Music executive George Monger, whose background comes from the music distribution side of the business, said the explosion of streaming platforms has fundamentally changed how music is released and discovered with Connect Music.
“There’s three million songs a month coming out,” he explained. “So many of those were not rising to the top.” That oversaturation inspired Monger and Connect Music to rethink the traditional distribution model.
Rather than simply allowing artists to upload music and hope for success, Monger said his company focuses on curation and artist development. “How do we curate that relationship that we have as a company with creators?” he asked. “If we can hand-select who we get to work with, then what are the tools, techniques, and capital they may need?”
That philosophy led Connect Music to treat music not only as entertainment, but also as a financial asset. To further its impact, Connect Music recently closed $80 million funding round from Rockmont Partners and Variant Investments. “We thought there was an opportunity for us to look at music not just as a source of entertainment or type of art, but as an asset class,” Monger said.
The investment world has taken notice. Monger pointed to the billions flowing into music catalog acquisitions and licensing deals as evidence that music rights now hold serious financial value. Independent music, he noted, accounts for nearly half of all music consumption, making the sector increasingly attractive to private equity firms and institutional investors.
Still, Monger emphasized that ownership remains critical for artists. “We believe it’s important for artists to own their rights,” he said, especially as catalogs become more valuable over time with long-term revenue, licensing opportunities, and publishing deals.
