Universal Music Group has secured a new licensing deal with Meta, allowing music from its artists to be uploaded and shared on WhatsApp without breaching copyright laws.
 |
| Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge Getty |
This agreement is part of an extended global licensing arrangement initially established in 2017, which ensures that UMG artists and songwriters can continue to feature their copyrighted music across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Horizon, and Threads.
As part of the renewed agreement, UMG artists and songwriters will earn a share of the advertising revenue generated from the use of licensed music in Meta creator posts.
The inclusion of licensed music on WhatsApp comes as UMG, under CEO Lucian Grainge, works to combat unauthorized music, particularly AI-generated content that infringes on the rights of its artists and songwriters.
Michael Nash, UMG's Chief Digital Officer and Executive VP, stated: “We are pleased that Meta aligns with our artist-focused vision of honoring human creativity and fairly compensating artists and songwriters. We are excited to continue our collaboration to tackle unauthorized AI-generated content that could impact artists and songwriters, ensuring UMG can protect their rights both now and in the future.”
The expanded agreement between UMG and Meta comes after the social media giant opted to integrate licensed music content into its platforms instead of creating its own subscription-based streaming service, like Apple Music and Spotify.
In May 2024, UMG also finalized a new music licensing deal with TikTok, resolving a dispute over royalties due from the platform. These licensing agreements with social media giants are designed to ensure that artists and songwriters are compensated for their work, especially in relation to the use of artificial intelligence across the online and entertainment sectors.
