Universal Production Music, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group has launched a new subscription music licensing service that provides content creators with claim-free music and sound effects for online videos.
Dubbed Universal Music for Creators, the new service gives consumers unlimited access to a pre-cleared music and sound effects library, starting at $5.99 per month.
The program features what Universal says is over 50,000 “top-quality tracks” and 200,000 sound effects, “powered by a team that is constantly sourcing and creating the newest sounds to meet the dynamic needs of today’s creators”.
Universal clarifies in the FAQs that “claims-free music means that once you buy a subscription license, no further royalties are due to be paid by you for the use of the tracks”.
In launching Universal Music for Creators, Universal Music Publishing Group claims to be the first major music publisher to offer a subscription program to pre-cleared tracks that allow creators to add music and SFX to videos and podcasts without copyright claims.
Universal says that its Universal Music for Creators service “allows its users to find the right tracks at break-neck speeds, function and over 80 regularly updated playlists tailored specifically for creator content, curated by highly seasoned TV and film music directors”.
At launch, the new service features various guides including one explaining how to use the service and what ‘Royalty-free music really means’.
Universal Music for Creators offers two pricing tiers.
The ‘Creator’ tier starts at $5.99 per month and gives users unlimited access to the music and sound effects library.
They also get clearance across personal YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch platforms, podcasting channels, and personal websites, plus clearance for one channel per platform and one monetized YouTube channel.
Starting at $12.99 per month, the ‘Creator Pro’ tier is intended for commercial subscribers who use music and sound effects for their business or client work. This can include freelancers, small businesses, and self-employed individuals.
In launching Universal Music for Creators, the major music company is launching a serious new rival to existing royalty-free music platforms.
One such service is Sweden-headquartered royalty-free soundtrack provider Epidemic Sound, which, in its recent annual report revealed that its music is heard 2 billion times a day on YouTube (up from 1.5 billion in 2020) and 14 billion times per month on TikTok.
Within the report, co-founder and CEO Oscar Hoglund predicted that Epidemic’s music will soon be heard 2.5 billion times a day on YouTube.
Epidemic Sound’s music catalog features 40,000 tracks, along with 90,000 sound effects.
Elsewhere in the royalty-free music sector, in 2020, KKR led a $48 million investment in Epidemic Sound rival Artlist, a royalty-free music and sound effects company that licenses content to creators on YouTube.
According to UMPG, the catalog of music now available via the new Universal Music for Creators service was previously only available to TV and film industries, and “boasts more tracks and SFX than any other claims-free music subscription service”.
UMPG adds that the new program “reinforces [its] strategic approach and commitment to integrating artist-driven initiatives into its audio products and services”.
“Innovative programs like this exemplify why Universal Production Music continues to lead the industry.”
Jody Gerson, UMPG
Commenting on the launch, Jody Gerson, UMPG Chairman and CEO, said: “Universal Music for Creators delivers our unparalleled production music library to content creators everywhere for the first time.
“Innovative programs like this exemplify why Universal Production Music continues to lead the industry.”
“We’re thrilled to become the first major publisher to offer production music to content creators as a subscription service and grow the accessibility of our music catalog.”
Jane Carter, Universal Production Music
Jane Carter, President of Universal Production Music added: “We’re thrilled to become the first major publisher to offer production music to content creators as a subscription service and grow the accessibility of our music catalog.
“With a brand heritage that signifies trust, quality and prestige, Universal Music for Creators will provide affordable, hassle-free music and sound effects for the most imaginative creators.
“We are excited to provide yet another innovative opportunity to support our talented production music songwriters and composers.”
Elsewhere at Univeral Music Production Music, MBW broke the news last year that the company had quietly launched a sample service called Usample.
According to the Usample website, the service offers a catalog of around 7,000 “rare” tracks, that, Universal says, come “from the depths of the [UMG] archive, digitised for the first time since the original pressings”.
It’s explained further that each and every track on Usample’s website was originally made as library music for TV and film.Music Business Worldwide
