Record Labels
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Universal Music Group’s Universal Production Music division has launched a new subscription-based service, offering a pre-cleared library 50,000 songs and 200,000 sound effects, starting at $5.99 per month. The new library, called Universal Music for Creators, is aimed at servicing influencers and online talent that need royalty-free music for their videos and podcasts at a low price.
Universal Music Group’s library includes the option to separate out some of its songs into audio “stems,” industry shorthand for individual instrument tracks used collectively to create a full sound recording. This offers creators greater flexibility to customize the song to best fit their needs.
Though it is full of options for creators, the library does not include any of the major acts that are signed to UMG — like Drake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and many more. It is searchable through the website’s search bar, where users can type in descriptions of mood and style to find the songs they want. The company also offers curated playlists of different moods and occasions for faster discovery.
UMG is not the first to try to fulfill the needs of the growing creator economy through a subscription-based pre-cleared music library, but the company’s announcement claims that Universal Music for Creators “boasts more tracks and SFX than any other claims-free music subscription service.” In recent years, a number of other libraries have formed with similar business models and offerings, including Songtradr, Loudly, Collabhouse, Bopper, Epidemic Sound and more. Some digital platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, have also amassed their own pre-cleared music libraries for creators to choose from in order to dissuade creators using songs without the proper clearance to do so.
Soundtracking social media content is also one of the most cited use-cases for the burgeoning field of generative artificial intelligence. Some of the models hoping to provide AI music for this use includes Stability AI’s Stable Audio, Soundful, Tuney, and more. These companies threaten to disrupt today’s music libraries, offering soundtracks that are one-of-a-kind and customizable for content creators at a similarly low monthly fee. Still, some of these models do not yet create music that rivals the quality of stock human-made music.
Jody Gerson, UMPG chairman and CEO, said: “Universal Music for Creators delivers our unparalleled production music library to content creators everywhere for the first time. Innovative programs like this exemplify why Universal Production Music continues to lead the industry.”
Jane Carter, president of Universal Production Music said, “We’re thrilled to become the first major publisher to offer production music to content creators as a subscription service and grow the accessibility of our music catalog. With a brand heritage that signifies trust, quality and prestige, Universal Music for Creators will provide affordable, hassle-free music and sound effects for the most imaginative creators. We are excited to provide yet another innovative opportunity to support our talented production music songwriters and composers.”
Following Hamas’ attacks throughout Israel this past weekend and Israel’s current bombardment of Gaza, the three major labels, along with the Recording Academy, have released statements condemning Hamas. In a statement posted Thursday to X, the platform previously called Twitter, Warner Music Group wrote, “We condemn the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and the […]
Mariah The Scientist is the newest signee to Epic Records. The singer/songwriter joins a roster that boasts Future, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Giveon and more. To celebrate, the singer released her newest single, “From a Woman,” released early Friday morning (Oct. 13). “I was reluctant to signing any new deal, “Mariah tells Billboard. “But I was […]
Interscope has a signed a partnership with Los CT, the record label launched by new regional Mexican music star Natanael Cano, a pioneer of the corrido tumbado movement. The deal will bring in Los CT artists Gabito Ballesteros, Alejandro Buelna, Tyan G, Amillkar Galaviz, Luis Castillo, Nueva Era, Cocho, Herencia LP and Delilah under the […]
Warner Music Latina has named Francisco Granados the label’s new senior vice president of A&R, Billboard has learned. Granados, who previously served as director of A&R at Warner Music México, will be responsible for spearheading Warner Latina’s artistic discovery and nurturing musical talents in the U.S., according to a press release issued Thursday (Oct. 12). […]
Mexican singer, songwriter and producer Edén Muñoz has signed a record deal with Sony Music México in partnership with Sony Music Latin, Billboard Español can exclusively announce today (Oct. 11).
Muñoz, the former leader of the group Calibre 50, has had a fruitful solo career in recent years. His hits include “Chale”, “Consejos Gratis”, “Como Quieras Quiero” and “Mi Caída En Los Excesos,” and his collaborations with rock-pop artists such as Maná and Matisse have demonstrated his versatility to innovate in other areas, where he can also move with ease. Alejandro Fernández, Pepe Aguilar, Christian Nodal, Carlos Rivera, Banda MS, Yuridia and La Arrolladora Banda El Limón are some of the acts who have recorded his songs.
