Universal Music Group and Spotify Expand Collaboration with New Multi-Year Agreements

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify have entered into new multi-year agreements designed to foster innovation in music streaming and strengthen connections between artists and their audiences. The agreements cover Recorded Music and Music Publishing, focusing on growth and ensuring fair compensation for artists and songwriters while enhancing the streaming experience for listeners worldwide.

Commenting on the agreement, Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG, highlighted the broader vision behind the partnership. He stated, “This agreement furthers and broadens the collaboration with Spotify for both our labels and music publisher, advancing artist-centric principles to drive greater monetization for artists and songwriters, as well as enhancing product offerings for consumers.” This development aligns with UMG’s previously articulated "Steaming 2.0" vision, aiming to redefine music subscriptions with innovative approaches.

Similarly, Daniel Ek, Founder and CEO of Spotify, reflected on the company’s commitment to the music industry’s growth. He said, “For nearly two decades, Spotify has made good on its commitment to return the music industry to growth, ensuring that we deliver record payouts to the benefit of artists and songwriters each new year. This partnership ensures we can continue to deliver on this promise by embracing the certainty that constant innovation is key to making paid music subscriptions even more attractive to a broader audience of fans around the world.”

The agreements are set to usher in new features and subscription models, enabling both companies to collaborate more effectively on delivering enriched audience experiences. Among the planned initiatives are enhanced audio and visual content offerings, the introduction of new subscription tiers, and bundled packages that combine music with non-music content. These efforts aim to foster stronger engagement between artists, songwriters, and fans, while simultaneously supporting subscriber growth and retention.

In the realm of Music Publishing, the agreement establishes a direct licensing framework between Spotify and Universal Music Publishing Group in the United States and various other countries. This move is expected to benefit songwriters by reinforcing their presence on the platform and ensuring they are fairly rewarded for their contributions.

The renewed collaboration also emphasizes the importance of protecting artists’ revenues. By leveraging Spotify’s fraud detection and enforcement systems, the companies aim to safeguard streaming royalties and uphold the integrity of artist compensation.

Through this expanded partnership, UMG and Spotify are taking significant steps toward shaping the future of music streaming. By prioritizing innovation and artist-centric policies, both companies are positioning themselves to address evolving consumer expectations while driving sustainable growth in the music industry.