Hook Secures Universal Music Group Deal to Expand Licensed Remix Catalog

Hook, the AI‑powered remixing app that lets creators slice licensed tracks into minute‑long clips for Instagram and TikTok, has secured a major licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. The deal brings the catalog of UMG’s flagship sublabels—Republic Records, Capitol Records, Virgin Music Group and others—into Hook’s library, giving fans a broader selection of songs for short‑form mash‑ups.

The agreement builds on a relationship that began in 2024 when Hook first approached UMG to fine‑tune its product for artists. In a Variety interview, CEO Gaurav Sharma said the company spent two years working with UMG to address “security needs” and to prove that artists could keep control over their master recordings while fans remix them. Unlike generative‑AI services, Hook’s model uses licensed stems and user‑applied filters to produce short “Hooks” that can be shared on TikTok, Instagram Reels and other short‑form video sites.

Before the UMG partnership, Hook had already licensed tracks from smaller labels such as Glassdoor Records and Downtown Music. The app has featured songs by high‑profile artists including Justin Bieber, Teddy Swims, The Weeknd, Ty Dolla $ign, Kendrick Lamar and Charli × cx. While the addition of UMG is expected to broaden the roster, the parties have not yet revealed which new artists will be immediately available.

UMG executive vice president and chief digital officer Michael Nash said the collaboration is driven by the growing importance of short‑form social media for fan engagement. “Social media platforms have been significantly under‑monetized and substantially disrupted by short format,” Nash said. “We’re eager to collaborate with innovators that are targeting purpose‑built technology to go after some of the predominant use cases that empirically exist right now in the social sphere.”

The partnership fits into UMG’s broader strategy of engaging with AI‑based music tools. Earlier this year, UMG settled a lawsuit with Udio and announced a May deal with Spotify to power the streaming service’s AI remixing and cover tool. UMG and Sony are still pursuing litigation against Suno for alleged copyright infringement. Hook’s licensing model differs from Suno’s generative approach, which has drawn regulatory scrutiny.

Hook is backed by a mix of venture capital, including Khosla Ventures, Point72, Imaginary Ventures and Waverley Capital, the investment arm of former Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. Bronfman told Variety that Hook represents “a unique opportunity to marry technology with an artist’s creative intent.” He contrasted the app’s approach with “generative AI or AI slop,” noting that fans and artists value the authenticity of licensed content.

For creators, the UMG deal expands the pool of legally cleared material that can be transformed into shareable content. Hook’s community‑driven workflow lets users collaborate on “Hooks” and share them within the app before posting to external social networks. According to Sharma, the goal is to give artists a new revenue stream while maintaining ownership of the master recordings.

The agreement also signals a shift in how major labels view user‑generated remixing. By providing a controlled environment where artists retain rights and receive royalties, UMG is testing a model that could reduce the friction that has historically limited fan remixing of copyrighted works.

At present, Hook continues to develop its feature set and expand its catalog under the new UMG licensing framework. The company has not announced a rollout date for the expanded library, but the partnership is expected to become operational in the coming months.