TikTokers who have been using Taylor Swift’s music to create content on the platform will be disappointed to hear that a failed agreement between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok has resulted in the removal of all music featuring artists from the label.
This has come after the two companies faced a breakdown in payments.
Universal Music Group, who have artists such as Taylor Swift, Arian Grande and The Weekend part of their label, has accused TikTok of bullying, adding that they wanted to pay a fraction of the cost that other social media platforms do for the vast catalogue of songs.
They added that as soon as negotiations between the two were halted, TikTok tried to intimidate them by selectively removing the music of certain developing artists while keeping bigger stars on the platform.
“TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and short-changes artists and songwriters as well as their fans.”
In response, TikTok claims that the narrative spread about them is entirely false.
As per the British publication BBC News, TikTok said the following in their statement:
“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters. 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,” it added.
Meanwhile, users of the app have already experienced the removal of certain songs from the platform.
