Universal Music Group‘s catalog will be removed from TikTok as of 31 January 2024.
This decision comes after failed licensing negotiations between the video sharing platform and Universal Music Group (UMG).
The current licensing agreement between the two is set to expire on 31 January, leading to the removal of UMG’s extensive catalog, encompassing approximately 3 million recorded music tracks and around 4 million songs with UMG-represented publishing.
UMG reveals that negotiations broke down due to disagreements on issues, including issues of payment for artists and songwriters, safeguarding artists from AI, and online safety.
This means TikTok users will be missing music from big names including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, the Weeknd, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, SZA, Billie Eilish and Adele to name a few.
In response, TikTok expressed disappointment, accusing UMG of prioritizing “greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.” TikTok emphasized its significant reach, serving as a platform with over a billion users that acts as a free promotional and discovery tool for talent.
TikTok asserted that it has successfully reached “artist-first” agreements with every other label and publisher, framing UMG’s actions as self-serving and not in the best interests of artists, songwriters, and fans.
The removal of UMG’s catalog from TikTok could have substantial implications for both the platform and the music industry at large. We cannot ignore how TikTok alone has been a successful platform when it comes to discovering and promoting music. This success for many artists happened because their music went viral on this platform.
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