Universal Music Group artists, including Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, are set to return to TikTok as the two sides reached a new licensing deal following a roughly three-month dispute.
The two parties said Thursday that they are “now working quickly to return music from artists represented by Universal Music Group and songwriters represented by Universal Music Publishing Group to TikTok in a timely manner.”
UMG said in January that it had not agreed to terms of a new deal with TikTok and planned to stop licensing content to artists it represents on the ByteDance-owned social media platform as well as TikTok Music services.
At the time, UMG had been pressing TikTok on three issues: “adequate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok users.”
TikTok responded to UMG’s claims, saying it had reached “artist first” deals with all other labels and publishers.
On Thursday, the two parties announced that their new deal would bring significant benefits to UMG’s global group of artists, songwriters and labels and return their music to TikTok.
“Music is an integral part of the TikTok ecosystem and we are happy to have found a path forward with Universal Music Group,” TikTok CEO Shou Chew said in a statement. “We are committed to working together to drive value, discovery and advocacy for all of UMG’s incredible artists and songwriters, and deepen their ability to grow, connect and engage with the TikTok community.”
Part of the new agreement includes UMG and TikTok working together to find new monetization opportunities. They will also work together on campaigns supporting UMG artists across genres and territories globally.
Additionally, the companies will put their combined efforts to ensure that the development of AI across the music industry protects human artistry and payments to artists and songwriters. TikTok will also work with UMG to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform, as well as on tools to improve artist and songwriter attribution.
TikTok plans to continue investing in creating artist-focused tools that will help UMG artists reach their potential on the platform. Some tools include “Add to Music App,” enhanced data and analytics, and built-in ticketing capabilities.
“We are pleased to renew our relationship with TikTok based on significant advancements in business and marketing opportunities, as well as the protections provided to our industry-leading roster on their platform,” Michael Nash, Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group. he said in a statement.
While TikTok resolved its dispute with UMG, the future of the platform remains uncertain. Last month, President Joe Biden signed legislation requiring TikTok parent ByteDance to sell to a U.S. owner within a year or close. It’s unclear whether that law will survive an expected legal challenge or whether ByteDance will agree to sell.