Warner Music Corporation (WMG) is once again expanding its involvement in children’s music, this time through an agreement with Yoto, a rapidly growing children’s music and sound platform.
The collaboration started this month with music from Super Simple Songs coming to the Yoto platform. Children’s brand, produced by Toronto-based Skyship Entertainment, already have a partnership with Warner’s Art Music division since 2020. Super Simple Songs has accumulated 38.6 million won subscribers and more 44 billion views ABOVE YouTube.
And starting in 2024, some of WMG’s pop, rock and soul artists will be made available on Yoto’s kids music player. Yoto said in a statement on Thursday (June 8).
Yoto describes its music player as a way to “access the best audio for kids without being exposed to ads, inappropriate content or taking up too much screen time”. (The player has no screen, only the speaker.)
The company says its approach to children’s entertainment is inspired by the Montessori approach to education, moving away from the traditional, orthodox educational approach in favor of tailored personalized lesson plans. with the child’s natural interests and growth rate.
“We are excited to partner with Yoto to bring some of our carefully curated tracks to our growing young audience. Starting with our kids’ classics from Super Simple Songs and expanding to some of the highlights of our broader catalog, we’ll work together to open up new horizons for young users of Yoto,” Kevin Gore, President, WMG Global Portfolio, said in a statement.
Yoto co-founder and CEO Ben Drury said: “Music plays an important role in children’s development, from helping with speech and language development to helping them understand the world around them. . We’re excited to partner with Warner Music Group to bring these legendary children’s music brands to Yoto.”
“The great thing about music and kids is that it is never passive,” added Dom Hodge, Head of Music and Sound at Yoto. “Singing, moving, and playing along has always been a part of how they enjoy music, and we’re excited to partner with Warner Music Group to bring these Yoto Cards to market.”
For WMG, this agreement represents the latest partnership in children’s music. Warner Launch of the Art Music division in 2017, with Gore as President of the division, aims to build a musical home in the genres of classical, jazz, musical, film and children’s music.
“Music plays an important role in children’s development, from helping with speech and language development to helping them understand the world around them.”
Ben Drury, Yoto
In 2018, the Department of Arts signed a contract with Sesame Workshopnon-profit organization that produces long-term programming Sesame Street television show, to relaunch Sesame Street Records in the United States and Canada.
The result of that deal was a large catalog of Sesame Street recordings that were available to download and stream. The deal also includes many new compilation titles available on vinyl and CD.
The following year, WMG Music Arts and Music Warner Chappell in partnership with Build-a-Bearcompany behind the popular customizable teddy bears, to launch Build-a-Bear Records.
Also in 2019, WMG partnered with TV production company Cloudco Entertainment to make a mark for music from Holly HobbyHulu live-action children’s show.
“Starting with our kids’ classics from Super Simple Songs and expanding to some of the highlights of our broader catalog, we’ll work together to open up new horizons. for young users of Yoto.”
Kevin Gore, Warner Band
WMG follows that up in 2020 with agreement with Fred Rogers Productionscompany behind Daniel Tiger’s NeighborhoodInheriting the famous animation for the legendary children’s show Mr. Rogers .’s Neighborhood.
The deal makes music from the show available on a variety of digital services in the United States and around the world.
Also in 2020, Warner Arts Music Division signed an agreement with toy manufacturer Mattelwhereby Warner became the exclusive distributor of more than 1,000 songs from Mattel brands such as American Girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels and Thomas & Friends.
Yoto launched the first-generation player on Kickstarter in 2019 and quickly sold out. The company said the second-generation player was released in 2020, and sales of that player have “sprung up” during the pandemic. Yoto Mini, the portable version of the player, is coming in late 2021, and the third-generation player, with more memory and longer battery life, will be released on June 15.
The third-generation player will retail for $119.99 in the US and £99.99 in the UK.Global Music Business
