Warner Renews Licensing Deal With Chinese Streaming Platform NetEase Cloud Music

Warner Music Group (WMG) has signed a multi-year extension on its licensing deal with NetEase Cloud Music, a popular streaming service in China. As part of the updated agreement, NetEase will begin promoting WMG artists.

Background:

• The companies signed their first deal in 2020.

• Prior to this extension, the agreement was primarily focused on distributing WMG’s catalog in China as opposed to also promoting WMG artists.

• The two companies will collaborate on multimedia content.

• This comes after WMG introduced Listen Up, its program designed to platform artists coming from the Asia Pacific region and create opportunities for artists from other areas to grow in the region.

What they said:

• Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group: “China is a vital part of the global music ecosystem, and our continued partnership with NetEase Cloud Music is key to our mission to maximize our artists’ reach in the region. By leveraging NetEase’s innovative social platform and deep understanding of Chinese youth culture, we’re building lifelong fanbases for our artists in this important and fast-growing market.”

• William Ding, CEO of NetEase Cloud Music: “We’re delighted to extend our successful collaboration with Warner Music Group. NetEase Cloud Music has always been the platform of choice for young users to discover and share great music, and to interact with artists. Together with WMG, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of how music is experienced, ensuring that the world’s premium music is accessible to our users.”