Warner Music Debuts ‘Batteries’ in Roblox Under Styngr Tie-Up, Offering Players ‘Time-Based Listening’

Warner Music Group has brought its catalog to Roblox via ‘time-based listening’ under a Styngr partnership. Photo Credit: WMG

Warner Music Group (WMG) is officially releasing “an innovative new music product” in Roblox, allowing players to purchase time-based music access. The major label and Styngr, a self-described developer-focused bridge between “the worlds of music and gaming,” just recently reached out with word of their underlying agreement. As many know, gaming and the wider digital sphere are proving increasingly lucrative, in terms of promotion and straight revenue, for the music space.

Running with that point, WMG under former head Stephen Cooper invested in all manner of related companies, including but certainly not limited to “digital fashion retailer” Dressx and Roblox game developer Supersocial. (Additionally, 2022 brought an initial pact between Styngr and WMG.)

While those initiatives (and other music-adjacent operations) have perhaps been dialed back by current CEO Robert Kyncl, WMG is hardly abandoning the gaming sector. Now, the Overwolf stakeholder has rolled out “Batteries,” or the mentioned Roblox virtual product, with Styngr.

Said product seemingly powers Styngr’s existing “Boombox,” which the company released alongside Universal Music Group and Republic Records this past March.More interesting than the idea of another digital item is what Batteries are designed to do. Roblox, which has a generally young userbase and put its licensing woes in the rearview some time ago, will enable “time-based listening” via its in-game currency with Batteries.

Per the involved companies, “Single Listening Batteries,” as their name suggests, will provide individual players with “weekly-refreshed radio stations of curated tracks.” Meanwhile, the “Party Batteries” counterpart will support the same stations as well as simultaneous listening for up to four players.

Needless to say, based on Roblox’s userbase of 77.7 million daily active users, those purchase options could set the stage for material revenue. Furthermore, Roblox game developers themselves are able to get in on the action with “the opportunity to earn a share of the revenue generated from Battery sales,” WMG and Styngr relayed.

Lastly, regarding the timing of the “strategic rollout” at hand, Roblox’s Super League Entertainment, Pear Studio’s Paradise RP, Play Pal’s oMega Obby, and Toya’s Miraculous LadyBug are already receiving Batteries.

“We’re always looking for ways to expand the reach of music and unlock new opportunities for artists and songwriters,” summed up Allan Coye, WMG’s EVP and global head of recorded music business development. “Music and gaming make for a natural partnership, and we’re excited to work with STYNGR to introduce new music products to fans inside of Roblox.”

Beyond the Styngr union and Batteries debut, Warner Music in early 2023 brought a “music-themed social roleplay experience” called Rhythm City to Roblox.