Exceleration Music

Serving the Indieverse

Exceleration is a partnership of global music industry leaders
who invest in the future of independent music.

Our Purpose

Exceleration is invested—and investing—in the future of independent music.

We’re true believers that independent music is a cultural necessity, not an investment class. And the artists and labels that produce it need to be amplified, not assimilated.

The indieverse is where musicians, labels, and fans aren’t in tension, they’re in conversation. It’s a playground packed with marvelous misfits whose art and ideas shape our culture. It’s passionate. It’s personal. Building a company that strengthens that dynamic is our purpose.

Exceleration Music’s founders—Glen Barros, Dave Hansen, Amy Dietz, John Burk, and Charles Caldas—know the indieverse because they helped build it. Individually, they discovered, developed, marketed and produced indie icons across genres and eras. They built companies that put independent music wherever fans around the world wanted to find it while granting indie artists and labels access to the digital-music revolution. Together, they created Exceleration Music, a force-multiplier for independent labels that allows them to launch new artists, reinvigorate their catalogs, and grow the value of their rights.

We do this with a team that’s grown to cover all aspects of digital and physical sales, marketing, creative services, accounting, and global distribution. We do this with flexible, transparent deals tailored to fit the unique needs of any independent label. Most importantly, we do this with integrity and professionalism so labels are set free to focus on what got us all here in the first place: finding, developing, and recording music that needs to be heard.

Exceleration Music was built on the belief that the Indieverse is a place of ever-expanding opportunity, built on the unbound creativity of the artists and labels untethered to the conventions and demands of major-label mindsets and investment-fund market forces. Are you with us?

Our Music

Music Distribution

Our Founders

Glen Barros

Glen has spent the majority of his career as the CEO of Concord Music Group, having taken the helm shortly after managing the acquisition of the company from its founder in 1994. Over Glen’s 25 years at Concord, the company grew from a small but revered jazz label into one of the largest and most respected independent music companies in the world, working within numerous musical genres.

Charles Caldas

Starting his career in Australia, where he served as CEO of the Shock Music Group, Charles moved to the UK to become the first CEO of Merlin, the global digital music licensing agency for independent labels. He oversaw the organization from its launch in 2008 through its expansion into a multi-billion dollar global organization, representing companies from over 60 markets and striking deals on their behalf with the world’s leading digital music platforms. Charles has been featured in Billboard’s Global Power 100, Indie Power Player and Variety's International Music Leaders lists.

John Burk

John is an accomplished independent record executive and record producer with great industry recognition, including GRAMMY awards for producing both Album and Record of the Year. John spent over 25 years as the primary creative/A&R force within Concord, ultimately serving as the President of the Concord Records and Concord Jazz labels. He has also worked extensively as an elected leader with The Recording Academy, serving as LA Chapter President, National Trustee and a Director of the MusiCares Board. John currently serves as Vice Chair of the Grammy Museum Foundation.

Amy Dietz

Amy spent the majority of her career in leadership roles at world class label services companies ADA and Ingrooves, where she enabled the careers of countless independent artists and labels. She kicked off her career at a record store and an indie label before serving as advertising manager at Alternative Distribution Alliance, rising to VP of Label & Artist Development. As EVP, General Manager of Ingrooves, Amy oversaw day-to-day operations of one of the most successful independent music distributors in the world. She has also served on the boards of A2IM and Music Business Association. Amy has been featured in Billboard’s Digital and Indie Power Player lists, as well as being named a Top Women Exec for 2020.

Dave Hansen

Dave has worked on behalf of independent labels for his entire career. He was the GM of Epitaph and Anti-Records for over 20 years and created Insomnia Records, the mail order company for independents in the early 90s after launching his career as a partner at Dr. Dream Records. For 10 years, Dave was an active board member for Merlin, as well as serving two terms as an elected board member for A2IM. Most recently, Dave served as Executive Chairman of Merlin and is a Founding Partner of Independent Record Pressing.