In a splashy announcement that can be celebrated by musicians, many social media users, a major label, and a major internet company, Universal Music Group and Meta have reached a new licensing agreement.
The thrust is that social media users across Meta’s immense social platform reach will be able to use UMG-published music without repercussion to them, or to Meta. Meta’s global network of platforms includes Facebook, INstagram, Messenger, Horizon, threads, and WhatsApp.
“UMG became the first major music company to license its recorded music and music publishing catalogs across Facebook’s platforms. In turn, Facebook took a pioneering role as music’s first fully licensed partner among the major social media platforms.” –Universal Music Group
The agreement buils on an earlier (2017) arrangement that was for Facebook before the many brand extensions that are now included. UMG calls that earlier agreement “landmark,” and calls Facebook pioneering. UMG was a pioneer, too, being the first major label to negotiate a licensing partnership with Facebook.
Tamara Hrivnak, VP Music and Content Business Development at Meta, said, “We are thrilled to announce our renewal with Universal Music Group, and Universal Music Publishing Group, both of whom are innovators for music on social media, especially with regard to Meta’s family of apps. This partnership builds on the recognition that music can help connect us and bring fans, artists, and songwriters closer together, not only on established platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, but also in new ways on WhatsApp, and more. We’re extremely grateful to the Universal team, and look forward to growing our partnership in the future.”
Michael Nash, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Universal Music Group said, “Since our landmark 2017 agreement, Meta has consistently demonstrated its commitment to artists and songwriters by helping to amplify the importance music holds across its global network of engaged communities and platforms, creating new opportunities and applications where music amplifies and leads engagement and conversations. We are delighted that Meta shares our artist-centric vision for respecting human creativity and compensating artists and songwriters fairly. We look forward to continuing to work together to address unauthorized AI-generated content that could affect artists and songwriters, so that UMG can continue to protect their rights both now and in the future.”
