This week, the prominent streaming platform, Twitch, announced a partnership major label Warner Music Group (WMG). This will be the first time Twitch has partnered with such a large force in the music industry.
Throughout the various lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Twitch became a respite for both fans and artists alike. Concerts, festivals, and all other applications of live music were essentially defunct, and so streaming served as an alternative.
Through this process, the industry at large realized Twitch was another viable source of income for artists, but also a new avenue for promotion and fan connection. In this regard, an entity with considerable resources like a major label could curate high-quality content and maximize the benefits of the platform.
Oana Ruxandra, Chief Digital Officer and EVP, Business Development, WMG said in statement: “It’s clear that Twitch is an indispensable space for all types of creators to connect with their fan communities. Our partnership creates an on-ramp for artists to come onto the service with strong support from Twitch, opening up an entirely new source of incremental revenue. Between the artist-specific channels and the premium shows we’re planning to launch, music lovers will get a refreshing new view into the world of music and the lives of their favorite artists.”
Bella Poarch, Sueco, and Saweetie will helm three of the initial artist specific channels from WMG. Check out some of the other programming they have planned below:
The Drop – A hang where hosts and audience talk about the latest news from the world of music with special guests and performances.
Freestyle Throwdown – Twitch rappers have to impress the panel with their skills, while playing the hottest games. They’ll have to concentrate hard since the audience chooses their topics and have a say in who wins.
The One – Every artist has “the one” – the combo of another artist and song that inspired them to be part of the music world. Guest artists will perform these songs and take audience questions, as well as meet up-and-coming Twitch musicians that they have inspired in turn.
