In a move that signals just how seriously brands are betting on music’s cultural power, The Coca-Cola Company and Universal Music Group have joined forces to create a new global record label, real thing records. (rtr). The label, announced this week, is aimed at spotlighting emerging artists from around the world—and strengthening the long-standing relationship between two giants that already know how to sell a feeling.
The project marks what Coca-Cola calls a “new evolution” of its decades-long relationship with music, one that stretches back to jingles and iconic Super Bowl ads. Now, it’s moving from soundtracking culture to trying to shape it—this time, through the lens of talent development.
Joshua Burke, Coca-Cola’s global head of music and culture, said the company’s history is rooted in “deep human connection and cultural resonance.” He said the brand has always been about “breaking barriers and bringing people together across borders and generations.”
With rtr, Coca-Cola is combining its marketing muscle with UMG’s industry infrastructure, hoping to give artists not just exposure, but space. “It’s our intention to let artists shine,” Burke said, “and give them the flexibility to develop their identities with the support of global reach and expertise.”
At its core, rtr is taking a genre-agnostic approach. Its aim? To amplify what it calls “bold, authentic voices”—voices that might not neatly fit into major label templates, but could still resonate across borders and algorithms.
Richard Yaffa, executive vice president of Universal Music Group for Brands, described the move as a natural next step in the companies’ years of collaboration. “With the launch of real thing records., we are taking that vision further,” he said, “joining forces to build a modern label that champions artistry and amplifies emerging voices.”
Both companies see this not as a marketing campaign, but as infrastructure. “The evolution and continued success of our several collaborations stands as a testament to what’s possible when we align creativity with cultural relevance,” Yaffa said.
The label’s first signings are telling.
Max Allais, a French-New Zealand artist with Better Now Records and Universal Music Germany, offers stripped-down, emotionally-driven acoustic pop. He called signing with rtr “surreal,” adding, “It’s a chance to share my music without creative compromise and connect with my fans on a deeper level.”
Then there’s Aksomaniac, an Indian artist working under Def Jam Recordings India, who merges jazz, R&B, and hip-hop with Carnatic influences. “I make music to name things I never had words for growing up,” he said. “real thing records. isn’t asking me to translate or simplify. They’re helping me echo it louder.”
For Coca-Cola, the move reflects a changing understanding of what fans want—and what artists need. “Today artists have a point of view that expands beyond music,” Burke said. “The genesis of real thing records. was identifying this shift.”
Beyond the music itself, rtr is also investing in its aesthetic. The label’s branding was developed by the design studio Forpeople and brought to life visually through collaborations with creative director Ibrahem Hasan and digital experience firm Explorers Club.
What rtr is betting on is that music fans—particularly younger ones—don’t just want hits. They want meaning. Identity. Connection.
Or, as Burke put it, a space where “creativity fuels growth,” and artists “stay rooted in what matters most: music and fandom.”
Whether real thing records. will break new stars or become another glossy brand-meets-art experiment remains to be seen. But in an industry long dominated by traditional gatekeepers, the label is at least attempting something different—where storytelling, reach, and risk all matter.
And for now, it’s aiming to do what Coke has always done best: show up everywhere and hope people feel something.
