UNIVERSAL MUSIC GREATER CHINA ACQUIRES ICONIC GOLDEN-ERA MANDOPOP CATALOG FEATURING ‘LITTLE TIGERS’, JOHNNY CHIANG AND LEGENDS OF TAIWANESE MUSIC

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GREATER CHINA ACQUIRES ICONIC GOLDEN-ERA MANDOPOP CATALOG FEATURING ‘LITTLE TIGERS’, JOHNNY CHIANG AND LEGENDS OF TAIWANESE MUSIC

Announcement took place at UMGC’s inaugural China Summit in Beijing which brought together artists, digital music platforms, film and TV production companies, and more

UMGC’s China Summit takes place as China became the fourth largest recorded music market in 2025.

BEIJING, CHINA — June 8th, 2026 — Universal Music Greater China (UMGC), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced the acquisition of the celebrated Carrier Creative catalog. The transaction sees UMGC acquire the recorded rights of some of the most iconic artists and beloved groups of the 1980s and 1990s golden era of Chinese-language popular music, and marks the first catalog acquisition by UMGC in the region.

The acquisition includes repertoire from legendary group Little Tigers (小虎队), acclaimed singer-songwriter Johnny Chiang (姜育恒), as well as influential youth-pop and celebrated acts including You Huan Pai Dui (忧欢派对), Hong Hai Er (红孩儿), Girl Group (少女队), Nicky Wu (吴奇隆), Alec Su (苏有朋), and many other defining artists of the classic Mandopop era. Widely regarded as one of the foundational catalogs of the modern Chinese era, the repertoire helped define the first golden age of Chinese-language youth pop culture, and shaped the emotional memory of multiple generations across the Chinese-speaking world.

The agreement follows a strategic partnership launched in 2025 between UMGC and Skyhigh Entertainment, who previously managed the catalog. The collaboration led to the restoration, remastering, and global streaming relaunch of more than 600 recordings and 66 albums, including 24 classic releases from Little Tigers and Johnny Chiang, reintroducing these defining works of Chinese pop music to a new generation of listeners worldwide.

This announcement was made at UMGC’s 2026 China Summit. The inaugural summit showcased Universal Music Greater China’s latest developments in artist partnerships, international collaborations, digital innovation, brand ecosystems and catalog stewardship through industry discussions, major announcements and live performances, highlighting the deepening connection between China’s music market and the global music industry. The Summit took place following a period of growth which saw China overtake Germany to become the fourth largest recorded music market in 2025, according to the IFPI.

Timothy Xu, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Universal Music Greater China, said: “The Little Tigers, Johnny Chiang and the broader Carrier Creative catalog represent one of the most important chapters in the history of Chinese-language popular music. These songs helped shape the sound, identity and collective memory of an entire generation. We are deeply grateful to Shirley Miao for her trust in placing this extraordinary catalog with Universal Music, and we will honour that trust by preserving its legacy while creating new possibilities for these works in the years ahead.”

Shirley Miao, Founder of Carrier Creative, said: “These songs have been my life’s work. For nearly forty years, I have devoted myself to caring for this catalog and carrying it through different eras. There is a great deal of emotion in finally passing it on. What matters most to me is knowing they are now in the hands of people and a company I truly trust. I believe Tim and the UMGC team will continue to care for these works with the passion, respect, and long-term commitment they deserve.”

Mark Liu, Chief Executive Officer, Skyhigh Entertainment, said: “Our work with Universal Music began with a shared goal: to bring these classics back to listeners in the best possible way. Through careful restoration, remastering and global streaming relaunch, we were able to preserve the warmth and character of the original recordings while suited to today’s digital platforms.”

Nicky Wu (吴奇隆) , member of the iconic group Little Tigers,  said,  “Congratulations to Universal Music, Skyhigh Entertainment, and Carrier Creative on this partnership. I believe Universal Music will carefully preserve the youth and memories we all shared together, while helping these classic songs from Chinese pop music continue to reach more audiences and travel even further for years to come.”

Johnny Chiang (姜育恒), legendary Mandopop singer-songwriter, said, “Looking back on those years, every melody created during the Carrier Creative era remains a precious treasure of its time. I’m very happy to see these timeless classics become part of UMG’s catalog legacy, and I hope they will continue to move new generations of listeners for many years ahead.”

With this acquisition UMGC’s catalog becomes one of the most culturally influential Chinese-language music catalogs in the region. UMGC’s catalogues now span more than half a century and encompass many of the defining classics in the history of Chinese popular music. The addition of the Carrier Creative catalog underlines UMGC’s long-term commitment to preserving and revitalizing culturally important Chinese-language repertoire for new generations of listeners worldwide.

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About Universal Music Group

At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalog of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans.

About Skyhigh Entertainment

Founded in 1999, Skyhigh Entertainment is a Taiwan-based music company established by former UFO Records executive Wu Chu-Chu and renowned songwriter-producer Chen Dali, with veteran music executive Mark Liu serving as Chief Executive Officer. The company has played an important role in the development, management, and distribution of Chinese-language music repertoire across Greater China, including the long-term management of the Carrier Creative catalog. Over the years, Skyhigh has worked with a wide range of influential artists and recordings spanning Mandopop, youth idol culture, and contemporary Asian pop music.