SNAPCHAT ADDS MUSIC

Snapchat’s parent company has struck licensing deals with Warner Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group, the NMPA and Merlin and begun testing a music-video feature in Australia and New Zealand.

Users will be able to add music to posts and will also provide a music discovery element that includes links to Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud. The feature is already drawing comparison to Instagram’s soon-to-be-released Reels and TikTok.

“Our goal is to enable cutting edge social tools to bring our artists’ music to Snap’s highly engaged user base,” said Oana Ruxandra, WMG’s Chief Digital Officer and EVP of Business Development.

NMPA CEO David Israelite said “Snap is doing it the right way—licensing the music it needs before launching to the public.”

Snap does not have deals with the publishing or recorded music divisions of Sony Music nor Universal Music Group.