As Vivendi lists Universal Music, the streaming boom’s end is near

FROM “GOLD DIGGER”ABBA to “Money, Money, Money”, Vivendi’s shareholders have lots of tunes to whistle as they stroll to the bank. On February 13th the French conglomerate announced plans to spin off Universal Music Group, its most valuable asset and the world’s largest record label. Vivendi and Tencent, Universal’s Chinese co-owner, will each retain a 20% stake, with the rest distributed among Vivendi’s shareholders.Universal, which owns the rights to those Kanye and classics, among other discographies, will be the second big label to go public. Warner Music Group did so last June. Its value has since risen by 28%, to $20bn. Vivendi expects Universal’s to exceed €30bn ($36bn).