BMG has signed what it describes as a “strategic agreement” with Roblox to “develop new opportunities for BMG artist and songwriter clients”.
According to a media release, the agreement “for future collaboration” follows “the resolution of prior claims” relating to the use of BMG-controlled songs and recordings.
The deal follows the news from June 9 that Roblox has been hit with a $200 million-plus copyright infringement lawsuit from music publishers in the US.
Spearheaded by the National Music Publishers’ Association, the suit was backed by indie and major publishers such as Concord, Downtown, Kobalt, Hipgnosis, Reservoir, and Universal Music Publishing.
Roblox responded the following day, noting its “surprise and disappointment” at being sued.
The deal with Roblox follows BMG’s recently announced long-term exclusive agreement with Netflix to manage and administer the on-demand video giant’s music publishing rights worldwide outside the US.
Announcing the Roblox deal, BMG states that “the billions of hours people spend on Roblox every month provide a perfect opportunity for the new generation of music fans to discover, share, and get closer to music and artists they love”.
“Our partnership with BMG will enable them to do what they do best; and that’s to empower incredible talent with new ways to reach and engage fans and create innovative new commercial opportunities.”
Jon Vlassopulos, Roblox
Said Jon Vlassopulos, Vice President and Global Head of Music, Roblox, said: “BMG’s artist-centric approach and boldness in bringing state-of-the art technology to help maximize their success is very much in line with Roblox’s focus on empowering our community of creators.
“Our partnership with BMG will enable them to do what they do best; and that’s to empower incredible talent with new ways to reach and engage fans and create innovative new commercial opportunities.”
“We are delighted to embrace the opportunities Roblox presents.”
Christopher Ludwig, BMG
Christopher Ludwig, BMG VP Global Digital Partnerships & Strategy, added: “Roblox has transformed the gaming experience for millions and is proving a powerful way to introduce new generations to music they love.
“We are delighted to embrace the opportunities Roblox presents.”Music Business Worldwide