Concord Records

Concord Records and Fantasy Records have merged, their parent company Concord Label Group announced Tuesday (Sept. 10). The combined label will be called Concord Records.
The label will be headed up by co-presidents Margi Cheske, who was formerly president of Fantasy Records, and Mark Williams, who previously served as interim president of both Concord Records and Rounder Records (now led by Stephanie Hudacek). Both are based in L.A. and report to Concord Label Group CEO Tom Becci.

While leading Fantasy Records, Cheske built a roster that includes Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Allison Russell, James Taylor, Seether, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lake Street Dive, Valerie June, Diiv, Lucius, LS Dunes, Taking Back Sunday, Marcus King Band, Grace Potter, Devon Gilfillian and Tanya Tucker. Prior to that, she was senior vp of marketing at Concord.

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In his prior role as interim president at both Concord and Rounder Records, Williams shepherded the release of music by artists including Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings and The Revivalists and signed acts including Thirty Seconds To Mars, John Vincent III, Bella White, Amythyst Kiah, Daffo, Nitefire, Luke Tyler Shelton and Spacey Jane.

Cheske and Williams met while both were working at Virgin Records, where Cheske was The Smashing Pumpkins’ product manager and Williams was in A&R. Williams boasts a 44-year history in the business and previously founded Outpost Recordings before joining Interscope in 2001 and Columbia in 2010.

The new Concord label’s roster includes esperanza spalding, Lindsey Sterling, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Taking Back Sunday, Seether, The Offspring and Thirty Seconds To Mars, along with emerging acts like Russell, Vincent and Matt Berninger.

Along with the announcement comes the reveal of a new Concord Records logo.

“In a music landscape where radical change has become the norm, it is vital that labels position themselves to manage complex challenges deftly,” said Becci in a statement. “This merger allows Concord to best utilize our global platform while maintaining the boutique level of service artists have come to expect. I know Mark and Margi share this notion, and their combined resources, alongside their complementary skill sets, will be a real benefit to the artists we serve.”

Added Williams, “Both Concord and Fantasy Records have always pursued artists with a unique vision and story to tell; the combined Concord Records will have an environment where those creative visions will be nurtured and supported.”

“This merger will allow us to better maximize our resources in service of those visions,” said Cheske. “Ultimately, this means a much more global, interconnected approach—allowing us, in concert with our incredible roster of artists, to bring their music to audiences around the world.”

The merger of the Fantasy and Concord labels is just the latest among several recent changes at the label group. Becci, who joined as CEO in August 2023, has previously restructured parts of the company, including by naming Hudacek president at Rounder Records and making changes to executive leadership in operations, marketing, and data analysis and streaming.

In a previous interview with Billboard, Becci alluded to the merger by calling the appointments of Cheske and Williams “a formidable frontline duo that can deliver on both new and developing artists,” adding, “They were swimming in the same pond, and I think together they’re going to own the pond.”