TikTok Ends Battle With Universal By Reaching A Music Licensing Agreement.
Popular music was removed from TikTok and Universal’s social media platforms due to a months-long dispute that was resolved with the announcement of a new licensing agreement on Thursday.
In a joint statement, the firms mentioned that the new agreement would ease worries about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated material on TikTok and provide “improved remuneration” for artists and composers under the Universal Music Group (UMG) umbrella.
According to Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman of Universal, “this new chapter in our relationship” will “drive innovation in fan engagement while advancing social music monetization.”
The agreement “focuses on the value of music, the primacy of human artistry, and the welfare of the creative community,” according to him.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew, similarly said, “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.”
The agreement marks the end of a period of intense negotiations that had broken down earlier this year. During this time, the two industry giants engaged in open criticism, each vying for a stronger position. The resolution of this conflict brings a sense of relief to the music and tech sectors.
Many were worried about losing the marketing potential TikTok may provide when Universal, an artist roster that includes Taylor Swift, Drake, and Billie Eilish, ordered songs from all artists associated with its extensive publishing library to be removed from the app.
The platform muted millions of videos featuring musicians from Universal.
Although the stripped music will now be available again on TikTok, the immensely popular video-sharing app is facing uncertainty just a week after new US legislation forced it to split from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or risk being banned from the US market.
In the US alone, there are 170 million users of the app.
Universal, or TikTok, did not disclose the financial details of the agreement.
Before the release of her most recent album, the strong and well-liked Swift brought back a portion of her music to the app a few weeks ago.
Swift does possess her own master recordings and songwriting rights. However, it’s unclear how she accomplished it exactly. Universal Publishing handles the management of her songwriting rights as well.
The firms claimed in a joint statement that they were “working expeditiously to return music by artists represented by Universal Music Group and songwriters represented by Universal Music Publishing Group to TikTok in due course.”
Credit: CITIZEN DIGITAL
