Serato gets acquired by Pioneer's parent company, AlphaTheta
Two of the DJ tech industry's most prominent names are joining forces
World-leading DJ software company, Serato, has recently been acquired by Japan-headquartered AlphaTheta — parent company of Pioneer — in a landmark deal.
The acquisition, whose financial details remain undisclosed, marks a significant milestone for both companies, as they will continue to operate independently while leveraging their combined expertise.
AlphaTheta has been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge DJ hardware since 2011, all of which are compatible with Serato’s renowned DJ software, with the two companies having longstanding partnerships already in place.
This acquisition will see both companies continue to explore new ways to develop and evolve the DJ and audio industry, as both are undoubtedly committed to the fusion of music and technology and providing the best experience for DJs, artists and audiences around the world.
Read this next: Live Nation announces majority stake acquisition in Hong Kong’s Clockenflap
Yoshinori Kataoka, President and CEO of AlphaTheta, expressed his joy about the partnership, saying, “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of Serato. Through extensive discussions within our company and with Serato’s management team, we have been exploring new ways to contribute to the industry. Bringing Serato into the AlphaTheta Group will lead to new synergies and significant technological innovations, adding continued value to the community.”
Read this next: Pioneer DJ reveals the all-in-one OPUS-QUAD
Young Ly, CEO of Serato, comments, “Serato has enjoyed a 25-year history of success that is driven by a single-minded focus on serving DJs, producers and artists. We are incredibly proud of both the strength of our business as well as the community that surrounds our brand. Today, we are excited to deepen our long-standing partnership with AlphaTheta, accelerating how we create value for our users and the industry.”
The news is dividing the public, eliciting enthusiastic responses from avid fans and DJs who are excited about the enhanced collaboration and compatibility of the products. On the other hand, there are those who remain sceptical and concerned about the potential of a market monopoly and how it may affect music lovers.
When you hear Pioneer DJ just bought Serato 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/mmMxPqMuLl
— DJ DENZ 🇬🇭 (@DenzilSafo1) July 11, 2023
holy shit Pioneer DJ just acquired Serato Audio! What a time to be alive my friends! Maybe now I dont have to use Rekordbox anymore. Thank God. #dj #djing #pioneer #serato pic.twitter.com/oXKQL2qhMe
— RSK (@RSKullcrusha) July 11, 2023
Pioneer gonna kill serato. No other reason to buy it out. Might be a few years but it’s definitely going bye bye.
— RemySounds (@RemySounds_) July 11, 2023
I don’t like that Pioneer bought Serato. They already had an uncomfortably large share of the market, and have left clubs and DJs in a vulnerable position. (1)
— Lincoln Baio (@lincolnbaiodj) July 11, 2023
Pioneer DJ has just bought Serato! With Rekordbox that's roughly 80% of the market right there. pic.twitter.com/2U1KIIHYs8
— Ken Rowley (@swazifiction) July 11, 2023
@talkoverpod my prediction for the serato/pioneer merger is that they will combine the best functions of rekordbox and serato to create the industry standard software for pro dj’s under the rekordbox name
— DJ Richie Dubz (@DjRichieDubz) July 12, 2023
Read the full statement from AlphaTheta here.
Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.
