Pophouse Entertainment has officially acquired Axtone Records, the influential electronic music label founded by Axwell, the company confirmed to EDM.com.
The acquisition deepens the existing collaboration between the entertainment investment firm and Axwell, whose influence as a member of the iconic Swedish House Mafia trio has defined a generation of electronic dance music. Pophouse, which in 2022 acquired the master recordings and publishing rights for Swedish House Mafia’s catalog, sees the move as a strategic step in amplifying the band’s global impact while bolstering Axtone’s growth.
Axtone has released many celebrated songs that are now considered generational dance anthems, including “Tell Me Why” by Supermode, a side project of Axwell and Steve Angello; and “In My Mind” by Ivan Gough and Feenixpawl, which received an Axwell remix and garnered the producer a 2011 Grammy nomination. These cultural touchstones, part of a broader catalog spanning over 200 tracks, have cemented the imprint as a cornerstone of progressive house music.
Under Pophouse’s stewardship, Axtone now stands ready to write the next chapter in the label’s enduring legacy.
“The partnership with Axtone is already in operation and opens new avenues for creative and commercial development, including supporting Axtone with specialist resources and industry knowledge to accelerate the label and catalogue’s growth and to enable Swedish House Mafia to realize more of their exciting music projects,” Pophouse told EDM.com in a statement.
A number of music outlets had erroneously reported that Axwell, whose real name is Axel Hedfors, was stepping away from Axtone as part of the transaction. However, the DJ will retain a prominent role as Founding Partner and Creative Advisor, Pophouse tells us, and “will remain very involved in supporting Axtone’s talent as well as continuing to release new material.”
Pophouse’s move to acquire Axtone is part of its broader mission to grow and invest in brands with global potential and deep ties to dance music culture. The company in 2022 purchased a majority stake in Avicii’s music catalog and is now developing a musical about the late EDM icon, whose life was recently explored in a high-profile Netflix documentary.
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