Roblox Partners With Sony Music to Bring Artists Into Metaverse

Digital platforms like Roblox and Fortnite have become new venues for virtual musical performances throughout the past year, and will continue to be important avenues for artists to connect with fans even as in-person shows return.

In order to continue to build immersive experiences for fans and enable artists to reach wider audiences, Roblox has officially partnered with Sony Music Entertainment, following the announcement of a similar agreement with BMG last month. Roblox has already successfully collaborated with Sony Music on a Lil Nas X concert last November, as well as Zara Larsson’s Launch Party in May.

Music licensing will be an increasingly important consideration for these types of virtual experiences as music is distributed online. Roblox is already facing a lawsuit from the National Music Publishers' Association over potential copyright infringements on the platform, and it’s now clearly taking more official routes when it comes to agreements with music labels.

“Sony Music has been a fantastic partner and I am pleased to deepen and lengthen our relationship. They truly understand the massive opportunity that the metaverse presents for their artists and we are committed to helping them unlock new creative and commercial opportunities on Roblox,” said Roblox Vice President and Global Head of Music Jon Vlassopulos in a statement. “We are just scratching the surface of what Roblox can deliver to the music industry and to music fans around the world.”

Dennis Kooker, President of Global Digital Business and U.S. Sales at Sony Music Entertainment, added: “With this new agreement, we look forward to expanding our successful partnership with the Roblox team to further unlock commercial opportunities at the intersection of music and gaming. Immersive online environments represent a meaningful opportunity for reaching a growing number of fans who want to use virtual communities to enjoy shared music experiences.”