Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Drake songs are leaving TikTok

103

NEW YORK (AP) — TikTok might look (or sound) a little different when you watch videos on the app.

This week, Universal Music Group, which represents big-name artists such as Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Drake, said it would no longer allow their music on TikTok following the expiration Wednesday of a licensing agreement between the two companies.

Now, the removal of UMG-related music has begun, ByteDance-owned TikTok confirmed to The Associated Press. Early Thursday, a wide list of popular songs was disappearing from the platform’s library.

The complete removal of UMG-licensed music will likely take a few days, but chances are avid TikTokers are already feeling the effects. Below is a summary of the disagreement.

WHAT MUSIC WILL BE REMOVED FROM TIKTOK?

The songs that are leaving TikTok are those that are licensed by UMG, a company with enormous reach throughout the music industry and, consequently, in our current digital diet.

“Universal Music Group is literally the largest record label… in the history of the music industry,” said Andrew Mall, associate professor of music at Northeastern University. A “countless number of tracks and sounds” would be affected on TikTok, he added, significantly limiting options for creators.

TikTok users who log on to the platform on Thursday will find that they can no longer search for many popular songs, including music from Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and more, under the “sounds” tab.

In addition to users no longer having the option to add these songs to their dance challenges and other trending content, previous videos featuring UMG music will also be removed. According to a UMG spokesperson, whether these existing videos are muted or removed entirely will be up to TikTok.

Artists will also not be able to publish the audio of their songs without UMG’s authorization on TikTok. If the music is licensed by UMG, it should be muted, the spokesperson said, noting that the company will protect its copyright.

Artists’ tour videos could also be affected, if those songs are represented by UMG, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. This can be complicated if there are multiple songwriters, as it could also affect recordings on other labels, the person added.

Again, complete removal is likely a process. TikTokers may still be able to access some of UMG’s music on Thursday, for example, and existing videos may take a few days to be muted or removed.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

The license expiration between UMG and TikTok came after the two companies were unable to reach a new agreement, and soon shared heated statements.

In a Tuesday letter to artists and songwriters, UMG said it had pressed TikTok on three issues: “adequate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI (artificial intelligence), and safety on the internet for TikTok users.”

UMG said TikTok proposed paying its artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate other major social networks pay, adding that TikTok represents only about 1% of its total revenue. The music giant also took issue with TikTok’s promotion of AI music creation, which UMG said poses risks to human artists, and with the platform’s history of what it calls hate speech, intolerance , intimidation and harassment.

TikTok rejected UMG’s claims, arguing that it has reached agreements that prioritize artists with all other labels and publishers.

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put its own greed above the interests of its artists and songwriters,” TikTok said.

Despite the expiration of the licensing agreement, experts note that we are still in a moment of negotiation between UMG and TikTok, and it probably won’t last forever.

“We’ve seen this movie before. “It’s a wonderful theatrical showdown between two big corporations… who want to assert their authority on the landscape,” said former president of Virgin EMI Records, a UMG-owned label, Ted Cockle, who now runs the music advisory company Mussel Music. Management.

Users will likely find ways to adapt in the meantime, Cockle added, but he and others doubt such a standoff will last long, noting that a partnership between UMG and TikTok is much more beneficial for both sides. Historically speaking, Mall said, gaps for other licensing agreements in the 21st century digital age have typically lasted from a day to a few months.

There is also likely to be additional pressure from TikTok creators, artists, and their fans.

“This is a really important platform for artists,” said Alexandra J. Roberts, a law and media professor at Northeastern University. “It may not affect established artists as much, but some of them are going to lose sources of income. And I think we’re going to see frustrated fans, right? Users who do not understand or are angry at the fact that they cannot use, access or interact with the work of some artists.”

Representatives for artists licensed by UMG, including Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, SZA, Drake, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish, did not immediately respond to AP’s requests for comment.

Mall emphasized the broader consequences of removing music from social media sites like TikTok, especially for younger, developing artists. In this situation, UMG and its big, established artists will probably be “fine,” she said, but “the smaller labels, the smaller artists (couldn’t) afford to do something like this.”

Content creators and marketers are already preparing to pivot as needed. Jessica Henig, founder and CEO of music marketing firm Unlocked Branding, which works on campaigns involving UMG-licensed music, said it’s not ideal, but her team has gotten used to working through setbacks in the music landscape. social networks.

Still, Henig, who previously led influencer marketing at Virgin EMI, said time will tell.

“If this is going to be a long-term issue, then we might have a different conversation,” he said.

____

Associated Press writer Michelle Chapman contributed to this report from New York.