Celebrity Name: Mastodon
New Company: Independent Artist Group (IAG)
Primary Agents: Michael Arfin, Nick Storch
Department: Music / Global Touring
Territory: Global (Ex-U.S./Canada)
- Mastodon has signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for global booking representation outside the U.S. and Canada, with agents Michael Arfin and Nick Storch leading the deal.
- The band continues to be booked in the U.S. and Canada by Pinnacle Entertainment, and remains managed by Rick Sales Entertainment (RSE).
- The signing is part of IAG’s expanding push into international rock and heavy metal touring, the same agency recently signed Slayer and Anthrax.
- Mastodon has a packed 2026 European festival run ahead, including Download Festival, Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Rock am Ring, and Copenhell.
Heavy metal heavyweights Mastodon have signed with talent agency Independent Artist Group (IAG) for global booking representation outside the United States and Canada. T
he Atlanta-formed band, one of the most celebrated acts in progressive and heavy metal, will be represented internationally by IAG’s Michael Arfin (Global Touring EVP) and Nick Storch (Global Head of Artist Development).
In a joint statement, Arfin and Storch noted that Mastodon has “passionate fanbases based on their incredible artistry, discographies, and track record of extraordinary live performances,” adding that they’re eager to build upon the band’s international popularity.
The deal comes at a pivotal time for the band. Mastodon announced a packed summer 2026 European and UK run, hitting major festivals including Download Festival, Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Rock am Ring, and Copenhell, supported by English nu-metalcore band LOATHE.
The tour also follows significant change within the group. Founding guitarist Brent Hinds parted ways with the band in March 2025 and tragically died in a motorcycle accident in August 2025.
On the representation side, the band continues to be booked in the U.S. and Canada by Pinnacle Entertainment, and remains managed by Rick Sales and Kristen Mulderig of Rick Sales Entertainment (RSE). The band also continues with Warner Records, Public City PR, and Biz3 for publicity.
This signing is part of a larger IAG heavy metal push: the agency simultaneously brought on Slayer for the same territory. IAG also recently signed Anthrax for representation.
Takeaways
IAG is making a clear, calculated statement: they want to own international heavy metal touring. Signing Mastodon, Slayer, and Anthrax in quick succession isn’t coincidence, it’s a genre strategy.
For Mastodon specifically, this deal couldn’t be better timed. With a stacked 2026 European festival calendar already in place and a new chapter beginning without Brent Hinds, having a globally focused agency behind them adds real muscle to their international push.
With IAG consolidating Mastodon, Slayer, and Anthrax under one international roof, could we see co-headlining package tours across Europe and beyond? Does IAG’s growing heavy metal roster signal a longer-term plan to become the go-to agency for hard rock and metal globally?
