Westwood Recordings Enters JV With Monstercat, With Eye on Artist Development & Global Reach
Billboard ·
The partnership is being spurred by a $50 million investment in Monstercat by Create Music Group, which acquired the label in 2025.
Canadian independent electronic label Westwood Recordings has entered a joint venture with fellow Canadian electronic label Monstercat.
The partnership will provide Westwood with access to capital, global infrastructure (including monthly royalty accounting, global digital distribution and a gaming partnerships department) and an expanded team. Westwood will continue to be based in Vancouver and run by its founder, Nick Middleton .
Middleton, one half of longstanding electronic duo The Funk Hunters, founded Westwood Recordings in 2013 as a home for bass, electronic and hip-hop. The imprint’s roster includes Big Gigantic, Dirtwire, Cut Chemist, Flamingosis, Maddy O’Neal and Chali 2na. Beyond releases, the label has done branded events and stage takeovers at British Columbia music festivals Shambhala Music Festival and Rifflandia and Vancouver’s Malkin Bowl, an outdoor venue in the city’s Stanley Park.
The partnership is part of a broader expansion spurred by Monstercat’s 2025 acquisition by Create Music Group, which invested $50 million in the label — funding that contributed to the new venture with Westwood.
As part of the joint venture, Monstercat will support Westwood in signing new artists and recordings, expanding its release schedule, entering new genres and pursuing catalog acquisitions. The partnership will also support the launch of a publishing arm, building on Westwood’s history in synch licensing.
“I’ve always respected how Monstercat has built its business, especially how transparent they are with their artists and how connected they are to their fans. Those things matter a lot to me, and we’ve built Westwood with that same care,” Middleton said in a statement. “After more than a decade of running Westwood independently, I know how much the right support can mean for an artist or a record. This partnership gives us the backing to put more behind the music we believe in, be more ambitious with the artists and projects we take on, and open more doors for the people we work with. We’ve built something special with Westwood, and there’s a lot more I want to do. After years of working together, the trust I have in Daniel and the Monstercat team is a big part of why this feels right. They understand what we’re building and want to help us take it further.”
“Nick has a real talent for discovering and developing artists, and he’s done an incredible job of that with Westwood,” added Monstercat president Daniel Turcotte . “By combining his A&R instincts and deep roots in the Canadian music industry with Monstercat’s global infrastructure and investment, we have an opportunity to build in new genres and develop artists in spaces we haven’t explored before. I’m excited to build on what Nick has created and see where we can take it together.”
Earlier this year, Create Music Group reported that it raised $450 million through a combination of equity investments and debt capital, valuing the company at $2.2 billion. Beyond Monstercat, Create has invested $300 million in the Vancouver-based label Nettwerk Music Group to support the label’s managers in buying out their existing investors. In 2025, Create also acquired the catalog of deadmau5 and that of his label, mau5trap, in a deal valued at $55 million.