Universal Music Group has signed a comprehensive agreement with TikTok, bringing back its artists like Taylor Swift, Drake, and Olivia Rodrigo to the platform’s vast user base of over one billion. UMG had started removing its music from TikTok when the previous contract ended on February 1st.
taylor swift return on tiktok
Earlier this year, TikTok removed songs by Universal Music Group artists due to a disagreement over content licensing. This led to a public dispute as popular music from artists like Taylor Swift and Drake was no longer accessible on the platform owned by ByteDance, a Chinese internet company.
Tiktok and Universal music
UMG claimed that TikTok engaged in bullying and intimidation during contract talks, stating that TikTok suggested compensating its artists and songwriters at a much lower rate compared to other major social platforms.
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Universal removed its music from TikTok in February when the two companies couldn’t agree on royalty fees for Universal artists such as Lady Gaga, Coldplay, and Justin Bieber. Universal claimed that TikTok was attempting to create a music-focused business without fairly compensating for the music.
The company also objected to TikTok promoting AI-generated recordings, as this could greatly reduce the royalties for human artists.
The companies agreed to collaborate under the new agreement to safeguard human creativity and the financial interests of artists and songwriters during the development of AI technology in the music industry.
An early instance of AI-generated deepfake music showcased Universal artists Drake and the Weeknd in a track named Heart on My Sleeve. This music piece was taken down from TikTok, Spotify, and YouTube in April of the previous year. Universal cautioned that unauthorized AI-generated music was depriving artists of their rightful earnings.
The companies announced that the agreement would enhance payment terms for Universal artists, offer fresh promotional chances for recordings and songs, and implement top-notch protections on AI.
