Universal Music Group (UMG) has expanded its partnership with Meta, bringing UMG’s music to WhatsApp, a popular messaging app used by billions globally.
This deal builds on their initial agreement from 2017, back when Meta was still Facebook. With the latest update, UMG’s music will now be available across all of Meta’s platforms, including Threads, Meta’s newest social media space.
A key feature of this agreement is that creators who use UMG’s licensed music in their posts on Meta platforms will now ensure that artists and songwriters receive a fair share of advertising revenue.
Michael Nash, UMG’s Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, shared his thoughts on this collaboration, expressing enthusiasm about Meta’s commitment to respecting and compensating artists fairly. He also highlighted their joint efforts to combat unauthorized AI-generated content that might infringe on artists’ rights.
With the inclusion of WhatsApp in this deal, music from UMG’s catalog, including tracks from Nigerian stars like Adekunle Gold and Odumodublvck, will soon be available for sharing and use on the platform.
Under the leadership of Lucian Grainge, Universal Music has been actively working to protect their artists’ rights, particularly in the face of growing challenges from unauthorized use by artificial intelligence.
In 2024, UMG had a significant dispute with TikTok over the compensation for using their music and concerns about AI misusing their content. After much negotiation, they reached an agreement, ensuring that artists and songwriters will be properly compensated for their work on TikTok, including the use of their likeness by AI.
