Hook secures Universal Music Group licensing to power AI-driven fan remix app

Hook, launched in 2024 as an AI-powered remixing tool, has formalized a broader licensing arrangement with Universal Music Group, granting access to a wide range of artists from its various sublabels. The partnership builds on a multi-year relationship in which UMG pushed Hook to refine its product to satisfy artist security requirements, a point emphasized by CEO Gaurav Sharma. Fans can now apply filters to licensed songs and produce short “Hooks” for platforms like TikTok, with the original artists retaining ownership and earning revenue from each use.

The app already collaborates with labels such as Glassdoor Records and Downtown Music and features tracks by major names, a roster that will grow under the new UMG deal. UMG executive Michael Nash cited the untapped revenue potential of short-form video, while former Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr., an investor, praised the model as a sustainable blend of technology and artistic intent. The deal arrives as the music industry navigates ongoing litigation against AI generators like Suno and expands its AI remix capabilities through a separate partnership with Spotify.