![\"Entertainment](\"https:\/\/www.digitalmusicnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Grainge-June-2025.jpg\" "\\"Entertainment\\"")
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Universal Music Group head Lucian Grainge. Photo Credit: UMG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Entertainment Time to kick IP monetization up a notch? Universal Music Group and Patrick Whitesell\u2019s WTSL have officially launched a joint venture designed to unlock \u201cnew commercial pathways.\u201d <\/strong><\/h2>\nThe major and the Silver Lake-backed investment firm unveiled that JV today, with plans in place to spearhead growth \u201coutside traditional recorded music and music publishing.\u201d Though time will tell exactly what this entails, the companies intend to zero in on film, TV, fashion, consumer products, brands, and more.<\/p>\n
Hardly confined to once-off initiatives, the multifaceted efforts will prioritize \u201cowned, repeatable, and equity-driven ventures rooted in creative identity,\u201d the involved parties spelled out.<\/p>\n
The same parties also touched on the reach of the major\u2019s current roster and catalog. Not expressly mentioned in the announcement, however, are the sizable sums that UMG and a number of others have dropped on music IP in recent years.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, these buyers are eager to recoup their investments. And to put it mildly, today\u2019s diversification push appears comparatively well-positioned<\/a> to fuel fresh revenue streams and enhance the underlying music\u2019s value without alienating diehard supporters.<\/h4>\n\u201cThis is about building the future of artist IP with the scale and ambition it deserves,\u201d added the WME co-founder Whitesell. \u201cUniversal Music Group represents the most powerful collection of music and artists anywhere in the world. Together, we\u2019ll explore new ways to extend that cultural force into every dimension of entertainment and consumer life\u2014creating lasting business value while keeping music at the center.\u201d<\/p>\n
In remarks of his own, Universal Music head Lucian Grainge \u2013 whose company previously partnered<\/a> with Authentic Brands Group \u2013 touted the tie-up\u2019s perceived monetization potential.<\/p>\n\u201cWe exist at the center of a vibrant ecosystem of partners from the worlds of technology, brands, retailers and media who recognize the power of our artists to shape culture globally,\u201d weighed in Grainge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith this new venture we will be able to leverage Patrick\u2019s deep experience in successfully creating non-traditional business models with world-class IP to accelerate the expansion and monetization of our ecosystem to the benefit of our artists and partners,\u201d he proceeded.<\/p>\n
The Financial Times stopped short of attaching a firm valuation to the agreement \u2013 while highlighting Grainge\u2019s goal of replicating projects such as ABBA Voyage<\/a>.<\/p>\nOn this front, Universal Music certainly isn\u2019t alone in working to chart non-streaming monetization paths. <\/strong><\/h4>\nLooking to build on ABBA Voyage\u2019s success, Pophouse Entertainment is teeing up a KISS avatar band<\/a> \u2013 and, in coordination with the aforementioned Authentic Brands Group, possibly different hologram experiences yet<\/a>.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, Primary Wave, which has scooped up NIL rights in many of its IP investments, is likewise pulling out all the monetization stops. Just in passing, those moves encompass Whitney Houston slot machines, a Bob Marley immersive experience in Vegas, and even a rumored Notorious B.I.G. Broadway production<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n
\u201cThis is about building the future of artist IP with the scale and ambition it deserves,\u201d added the WME co-founder Whitesell. \u201cUniversal Music Group represents the most powerful collection of music and artists anywhere in the world. Together, we\u2019ll explore new ways to extend that cultural force into every dimension of entertainment and consumer life\u2014creating lasting business value while keeping music at the center.\u201d<\/p>\n
In remarks of his own, Universal Music head Lucian Grainge \u2013 whose company previously partnered<\/a> with Authentic Brands Group \u2013 touted the tie-up\u2019s perceived monetization potential.<\/p>\n \u201cWe exist at the center of a vibrant ecosystem of partners from the worlds of technology, brands, retailers and media who recognize the power of our artists to shape culture globally,\u201d weighed in Grainge.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this new venture we will be able to leverage Patrick\u2019s deep experience in successfully creating non-traditional business models with world-class IP to accelerate the expansion and monetization of our ecosystem to the benefit of our artists and partners,\u201d he proceeded.<\/p>\n The Financial Times stopped short of attaching a firm valuation to the agreement \u2013 while highlighting Grainge\u2019s goal of replicating projects such as ABBA Voyage<\/a>.<\/p>\n Looking to build on ABBA Voyage\u2019s success, Pophouse Entertainment is teeing up a KISS avatar band<\/a> \u2013 and, in coordination with the aforementioned Authentic Brands Group, possibly different hologram experiences yet<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Primary Wave, which has scooped up NIL rights in many of its IP investments, is likewise pulling out all the monetization stops. Just in passing, those moves encompass Whitney Houston slot machines, a Bob Marley immersive experience in Vegas, and even a rumored Notorious B.I.G. Broadway production<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\nOn this front, Universal Music certainly isn\u2019t alone in working to chart non-streaming monetization paths. <\/strong><\/h4>\n