Inside one of the biggest groups of independent music companies: Secretly
Mapping the links between Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Caribou
STVDIO maps the future of music. Helping 4,150+ artists, music industry professionals and founders navigate music industry shifts with weekly visual maps.
Supported by Secretly Distribution: For more than 25 years, Secretly Distribution (SD) has been enabling independents to challenge the mainstream. SD is not only a full-service global physical and digital music distributor, but it also provides hands-on marketing, financial and technological support to some of the most exciting record labels and artists across geographies and genres. By supporting businesses who are self-reliant by choice, not just necessity, SD champions the musicians and creative works that drive culture forward.
Meet Secretly
I still remember the first time I pressed play on Bon Iver’s debut record “For Emma, For Ever Ago.”
It was the first cold and crisp morning of September. I’d just moved away from home to start university and I was walking around lost in a strange city in the north of England.
Feeling kind of lonely, I put my headphones on and pressed play on a new record my friend sent me. The rusty chords of Flume start playing and then Justin’s haunted, layered voice starts singing.
It was one of those rare transcendent moments. A core memory preserved in every small detail. To this day, when I listen to that record, I am immediately 17 again lost in a new city in the cold.
This is the power of music.
I’ve had so many of these moments over the years. The first time I saw Yeah Yeah Yeahs play live and immediately buying a beat-up guitar. My first job at a radio station playing Phoebe Bridgers’ first single. Or driving 400 miles with War on Drugs on repeat.
There’s one thread that links all these moments:
Secretly.
The umbrella term for Secretly Group and its affiliates, Secretly is one of the last remaining groups of truly independent music companies, comprising record labels, a music publisher and a distributor behind some of the biggest indie artists of the last 20 years touching releases from Bon Iver, Bright Eyes, War on Drugs, Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers, Caribou and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. And, according to the latest Luminate report, Secretly Distribution is now the largest independent distributor in the US market.
And I’m excited to say:
STVDIO is now supported by Secretly Distribution.
We are partnering with the group’s distribution arm Secretly Distribution for the next quarter. We’ll also publish a co-branded industry report on the independent music sector which you can look for in the next month or so.
Not only does Secretly distribute incredible records, but the company is passionate about preserving independent music infrastructure. Co-founder Darius Van Arman has written several powerful essays recently that capture the challenges facing independent music companies in 2026
The Struggle for Independence in the Modern Age: “My sincere hope is that independent music businesses everywhere will realize what is stake and will step up their collective efforts to keep music open.”
Rise of the Music Making Machines: “In the creative world, the key question becomes where to draw the line between AI supporting creatives and AI replacing them … As independents, we will respect artists’ rights to give consent is fundamental. It means having the artists’ backs.”
With all that in mind, let’s map out how this web of incredible independent music all fits together.
Mapping the Secretly Ecosystem
Secretly is home to four record label companies (two of them being proper label groups), a music publishing company, a distributor for more than 100 partner labels, as well as label services, and physical distribution partnerships. Secretly has also recently acquired data tools to ensure the independence of music’s backend infrastructure.
Today we’re mapping it all so you can follow the rabbit hole of music discovery via Secretly’s ecosystem and the artists they serve. Let’s start with the Secretly labels and publishing.
1. The Record Labels
Secretly Group
Secretly Canadian: The War on Drugs, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Jens Lekman, Hatchie, Faye Webster.
Jagjaguwar: Bon Iver, Sharon Van Etten, Dinosaur Jr., Angel Olsen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Dead Oceans: Phoebe Bridgers, Toro y Moi, Mitski, Durand Jones & the Indications, Khruangbin.
All Flowers Group
A label group formed by Secretly and Ghostly International.
Ghostly International: Tycho, Gold Panda, Com Truise, Ginger Root.
Sacred Bones: David Lynch, Zola Jesus, Marissa Nadler, Molchat Doma.
drink sum wtr: Deem Spencer, Aja Monet, Annahstasia.
Merge Records
Secretly Group acquired 50% of Merge Records in 2025. Artists include Waxahatchee, Neutral Milk Hotel, Caribou, Arcade Fire.
