It’s a mini revolution in the world of music and social networking: Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) will soon allow users to share songs directly on WhatsApp.
This groundbreaking collaboration promises to transform the way music fans consume and share songs, by integrating innovative features into one of the world’s most popular messaging applications.
In addition to sharing files and images, WhatsApp users will soon be able to stream music on the app. Universal Music Group (UMG) has signed its first collaboration with the Meta Group’s social media platform, according to a press release.
This agreement comes after UMG already authorised in 2017 the sharing of their artists’ music on Meta’s other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and later as they emerged, Horizon and Threads. Bringing this licensing agreement to WhatsApp is an extension of the global licensing agreement.
One of the issues that had delayed the arrival of this feature on WhatsApp was the remuneration of content. This extension will enable WhatsApp users to share music without infringing copyright, while offering artists and songwriters a share of the advertising revenues generated by the use of their works.
Michael Nash, UMG’s Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President, said: “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.”
UMG seems determined to strengthen its presence on digital platforms. In May 2024, a similar agreement was reached with TikTok, putting an end to a dispute over royalties to be paid for the use of music on the platform. This strategy of collaboration with social networking giants enables UMG to guarantee fair remuneration for its artists and songwriters, while offering users new ways to interact with their favorite tracks, as well as benefiting from global advertising.
The exact breakdown of the remuneration has not been communicated. – AFP Relaxnews
