Allen J. Schaben|Los Angeles Times|Getty Images
Universal Music Group stated on Wednesday that it will stop accrediting its music to TikTo k and implicated the short-form video giant of bullying and intimidation in its agreement settlements.
A music licensing contract in between UMG and TikTo k, which is owned by Chinese tech giant By teDance, ended on Wednesday, and brand-new terms have actually not been concurred. This indicates that UMG might pull its music brochure from TikTo k.
UMG stated in an open letter released on Wednesday that it has actually been “pressing” TikTo k throughout agreement conversations on 3 concerns– “appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”
The music label, which represents megastars from Taylor Swift to Drake, stated that TikTo k proposed paying its artists and songwriters “at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay.” UMG stated just 1% of its overall earnings originates from TikTo k, in spite of the social media network’s “massive and growing user base, rapidly rising advertising revenue and increasing reliance on music-based content.”
UMG likewise declared that TikTo k is permitting its platform to be “flooded with AI-generated recordings,” along with establishing tools to “enable, promote and encourage AI music creation.” According to UMG, TikTo k is “demanding a contractual right which would allow this content to massively dilute the royalty pool for human artists, in a move that is nothing short of sponsoring artist replacement by AI.”
The music market has actually been coming to grips with the increase of expert system, which can create music and even simulate the voices of huge artists.
UMG likewise stated that TikTo k “makes little effort to deal with the vast amounts of content on its platform that infringe” artists’ music.
The label business implicated TikTo k of bullying and intimidation techniques in agreement settlements.
“When we proposed that TikTok takes similar steps as our other platform partners to try to address these issues, it responded first with indifference, and then with intimidation,” UMG stated.
“As our negotiations continued, TikTok attempted to bully us into accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth. How did it try to intimidate us? By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars.”
TikTo k implicates UMG of ‘greed’ over artists
TikTo k reacted to UMG’s claims on Wednesday.
“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” the business stated in a declaration.
“Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.”
TikTo k stated it has actually had the ability to reach “artist-first agreements with every other label and publisher.”
Last year, the business signed a music licensing handle Warner Music Group.