Numero Group
Primarily a reissue label. Artists and releases include Duster, Eccentric Soul series, Syl Johnson.
2. Secretly Publishing
Secretly Publishing has a roster of 2,500 songwriters and artists including Japanese Breakfast, Dhruv, Grizzly Bear and Wednesday. It also handles publishing admin for Merge Publishing, Ghostly Songs, Sacred Bones Publishing and Songs of Numero Group. Secretly Publishing represents writer shares on songs performed by Solange, J Cole, Common, Pusha T, Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, Vampire Weekend, Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, Kanye West, Phantogram and more.
3. Secretly Distribution + Label Services
Secretly also partners with over a hundred independent labels to provide distribution services. This section is not exhaustive but a snapshot of some of my favourite labels and their releases. Treat it as a starting point to go deeper into these labels.
Asthmatic Kitty: Sufjan Stevens, Angelo De Augustine.
Captured Tracks: Lemon Twigs, Widowspeak, Craft Spells, early Mac DeMarco.
Arbutus Records: Braids, Public Appeal.
Rhymesayers: MFDoom, Aesop Rock.
DFA: Shit Robot, LCD Soundsystem .
Third Man Records: Jack White, Belair Lip Bombs.
Joyful Noise: Deerhoof.
Ipecac: Melvins, Mclusky.
Awesome Tapes From Africa: Hailu Mergia.
Psychic Hotline: Sylvan Esso, Reyna Tropical.
No Quarter: Bonnie Prince Billy, Joan Shelley.
Jazz Is Dead: Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed Muhammed.
Oh Boy: John Prine, Swamp Dogg.
Bayonet: Beach Fossils, Mei Seimones.
Colemine: Pale Jay, Joey Quiñoñes.
Bar/None: Front Bottoms, Ivy, The Feelies, Alex Chilton.
No Coincidence: Goose, The Oh Hellos.
Single Lock: The Blind Boys of Alabama, St. Paul & The Broken Bones.
Touch and Go: early TV on the Radio, Slint, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blonde Redhead.
Suicide Squeeze: This Will Destroy You, Minus the Bear.
Moshi Moshi: Anna Meredith, Teleman, early Hot Chip.
Temporary Residence: Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky.
Winspear: Slow Pulp
Cascine: Teen Daze.
Run for Cover: Turnover, Modern Baseball.
Smalltown Supersound: Barker.
5. Label services
Secretly Distribution also provides marketing and label services for a handful of acts, including:
Hayley Williams
Pond
David Gray
Crumb
Rostam
Beirut
Marlon Williams
Devendra Banhart
6. Infrastucture
Cargo Independent Distribution - In 2024, Secretly Distribution partnered with Beggars Group to invest in Cargo Records UK, creating Cargo Independent Distribution, a truly independent physical route to market in the U.K. and Ireland. (This was created after PIAS was acquired by Universal.)
Babel Ops and Entertainment Intelligence - in 2026, Secretly Distribution acquired Babel Ops and Entertainment Intelligence. Babel Ops specializes in software and technology solutions for independent labels and distributors. Entertainment Intelligence provides streaming data analytics to leading independent music companies, including Partisan Records, Exceleration Music (Redeye), Reservoir, Many Hats Endeavors, Secret City Records, as well as all of the labels and artists distributed by Secretly Distribution.
Preserving independent routes to market
One thing is noticeable throughout the entire Secretly ecosystem: the group is set up to celebrate and preserve independent routes to market at every stage. Not just through its record label catalog, but through its distribution ecosystem (which does not run through any major label or corporate-owned servers), its publishing administration, physical distribution, and more recently its data analytics acquisitions. It’s an increasingly rare approach to the music industry, and one we should celebrate.
Thanks for reading
If you found this useful, please do forward it to your colleagues or share with your friends. If you have questions or thoughts, just reply to this email or reach out to me on LinkedIn. See you next week with another music industry report.
Thanks for sharing! I wasn't aware of this ecosystem. What avenues are there for a decently established independent artist to connect with the Secretly ecosystem?