Warner Music Group 3

Warner attempts to exit CD-related employees, for more streaming investment

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Brad Hill

Warner Music Group (WMG) is reportedly attempting to ease 130 employees out of the company, offering them buyouts. According to Billboard, those staffers “deal with physical product,” which probably means the CD part of Warner’s business. The action is targeted within WEA, the distribution, marketing and sales division of WMG. Billboard’s sources indicate that the projected cost saving would be applied to distribution and marketing of streaming music. Continue Reading →

Digital revenue drives another year of growth for Warner Music Group in 2017

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group posted its financial results for the fourth quarter and full financial year. The results showed another year where streaming helped drive growth for a major music company. Warner did not break out its streaming revenue, but the digital shares include that performance. Continue Reading →

Warner lands licensing deal with Anghami

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group has entered a licensing deal with Anghami, a streaming platform serving the Middle East and Africa. Thanks to the deal, Warner’s catalog will be available to Anghami’s entire audience of more than 50 million users. Continue Reading →

Warner Music signs licensing deal for African streaming service

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group has signed a licensing deal to bring its catalog to Mdundo, a streaming service in Africa. The company offers both streaming and downloads, although the Warner library will only be available to stream. Mdundo has both ad-supported and paid streaming options. Continue Reading →

Rumor Fact(ory): TuneIn reportedly sued in UK for copyright breach

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Music Business Worldwide is reporting that two of the major labels have started legal proceedings against TuneIn UK around possible breach of copyright. Sources told the publication that the suit alleges the UK branch of the online audio company had at least 800 unlicensed music streams in that market. Continue Reading →

Warner Music updates: Topsify founder leaves, public policy exec joins

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group announced two personnel developments. First, Kieron Donoghue is leaving the label. Second, Warner has hired Mark Baker as vice president of public policy and government affairs. Continue Reading →

Mixcloud lands first direct label deal with Warner, will add subscriptions

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Digital audio service Mixcloud has secured its first major label direct licensing deal. The audio platform announced a partnership with Warner Music Group that will form the basis of a new subscription offering. Continue Reading →

Apple reportedly renegotiates lower payments to Warner

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Apple has reportedly inked a new licensing deal with Warner Music Group. Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that the updated arrangement will see Apple paying a smaller share of its revenue. The tech company may also be near to a similar deal update with Sony Music Entertainment, although does not appear to have progressed in talks with Universal Music Group. Continue Reading →

Spotify lands Warner licensing deal, closing out major label trifecta

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Spotify has secured a licensing deal with Warner Music Group, meaning the streaming service now has agreements with all three major labels. The Warner deal is one of the final pieces Spotify needs to progress with any means of going public. Continue Reading →

Spotify reportedly close to Warner licensing deal

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Spotify has reportedly made progress toward securing a licensing deal with Warner Music Group. Reuters cited four unnamed sources in its exclusive report that the streaming company was moving closer to an agreement with the third major label. The specifics of this alleged arrangement are still being hammered out, but the sources told Reuters that the parties had already agreed to Spotify paying a smaller share of revenue to Warner in exchange for the label’s artists to window their work to paid subscribers for a period. Continue Reading →

Warner streaming revenue continues to boost quarterly results

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group posted is Q2 financial results. Quarterly revenue for the major label totaled $825 million, up 11% from $745 million in the year-ago period. Digital revenue rose 21.9% to secure a 53.2% share of Warner’s total quarterly revenue with $400 million. Continue Reading →

Warner inks YouTube deal despite “difficult circumstances”

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Anna Washenko

Warner Music Group has signed a global licensing deal with YouTube, but the major label still reportedly expressed reservations about working with the video platform. CEO Steve Cooper has reportedly shared an internal memo with WMG that said the YouTube deal was signed “under very difficult circumstances.” Continue Reading →