Facebook ramps up music strategy in Europe

Facebook’s music strategy, revealed by way of a handful of interestingly-worded job ads, has been raising a number of red flags of late.

Throughout this year Facebook has announced eight new positions to assemble a team of music industry professionals.

Lead by ex-lawyer Tamara Hrivnak, who has worked for Warner/Chappell, Google Play and YouTube, Facebook's goal to broker deals with the industry is inching closer and closer.

Facebook previously advertised for positions such as Legal Director, Music Licensing, a Music Business Development Manager and a North America Music Publishing Business Development Lead.

Now, it wants a London-based Music Publishing Business Development Manager with more than six years experience in music partner relationship management.

According to the job ad on Facebook, the social network needs someone to “lead music publisher/society licensing strategy and negotiations with rights-holders in EMEA”, (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

"This role will lead Facebook’s strategy and negotiations with EMEA music publishers and societies, as well as collaborate with our product and media partnerships teams to ensure a coordinated and best-in-class licensing structure," reads the job ad.

The ad follows Facebook's recent call out for a Music Data Analyst, Media Partnerships based at its HQ in Menlo Park, California; as well as its purchase of copyright identification startup Source3 in late July.

It's a welcome move from the company, which is constantly hit with copyright notices from major labels.

In its effort to take on YouTube, Facebook wants to allow users to add music to their uploaded videos without getting into legal problems; but it needs green lights from all rights holders to do so.

Facebook’s path to music has been called nothing more than a vanity project in the past, but looking at its recruitment drive in the past few months alone, the opportunity to connect hundreds of millions of people with licensed music won't be wasted.