Universal Music Group, Republic Records, & STYNGR Bring Boombox to Roblox - Pioneering Opportunities for Labels and Players

For the first time ever, all in-platform streams will count towards the Billboard charts

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SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG) and Republic Records are proud to announce the launch of Boombox - the first scaled music product across the Roblox platform. An industry and platform first, Boombox, which is designed and powered by Styngr represents the foremost opportunity for labels to dynamically launch playlists and integrate them into the gaming space. Boombox launches with South Korean sensation TWICE on their TWICE Square experience, which is the most visited music experience in Roblox history.

Boombox presents a pioneering opportunity for music labels to curate, distribute, and monetize their offerings on Roblox. This is achieved via STYNGR's innovative ad-supported portable music player, which also plays a significant role in augmenting the digital personas of the players - a crucial element within the evolution of gaming identity.

The result of an extensive, year-long collaborative effort involving UMG, Roblox, STYNGR, and Super League teams, the development of the backend technology for Boombox represents a remarkable step forward and marks an industry milestone.

With recent success on the Roblox platform following UMG's launch of groundbreaking music hub Beat Galaxy and Republic Records and TWICE's launch of TWICE Square - Boombox is set to evolve the way that superfans engage with their favorite music, artists and labels - with the company continuing to pioneer metaverse-native music discovery.

Boombox will initially launch within Republic's TWICE Square - introducing a distinctive social multiplier effect in the gaming environment. Players can share and collectively enjoy music, with each instance of music playback being a monetizable event for the contributing labels and artists with Billboard eligible play events via STYNGR's integration with Luminate.

Whilst Republic's TWICE Square holds the distinction of being the inaugural adopter of Boombox, the strategy includes a phased rollout across some of the most engaging experiences on the platform over the forthcoming year, reaching across 3,500 experiences using Super League's developer tools.

TWICE, a globally recognized girl group represented by JYP Entertainment, have always sought to bridge the gap between themselves and their international fans. This collaboration with UMG, Republic Records and Roblox achieves that by breaking geographical boundaries and integrating music, technology and fan interaction.

For labels, Boombox encapsulates the future of fan interaction - whilst for developers and advertisers, this addition will ensure reach and engagement with new audiences across the Roblox platform.

"By integrating Boombox, UMG solidifies its position as a vanguard of music innovation within the gaming sector. This integration not only enhances super-fan experiences on the platform but does so with an extensive array of fully licensed music from UMG's global roster of artists and labels, setting a new standard for how music can be integrated into the platform for the entire sector," said Alvaro G. Velilla, Senior Vice President, New Business at UMG.

"As we continue to build creative marketing and innovative concepts for our artists, it's important to identify fan connections and elevate their experiences with new technologies. This Boombox partnership was a logical next step in helping fans discover the music they love, all the while, ensuring artists are properly recognized for their art in this space. We're incredibly proud of our efforts with STYNGR, Roblox and Super League, and of course TWICE and our partners at JYP Entertainment, to bring this innovative technology to life," said Tim Hrycyshyn, SVP, Digital Strategy, Republic Records.

"Republic Records and TWICE have built a wildly entertaining Roblox experience that has captured the attention of their fans. Our goal with Boombox is to expand the immersive capabilities of music within TWICE Square and any experience within Roblox that wants to leverage the power of major label music. Additionally, thanks to our partnership with Luminate, this will be the first time play events in gaming experiences will count towards the Billboard Charts," added Alex Tarrand, COO of STYNGR.

As Boombox will be unveiled in TWICE Square, fans are invited to join the launch and be among the first to experience this innovative collaboration with their own Boomboxes. For more information about the product release and the TWICE Square event, please visit the official Republic Records website or TWICE Square on Roblox.

About Universal Music Group
At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information on Universal Music Group visit www.universalmusic.com.  

About Republic Records
Republic Records, a division of Universal Music Group, is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and leading superstar artists. Republic is known to be innovative, progressive, and driven by its passion for music and commitment to the artists it represents.

About TWICE Square
In TWICE Square, a space inspired by the nine-member South Korean girl group under JYP Entertainment, TWICE. Players, who can trade TWICE-themed items (including plushies inspired by each member) can escape the "Set Me Free" Escape Room, write notes to TWICETest your TWICE knowledge while racing the clock, or dance using emotes made with TWICE choreography.

About Roblox
Roblox's mission is to bring the world together through play. By enabling anyone to imagine, create, and have fun with friends as they explore millions of immersive 3D experiences, all built by a global community of developers.

About STYNGR
The STYNGR platform bridges the worlds of music and gaming, providing globally licensed music with access to 100 million+ major label & indie tracks. STYNGR's proprietary technology, SDKs, and licensing structure simplify the delivery of music, user analytics, label rights, publishing, and royalty payments for major gaming platforms. See more at: https://www.styngr.com/

About Super League
Super League is a leading creator and publisher of content experiences and media solutions across open gaming platforms and the immersive web. With an expansive footprint across Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite Creative, the company specializes in building unique digital spaces for global brands that are designed to engage Gen A and Gen Z. A global leader and strategic marketing and operating partner, Super League ensures brands and intellectual property owners achieve impactful outcomes in this fast-growing, critical segment of the digital landscape. Learn more at superleague.com.

SOURCE Universal Music Group