Following the disagreement with the giant social media platform TikTok, Universal Music Group (UMG) is set to withdraw its entire song catalog from TikTok due to a failure to agree to licensing terms.
This was expressed. In an open letter, UMG, a major player in the global music industry, accused TikTok of attempting to coerce them into accepting a deal that undervalued their music and failed to reflect the platform’s significant growth. Dated January 30 and addressed to the artist and songwriter community, UMG disclosed that negotiations for a new contract with TikTok had reached an impasse.
Furthermore, it clarified that the contract, which expired on January 31, would not be renewed. UMG cited various factors for their inability to reach an agreement, including the need for fair compensation for their artists and songwriters, protection against AI-generated recordings, and ensuring online safety for users.
UMG criticized TikTok’s proposal to pay artists a fraction of what other major social platforms offer and highlighted the platform’s lack of effective solutions to address content issues like bullying, bigotry, and harassment, including the proliferation of pornographic deepfakes featuring artists.
The music label, home to global stars such as Tiwa Savage, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Drake, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift, alleged that TikTok had attempted to intimidate them by selectively removing music from certain developing artists while keeping top-tier stars on the platform.
In a sharp retort to UMG’s claims, TikTok accused the music corporation of prioritizing greed over the welfare of its artists and songwriters. The dispute between the two entities could have repercussions for TikTok’s one billion users and UMG’s roster of global musicians and songwriters.
Notable foreign stars signed to UMG labels include Drake, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, and Elton John. Nigerian singers signed to the platform include Mr. Eazi, Tekno, Larry Gaaga, and Tiwa Savage. Should the two parties fail to resolve, the music of these artists will be unavailable for use in social media videos, potentially leading to the muting of thousands of existing videos featuring their tracks.