“I am more than happy,” Muñoz, previously signed to Sergio Lizárraga’s Lizos Music, said in a statement. “I am excited about this family that we have formed for a long time and that today we materialize,” “I knew the day would come when my music and my art would find a home where it would be seen with the love it deserves. Today begins one of those stories that rarely happen.”
“The signing of Edén Muñoz fills us with joy and pride,” added Roberto López, president of Sony Music México. “Edén, whom we have always admired, is one of the greatest artists and creators of Mexican music of the moment. With unparalleled enthusiasm and creativity, I am sure he will continue to leave an indelible mark.”
Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music U.S. Latin, was also pleased to have Muñoz in the company’s ranks. “Eden is a 360 artist, not only does he shine on stage, but he is also an extraordinary musician, producer and composer,” he said. “His work shows that he is a visionary and one of the most versatile artists that Mexican music has known.”
At 33, Muñoz is one of the regional Mexican music figures with greatest presence on digital platforms, with over 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and videos that together exceed 1.1 billion views. He also has 17.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and 4.6 million followers on TikTok. On the Billboard charts, he’s placed seven albums at No.1 on Regional Mexican Albums, in addition to 22 No. 1s on the Regional Mexican Airplay with songs of his own performed as a soloist and by artists such as Caliber 50, Banda MS, and La Arrolladora.
Currently, Muñoz is on tour with Consejos Gratis, named after his latest album, with shows in Mexican cities such as Mexicali, Oaxaca, Pachuca, Morelos, and dates in the U.S. including Reno, Camarillo, Phoenix, El Paso and Denver.
Edén Muñoz with part of the team of Sony Music México, management and A&R.
Courtesy of Sony Music Mexico
The Warner Music Group announced former longtime Google executive Carletta Higginson as its new executive vp/chief digital officer today (Oct. 10). Higginson, who will join the company Oct. 16, replaces outgoing evp of business development/chief digital officer Oana Ruxandra, who announced her departure Oct. 4 after five years with the label group. Higginson is the […]
This week, EA Sports released the latest installment of its long-running soccer video game series, this year re-branded as EA Sports FC 24 after a long-running licensing deal with FIFA expired last year. And the demand, despite the new title, has been massive: The game debuted at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and sold 6.8 million copies worldwide in its first week, according to the Financial Times — a 25% boost over the early access sales of FIFA ’23.
That’s a big deal for the music business. Gaming and music have always been intertwined, but EA’s soccer series has sparked a closer relationship with its soundtrack songs than most; in a phenomenon called FIFA Songs, gamers form nostalgic attachments to the music they hear while playing. And because soccer is a truly global sport, the soundtracks to the games over the years have often been global affairs, with both established acts and rising artists from around the world included and exposed to audiences — many of them young — for hours each week as they play.
This year’s edition is no different, with a soundtrack that includes more than 100 tracks from artists hailing from 30-plus countries across six continents. Warner Music Group won one of EA Sports FC 24‘s biggest synchs, landing the coveted slot in the game’s official launch trailer with Royal Blood’s “Trouble’s Coming.” The company also received placements for some established hits (Myke Towers’ “LALA” from Warner Music Latin; Ninho and Central Cee’s “EuroStar” from Warner Music France) as well as up-and-coming acts, like Ezekiel’s “there she goes” (Warner Records) and an unreleased track from KING, “We Are the Ones” (Warner Music India). And that helps Warner Music Group’s executive vp of global sync and U.S. visual media licensing Ron Broitman earn the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.
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Here, Broitman — whose remit goes beyond just video games to include film and TV and advertising syncs for the label’s global roster — breaks down how the label worked with EA to include songs on the soundtrack, as well as the effect of such a huge placement on an artist’s career. “Being placed in a game like this brings a track to millions of fans worldwide and can lead to meaningful streaming and consumption spikes,” Broitman says. “For developing artists it’s also an opportunity to introduce them to a massive, captive audience that maybe wouldn’t have heard their music otherwise.”
