Universal Music Group is launching a new AI-powered platform that will let people create remixes, mashups, and fresh takes on tracks from its catalog of licensed music. The record label is building the platform through a multiyear licensing agreement with ElevenLabs, a company that specializes in AI voice and music generation.
The ElevenLabs Partnership
UMG announced the partnership on Thursday. The platform will draw on UMG’s catalog. Artists can choose whether to participate, so not every track in the catalog will necessarily be available.
The agreement is not just about the platform itself. UMG and ElevenLabs say the partnership will also include the “development of additional products and fan experiences in the months and years to come.” The press release does not offer other details about what those products might be.
“By combining UMG’s global community and rights management expertise, with our AI models and products, we’ll enable artists and songwriters to create powerful new experiences for their fans, and ensure they are fairly compensated,” ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski said in the press release.
The new platform will remain separate from ElevenLabs’ existing Music API and its ElevenMusic generator. That means this is a distinct product, not an update to what the company already offers.
How the Platform Works
The core idea is simple: users pick from licensed tracks and use AI tools to make something new. That could mean a remix of a single song, a mashup of two or more tracks, or an entirely new take on a familiar piece of music.
UMG has not said when the platform will launch or what it will cost. The announcement focuses on the partnership itself rather than a timeline or pricing structure.
What is clear is that artists get a say. The opt-in model means participation is voluntary. That is a notable feature because it gives musicians control over whether their work appears in AI-generated creations.
The platform is being built through a multiyear agreement, which suggests a long-term commitment from both companies. The press release frames this as a fan experience, not just a utility for making tracks.
UMG’s AI Deal Portfolio
This is not UMG’s first move into AI. The company is currently developing an AI music platform with Udio, another AI music generation service. UMG has also struck AI licensing deals with Spotify, Nvidia, and Klay.
The pattern is consistent: UMG is signing multiple deals across the AI landscape rather than betting on a single partner. Each partnership has a different focus, and the ElevenLabs deal is the latest in that series.
UMG’s approach covers several kinds of AI music work. The Udio partnership involves building a platform. The Spotify, Nvidia, and Klay deals are licensing arrangements. The ElevenLabs agreement adds voice and music generation to the mix.
What the source makes clear is that UMG is active across the AI music sector. The company has not limited itself to one type of deal or one partner.
The Licensed Music Trend
UMG is not the only major player moving in this direction. This week, Suno released its first AI music model trained on licensed songs from Warner Music Group, BMG, and other music industry partners.
Here is how the major deals stack up:
| Company | Partner | What They Are Building |
|---|---|---|
| UMG | ElevenLabs | AI platform for remixes, mashups, and new takes on licensed tracks |
| UMG | Udio | AI music platform (in development) |
| UMG | Spotify, Nvidia, Klay | AI licensing deals |
| Suno | Warner Music Group, BMG | AI music model trained on licensed songs |
Each deal involves licensed music, but the source does not say whether that marks a change from earlier practice in the industry. What is clear is that major labels are entering AI partnerships at a steady pace.
The Suno release is particularly notable because it is the company’s first AI music model trained on licensed songs. That puts it in the same category as the UMG-ElevenLabs platform: both rely on music that rights holders have agreed to make available.
Artist Control and Compensation
The opt-in structure gives artists control. They can decide whether their music is available on the platform. That is a meaningful choice, especially as AI music tools become more common.
Staniszewski’s quote promises fair compensation, but the press release does not describe how payments would work. The exact payment structure has not been disclosed.
The press release emphasizes the fan experience. Staniszewski talks about “powerful new experiences for their fans,” which frames the platform as a creative tool rather than just a business arrangement.
The key steps in how this deal works, in order:
- UMG and ElevenLabs sign a multiyear licensing agreement.
- Artists choose whether to opt in to the platform.
- Users select licensed tracks and create remixes, mashups, or new takes.
- UMG and ElevenLabs develop additional products and fan experiences over time.
Undisclosed Details
Several details remain unknown. There is no launch date, no pricing, and no list of which artists have opted in.
The “additional products and fan experiences” mentioned in the press release are also unspecified. That leaves room for the partnership to grow beyond the initial platform, but it also means there is no concrete information about what those expansions will look like.
The press release does not describe how the platform will handle copyright or distribution. It does not say whether creations will be shareable on social media or streaming services. Those questions are left open.
It is also unclear how the opt-in process will work in practice. Artists may choose to participate for some tracks but not others, or they may make all their music available. The source does not specify.
What Comes Next
For now, the news is the deal itself. UMG is adding another AI partner to its roster.
The bigger story is the direction of the industry. Suno’s release this week and UMG’s announcement this week are two data points in the same moment: AI music companies are signing licensing agreements with major rights holders.
The deal is done, but the platform is not live. The details that would tell fans what to expect — pricing, timing, which artists participate — have not been announced.
That leaves the announcement as a statement of intent. UMG and ElevenLabs have committed to building something together, but the shape of that something is still taking form.
The coming months will show whether the platform delivers on its promises. For now, artists have a choice, fans have a possibility, and the industry has another sign that licensed AI music is becoming a standard part of the business.
Source: theverge.com