UMG will not renew its contract with TikTok, claiming that the platform would not adequately address issues such as artist compensation, user safety, and the increasing prevalence of AI-generated music

Universal Music Group (UMG) plans to sever ties with TikTok, the label and publishing company announced Tuesday (January 30) in an open letter addressed to the “artist and songwriter community.” UMG revealed that, as of today, its negotiations for a new contract with TikTok have ended without an agreement, and that the expiring contract will not be renewed. That means that, if a new contract is not agreed upon today, music by artists including Taylor Swift, Drake, and Bad Bunny will not be available for use in videos on the social media platform.

In its statement, UMG claimed that it will cease licensing content to TikTok due to conflicting approaches to critical industry issues, specifically, how the platform plans to address artist compensation, TikTok user safety, and the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI). UMG alleges that TikTok proposed paying its artists “a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” and that the service “has offered no meaningful solutions” to content issues like bullying, bigotry, and harassment, including pornographic deepfakes of artists. Find UMG’s full letter below.