Universal Music Group (UMG) has ceased licensing music on TikTok, leading to the removal of songs by major artists such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake, and BTS from the platform. Videos featuring music from UMG’s artists are now muted with a message citing copyright restrictions. In an open letter on its website, UMG revealed that the music licensing agreement with TikTok expired, and negotiations for new terms are ongoing. The label cited issues like artist and songwriter compensation, protection from artificial intelligence impacts, and TikTok user safety as hurdles. UMG accused TikTok of trying to coerce them into an unfavorable deal.

The label, representing Swift and Drake, alleges that TikTok proposed paying artists and songwriters a fraction of what other major social platforms offer. TikTok responded, dismissing UMG’s claims as a “false narrative” driven by “greed.” The platform expressed disappointment that UMG prioritized its financial interests over those of its artists and songwriters. TikTok highlighted its artist-centric agreements with other labels and publishers, emphasizing that UMG’s actions are not in the best interests of the music community.

Notable Artists Under UMG

Songs by a multitude of artists, such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake, Bad Bunny, SZA, Rihanna, Adele, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles, and many others, were taken down from TikTok. This removal also impacted music from BTS, Blackpink, J. Cole, Demi Lovato, Kendrick Lamar, and more. The affected artists are under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella, which includes major labels like Capitol Records, Republic Records, Interscope Records, Def Jam Recordings, Abbey Road Studios, Virgin Music Group, Motown, Dreamville, and others.

What is the UMG deal with TikTok?

Universal Music Group (UMG) disclosed that TikTok contributes merely 1% of its total revenue, despite the platform’s significant user base and escalating advertising income. UMG accused TikTok of attempting to strong-arm them into an unfavorable deal during negotiations, offering terms below the previous agreement and falling short of fair market value. UMG’s concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and artist compensation parallel issues raised by the film and television industry during the SAG-AFTRA and writers’ strikes last summer. Additionally, the label alleges that TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is endorsing an influx of AI-generated music and facilitating the development of tools that encourage AI music creation.