ESMAA, has reached a groundbreaking music licensing agreement with Anghami, the leading MENA-focused streaming platform. This partnership marks a significant moment for the region’s music industry, as it represents the first deal of its kind between international independent music publishers and a local streaming service in the MENA region.
ESMAA represents the extensive catalog of MENA-based music publisher PopArabia, including a wealth of Arabic music and global sub-published repertoire. The organization also manages the rights of IMPEL, a collective representing the digital music publishing rights of 57 independent music publishers across 14 territories, further strengthening its influence in the region.
This collaboration is particularly notable as it follows Anghami’s recent merger with MENA’s Netflix rival, OSN+, solidifying its position as a media powerhouse in the region. The new partnership resolves a legal dispute between ESMAA and Anghami over the streaming of unlicensed music, which had led to a lawsuit filed in December 2022.
A Milestone for Independent Music in MENA
Spek (Hussain Yoosuf), the Founder and CEO of ESMAA and PopArabia, and Executive Vice President of International and Emerging Markets at Reservoir, expressed his enthusiasm about the deal. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that independent music is properly licensed in the region, with Anghami playing a crucial role in making that happen. “We’re in the business of licensing music," Spek said. "Having a domestic player like Anghami come to a resolution with us provides a strong signal to the rest of the industry.”
The agreement is a significant achievement for ESMAA, which has been at the forefront of music rights management in the Gulf since its launch in 2020. In addition to representing PopArabia and Reservoir’s repertoire, the organization administers the rights of major global collecting societies such as SOCAN (Canada), PRS for Music (UK), SESAC, STIM, and SoundExchange.
A Growing Hub for Music Rights Management
Spek emphasized the importance of this deal, noting that it is the first time a local entity in the Gulf has been able to broker a licensing agreement of this magnitude. “This deal brings together not only PopArabia and Reservoir’s repertoire but also the vast majority of the independent music publishing community, including IMPEL’s rights,” he said. This positions ESMAA as a key player in bridging the gap between the global music industry and the Gulf’s rapidly evolving music market.
The agreement comes after years of development in the region's music rights infrastructure. Spek, who founded PopArabia in 2011 after relocating to the Middle East, saw the opportunity to create a regional entity that could fill the licensing gap left by traditional players. ESMAA was born out of this vision, launching in 2020 to provide a comprehensive solution for music rights management in the Gulf.
A Holistic Solution for Music Licensing
One of the major challenges in the Middle East's music industry has been its fragmented market, making licensing difficult. However, Spek believes ESMAA is changing that narrative. "There’s been a sense over the years that licensing in the Middle East is really difficult, and it is, because it’s a fragmented market. ESMAA changes that," he said.
With its growing influence and partnerships with key players like Anghami, ESMAA is poised to become the go-to operational partner for music rights management in the MENA region. As the region’s music market continues to expand, ESMAA is leading the way in creating a more unified, accessible, and efficient licensing ecosystem.
