In a massive blow to users and creators of TikTok, Universal Music Group has announced that it will be pulling its artists’ music from the video platform due to contract disagreements between the two companies. As a result of this dispute, music by Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, and so many more will be taken off the app.
Mum help, the billion dollar businesses are fighting and it’s ruining my doom-scrolling.
What’s going on between Universal Music and TikTok?
The reason why so many artists’ music is allowed on TikTok is due to a contract agreement between the social media platform and Universal Music Group that means TikTok compensates artists for the right to use their tracks.
Three years ago Universal and TikTok entered a global agreement, that at the time the music giant spoke highly about.
“This alliance sets an industrywide example of social media companies acknowledging, respecting and compensating the music creators whose songs are instrumental to their platforms. We appreciate TikTok’s partnership and look forward to working together to provide support and opportunities to our songwriters,” said a spokesperson in 2021.
However as the agreement comes to an end today, this positive sentiment also seems to have concluded.
In an open letter titled “Why We Must Call Time Out on TikTok” Universal spoke out about the tactics being used by TikTok in discussions about artist compensation for using their music, which the letter said utilised “indifference” and “intimidation”.
Universal say it wants artists to be properly paid for when songs are used on TikTok, and alleged that the new agreements posed by the app didn’t meet its “responsibilities” as a managing company.
“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth,” wrote the open letter.
Universal stated that this bullying and intimidation manifested in TikTok taking down music by developing artists, while promoting the music by Universal’s “audience-driving global stars”.
As a result, when the contract ends on January 31, 2024, Universal will not renew its licence with TikTok, and all its artists’ music will be removed from the platform.
But like, does it really matter? It’s just one music company, how could that really impact TikTok?
What artists will have their music removed from TikTok?
In case you aren’t sure of just how any artists who work with Universal and will have their music taken off TikTok, here’s just one name to help the severity sink in: Taylor Swift.
That’s right, due to the disagreement between the two groups, suddenly all those TikTok edits that use “The Archer” by Taylor Swift and “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius will be banned.
@neverxonxtime are you kidding. || #notstrongenough #thearcher #taylorswift #boygenius #foryou #foryoupage #fyp ♬ original sound – ☆
And it’s not just Queen Tay’s music that TikTokers will be losing.
Here’s a few more names that show the scale of artists that Universal Music Group manage for:
- Bad Bunny
- Olivia Rodrigo
- The Weeknd
- Alicia Keys
- SZA
- Sting
- Drake
- Billie Eilish
- Kendrick Lamar
- Harry Styles
- Ariana Grande
- Justin Bieber
- Lana Del Ray
- Adele
- U2
- Elton John
- Coldplay
- Bob Dylan
- Post Malone
- ABBA
- Guy Sebastian
- Ice Spice
- Justin Timberlake
- Lil Nas X
- Mumford and Sons
- 2Pac
- Shawn Mendes
- Nicki Minaj
And this isn’t even CLOSE to the full list, because that is HUGE y’all — peep it here!
What does this mean for the future of TikTok and the music industry?
It’s genuinely a huge move from Universal, and the effects that it will have on the music industry going forward could be massive. Truth is we aren’t sure about the potential flow on effects.
If other companies such as Sony Music or Warner Music decide not to renew their contracts with TikTok either, then the landscape of TikTok could be forever changed. Depending how TikTok responds to this open letter, they may or may not follow.
In terms of music itself, it could potentially mean that music producers stop trying to make songs that only have a catchy 15-second hook and are otherwise trashhhhhh. We can dream.
@behindthewalltv Replying to @behindthewalltv is TikTok Ruining Music? Let me know what you think #tiktokers #viralsong #hitsong #popmusic #tiktok #tiktoktrend #songwriter #lizzo #aboutdamntime #juliamichaels @juliamichaels @danielswall @lizzo ♬ original sound – Behind The Wall
But at the end of the day, TikTok is a company worth USD $66 billion and Universal Music Group is worth USD $55 billion. They’re going to be fine.
The majority of artists who are with Universal is not going to suffer financially, because they hardly make anything from the app relative to what they already own. Think about it, Taylor Swift’s and Justin Bieber’s money is not from TikTok. They’ll be fine too.
And as for TikTok, it’s always pushed the rules around copyright.
Chances are you won’t see licensed audio featuring Universal Music Group artists, but you might start having a bunch of videos with their songs played at double speed.
The people this really sucks for is creators who are now locked out of using the music they love in their content.
That said, constraints force creativity. And God knows my TikTok feed could do with some creativity.
TikTok spam (teehee)
In honour of the contract ending, here’s a bunch TikToks that as of February 1 will NOT have any audio.
@thedood_maverick they told me mav needs to work on his confidence 🥲 #puppy #goldendoodle ♬ What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”] – Billie Eilish
@tenorbuds Well.. now we all know who hurt Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games. #thehungergames #movie #coriolanussnow #fyp #katnisseverdeen #lucygraybaird #balladofsongbirdsandsnakes #hungergames #theballadofsongbirdsandsnakes ♬ Can’t Catch Me Now – from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – Olivia Rodrigo
@coolbabyblue ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT LONG #CapCut #mammamia #layallyourloveonme ♬ Lay All Your Love On Me – From ‘Mamma Mia!’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Dominic Cooper & Amanda Seyfried
@the_relationship_memes relatable! 😂 #relationship #relationshipmemes #boyfriend #girlfriend #meme ♬ Fix You – Coldplay
Enjoy them before they’re gone, folks.
