Tuned Global’s MD, Con Raso, whose company has inked an expanded licensing deal with Universal Music. Photo Credit: Tuned Global
Tuned Global and Universal Music Group (UMG) have officially finalized an expanded global licensing pact covering the major label’s recorded catalog.
Melbourne-headquartered Tuned Global reached out with word of the bolstered tie-up, which builds on an existing deal between it and the leading label. According to the self-described B2B music streaming services provider, the latest agreement will afford third-party apps and platforms “an integrated route to market” when it comes to licensing UMG tracks.
Of course, those tracks include releases from commercially prominent acts like Sabrina Carpenter, The Killers, and many others. But according to 13-year-old Tuned Global, clients in search of (fully cleared) UMG works will also have the option of licensing by genre, with afrobeats, pop, and jazz mentioned in particular.
And in statements, execs from UMG and Tuned Global (which says it can launch customized standalone apps in about eight weeks once licensing details are ironed out) touted the union as a means of bringing the former’s catalog to new clients and listeners.
On that front, Tuned Global co-founder and managing director Con Raso indicated: “This partnership is designed to provide a consolidated route to market for promising music projects and companies who reach out to Tuned Global, wanting to access UMG’s recorded music catalogue, but unsure who to reach out to.
“Using this agreement, they can get their project off the ground through one point of contact, Tuned Global. We believe this will turn more exciting ideas in music into realities,” concluded the longtime exec, whose company last year acquired Swedish music technology developer Pacemaker.
Meanwhile, in comments of his own, UMG SVP of digital strategy and business development James Healy relayed in part: “In expanding our partnership with Tuned Global, we are pleased to now integrate the licensing of UMG’s catalogue of recorded music into Tuned Global’s suite of technological solutions.
“This new way of working will help to enable ideas to be enhanced by UMG repertoire all over the world,” proceeded the Universal Music exec of almost two decades.
In other licensing news, streaming and discovery platform Audius recently unveiled a global agreement with Kobalt, the songwriter roster of which will have the chance to leverage a “powerful music marketplace” into additional revenue, per the involved companies.
Back in June, Audius disclosed separate licensing pacts with each of the major stateside performance rights organizations.
