Universal Music Group (UMG), home to renowned artists like Taylor Swift and Drake, has reached a new licensing agreement with the popular social media platform TikTok.
This deal brings an end to the recent dispute between the two entities, which had led to the removal of UMG artists’ music from TikTok earlier this year.
UMG announced the resolution in a statement on Thursday, highlighting that the licensing agreement would facilitate the return of its artists’ music to TikTok’s platform.
This comes after TikTok removed songs from UMG artists due to the failure to reach a consensus on content licensing terms, resulting in a public disagreement between the companies.
The dispute escalated when UMG accused TikTok of engaging in bullying tactics and intimidation during contract negotiations.
UMG also raised concerns about TikTok’s proposed payment rates to artists and songwriters, which it deemed significantly lower than those offered by other major social media platforms.
A core issue in the conflict was TikTok’s alleged allowance of unauthorized artificial intelligence-generated songs on its platform, undermining artists’ intellectual property rights.
UMG criticized TikTok for being “flooded with AI-generated recordings,” leading to contentious discussions over content moderation and artist compensation.
The new licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok aims to address these concerns by enhancing remuneration for songwriters and artists, providing promotional opportunities, and implementing industry-leading protections against generative AI usage.
Lucian Grainge, UMG’s chairman and CEO, emphasized the agreement’s focus on supporting music value, human artistry, and the creative community’s welfare.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, expressed commitment to collaboration, stating that the platform is dedicated to driving value, discovery, and promotion for all of UMG’s artists and songwriters.
Both parties pledged to collaborate on AI development initiatives to ensure artists receive fair compensation for their work and to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from TikTok’s platform.
