How popular is Taylor Swift? She’s so big that she has the power to bring her catalog back to TikTok, even though the video app is still feuding with her record label. Songs performed by the singer-songwriter have returned to TikTok despite the ongoing dispute between the app and Universal Music Group (UMG).
The songs that have popped up in the TikTok music library include tracks like “Cardigan” and “Anti-Hero,” which Swift released after signing a 2018 distribution deal with Universal. The other returnees include songs that were re-recorded as part of Swift’s “Taylor’s Version” series. The 34-year-old pop star has reclaimed the rights to hits like “Shake It Off” and “Love Story,” which can now be found on TikTok.
Those specific song choices indicate that Swift may have cut a separate deal with TikTok to cover tracks for which she owns the masters. Meanwhile, her label is still engaged in a game of chicken with TikTok. In February, UMG threatened to pull songs from major artists — including Swift — if TikTok did not address “critical issues” like AI and lowball licensing offers. The label followed through later that month, and some tracks from artists affiliated with UMG remain muted on TikTok.
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Swift, however, possesses enough power to enforce her own terms, and she may be interested in harnessing TikTok’s cultural influence as she prepares to release her 11th studio album. The Tortured Poets Department is due out on April 19, and when it arrives, it is likely to spawn some new short-form trends.
In the past, Swift herself has fostered the development of those memes. 18 months ago, she celebrated the release of her Grammy-winning smash Midnights by launching an “Anti-Hero Challenge” on YouTube Shorts.
So if you thought a rights dispute would keep Taylor Swift off TikTok, you underestimated just how popular the Pennsylvania-born chart-topper has become. The ripple effect of her stardom has also touched the world of politics. In Arizona, lawmakers have signed the Taylor Swift Act, which adds new consumer protections on ticket vending platforms like Ticketmaster.
