It Takes Two to Tango, but TikTok and UMG Both Stopped the Music
The hit social media app, TikTok, is currently in a frustrating boxing match against the world’s biggest record label, Universal Music Group (UMG). All forms of music under this label have been removed from TikTok’s platform, a change in effect since February 1st, 2024. This news is devastating to many users of the app, as discovering trending music was arguably one of the most appealing aspects of TikTok.
There are two key reasons as to why this unusual change occurred, the first issue being money. TikTok supposedly refused to pay more money for access to the music that they allow on their app, and UMG has deemed their payment an inadequate royalty. The second issue is the involvement of artificial intelligence with music on the app. The addition of AI-generated music using artists’ voices can have an impact on their careers, as seen with some AI songs producing more positive feedback and recognition than music created by the actual artist. This can be seen with the viral, "Heart on My Sleeve", song with the inclusions of AI versions of artists Drake, and The Weeknd.
Interestingly, the impact that this change has had on both artists and users is distinct. Artists are conflicted; they would obviously want more money to be earned from the use of their music and safety surrounding their music identity, but TikTok is a means for their music to potentially go viral. With the amount of users that are on TikTok and the great revenue that is generated from going viral, the app has undoubtedly benefited artists in their careers. There is a variety of content and ways in which music is used on TikTok, and the loss of this app could have harmful effects on many artists who have come to rely on it.
As for users and growth, this could harm TikTok’s popularity, as many people use the app to interact with music and audios in ways that are unmatched on other platforms. “Saved sounds,” lip syncing, dancing, and reposting short videos about artists are all features that make TikTok’s musical aspect unique. The loss of such a large group of artists and their music could permanently impair TikTok’s media engagement. After missing their favorite audios and artists on the app, users may possibly lose interest in using it altogether. Users initially responded to this change with a variety of reactions. Most created jokes in response to it, but others just continued to use small snippets of audios that were either slowed down, sped up, or had no attachment to the artist whatsoever. Despite containing music under the UMG label, these “sounds” continue to go unaddressed by the platform today.
The future of this contract is currently undecided, but despite most numerical terms being kept private, UMG has announced that they believe TikTok’s offer is insufficient. It is reasonable to assume that the deal will not be closed easily without many negotiations between the two parties, but, in the meantime, we can hope that it is resolved soon in order to prevent further harmful impacts to either company.
by NIHASHI NAG