Snapchat Music could be launching soon, just as Facebook starts its official music video feature in the US.
If 2020 was the year of voice (was it?) then 2021 could be the year of music.
Snap is said to be working with music-industry partners on developing an extensive music catalog for Snapchat. The deal which would include Merlin, members of the National Music Publishers Association, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell, and Warner Music Group would let users add music to their Snaps, pre- or post-capture.
Related | Facebook Adds Official Music Videos Feature In The US
A spokesperson for Snap explained, “We’re constantly building on our relationships within the music industry and making sure the entire music ecosystem (artists, labels, songwriters, publishers, and streaming services) are seeing value in our partnerships.”
Some reports show the feature could already be tested among select users.
On the receiving end, users will be able to swipe up on a music-snap to see the album art, song title, and artist. A “Play This Song” link will let users open a web view via Linkfire, where they can listen to the full track via streaming platforms including Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
“We’re always looking for new ways to give Snapchatters creative tools to express themselves. Music is a new dimension they can add to their Snaps that helps capture feelings and moments they want to share with their real friends.”
Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota said in a statement, “Merlin is excited to partner with Snap given the unique role it can play in the evolution of social music. Merlin’s members have always been early adopters of innovation in the ever-changing digital ecosystem. We look forward to a productive relationship that offers users new ways to express themselves, enables artists to build new audiences and provides value to our members.”
NMPA president and CEO David Israelite added, “We are pleased to partner with Snap to ensure that great music can be used on its new service. Our agreement will bring an important new revenue stream to publishers and songwriters and improve the overall quality of the application for users. Snap is doing it the right way—licensing the music it needs before launching to the public.”
And WMG chief digital officer and executive vice president of business development Oana Ruxandra said, “We’re excited to be the first major partnering with Snap on this new feature. Both Warner Music and Snap have long track records of embracing innovation and experimentation and, working closely together, our goal is to enable cutting-edge social tools to bring our artists’ music to Snap’s highly engaged user base.”