Merge Records, long time indie mainstay and home of groundbreaking acts such as Neutral Milk Hotel, Dinosaur Jr, Arcade Fire and many many more is under new ownership. Or more accurately, fifty percent of Merge Records is under new ownership. Indiana label Secretly Group has bought half of the company, the half which was once owned by co-founder Laura Ballance who has decided to part ways with the label. 

Secretly Group is a fairly major indie label in their own right and their collection of four distinct imprints seems to have much in common with the alternative and avant garde roster Merge has made its name on over the last thirty years. Despite this shake up in ownership it seems that the actual day-to-day operations at Merge will remain largely unaffected. Stereogum reports that label president and co-founder Mac McCaughan will retain his role as well as label director Christina Rentz, marketing director Jamie Beck and head of digital Wilson Fuller. 

Laura Ballance addressed her exit with a general statement saying “It was never my goal to start a record label when I was 21 and run it for the rest of my life. I have been doing this for 36 years now. Life is short. There are other things I have always wanted to do: make more art, travel for fun, volunteer more, write a book and lots of other things that being so entrenched in running a business does not allow me to do. Merge Records started as a literal bedroom label, in my bedroom, and lived there for a few years before we were able to give it some space of its own. It has always been a labor of love. I am going to miss it and all the people and bands tremendously.” It seems the 57 year old has ambitions beyond a hugely successful record label and we at mxdwn wish her all the best in her future endeavors. As for Merge, rest assured that they are in excellent hands with the good people over at Secretly Group.