AliceWarner Music Group (WMG) today announced a long-term licensing deal with music technology specialists MQA.
The agreement – the first between MQA and any major music company – will significantly increase music fans’ access to hi-resolution music globally.
The agreement paves the way for recordings from WMG’s diverse roster of artists and its catalogue to be made available in studio master quality through MQA distributors.
MQA technology delivers master quality audio in a file small enough to stream or download.
MQA music is currently available via High Res Audio, Onkyo Music, e-Onkyo, 7digital, 2L and Technics Tracks and over the coming months, MQA will expand to more streaming platforms and into download stores worldwide.
“This collaboration is a giant step forward for MQA and music fans everywhere,” says Bob Stuart, creator of MQA. “We have been working tirelessly to ensure labels, studios, artists, services and playback partners understand the potential of our technology and the responses have been overwhelming. MQA is about bringing the most authentic sound to music lovers all over the world and WMG is our first major partner to help drive this mission forward.”
“The digital music era has been all about convenience,” adds Craig Kallman, chairman and CEO of WMG’s Atlantic Records. “It is fantastic that we can listen to virtually any song, anywhere, any time. In that process, however, convenience has trumped sound quality and we have got further away from the sound that artists work so hard to create. MQA makes hi-resolution music easy to stream or download to any device. Music fans will love it when they hear it and WMG is thrilled to be partnering with MQA to take the next step in bringing hi-resolution music to consumers across the globe.”