Denis Ladegaillerie co-founded Believe in Paris on 1 April 2005 with Arnaud Chiaramonti and Nicolas Laclias. The company set out to put independent music on digital platforms. In 2008 it signed MC Solaar for distribution, and in 2010 its label arm, Believe Recordings, signed its first artist.
In 2015 Believe raised $60 million from Ventech, TCV and XAnge and fully acquired TuneCore. In 2016 it bought Naive Records for €10 million. On 10 June 2021 Believe listed on Euronext Paris and raised €300 million.
In 2024 Ladegaillerie, TCV and EQT launched an offer at €15 per share, valuing Believe at about €1.52 billion. Shareholders pushed back. The price rose to €15.30 and then to €17.20 in 2025, which valued the company close to $2 billion.
In June 2025 the consortium held 94.99% and the shares left the market. Believe had revenue of about €989 million for 2024 and a net loss of €2.12 million.