Functional Music

Deezer and Universal Music have reached an agreement to change the monetization model for ambient sounds and non-music content on the streaming platform. The new model, branded as “artist-centric,” will demonetize certain non-artist audio and replace it with Deezer’s own functional music. Streams by professional artists, defined as those with a certain number of monthly streams and unique listeners, will count for double. Despite the potential benefits for professional artists, critics argue that the model may overlook independent and avant-garde musicians. The agreement aims to address fraudulent activities and gaming behaviors on the platform.