HYBE has extended its partnership with Universal Music Group. On March 26, HYBE announced an expansion of its collaboration with Universal Music Group, granting exclusive distribution rights to HYBE artists’ music for the next decade.
Universal Music Group is also broadening its cooperation with HYBE’s fan communication platform, Weverse, welcoming more UMG artists to the platform soon.
However, the new exclusive distribution agreement does not cover social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Meta.
Thus, the company’s artists can continue to be present on TikTok despite Universal Music Group’s ongoing licensing dispute with the platform.
HYBE and Universal Music Group initiated their partnership in 2017, with BTS signing with UMG for distribution in Japan. In 2021, the former sealed a new agreement, granting Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records distribution rights for BTS in the United States and other territories.