TikTok Strikes Licensing Deal with Rotana Music Group

11 January 2023 - Press release

Rotana Music Group - part of Rotana Group - is the Arab World’s leading independent label

Agreement covers a renowned repertoire in one of the fastest growing and most dynamic music markets

Rotana Music Group and TikTok have announced a licencing agreement for using Rotana’s massive Arab music catalogue. 

Rotana’s portfolio includes many of the most prominent and beloved artists across the Arab world, including: Mohamad Abdo, Abdulmajeed Abdullah, Rabeh Saqer, Rashed Al Majed, Abdullah Al Ruwaished, Nawal Al Kuwaitia, Majid Al Mohandis and other stars from the Gulf region; and Amr Diab, Elissa, Tamer Hosny, Najwa Karam, Shereen Abdalwahab, Angham, Wael Kfoury, Saber Al Robae, and others from the Levant, Egypt and North Africa. 

TikTok is hugely popular across the Middle East and North Africa with a thriving community using the platform to share their love of music, sport, comedy, trends, fashion and the diverse culture that makes the region so unique.  

Mr. Salem Al Hendi, CEO, Rotana Music Group, added: "we at Rotana are very thrilled with this licensing agreement, which will facilitate Arab Music reach into the MENA music industry and young communities. The creative culture in MENA is so vibrant and diverse, and this agreement will enhance the exchange of music content, while promoting and supporting local artists on a proven leading platform for short-form videos.

Hari Nair, Head of Music - Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said:
“As TikTok continues to grow across the Middle East and North Africa, becoming a cultural force in the region, we’re delighted to bring the biggest independent catalogue to our platform.  Rotana Music Group represents some of the greatest names in music, spanning multiple genres and countries and we know our community will be inspired by this repertoire for their own video creations.  TikTok is committed to licensing and ensuring a broad, diverse range of sounds in our library for our global community to enjoy.”

Highly influential, Rotana is home to Saudi legend Mohamad Abdo and counts among its catalogue seven of the artists named to Forbes Middle East’s list of Top 10 Arab Singers– a list curated based on the artist’s brand popularity and social media reach.  Among them, Egyptian megastar Amr Diab has had five top ten albums on Billboard’s World Albums chart. 

Established in 1993, Rotana Music Group is the largest record label and music repertoire holder in the Arab world., the company is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with branches in Jeddah, Dubai, Kuwait, Cairo, and Beirut.