Photo Credit: whynow
Gabe Jagger’s whynow scoops up Warner Music Group’s direct-to-consumer brand, EMP, to create an “integrated global fan commerce platform.”
Gabe Jagger’s entertainment company whynow has acquired Warner Music Group’s (WMG) EMP Merchandise, a leading rock and pop culture merch retailer in Europe. The move is a major step in whynow’s ambition to build a “global platform connecting artists, brands, and fans.”
The acquisition brings EMP into the whynow group, strengthening its existing media, licensing, and commerce businesses while creating new opportunities for artists and rights holders to build stronger fan communities, deepen engagement, and unlock new revenue streams.
As part of the transaction, whynow will establish a major European base in Berlin to create a hub for the group’s continued expansion across mainland Europe. Its global headquarters will remain in London.
Gabe Jagger, Founder and CEO of whynow (and son of musician Mick Jagger), said, “whynow was built around the idea that great content, commerce, and community belong together. Bringing EMP into the group adds Europe’s leading rock and metal fan ecosystem to that vision. Where many artists today work with four or five different partners, we’re creating one integrated platform designed to help them build audiences, strengthen fan relationships, and grow their businesses.”
Founded in 1986, EMP was acquired for $180 million by WMG in 2018, operating within the major’s artist and label services division. But after a $70 million write-down in a 2025 financial filing, WMG revealed the unit had been held for sale since that September under a signed letter of intent. The divestment was originally slated to close in Q2 2026 but is now officially finalized.
Over its 40-year life, EMP has grown into Europe’s leading rock and pop culture merch retailer, serving over 10 million customers and establishing itself as the top e-commerce destination for rock and metal merchandise. Operating one of Europe’s largest licensed merchandise catalogs, the company works with hundreds of music, entertainment, and lifestyle brands through its direct-to-consumer retail platform.
“EMP has built one of the world’s largest fan communities,” said Fred Casimir, President of whynow Europe & Managing Director at EMP. “By bringing EMP into whynow, we are significantly expanding our platform, enabling artists and rights holders to manage and grow their audience ecosystem through a single partner, spanning merchandising, e-commerce, licensing, and media content.”
Existing customers, partners, and suppliers will continue to work with their current teams while a phased integration kicks off, designed to provide new opportunities for collaboration across the wider whynow group.