1-2-2024 (SINGAPORE) Universal Music Group (UMG) has decided to withdraw its catalogue of songs from the popular social media platform, TikTok. The licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok expired on Wednesday, January 31, resulting in the removal of music from renowned artists such as Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake, Ariana Grande, and many more. As a consequence, millions of existing TikTok videos that utilize music from UMG’s catalogue may be muted.
The decision by UMG to remove its songs from TikTok comes after the music label alleged that TikTok fails to adequately compensate artists and songwriters. In an open letter addressing the matter, UMG stated that TikTok proposed to pay artists and songwriters at a significantly lower rate compared to other major social platforms. UMG further claimed that TikTok resorted to intimidation tactics during negotiations, selectively removing the music of certain developing artists while still allowing the presence of established global stars.
TikTok, however, disputes these allegations and contends that it has reached agreements with every label and publisher, except for UMG. The social media giant expressed disappointment in UMG’s decision, accusing the music label of prioritizing its own greed over the interests of their artists and songwriters. TikTok emphasized that it serves as a valuable free promotional and discovery platform for talent, with over a billion users. It concluded by highlighting its commitment to an “artist-first” approach and its successful collaboration with other labels and publishers.
The removal of UMG’s catalogue from TikTok will have a significant impact on the platform’s user base, as numerous videos rely on popular songs for their content. TikTok is expected to mute millions of existing videos that make use of UMG’s music once the licensing agreement expires. Artists affected by this decision include Taylor Swift, BTS, Drake, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Karol G, and Post Malone, among others.
TikTok’s rise to prominence has been accompanied by concerns over artist compensation and copyright infringement. This recent development with UMG highlights the ongoing challenges faced by platforms that rely heavily on user-generated content.
