Exceleration Music Acquires UK Indie Cooking Vinyl Expands Global Distribution

Exceleration Music, a U.S.-based independent music company, has acquired the U.K. indie label Cooking Vinyl, which has a 32-year history of working with notable artists such as Billy Bragg, The Prodigy, and Roger Waters. This acquisition allows Cooking Vinyl to leverage Exceleration’s Redeye Worldwide distribution platform and global infrastructure, while Exceleration gains access to Cooking Vinyl’s renowned artist marketing expertise, aiming to create a more powerful, integrated, multi-territory offering. Despite the acquisition, Cooking Vinyl will continue to operate independently under Managing Director Rob Collins, with founder Martin Goldschmidt remaining as chairman, and the deal excludes Cooking Vinyl Publishing UK, Australia, and Motus Music. The deal is viewed positively by the indie music community as a strong alternative to major label-owned distribution models, especially amid ongoing major label acquisitions such as Sony Music Publishing's purchase of a Hipgnosis catalog. Exceleration’s leadership, including former Concorde CEO Glen Barros, emphasizes their commitment to independence and supporting artists’ creative control. Cooking Vinyl’s recent commercial success includes multiple No. 1 albums on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart, underscoring the label’s continued influence and potential growth through this partnership.