Armada Music is a Dutch independent record label that specialises in releasing electronic dance music.[1]
As of 2025, artists signed by Armada Music include Armin van Buuren, Bloom Twins, D.O.D., Eelke Kleijn, Loud Luxury, Shells, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Themba and Trance Wax.[2][3][4]
History
Armada Music was founded on 1 June 2003 by Dutch producer Armin van Buuren, Dutch business executive Maykel Piron, and music manager David Lewis. The name is an acronym containing the first two letters of each of the founders' names.[5]
In 2022, Armada launched the investment company BEAT (Best Ever Acquired Tracks) Music Fund.[6] The company bought Cloud9 Music a year later.[7][8][9]
In 2023, Armada acquired New York record label King Street Sounds, their largest acquisition to date.[10]
Sub-labels
Labels within Armada Music include:[11]
Awards and nominations
As of December 2015, the label had won the "Best Global Record Label" award for five years in a row at the International Dance Music Awards (IDMA's).[12] Armada received two nominations at the 2014 IDMAs,[13] and seven in 2019.[14] The Academy of Electronic Music, a joint venture between Armada, Google, Point Blank, and DJ Mag, was the recipient of the 'People's Voice Award' at the 2014 Webby Awards.[15] In 2016, Armada Music was one of the 21 labels nominated for the IMPALA FIVEUNDERFIFTEEN[16] campaign shining a light on Europe's most inspiring young labels. The label received the IMPALA Young Label Spotlight Award.[17]
External links
References
- A night in the life Time Out, retrieved 2008-06-15^
- Artists Armada Music^
- Armada Music signs D.O.D to long-term recordings deal www.musicweek.com, retrieved 2025-06-17^
- Georg Szalai. Bloom Twins, Shells and Trance Wax Sign With Armada Music Publishing The Hollywood Reporter, 2025-04-24, retrieved 2025-06-17^
- Armada: Inside the world's biggest independent dance label BBC, 10 August 2019^
- Armin van Buuren's Armada Music launches $100m catalog-buying fund backed by Pinnacle Financial Music Business Worldwide, 2023-04-20, retrieved 2025-01-03^
- Armin van Buuren's Armada forms new parent company, acquires Amsterdam's Cloud 9 Music, and targets $500m in new investments via its BEAT Music Fund Music Business Worldwide, 2024-04-16, retrieved 2025-01-03^
- Armada's BEAT Music fund acquires publisher Cloud 9 Music www.musicweek.com, retrieved 2025-01-03^
- Georg Szalai. Beat Music Fund, Part of Armin van Buuren's Armada, Buys Amsterdam Music Publisher Cloud 9 The Hollywood Reporter, 2024-04-16, retrieved 2025-01-03^
- Armada’s $100m BEAT Music Fund acquires indie label King Street Sounds, and catalog of dance duo Chocolate Puma Music Business Worldwide, 2023-06-29, retrieved 2026-01-30^
- Labels Armada Music^
- Markos Papadatos. Meet Maykel Piron: Co-Founder and CEO of Armada Music SPECIAL Digital Journal, 10 December 2015, retrieved 30 April 2016^
- 31st Annual International Dance Music Awards – Winter Music Conference 2016 – WMC 2016 Winter Music Conference, retrieved 1 May 2016^
- Zeven International Dance Music Awards nominaties voor Armada Music Entertainment Business, 2019-02-25, retrieved 2025-01-03^
- GOOGLE, ARMADA, POINT BLANK, DJ MAG: ACADEMY OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC Webby Awards, retrieved 2016-04-30^
- IMPALA Young Label Spotlight Impala, 27 July 2020^
- FIVEUNDERFIFTEEN: Armada Music (The Netherlands) The Independent Echo, retrieved 15 July 2016^