Twitch partners with major labels for DJ programme launch

The Dan Clancy-led company, which has reported a fourfold increase in DJ streaming since 2020, claims this initiative, in partnership with major labels like Universal, Warner and Sony Music, along with independent labels via Merlin, positions Twitch as the premier platform for DJs to “grow and engage with the communities they have built on Twitch within a framework that makes it easier to compensate musicians.”

The programme also seeks to combat the recurring problem of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notices faced by DJs on the platform who incorporate prerecorded music in their sets.

“Money will have to be shared with the labels,” Clancy said. “While free would be preferable for DJs, Twitch intends to split the cost however it emerges.”

Under the new arrangement, a portion of the revenue generated by DJ channels will be allocated to musicians via the music companies representing them, with Twitch covering 50% of royalties and providing a one-year subsidy for existing DJs, while non-monetised streams are exempt.

Clancy said: “It is vital for DJs to recognise that the existing situation on Twitch was not viable long-term, and we needed to find a solution to ensure a sustainable community.”

“Thank you to the Twitch Team for taking the steps to help a complicated issue we DJs have had on the internet,” American selector and producer DJ Jazzy Jeff said. “I’m super excited for the future of DJing for all of us. Thank you Twitch again for supporting the DJs.”

“There is still work to do, but this is a big step forward,” Berlin-based house DJ Anastasia Rose added. “Most DJs want to support the musicians who make the music we perform, but music licensing is complicated and it’s been very difficult to manage. I’m excited to see how this programme can help grow the DJ community on Twitch and beyond.”

The official launch of the DJ Program is set for July or August, with DJs able to opt in without any immediate revenue impact.