This week, the new EA Sports soccer video game, EA Sports FC 24, was the United Kingdom’s highest-selling video game release, and Warner Music has a significant presence on its influential soundtrack, including in the main trailer. What’s the process for getting a song on the soundtrack, and how did the placements for this one come together?
This project is an amazing display of collaboration involving WMG’s recorded music repertoire from all over the world. We’re unique in the fact that we don’t operate within traditional synch borders, we’re one cohesive global synch team, so our partners have direct and open access to all of our local experts from around the globe. With EA, we’ve built a very close, trusting relationship with them over many years — a major testament to the top-notch global gaming community we have within our synch and U.S. frontline label teams. From there, it’s really a multi-layered, ongoing process, but there’s a regular dialogue and sharing of relevant new releases from our U.S. teams and our teams around the world including in the U.K., France, Sweden and LatAm, among others. Especially when dealing with a game with as much global popularity as FC 24, it’s key to involve as many teams around the world as possible so that the final soundtrack is representative of all the great, global music in the WMG family.
How do you decide what songs to put forward for the soundtrack?
Our global synch gaming experts focus on many factors, but above all, we make sure every recording is authentic and that there’s a natural connection between the artist, the game, the fans and the musical energy that our partner is looking for. Of course, we also consider artist albums and new release cycles as we know synch placements — especially in gaming — have the potential for incredible exposure. EA particularly has built a reputation for music discovery which creates a huge lane for pitching artists at any stage in their career. That’s why on this soundtrack you’ll see massive tracks like Myke Towers’ “LALA” that everyone already loves, alongside tracks like “there she goes” from newcomer Ezekiel so that we can hopefully introduce fans to what will become their next favorite song.
Soccer, more than sports like baseball or American football, is a truly global game. How does that factor into your thinking when choosing songs or artists for a game like this, vs. something like the Madden franchise?
With a game like FC 24, there’s an opportunity to showcase a diverse group of artists that cross genres and borders because we know there are fans from all over the world playing. We aim to make sure everyone listening hears something that they feel resonates with them, and it’s also a great way to introduce local talent to a global audience. At WMG, we’re lucky to have such a standout group of artists from every corner of the globe, so it makes our jobs easier — or harder, actually. Our representation on this soundtrack speaks to this approach — from India’s KING to France’s Ninho to Sweden’s Baby Mala to Puerto Rico’s Myke Towers to the U.K.’s Sam Gellaitry and many more.
What effect can a placement in a huge game like this have on a song’s success, or on an artist’s career?
The impact is undeniable. Being placed in a game like this brings a track to millions of fans worldwide and can lead to meaningful streaming and consumption spikes. For developing artists it’s also an opportunity to introduce them to a massive, captive audience that maybe wouldn’t have heard their music otherwise. We’re already seeing this happen with Ezekiel, who I’d mentioned, as well as with swim school, and many others. Players aren’t just enjoying the music in-game passively, they’re actively seeking it out and consuming it elsewhere. The ultimate goal of course is that we convert those players into fans, and they follow along on an artist’s journey. That’s one of the many benefits of a music company like ours, there’s a dedicated team exploring these types of opportunities that have the potential to be a game-changer for an artist’s career.
How does the demographic of those who regularly play video games factor into that effect?
FC 24 draws an audience of all ages, but we know there’s a large number of players in the Gen Z demographic. This group, more than any other generational cohort, reports that they discover and actively seek out music that they hear when they’re gaming. So we know we have an incredible opportunity to introduce new music and artists to this young group who may still be developing their musical tastes, and there’s a high likelihood that we can turn these players into fans.
How does a synch in a soundtrack for a game like this compare to a synch for a TV ad or a film trailer?
