Warner Music Group and Twitch have announced a partnership that will see the companies launch various recording artist channels and create a standalone music space featuring premium music-centric programming.
The deal marks Twitch’s first partnership with a major record company.
The deal with Warner Music Group’s recorded music business will see the launch of WMG artist channels, including Warner Records acts Bella Poarch and Saweetie and Atlantic Records’ Sueco, featuring a steady stream of exclusive content and behind-the-scenes material.
The move helps Warner Music’s talent to tap into Twitch’s creator-driven model, opening up additional income opportunities, as well as providing access to Twitch’s fan engagement tools.
Oana Ruxandra, chief digital officer and EVP, business development, WMG, said: ”It’s clear that Twitch is an indispensable space for all types of creators to connect with their fan communities. Our partnership creates an on-ramp for artists to come onto the service with strong support from Twitch, opening up an entirely new source of incremental revenue. Between the artist-specific channels and the premium shows we’re planning to launch, music lovers will get a refreshing new view into the world of music and the lives of their favourite artists.”
Twitch is an indispensable space for all types of creators to connect with their fan communities
Oana Ruxandra
Tracy Chan, VP, head of music, Twitch, added: “Twitch has always been – and will continue to be – creator first. For fans, artists and all creators, this is a great step forward. The myriad opportunities for fans and artists to forge meaningful, direct and valued relationships on Twitch continue to expand every day. Working together, we can create new paradigms and opportunities for artists and the Twitch community, all grounded in the passion of fans. We appreciate the progressive approach of our colleagues at Warner Music and look forward to a productive partnership."
The standalone WMG space will feature original programming curated by digital media company IMGN, which WMG acquired last year. The channel will cultivate social interactivity and music discovery and see regular appearances from artists across the musical spectrum.
Upcoming programming includes The Drop, where hosts and audience talk about the latest news from the world of music with special guests and performances; Freestyle Throwdown, where Twitch rappers have to impress the panel with their skills; and The One – artists will perform a song that inspired them to be part of the music world and take audience questions.
Twitch has also created a new process that participating music rights holders, including WMG, can opt into to report certain uses of their music, to address when creators inadvertently or incidentally use music in their streams.
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