*Universal Music Group will no longer license music on TikTok.
The major music label is removing all songs from the platform by songwriters and artists like Taylor Swift, Drake, and BTS starting Wednesday (Jan. 31).
In an open letter released, UMG said its music licensing agreement with TikTok expires on Wednesday, and new terms have not been negotiated. According to the label, TikTok accounts for about 1% of UMG’s revenue.
“In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues—appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users,” the open letter stated.
“TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” it continued. “Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”
UMG also claims that “TikTok is allowing the platform to be flooded with AI-generated recordings—as well as developing tools to enable, promote and encourage AI music creation on the platform itself – and then demanding a contractual right which would allow this content to massively dilute the royalty pool for human artists, in a move that is nothing short of sponsoring artist replacement by AI.”
The label claims the popular social media app attempted to “bully us into accepting a deal.”
TikTok responded in a statement, slamming UMG’s “false narrative.
“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” read the statement, per USA Today. “Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.”
TikTok’s statement continued: “TikTok has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans.”
READ MORE: Self-snitching ‘Storage Unit’ Couple Kicked Out After TikTok Video Goes Viral | Watch
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
