Facebook lands Warner licensing deal

Facebook continues its assembling of music industry deals. The social media company has secured a broad licensing deal with Warner Music Group that covers use of both its recorded music and music publishing catalogs. The deal allows use across all of the company’s platforms, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Oculus.

“The team at Facebook is creating a truly innovative product and is showing real commitment to its participation in the growth of the music business,” said Eric Mackay, EVP of Global Digital Strategy at Warner/Chappell. “We’ve taken our time to arrive at the best possible deal, one that recognises the value that music creates on social networks, while empowering our songwriters to reach audiences around the world, in a way that will spark creativity and conversation among their fans. Our incredible catalogue of songs will be represented throughout Facebook’s platforms and we’re excited to work together to create new opportunities for both our songwriters and Facebook’s users.”

“Our partnership with Facebook will help expand the universe of music streaming and create supplementary revenue for artists,” added Warner Music Group Chief Digital Officer Ole Obermann. “Fan-created video is one of the most personal, social and often viral ways that music is enjoyed, but its commercial potential is largely untapped.”

Anna Washenko