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Twitch partners with Warner Music Group to create original music programming

Twitch's first-ever major music label partner will create original music content for the platform.

Donovan Erskine

September 27, 2021 12:25 PM

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Twitch has had a very… fascinating relationship with the music industry, to put things lightly. Issues surrounding DMCA and copyright claims have made it taboo for creators to play licensed music during their streams, and it continues to be an ongoing issue with the platform. However, Twitch has now announced that it’s partnering with a major record label in Warner Music Group, which will bring original programming to the platform.

Twitch and Warner Music Group announced their partnership on September 27, 2021. As a part of the new deal, WMG will launch two channels for musical artists Saweetie, Bella Poarch, and Sueco. On these channels, fans will learn more about their favorite artists with exclusive behind-the-scenes videos and streams showcasing how their songs and videos come together.

In addition to new artist channels, WMG will also be launching several new shows through its recently acquired media company IMGN. Announced programs include “The Drop,” a show breaking down the latest news in the music industry, as well as “Freestyle Throwdown,” which will see rappers taking audience-suggested topics and using them in freestyles.

WMG chief digital officer spoke about the news following the announcement. "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 IMGN shows we’re planning to launch, music lovers will get a refreshing new view into the world of music and the lives of their favorite artists."

It’s important to note that the new partnership between Twitch and WMG changes nothing about DMCA issues on the website. Users will still be subject to copyright claims if they play music from WMG artists, just as they would for other record labels. This deal is specifically about creating artist channels and bringing some original content to the platform. That said, it is interesting timing given the recent agreement that Twitch came to with the NMPA.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_