TikTok and Universal Music Group Reach New Agreement That Will See Music Return to the Platform
Soon enough, music as well as all your favourite artists will be making a return to the TikTok streets.
Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok have formed a new partnership that will see all UMG artists (and their songs) be made available for usage on the platform.
A few months ago social media platform juggernaut TikTok and international record label Universal Music Group were embroiled in a highly-publicised disagreement over unfair compensation of its artists by TikTok, which resulted in a bitter split. UMG and TikTok parting ways saw the former pull every song under it from the platform, not only leaving its artists with one less social media avenue to market themselves but also starving content creators of songs they might favour using for future videos.
Among the grievances the record label aired in its open letter directed to its songwriters released in January 2024 was that “TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.” The reigning CEO and chairman of UMG, Sir Lucian Grainge, expressed delight over the new agreement, citing that the amended partnership aims to protect “the welfare of the creative community.”
“This new chapter in our relationship with TikTok focuses on the value of music, the primacy of human artistry and the welfare of the creative community. We look forward to collaborating with the team at TikTok to further the interests of our artists and songwriters and drive innovation in fan engagement while advancing social music monetization,” said Sir Lucian Grainge.
The CEO of TikTok, Shou Chew, expressed favourable sentiments over the new proposal, reiterating the importance of the “promotion of all of UMG’s amazing artists and songwriters.”
“Music is an integral part of the TikTok ecosystem and we are pleased to have found a path forward with Universal Music Group. We are committed to working together to drive value, discovery and promotion for all of UMG’s amazing artists and songwriters, and deepen their ability to grow, connect and engage with the TikTok community,” said Shou Chew.
The new agreement means that subscribers of TikTok and content creators can look forward to hearing UMG-recorded songs and publishing catalogues belonging to the record label on the platform once more.
The new TikTok-UMG deal will also cater for AI-associated protection regarding artists, with the press statement stating that: “TikTok and UMG will work together to ensure AI development across the music industry will protect human artistry and the economics that flow to those artists and songwriters.” With that said, artists will also be protected as TikTok and UMG will be working together to weed out any unauthorised AI-generated song from the social media platform.