Universal Music Group has solidified a multi-year agreement with Even, a direct-to-fan platform that facilitates early access to content, community engagement, and chart-eligible physical and digital sales. The partnership builds on previous pilot successes with Interscope artist J. Cole, whose ‘Forest Hills Drive’ anniversary and ‘The Fall-Off’ pre-release campaigns utilized the infrastructure to drive high-value fan transactions. By integrating Even’s resources across its roster, UMG aims to standardize how its labels capture superfan data and revenue outside traditional DSP streaming models.
This move signals a distinct strategic shift for UMG—and arguably the wider major label system—away from building proprietary ‘superfan’ apps in-house, a path Warner Music Group has struggled with recently. Instead, UMG is constructing a decentralized ecosystem of specialized startups, evidenced by this deal and its recent stake in the listening party platform Stationhead. This approach allows the major to leverage agile, third-party innovation to solve the monetization gap without shouldering the technical debt of platform maintenance.
Curated by MusicResearch.com from Music Ally. Read the full article at: UMG strikes a deal with direct-to-fan startup Even
