Sony/ATV has signed a licensing agreement with Facebook which will allow Facebook users to upload and share videos from Sony’s catalog on Facebook as well as on Instagram. The users will also be able to personalize their music experiences with songs from the catalog.
This multi-year deal is a great combination of Sony, the world’s largest publishing company with a catalog of over 3 million songs, and Facebook, the most popular social media platform with an active user base of more than 2 billion. The deal will let artists who are connected with Sony to earn royalties from the use of their music on both Facebook and Instagram. Popular artists such as Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran are associated with Sony. The exact terms of the deal was not disclosed.
Tamara Hrivnak, Head of Music Business Development and Partnerships at Facebook said: “We’re excited to work with the largest music publisher in the world to bring amazing songs which deepen connections between friends and fans. Sony/ATV is a true leader and an absolute champion of writers in the digital space, and we’re thrilled to work with them as they grab new opportunities by the horns across all of our platforms.”
Last year, Facebook announced a licensing deal with Universal Music Group for recorded music and publishing catalogs.
Sony/ATV Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier said: “We are thrilled that in signing this agreement Facebook recognizes the value that music brings to their service, and that our songwriters will now benefit from the use of their music on Facebook. We are looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”
Over the years, Facebook users have added music or videos in their posts, but Facebook had to remove the posts due to infringing content. In an attempt to find a solution to this challenge, Facebook has been in talks with music rights holders. The deals with Universal and Sony/ATV should help resolve these issues to an extent, and according to sources, Warner Music may be next in line to announce a deal.
