Podcast group Wondery has entered a partnership with the Universal Music Group label. Under the terms of their agreement, Wondery will receive access to the major’s music catalog and will be able to use works from its artists and labels in new shows. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group’s quarterly earnings continued to grow on the back of a strong streaming performance. The label’s parent company, Vivendi, has released its first-quarter results as it moves ahead with plans to sell off a stake in UMG. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has inked a licensing agreement with uduX, a streaming music service based in Nigeria. The deal will bring uduX listeners access to UMG’s catalog of Nigerian and international artists. UMG is the first major to sign with this service. Continue Reading
Brief news items and worthy reads from around the web: Voice assistants struggle with discovery. The new journey for indies. What if Google buys UMG? Continue Reading
One of the big music industry narratives this year will likely be the expected sale of up to a 50% stake in Universal Music Group. Two very different potential buyers have already emerged. Reuters reported that Tencent Music Entertainment and U.S. buyout fund KKR are each exploring bids for the major label. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group’s fourth-quarter results have been posted by parent company Vivendi, capping a big year and leaving any potential buyers with more information about what the label has to offer. UMG’s revenue for the period totaled €6.023 billion. Continue Reading
After lots of rumbles and rumors, a seismic change could be on the horizon for the major labels. Vivendi appears to be moving ahead with plans to sell up to a 50% stake in Universal Music Group by the end of 2019. If this sale does happen, it will cause a ripple effect across the music industry. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has reported its earnings for the third quarter as rumors swirl that the major label could be moving toward a sale. Revenue rose 13.5% on-year to €1.495 billion ($1.732 billion) for the period. Parent company Vivendi said in the earnings update that it is in talks with about 15 banks, looking for assistance in finding a strategic partner for the major label. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has licensed its catalog to Boomplay Music, a top streaming service in Africa. Boomplay will add UMG’s library to its current catalog of 2 million tracks. The company currently boasts more than 36 million listeners across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zambia. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has signed a licensing agreement with Mixcloud. The global agreement covers use of UMG’s music in markets excluding China and Japan. The deal includes payments for past uses of UMG’s catalog. Continue Reading
Universal Music Group has entered a deal with B2B music provider 7digital to create custom online stores for the major label’s artists. Under this arrangement, listeners can pay for features such as artist-curated playlists, new singles, merchandise, and other products. Continue Reading
The parent company of Universal Music Group has been considering options for its next steps with the major label, and has landed on the decision for a sale. French media conglomerate Vivendi has announced that it plans to sell half of UMG and is seeking potential strategic partners. Continue Reading