Universal Music Group inks exclusive global partnership with kids' content provider Moonbug Entertainment

By Emmanuel Legrand

Kid's content specialist Moonbug Entertainment and Universal Music Group (UMG) have agreed to an exclusive global partnership, which will see UMG providing worldwide distribution, publishing and licensing for the Moonbug Music label and its kids and family music catalogues.

  In a statement, the companies said the multi-year partnership "will see the companies work closely together to reach new audiences globally, explore new opportunities to improve the accessibility of kids music for parents as well as infants, toddlers and other key learning phases through optimisation of voice-activated technology and in-home devices, playlisting and other innovations."

  UMG will also work closely with Moonbug "to maximise the impact of its catalogue" through sync and licensing, through Universal Music Publishing (UMPG) worldwide.  

Expand the possibilities of Moonbug's music content

   Moonbug Entertainment popular shows include 'CoComelon' (pictured, below) and 'Little Baby Bums', which currently generate more than 150 million monthly streams across Moonbug brands.

  "We could not be more thrilled to partner with a respected and influential industry powerhouse like Universal Music Group to expand the possibilities of our music content," said René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO of Moonbug Entertainment. "Music plays a critical role not only in our company’s growth strategy but also in childhood development. We look forward to the possibilities for our already popular nursery rhymes and songs, and the new music that we’ll produce together."

  Through this agreement, UMG intends to capitalise on the increase in kids' music consumption across streaming services in the past two years, in particular through the adoption of voice-enabled devices.

Tremendous growth in the kids and family segment

  "We are delighted to partner with Moonbug Entertainment, reinforcing UMG’s position as the leading distributor and publisher of kids music globally," said UMG Chairman & CEO Lucian Grainge. "We have seen tremendous growth in the kids and family segment in recent years, thanks to advances in streaming and voice-technology. We look forward to working with Rene and the talented Moonbug team to amplify the reach of their catalogue to families around the world, and to further improve the accessibility of music for children of all ages."

  UMG added that through this exclusive agreement, the Vivendi-owned company will "leverage its world-leading expertise in publishing, distribution and its unparalleled global network of 300+ partners and DSPs to bring Moonbug’s library of great audio entertainment to families all over the world, reaffirming UMG’s position as the global market-leader for Kids and Family music of all ages, supported by UMG’s operations worldwide."