Warner Music Group is betting big on data with the rollout of WMG Pulse—a new analytics app giving its artists and songwriters a real-time window into their careers. The platform is currently in beta with over 100 creators and aggregates streaming performance, fan engagement, and crucial earnings from royalties to sync deals in one spot.
Creator clarity: The move signals a deeper push by WMG under CEO Robert Kyncl and tech chief Ariel Bardin. Both are ex-Google/YouTube, and poised to undertand the intricacies of how to wire the music giant for a more transparent, tech-driven era. Bardin's in-house team built WMG Pulse to demystify the often-opaque world of music data for WMG's roster. Ariel Bardin, WMG’s President of Technology, said the goal is “empowering artists and songwriters with clarity, and helping them make smarter, data-driven decisions with their teams.” This transparency offers artists unprecedented insight, but also further embeds them within WMG’s tech ecosystem—a trade-off to watch out for in any vendor lock-in scenario.
Tech offensive: The Pulse launch is not isolated; it represents one arm of WMG's broader strategy to innovate while fiercely protecting its intellectual property. Thee dual approach shows as WMG simultaneously develops tools and pursues aggressive legal action, such as its recent copyright infringement lawsuit against cookie chain Crumbl. WMG seeks up to $23.85 million from Crumbl for allegedly using WMG tracks in social media promotions without licenses.
AI battle lines: WMG’s protective stance extends into the AI domain, where the company actively shapes regulatory discussion. CEO Robert Kyncl highlighted, “Growing the value of music starts with protecting our artists and songwriters. And today, nowhere is that more crucial than with AI.” His advocacy includes supporting the revised "No Fakes Act" in Washington D.C., which aims to shield artists from unauthorized deepfakes while establishing licensing frameworks.
Calculated control: Pushing for AI safeguards like the "No Fakes Act"—which Kyncl notes has bipartisan and cross-industry support (detailed in this MBW article)—reveals WMG's strategy to manage AI's disruptive potential. By championing protective legislation, WMG intends to define AI's terms of engagement, ensuring creator compensation and responsible development of new revenue streams. This positions WMG not merely as a technology user, but as an architect of its future rules in the music space.