Universal Music Group’s creative arm °1824 is taking live music further with a new Twitch channel designed to amplify events and reach fans worldwide.

Universal Music Group is doubling down on livestreaming by launching a new channel on Twitch. UMG’s in-house creative team, °1824, has unveiled Universal Music Live. It’s a brand-new Twitch channel built to bring music events, artist conversations, performances, and cultural moments to fans everywhere, beyond the venue itself.

If the world’s biggest music label is launching a Twitch channel, it’s a clear signal that livestreaming is now a key part of the strategy for artists today.

Universal Music Live

Universal Music Live is all about access. The channel is designed to extend the life and reach of real-world music events, giving fans access to moments that would otherwise be limited to those inside the venue itself. 

“Universal Music Live will extend the reach of our live events far beyond their physical locations, opening new opportunities for fans around the world to engage with the artists they love. This initiative is designed to elevate the fan experience by offering unprecedented access, rewarding our artists’ most dedicated supporters on a truly global scale, and are excited to expand our collaboration with the team at Twitch.”

Todd Goodwin, Senior Vice President, Culture Marketing & Creative Strategy and Head of °1824

°1824’s role

°1824 is UMG’s central hub for livestream production in the US. The division has been influential in the growth and success of UMG’s relationships with Twitch. Plus, its young team of creatives help ensure artists can tap into youth culture. It has already produced hundreds of live broadcasts across a wide mix of artists, including Doechii, NAV, Benee, Lexa Gates, Tucker Wetmore, Dierks Bentley, Gryffin, Coco Jones, GIRLSET and many more. That experience now feeds directly into Universal Music Live.

The mission goes beyond simply streaming events though. °1824 will also help artists build and grow their own presence on Twitch and through livestreaming, offering support across marketing and production strategy.

Livestreaming’s growth

UMG’s move also highlights livestreaming’s growing role in the music industry. After gaining prominence in the pandemic, when live in-person performances were impossible, livestreams have stuck around.

Artists continue to use livestreams to share the experience beyond the venue walls, while platforms are investing more heavily in music-focused features and licensing structures. Just take a look at Tomorrowland’s record viewership on their TikTok livestream in 2025, and Ed Sheeran’s exclusive TikTok livestream for his most recent album. Twitch has also evolved into a serious music space, signing licensing deals with labels back in 2024 that made it easier for DJs to perform live while getting paid on the platform.

Twitch are finally paying musicians for DJ livestreams!

Now, UMG is leaning into that further with a dedicated channel that aims to empower its roster of artists. 

Universal Music Live’s debut stream will premiere live from the UMG GRAMMY Afterparty’s red carpet on February 1 at 9pm PST, and will be exclusively live on Twitch at twitch.tv/universalmusiclive.

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