Deadmau5’s music and mau5trap label catalogue acquired for $55 million

Deadmau5 has sold his own music catalogue and that of his mau5trap label to the Create Music Group [CMG] for an estimated $55 million.

In total, the copyright and original recordings of more than 4,000 individual tracks are included in the deal with the distribution, publishing, licensing and rights management specialist. mau5trap has been behind releases from a number of major names in electronic music, including Rezz, Skrillex, Noisia, and i_o. 

CMG, which was co-founded by Jonathan Strauss and Alexandre Williams, already owns half of London label Enhanced Music’s portfolio, which is home to trance icon Ferry Corsten, the Latin label OneLand, and UK-based publisher Ostereo. Last month, the company announced a joint venture and the strategic catalogue acquisition of independent record label and artist partnership firm Pack Records.

“I have worked closely with Jonathan, Alex and Create for nearly two decades now, building my own career as well as the artists on mau5trap,” deadmau5, AKA Joel Zimmerman, told Music Week. “We didn’t need to look far when we were considering a partner to help get it all to the next level. With Create, I feel the music is going to reach more.”

The new agreement will see CMG oversee remastering and re-releasing key music, launch original and exclusive content, and focus on introducing younger listeners to the back catalogue. Licensing opportunities, including gaming, VR and live streaming, will also be explored. 

“When deadmau5 put on that helmet, he didn’t just create a brand—he sparked a movement. His vision redefined electronic music, pushing boundaries and reshaping the industry. From the earliest days of Create Music Group, [co-founder and COO] Alexandre Williams and I had the privilege of working alongside Joel and his business partner Dean Wilson, witnessing firsthand the evolution of an icon,” added Jonathan Strauss, co-founder and CEO of Create Music Group. 

Earlier this year, it was reported that Axtone Records had been acquired by Pophouse Entertainment with founder, label boss and Swedish House Mafia member Axwell staying on as creative advisor and partner at the imprint.