Snap adds music licenses to its Sounds library

Snap has expanded its Sounds library, which lets users use song clips in Snaps and Stories, with several music labels.

The company listed US-based UnitedMasters, Netherlands-based BUMA/STEMRA, and SUISA Digital Licensing AG as participating labels. SUISA: Switzerland, AKKA/LAA: Latvia, Albautor: Albania, Armauthor: Armenia, Autodia: Greece, COMP: Pakistan, EAÜ: Estonia, GCA: Georgia, LATGA: Lithuania, SOZA: Slovakia, Abramus Digital: Brazil, Soundreef: Italy, and several direct-licensing publishers.

Snap said the SoundLibrary will have a “selection” of UnitedMasters-signed singers and songwriters. BUMA/STEMRA and SUISA Digital will add local artist sounds to their libraries.

“We are excited to expand the Snapchat Sounds experience as we continue building new tools and developing music industry relationships globally,” Snap Global Head of Music Partnerships Ted Suh said in a statement.

“By offering more music, we want to enable discovery and make it easier for Snapchatters around the world to express themselves creatively with the music they love.”

UnitedMasters will grant Sounds Creator Fund grants to emerging artists. Last year, Snap partnered with DistroKit to award up to $100,000 per month (or $5,000 to 20 songs per month) to emerging musicians.

This grant helps artists establish “relevancy” with audiences. Snap provides popular licensed songs in Sounds playlists for video clips. With this label deal, new artists will compete for those 20 spots.

Snap first debuted the Sounds product in 2020 in response to TikTok becoming a hotbed for music discovery. Over the years, the company has inked deals with multiple labels including Warner Music Group, Merlin (including their independent label members), NMPA, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Kobalt BMG Music Publishing, and Universal Music Group. Its library includes over 9,000 independent music publishers and labels.

Earlier this year, YouTube made a new music licensing tool called Creator Music available to all YouTube Partnership Program participants in the U.S.