TikTok, UMG re-up licensing agreement, bringing artists like Bad Bunny back to the app

TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) have settled their dispute. The two parties have agreed on a new licensing agreement that will return the latter company’s catalog — including songs from Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish — to TikTok’s music library.

Tracks from UMG artists were muted on TikTok for three months as a result of an ongoing disagreement between the “big three”and ByteDance’s buzzy video app. In February, UMG insisted that TikTok had to address “three critical issues” before a new deal could be reached. Those sticking points included concerns about AI, TikTok’s lowball offer during negotiations, and the “content adjacency issues” that pop up when music is paired with offensive content.

A new “multi-dimensional” agreement between TikTok and UMG will alleviate those concerns. The new deal prioritizes improved remuneration for UMG’s songwriters and artists while offering promotional opportunities and protections against AI. According to a joint statement from the two companies, TikTok and UMG will use the “Add to Music App” feature, ticketing services, and analytics tools to “benefit artists, both financially and in building their global fanbases using TikTok’s scale and engaged community, while strengthening online safety protections for artists and their fans.”

With the new deal in place, TikTok and UMG are working “expeditiously” to restore previously muted catalogs on TikTok. One of the label’s most prominent artists has already made progress on that front. Before UMG signed its new deal, Taylor Swift brought some of her songs back to TikTok. She was able to make that move because she owns the masters to some of her tracks, including those on the various re-recorded “Versions” of her albums.

The newfound accord with UMG is a breath of fresh air for TikTok, which is reckoning with tightening regulations in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew celebrated this rare bit of positive press in a statement: “We are committed to working together to drive value, discovery and promotion for all of UMG’s amazing artists and songwriters,” he said, “and deepen their ability to grow, connect and engage with the TikTok community.”