HANGZHOU -- November 13, 2026 -- NetEase Cloud Music (HKEX: 9899) and Sony Music Entertainment announced a multi-year licensing agreement on November 12, renewing a relationship both companies describe as long-standing. The deal gives a platform that reports more than 200 million monthly active users continued access to Sony Music's recorded catalog in China.
The companies did not disclose financial terms, the length of the term or which catalog titles the license covers.
The release names Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Harry Styles, Mariah Carey and Travis Scott among Sony Music's international artists. It also lists Chinese-language acts Jam Hsiao and A-Lin, Japanese artists Hikaru Utada and Kenshi Yonezu, and K-pop acts JENNIE and LISA. It does not say which of these are covered by the new agreement.
NetEase Cloud Music CEO William Ding says the deal will widen the platform's global licensed catalog. He adds that the two companies plan to work together on artist promotion and content co-creation. Andrew Chan, CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Greater China, says the partnership will bring Sony's catalog to more Chinese listeners.
Sony Music's Chinese listeners are a small part of a larger base: NetEase Cloud Music also says it hosts more than 1.25 million independent musicians. On those stated minimums, the platform has roughly 160 monthly active users for each independent musician, by FairsOnline's calculation (200 million divided by 1.25 million). Licensed international catalog is therefore one of the platform's two content sources alongside its original-music community.