Hey, good news! Your favourite artists will soon have their music back on TikTok, after the streaming platform and Universal Music Group agreed to a new licensing agreement last night (May 1).
In a joint press release, UMG and TikTok announced the "new multi-dimensional licensing agreement will deliver significant industry-leading benefits for UMG’s global family of artists, songwriters and labels and will return their music to TikTok’s billion-plus global community."
Or, in normal speak, the label's artists will be returning to your favourite addictive app as soon as humanly possible, as the two companies work “expeditiously” to return everything back to normal. Oh and the artists should also be getting better compensation for their work, which, you know, was kinda the whole point of the three-month ban.
The deal will also address the label's concerns about generative AI. TikTok says it will work with Universal to remove any unauthorized AI-made content, such as highly convincing audio, image and text.
“TikTok and UMG will work together to ensure AI development across the music industry will protect human artistry and the economics that flow to those artists and songwriters,” the release reads.
Back on February 1, Universal Music pulled all of its artists from TikTok after accusing the app of "paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay. Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music."
This now means that fans will soon see artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Drake, Rihanna, Adele, Post Malone, Justin Bieber, Arkells and Bad Bunny make their return to the app. Taylor Swift, as we know, has been back on TikTok for weeks now with no real explanation.