TikTok has not only changed the landscape of social networking and the way we consume video, but also that of music. But the situation is complicated. Music is very important on TikTok, and users can use commercial music in their videos thanks to agreements between TikTok and record companies. Deals like Universal Music Group (UMG), one of the largest in the world, published an open letter against TikTok precisely because “our artists and songwriters are provided with adequate compensation, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of the media.” Artificial intelligence and online security for TikTok users.”

Simply put, UMG’s music is about to disappear from TikTok.

Context. TikTok signed a global alliance with Universal Music Group in 2021 that “offers fair compensation for recording artists and songwriters and significantly expands and enhances the existing relationship between the companies,” according to the statement. Likewise, through this agreement, the platform’s users will be able to “express themselves through music, soundtrack their video creations with songs they’re passionate about, and build communities around artists and music-centric culture.” This contract included the entire UMG music catalog and expires today, January 31, 2024.

“Lockdown on TikTok”. Universal demands this in an open letter they published on their website. According to the label, during negotiations to renew the contract with TikTok, they focused on “adequate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protection of human artists from the harmful effects of artificial intelligence, and online safety for TikTok users.” But it looks like things didn’t go so well, at least for Universal.

According to Universal, what does TikTok mean for Universal?. According to the label, “TikTok has offered to pay our artists and songwriters a fraction of what the main social platforms would pay in a similar situation.” They claim that TikTok represents about 1% of the company’s revenue and that “ultimately, TikTok is trying to build a business based on music without paying fair value for the music.”

artificial intelligence problem. It’s no secret that AI-generated songs are a headache for artists. TikTok is exactly where these songs tend to go viral. They claim from Universal: “TikTok is allowing the platform to be flooded with AI-generated recordings” (and even promoting the technology) “and then claiming a contractual right to allow that content to massively dilute copyright funding.” human artists.”

moderation. Third, the label argues that TikTok has “made little effort to address the large amount of content on its platform that infringes on our artists’ music,” and additionally accuses it of failing to provide solutions to issues related to hate speech. , intimidation and harassment. According to Universal, “The only way to request removal of infringing or problematic content (such as pornographic deepfakes of artists) is through an extremely cumbersome and inefficient process that is the digital equivalent of ‘Whack-a-Mole.'”

A worse deal. Finally, UMG claims that when they tried to resolve these issues with TikTok, the platform responded first with “indifference, then with intimidation.” They claim from Universal: “TikTok attempted to scare us into accepting a deal at a lower value than before, much less than fair market value, and that did not reflect its exponential growth.” TikTok has “selectively” removed music from some new artists while preserving global stars, according to the company.

TikTok’s stance. Following Universal’s harsh accusations, TikTok came out in its own defense and revealed its position. According to the social network, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group would put its own greed ahead of the interests of its artists and songwriters.” In the words of the social platform, “Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the truth is that they have chosen to distance themselves from the strong support of a platform that has over a billion users and serves as a free promotional and discovery tool for it.” talent.”

In his own words:

“TikTok has managed to reach artist-first agreements with all other labels and publishers. It is clear that Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interest of artists, songwriters, and fans.”

whiting biting its tail. We don’t yet know how this will play out, but it seems clear that there will be consequences. First of all, if an agreement is not reached, UMG’s music can be expected to disappear from TikTok. We’re talking about artists like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Drake, Rosalía, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish or The Weeknd. This could also mean that millions of videos featuring these artists’ songs in the background will be automatically muted. Not to mention that TikTok, which is heavily reliant on music, will lose a powerful ally who will bring life to the viral videos featured on the platform.

On the other hand, Universal will lose a huge platform for dissemination and discovery. It’s true that famous artists like the ones mentioned above don’t need a song to go viral on TikTok to be successful on Spotify, but lesser-known artists have a great distribution channel on TikTok. Many songs go viral on TikTok, which results in more views on streaming platforms, thus more revenue (within the amount the streaming platforms pay, of course). We’ll have to wait to see how things turn out, but this is undoubtedly a heavy blow for both companies.

More information | Universal Music Group, Tiktok

Image | Xataka