During Grainge's keynote, he delved into details about UMG's newly announced partnership with Spotify to allow for AI covers and remixes.
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group speaks onstage during the Greater Together Los Angeles welcome reception at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on May 19, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. The event brings together changemakers across entertainment, culture, music, sports, technology, healthcare, and business to celebrate existing and forge new partnerships between the United States and the United Kingdom.
Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Greater Together Los Angeles
Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge sat down with Janice Min, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Ankler, as part of the Greater Together LA summit yesterday (May 21). During the keynote conversation, Grainge discussed UMG’s new licensing deal with Spotify that will allow fans to create AI models and remixes of songs from participating artists and songwriters signed to UMG.
The session, titled “Driving innovation through the Power of Artistry,” took place at NYA Studios in Hollywood. The same day in New York City, Spotify hosted its Investor Day presentation, where the streaming giant unveiled the details of that new deal with UMG. Spotify stated the new model will open up additional revenue streams for artists on top of what they already earn via the platform.
