Spotify and Universal Music Group have announced a new, multi-year direct licensing pact that will cover the United States and several other companies, according to a Sunday release. "When we first presented our vision for the next stage in the evolution of music subscription several months ago -- Steaming 2.

Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, and streaming behemoth Spotify on Sunday announced a multi-year direct deal that will affect both recording and publishing royalty rates.