Universal Music Group, the largest music label in the world, has decided to pull their artists’ music from the popular social media platform TikTok. As of yesterday, songs by artists signed under Universal are no longer available in TikTok’s music library. This means that creators will no longer be able to use music from some of the biggest musicians in the world, including Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
Universal has accused TikTok of not paying its artists a fair rate and described the platform’s actions as bullying. They claim that TikTok wanted to pay a significantly lower rate compared to what other social media platforms are offering for access to Universal’s vast music catalogue. In an open letter to the artist and songwriter community, Universal claims that TikTok is trying to build a music-based business without paying fair value for the music.
This decision by Universal Music Group, which owns about a third of the world’s music, will have major repercussions on TikTok. The platform will now see a significant decrease in the availability of popular songs, impacting the content creation and user experience on the app.
Culture writers Sarah-Tai Black, Niko Stratis, and Justin Curto joined host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss the implications of Universal’s decision on the future of content creation on TikTok. The removal of Universal’s music from the platform will make it harder for artists to have viral moments, not just for the big names but also for smaller artists signed under Universal’s subsidiary labels.
The negotiation between Universal and TikTok is still ongoing, with both parties trading accusations. Universal has accused TikTok of spreading a false narrative, while TikTok has defended itself, stating that Universal’s claims are not accurate. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to reach an agreement. In the meantime, Warner and Sony Music are also in negotiations with TikTok, indicating a potential trend of labels taking a stand against the platform.
The absence of Universal’s music from TikTok has already created an impact on the platform, with users noticing silent TikToks and a lack of music in their feeds. This decision not only affects the content creators but also the millions of users who enjoy watching and engaging with TikTok videos set to popular music.
As the negotiations continue, it remains uncertain how this situation will ultimately unfold. The outcome will shape the future of music licensing on TikTok and could potentially set a precedent for other social media platforms as well.
