Mixcloud has signed a multi-year direct licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Under the deal, UMG artists will be compensated for use of their music on Mixcloud’s ad-supported and yet-to-launch subscription crowdsourced radio platform.
The global agreement, excluding China and Japan, includes payment for previous use of UMG music. WMG signed with the streamer late in 2017.
Mixcloud is a UK based online streaming service that enables the distribution of radio shows, DJ mixes and podcasts, which are crowdsourced by its users. In April of last year, Mixcloud announced $11.5 million in Series A funding from WndrCo, the media investment company whose founders include Hollywood veteran Jeffrey Katzenberg.
“Our focus has always been on empowering artists and curators alike, and this deal with UNIVERSAL MUSIC will help us usher in a new era of collaboration in which everyone wins,” said Mixcloud co-founder Nico Perez. “Our platform ensures that all rights-holders are paid fairly for the use of their work in long-form audio, and we are excited to work directly with the world’s largest record label Universal Music to continue to enhance what we can offer to our curators, their listeners, and to the artists that created the great tracks in the first place.”
“Mixcloud has developed an innovative platform where audiences can uniquely discover artists and experience music through curated stations, podcasts, DJ sets and other influencer-driven audio formats,” said UMG VP/Digital Business James Healy. “Working together, we will expand the programming that’s available across Mixcloud and give their passionate fans more choice over how they consume music and interact with their favorite artists.”