Music has always had a really close connection with gaming, maybe even more so than any other visual form. With gaming, you have engaged players that will play every single day and be hearing these songs over and over again. It’s an incredible amount of exposure as far as sheer number of listening hours. With this game specifically, there’s also a really interesting phenomenon called “FIFA songs” where avid players say they develop a strong, lifelong connection with the songs that they hear while they’re playing. Even years later, hearing one of these songs can bring back nostalgic, happy memories associated with playing the game. So the impact that these songs can have can really last a lifetime.
Mavin Records, the hot Nigerian label that’s home to Rema and Ayra Starr, is seeking investment or eying a potential full sale with bidding coming from the the Universal Music Group, HYBE and strong interest from music asset investors in the financial sector, according to sources.
Mavin’s valuation in the proposed deal is above $125 million and could be worth $150 million to $200 million, according to those sources. (It’s unclear if the label owns music publishing and if that is involved.) Sources further say that Shot Tower Capital is shopping the deal.
The move is expected to raise funding to help position the label for more growth. The African continent is anticipated to be the next geographical repertoire to have a commanding presence on the global stage, similar to how Latin and K-pop have had an impact on the international marketplace in recent years.
Even if the investment comes from a strategic investor like UMG or HYBE, or results in another label or music company taking a stake in Mavin or even buying the African music company outright. The Mavin management team, led by legendary Nigerian music business executive Don Jazzy, is expected to remain in place and retain some form of control over its destiny.
Selena Gomez & Rema
Courtesy of Rema*
Among strategic music industry suitors, sources say HYBE is in pole position with UMG in second place, even though some of Mavin’s bigger artists are distributed in the U.S. through various UMG entities. For instance, Rema’s big hit “Calm Down” — which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and remains in the top 10 on the chart after 56 weeks — was distributed by Virgin, one of UMG’s indie distribution arms; the subsequent remix version by Rema and Selena Gomez is licensed to Interscope; and sources say some other Mavin artist or artists might be going through Republic, as Mavin is listed under that label in Luminate.
Both Rema and Ayra Starr have racked up more than 1.5 billion global on-demand streams, according to Luminate, though Rema’s collaboration with Gomez on “Calm Down” is not counted under his artist page; that song has reached 9.07 billion global streams, with 164.5 million and 165.7 million in just the last two weeks, as of Sep. 28. Several other Rema collaborations are also listed elsewhere in Luminate, which means his overall share of streams is multiple times larger than what he is credited for solely under his own artist page in that system.
Moreover, both Rema’s and Starr’s emergence on the global stage is far bigger than their impact in the U.S. where Rema has 287 million streams and Starr has 203 million streams. Put another way, Rema’s collaboration with Gomez in the U.S., at 861.2 million streams, accounts for less than one tenth of the song’s total activity of over 9 billion streams.
In addition to hot artists like Rema and Starr, Mavin’s roster features more up-and-coming artists like Ladipoe, Crayon, Boy Spyce and Magixx, while its catalog includes music from Tiwa Savage, Wande Coal, Iyanya and Reekado Banks.
For a strategic suitor, the deal comes with other promising benefits besides landing a strong artist roster in a leading music company on the African continent. Winning the Mavin auction would catapult that bidder into a key player in the Nigerian Afrobeats scene — the umbrella genre that encompasses Afropop, Afro fusion, high life and others continues to explode around the globe. In the past several years, artists such as Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy have blossomed into global superstars, while the likes of Rema, Starr, Tems, Ckay, Asake and Fireboy DML have led a wave of young, emerging talent coming from the African continent. The movement has gained momentum to the point that the Recording Academy has introduced a new Grammy Awards category for best African music performance, which will be awarded for the first time at the forthcoming awards in February.
Beyond that, the buyer would also land the executive talent of Don Jazzy, born Michael Ajerehwho, who has already established Mavin as one of the leading record labels on the continent. Don Jazzy has become a leading figure in the development of the music business in Nigeria, having established Mo’ Hit Records alongside iconic recording artist D’Banj in 2004, before launching Mavin in 2012.
All companies mentioned in this story either declined to comment or didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.
This year has been defined by consistency at the top of the charts, and one record label has led in current market share in each of the first three quarters: Republic Records, which has 12.28% of the market through Sept. 28, according to Luminate. That’s a negligible drop from last quarter’s 12.46% and more than four percentage points higher than the 8.77% share the label had for the same period last year.
