Vevo is owned by a joint venture majority-held by Universal Music Group, at approximately 49%, and Sony Music Entertainment. Other equity holders include Alphabet, Warner Music Group, Abu Dhabi Media, BMG, Merlin Network, ONErpm, MNRK Music Group, and Vydia. No single company controls it.

Vevo was created by the major record companies rather than individual founders. The key executives were Universal's Doug Morris and Sony's Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, with Rio Caraeff as founding president and CEO. Natalie Gabathuler-Scully has led the company since August 2024.

What is Vevo's market position?

Vevo is the world's leading music video network, distributing more than 1 million official videos across YouTube and connected TV platforms. It reaches roughly 34 million viewers daily and over 157 million monthly viewers in the US alone, monetizing through direct and programmatic advertising.

Does Vevo still have its own app?

No. Vevo shut down its owned consumer apps and destination website strategy in 2018, refocusing on distributing its library through YouTube and connected TV platforms including Roku, Pluto TV, and Samsung TV Plus. Its content is now reached through those partner platforms rather than a standalone Vevo app.

Media & Entertainment

Who Owns Vevo?

Q: Is Vevo publicly traded?

No. Vevo LLC is a private joint venture and has never listed shares. Its owner labels' parent companies, including UMG and Sony, are public, but Vevo itself has no stock.

Q: When was Vevo founded?

Vevo launched on December 8, 2009, as a partnership among Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Abu Dhabi Media, with YouTube providing distribution. Warner Music Group licensed its catalog in 2016 and later took equity.

Vevo is owned by a joint venture whose majority shareholders are Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, with equity also held by Alphabet (Google), Warner Music Group, Abu Dhabi Media, BMG, and independent label groups including Merlin. It is not owned by a single company and is not publicly traded.

Parent Company

Vevo LLC

Founded

2009

Status

Private

Headquarters

New York City, New York, United States

GlobalOfficial Website

Who Owns Vevo?

Parent Company: Vevo LLC
Ownership Type: Subsidiary
Company Type: Privately Held

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Vevo	Vevo LLC	Subsidiary

Where to Buy

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Vevo on Amazon

History of Vevo

Founded: 2009
Founders: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment

Vevo was announced as a concept in 2009 and launched on December 8, 2009. It was conceived as the music industry's answer to two problems: music videos were among the most-watched content on YouTube, but the labels were not capturing proportional advertising value, and no premium destination existed for music video content online. Doug Morris of Universal Music Group and Rolf Schmidt-Holtz of Sony Music were the driving executives, with Rio Caraeff installed as the first president and CEO.

The venture was funded at launch by UMG, Sony Music, and Abu Dhabi Media Company as founding shareholders, with YouTube's technology powering distribution. EMI joined as a video provider at launch, leaving Warner Music as the only major holdout among the four big labels at the time.

Vevo.com launched as a consumer destination site alongside the Vevo channels on YouTube. Through the early 2010s it became the dominant music video platform, with the Vevo tag visible on virtually every major music video on YouTube. In 2013 YouTube's parent Google took an equity stake in the venture, formalizing the distribution relationship.

Erik Huggers, a former BBC and Verizon executive, succeeded Caraeff as CEO in 2015 and pushed to build Vevo into a standalone consumer platform with its own apps. That strategy failed against YouTube's gravitational pull. In 2018 Vevo announced it was shutting down its owned-and-operated consumer apps and website to refocus on distributing through YouTube and growing connected TV partnerships. Alan Price, the company's longtime CFO, became CEO that year.

Warner Music Group licensed its catalog to Vevo in 2016 and later took equity, bringing all three major labels into the venture for the first time. Through the early 2020s Vevo pivoted toward connected television, distributing its 24/7 programmed channels and on-demand library through platforms including Roku, Pluto TV, and Samsung TV Plus, while building out a programmatic advertising business.

In August 2024 Natalie Gabathuler-Scully, previously EVP of global revenue, portfolio, and operations, was promoted to CEO, succeeding Price. Under her leadership the company has emphasized its CTV inventory, its Vevo Evolve data products, and its scale claim of roughly 34 million daily viewers and more than 157 million monthly US viewers.

About Vevo LLC

What is Vevo?

Vevo LLC is a private joint venture in New York City that operates the world's leading music video network. It distributes more than 1 million official music videos across YouTube and connected TV platforms and sells advertising against that inventory, reaching roughly 34 million viewers daily.

Is Vevo publicly traded?

No. Vevo is a private joint venture with no public stock. Its shareholders are its owner record labels and strategic investors including Alphabet and Abu Dhabi Media.