BY J. CLARA CHAN | HollywoodReporter.Com

Troy Warren for CNT

Snapchat users will now be able to access music from major artists and use them via the Sounds tool and on AR Lenses.

Snap inked a multi-year licensing deal with Universal Music Group on Thursday that will bring the label’s entire recorded catalogue to Snapchat.

Snapchat users will now be able to access music from major artists and use them via the Sounds tool, which allows users to add music clips to their Snaps or on their Stories, on augmented reality lenses and in curated playlists. UMG and Snap will also partner to release more artist-branded AR lenses on the platform, which will provide further e-commerce opportunities.

Several UMG artists — including Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber and Olivia Rodrigo — have previously used Snapchat to create their own lenses or otherwise promote their music and merchandise, leveraging the app’s 500 million monthly users. Rodrigo’s hit song, “Driver’s License,” was used in over 10 million videos and, timed to the release of her May album, Sour, the artist also used Snap’s AR VFX technology to create a Lens that used the sticker graphics from the album cover.

Since launching Sounds last October, Snapchat users have created 521 million videos with Sounds that have collectively received 31 billion views, according to a Snap spokesperson.

“We’ve loved using and partnering with Snapchat over the years! It’s a place where we feel creative and where we can get instant feedback from our followers,” the Jonas Brothers, who are signed with UMG’s Republic Records, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled they are partnering with UMG because more than any of our past posts, now our fans will be able to use our music to engage with each other and across their posts, stories and lenses.”

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