In its latest move to bring its artists’ music into the world of gaming, Universal Music Group (UMG) has announced a collaboration with game development platform HEAT that will bring the music of Lil’ Wayne and CG5 to game developers.
As of May 1, Lil’ Wayne’s Uproar and GO DJ will be available on the Heat platform, as will I See A Dreamer, Sleep Well, Let Me In and Dancin’ by Charlie Green, known online as CG5.
Lil Wayne’s music is released by UMG’s Republic Records, while CG5 is signed with UMG’s Virgin Music Group.
HEAT is an online marketplace for emotes (snippets of code used to create action) and other game elements that brings together animators and 3D artists with game developers. The game elements traded on the platform can be used in gaming engines such as Blender, Unity, and Unreal Engine.
UMG announced the partnership with HEAT on Thursday (March 20) at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
“This initiative with HEAT enables these UMG labels and artists to be the first to effectively distribute new tracks into gaming development tools and platforms, amplifying their engagement with fans, and enabling their music to shape gaming and social experiences and drive virality,” said Alvaro Galbete-Velilla, SVP of New Business at UMG.
“This initiative with HEAT enables these UMG labels and artists to be the first to effectively distribute new tracks into gaming development tools and platforms.”
Alvaro Galbete-Velilla, Universal Music Group
HEAT’s founder and COO, Josh Latin, called the partnership with UMG “the first step in a paradigm shift in how music can be delivered to games. We’re transforming streaming into an interactive experience where fans can play, engage, and create within their favorite virtual worlds.”
John Stavas, CEO of HEAT added: “We couldn’t be more excited to bring these visionary artists’ music into HEAT in collaboration with Republic Records, Virgin Music Group and UMG. This will unlock new creative and commercial opportunities for artists, from AAA games to indie 3D creators building the future of interactive entertainment.”
The video game industry, which has become a major hub for music discovery, was estimated to be worth USD $217.06 billion in 2022. Grand View Research forecasts the industry will see a 13.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030.
However, Reactional Music – a startup specializing in bringing customized, reactive music into video games – estimates that so far, only 0.01% of in-game spending has gone towards music, meaning the music industry has a potentially lucrative market waiting to be tapped into.
“We’re transforming streaming into an interactive experience where fans can play, engage, and create within their favorite virtual worlds.”
Josh Latin, HEAT
Over the past few years, UMG has made significant inroads into the video game industry. In 2023, it launched a music hub called Beat Galaxy on the Roblox gaming platform. Less than a year later, UMG’s Republic launched the Boombox music player in Roblox, enabling in-game music experiences.
APM, the production music company co-owned by UMG and Sony Music Group, struck a deal with the Reactional platform in 2023.
In 2024, UMG also struck a deal with Tuned Global, a business-to-business provider of streaming technology which serves businesses, including game developers, looking to integrate streamed music into their products.Music Business Worldwide