Republic’s market share — much like the year overall — has been headlined by the massive Morgan Wallen album One Thing at a Time, which has racked up more than 4.5 million equivalent album units since its March debut, and Taylor Swift’s prolific release schedule, which not only includes her latest collection of new tracks, Midnights, but also the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). Both are among the top 10 albums of the year so far. (Republic’s share also includes Island, Big Loud, Mercury, Cash Money and indie distributor Imperial.)
Wallen’s dominance is such that his label, Big Loud, would rank eighth among all labels on its own, with a 2.69% current market share if it were broken out from Republic, with both One Thing at a Time and his last release, Dangerous: The Double Album, both counting toward current share. (Current is defined as albums released within the past 18 months or that have remained in the top half of the Billboard 200.)
Coming in at a comfortable second place, with big third-quarter releases from Olivia Rodrigo and NewJeans, was Interscope Geffen A&M, which hit a high mark for the year so far with an 8.55% current share, a half-point increase over its midyear mark. That’s down from the 9.23% current share IGA posted at the third-quarter mark of 2022, but is a strong showing in a year in which Republic has vacuumed up so much market share. (IGA’s share also includes Verve Label Group.)
In third place, Atlantic — which encompasses 300 Elektra Entertainment — has also moved to a high mark for the year, with a 7.39% share, up from 7.34% at midyear. The music group’s performance was boosted by releases by Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert and, most significantly, the Barbie soundtrack, which is among the top five albums of the third quarter with over 650,000 equivalent album units.
However, factoring in back catalog to look at overall market share shakes up the top two. Interscope takes the top spot with 9.57%, besting Republic’s 9.49% by a shade over 500,000 units through the first three quarters, with Atlantic in third at 8.31%. That’s due to the deeper catalog of IGA and Atlantic: They are Nos. 1 and 2 in catalog-only share, with 9.91% and 8.62%, respectively. Republic finished third at 8.54%. Coming into the final quarter of the year, that’s a race to watch.
Capitol, which includes Motown/Quality Control, Blue Note, Astralwerks, Capitol Christian and indie distributor Virgin Music, remained steady in fourth place at 6.01% (from 6.0% at midyear) through three quarters. (Although HYBE acquired Quality Control earlier this year, Universal Music Group [UMG] continued to distribute the label.)
In fifth, Warner Records has made large gains throughout the year, largely due to the successes within Warner Nashville. (Its market share also includes catalog label Rhino, as well as Warner Music Latina.) Zach Bryan’s self-titled album has been a standout success in the quarter, while Bailey Zimmerman’s Religiously. The Album continues to perform well. Notably, both Capitol and Warner made big leaps in current market share year over year: Capitol jumped from sixth place to fourth, growing from 4.50% in 2022 to 6.01% in 2023; Warner grew from 4.77% in 2022 to 5.89% in 2023.
Slipping down the rankings year over year was Columbia, which dropped in current share from fourth through three quarters in 2022 (6.93%) to sixth in 2023 (4.93%). Columbia scored big this year with Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation, though 2022’s slate with releases from Harry Styles, Beyoncé and Adele represents a tough act to follow. RCA, in seventh, remains on a hot streak led by the huge success of SZA’s SOS — still the No. 2 album of the year — with the label coming in at a 4.64% share, up from 4.47% this time last year.
Epic has roared back after a relatively quiet 2023 on the strength of Travis Scott’s mammoth Utopia, which boosted the label from 1.82% in current share at midyear to 2.39% at the three-quarters mark — its highest quarterly showing for the year. Sony Nashville (eighth, 2.50%) and Sony Latin (10th, 1.96%) round out the top 10, with each growing more than half a percentage point year over year.
Among the label groups, both UMG (up from 32.54% to 34.61%) and Sony Music Entertainment (up from 27.09% to 27.50%) made big year-over-year strides, while Warner Music Group (down from 18.64% to 17.46%) and, collectively, independent labels (down from 21.73% to 20.43%) lost share compared with the same period in 2022.