MQA announces licensing deal with Universal Music Group

The headline says it all. After landing Warner Music Group back in May of last year, MQA have Universal Music Group (UMG) all signed and sealed on a multi-year contract to license their “extensive catalogue of master recordings”.

From the press release: Mike Jbara, CEO of MQA, commented, “We’re very pleased to be working with Universal Music to achieve our goal of moving studio-quality sound into the mainstream. Universal’s timeless catalogue and impressive artist roster will fuel music streaming services worldwide and enable the premium listening experience for all music fans.”

Also from the press release: Michael Nash, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy at UMG, said, “The promise of Hi-Res Audio streaming is becoming a reality, with one service already in the market and several more committed to launching this year. With MQA, we are working with a partner whose technology is among the best solutions for streaming Hi-Res Audio, and one that doesn’t ask music fans to compromise on sound quality for convenience. We’re looking forward to working with Mike and his team at MQA to make our industry-leading roster of artists and recordings available to music fans in the highest quality possible.”

The upshot? We’ll soon see UMG-sourced studio masters streaming via Tidal and (perhaps) made available for download via online retailers.

Did someone say, “The Beatles”?

For a list of artists presently signed to Universal, go here.

Two down, one to go (Sony).

Further information: MQA