Facebook and Universal Music Group Strike Up Unprecedented Global Licensing Agreement

In efforts to bridge the gap between fans and music, Facebook and Universal Music Group have announced an unprecedented global agreement in which UMG will license its music and publishing catalogs for videos on the social media site and affiliated platforms, including Instagram and Oculus—in other words, videos that contain UMG-licensed music will no longer be removed due to copyright infringements.

Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, but it will span multiple years, changing the way consumers experience social media, and affecting how the music industry and artists will use social media to capitalize on their product.

With this deal, the companies hope to “advance the interests of recording artists and songwriters while enhancing the social experience of music for their fans,” says Michael Nash, UMG’s Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy, in a statement. Eventually, the functionality of the agreement will expand across other social features, including Messenger, with users being able to access a vast library of music.

“This partnership is an important first step demonstrating that innovation and fair compensation for music creators are mutually reinforcing—they thrive together,” Nash continued. “We look forward to Facebook becoming a significant contributor to a healthy ecosystem for music that will benefit artists, fans and all those who invest in bringing great music to the world.”

Per The Verge, Facebook has also been in similar talks with Warner Music Group and Sony Music Group.