-to-chief-executive-officer-at-australia-based-music-credit-resource-jaxsta/ |access-date=2022-08-11 |website=Music Business Worldwide |language=en-US}}
Josh Simons, founder and CEO of Vampr, and former indie-rock musician with his band Buchanan, was appointed CEO and succeeded Appleton on 29 June 2023.
Board composition
Linda Jenkinson is the Chairperson of the board for Vinyl Group. She is also a recipient of the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards, a former director of Air New Zealand (NZE: AIR) and the third women to list a company on the NASDAQ.{{Cite press release |title=Linda Jenkinson Non-Executive Chairman |url=https://www.mymedadvisor.com/hubfs/4.%20Investor%20Relations/4.4%20Profiles/New%20Bios/Linda%20J.pdf |date=2024-01-01 |access-date=2024-07-01 |publisher=MedAdvisor}}
Ben Katovsky, a non-executive director, is the CEO of Hipgnosis Song Management, responsible for overseeing the operations and strategy of the Hipgnosis Songs Fund and other related entities.{{Cite web | title=Annual Report 2023 | url=https://investors.vinyl.group/announcements/4416912 | date=2023-10-02 | access-date=2024-07-01 | publisher=Vinyl Group Ltd}}
Steve Gledden, Managing Partner of Straight Bat Private Equity, and Ken Gaunt, Director of Sydney Seaplanes, also serve as non-executive directors, while CEO Simons was appointed to the Board as the sole Executive Director on 16 May 2024.{{Cite web | title=Appointment of CEO to the Board as Executive Diretor | url=https://www.listcorp.com/asx/vnl/vinyl-group-ltd/news/director-appointment-simons-3032430.html | date=2024-05-16 | access-date=2024-07-01 | publisher=Vinyl Group Ltd}} via Listcorp.com