Universal Music and TikTok have ended a dispute over royalties after the label removed millions of songs from the social media platform.
The new licensing deal features songs from some of the world’s biggest artists, including Duck, Adela and Billie Eilish will be back on site for use within the next two weeks.
Tik Tok, a short video app, is a valuable marketing and promotion tool for music stars. But in January, Universal said it paid artists and songwriters “a fraction” of the rate offered by similar social media platforms, and announced that it would withdraw its catalog.
Billie Eilish is also among Universal’s artists. Photo: Reuters
Universal is the largest record label in the world and also deals with Taylor Swift -WHO allowed a selection of his songs to return to TikTok while promoting his latest album, The Department of Tortured Poets, in April. Swift owns the copyright to her recordings through her 2018 deal with Universal and can control where her songs are available, according to the Financial Times.
The companies now say they have reached “a new multi-dimensional licensing agreement” that will provide “significant industry-leading benefits” for Universal’s artists and labels.
In a joint statement, TikTok said it would continue to invest resources in “creating artist-focused tools” and work to strengthen online safety protections for artists and their fans.
The AI problem
Drake, another Universal artist, previously had his voice cloned for AI tracks. Photo: AP
The agreement means that all videos that had been silenced will be reactivated. It’s been just over three months since Universal published an open letter criticizing TikTok, calling for higher payouts for artists and songwriters, protection from the “harmful effects” of AI, and online safety.
In their joint statement, the companies now say they will work together to ensure that industry-wide AI development “protects human art and the economy that flows to those artists and composers.”
They will also work on removing unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform, as well as on tools to improve artist and songwriter attribution, according to the statement.
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Universal Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said the “new chapter” focuses “on the value of music, the primacy of human art and the well-being of the creative community,” while TikTok CEO Shou Chew added: “Music is an integral part.” of the TikTok ecosystem, and we are happy to have found a way forward with Universal Music Group.”
Concern about AI has increased in the creative community. In April of last year, A song with cloned voices of Drake and The Weeknd was removed from streaming sites. after going viral.
On Tuesday, the British singer-songwriter and producer FKA Twigs told a US Senate hearing how she created her own digital clone – but condemned the unauthorized use of his voice and image.
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On Wednesday, a poll by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music found that 83% of UK adults agree that a musical artist’s creative “personality” should be protected by law against AI copies and 77% believe it amounts to theft when the generated music does not recognize the creator of the original.
In April, More than 200 artists signed an open letter objecting to the “predatory” use of AI. to “steal voices and portraits of professional artists.”