Photo Credit: TikTok
TikTok has inked a licensing pact with Rotana Music Group to access its impressive roster of Arab artists.
Rotana Music Group has inked a deal with TikTok to enable the short-form video platform to access Rotana’s catalog of Arab music. Rotana’s portfolio includes many of the most prominent artists across one of the most rapidly-growing markets in the music industry.
“We at Rotana are very thrilled with this licensing agreement, which will facilitate Arab music’s reach into the MENA music industry and young communities,” says Salem Al Hendi, CEO of Rotana Music Group. “The creative culture in MENA is so vibrant and diverse, and this agreement will enhance the exchange of music content while promoting and supporting local artists on a proven leading platform for short-form videos.”
Highly influential in the Arab music world, Rotana counts among its roster seven of the artists named in Forbes Middle East‘s list of Top 10 Arab Singers, which is curated based on artist brand popularity and social media reach. Egyptian superstar Amr Diab is among them, having had five top-ten albums on Billboard’s World Albums chart.
Rotana features many other Egyptian and North African artists, such as Elissa, Tamer Hosny, Najwa Karam, Shereen Abdalwahab, Angham, Wael Kfoury, Saber Al Robae, and many more. Other prominent artists in Rotana’s catalog include Mohamad Abdo, Abdulmajeed Abdullah, Rabeh Saqer, Rashed Al Majed, Abdullah Al Ruwaished, Nawal Al Kuwaitia, and Majid Al Mohandis.
“As TikTok continues to grow across the Middle East and North Africa, becoming a cultural force in the region, we’re delighted to bring the biggest independent catalog to our platform,” says Hari Nair, head of music for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia at TikTok.
“Rotana Music Group represents some of the greatest names in music, spanning multiple genres and countries. We know our community will be inspired by this repertoire for their own video creations. TikTok is committed to licensing and ensuring a broad, diverse range of sounds in our library for our global community to enjoy.”