Boomplay inks deal with Warner Music

The deal gives Boomplay users, spread across several African countries including Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, access to music on Warner Music’s extensive catalogue.

Boomplay, which is owned by China-based Transsnet Music Limited, was launched four years ago and is currently the music streaming colossus in Africa.

"Major deals with internationally recognised partners such as Warner Music continue to push us closer to our aim of building the largest and the most reliable online music distribution platform in Africa,” Boomplay CEO Joe He said. 

“We want every music lover in the region to be able to access any song or video, anytime and wherever they are. We are looking forward to a successful partnership and business continuation with WMG [Warner Music Group] in what are truly exciting times for the African music industry."

The deal follows Boomplay’s licensing of Universal Music’s catalogue, an agreement that brought a trove of songs to Boomplay’s existing catalogue. The implication of the new deal is that of the famed big three recording companies in the world, Sony Music is the sole establishment without a Boomplay streaming deal.

"We're happy to partner with Boomplay to bring our amazing artists' music to millions of listeners across Africa,” said Alfonso Perez-Soto, WMG executive vice-president for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “The streaming service already has tremendous reach across the continent, yet they continue to expand exponentially. It's an opportunity that can't be missed for our artists to make a whole new legion of fans.

"I'd like to thank Warner Music's Charlie White, Marc Latilla and Reni Adadevoh for their unstinting support in helping pull this deal together and get it over the line."

In February, Boomplay’s user base exceeded 42 million and its catalogue has now swelled to over five million songs. Last year, a version of the award-winning Boomplay app reached owners of Apple devices.