Image credit: Music Ally
With the great successes that the K-Pop and J-Pop scenes have seen, can we expect other regional music scenes in Asia to follow suit?
UMG has signed an agreement with the Thai label Hype Train Group. Launched at the end of 2020, Hype Train already has Universal Music Thailand as its exclusive distributor. And over the past two years, the label has launched a few new artists who have seen significant success with global distribution reach.
But under this new arrangement, hip-hop producer and Hype Train CEO Nino (real name Krerg Chankwang) is to remain in charge of label signings and its creative output. However, UMG must provide global marketing, digital and development partner support for Hype Train artists and projects.
Hype Train has a few artists who have made waves, including Seedaa The Villain and Sprite. These particular artists have been making waves outside of Thailand on YouTube and other streaming services including TikTok.
Music ally reported early 2020, around 3.5 million people used streaming services in Thailand and 700,000 paid for premium accounts. At the time, Thai digital store Joox reported that 89% of Thai users listened to Thai music rather than international music.
Additionally, Hype Train Group has two sub-tags.
Hype Train features seven artists – most from the hip hop competition show “Show Me The Money 2”: Sprite, Guygeegee, Don Kids, Iceace, Seedaa The Villain, OG Bobby and Eskiimo.
And New Wav.Entertainment which has only two artists: Minymynx and Tamp.
With the might of UMG behind it, these conditions could bode well for Hype Train’s roster. Are we about to see more Thai talent enter the playlists and charts of global streaming services?
