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TikTokjust got a lot quieter.
TikTok doubled downin its own response, accusing UMG of greed and lying.
Why did UMG pull music?
UMGs letter cited three concerns: compensation, AI protections, and online safety.
Whose sounds are disappearing?
Most of pop music?
In other words, this iswaybigger than just one record company.
In 2023, 12 of the 19 No.
1 songs on the Hot 100 were by UMG artists, including Morgan Wallens record-setting Last Night.
And many UMG artists found success on TikTok.
Metro Boomin, whos on Republic, supported the move on Twitter.
How has TikTok responded?
The platform noted that it has deals with every other label and publisher.
That didnt make UMG too happy.
The company picked apart TikToks response in a statement toBillboardafter removing its music on February 1.
Well, how muchdoesTikTok pay artists?
Short answer: We dont know.
TikTok doesnt make its royalties public, and those rates are different depending on each label groups deal.
(Thats what got us here in the first place.)
Thats … not a lot.
Yes, thats significantly more than YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, but less than Facebook or even Peloton.
To UMG, whichmade $10.95 billionin revenue in 2022, that TikTok money is pocket change.
UMG has been concerned with TikToks payments for years.
I have seen this movie before, I know the ending.
Wait, doesnt TikTok already have rules about AI?
Yes, but UMGs concerns about artificial intelligence and TikTok go beyond the platform being flooded with AI-generated recordings.
In its letter, UMG said the app isnt just complacent inthe AI content boom, but encourages it.
The company didnt specifically mention TikToks new AI Song tool, but that probably didnt help the apps case.
For its part, UMG is involved in AI too.
TikTok helped that song go viral, and UMGs stock suffered about a 20 percent hit afterward.
And whats this about safety?
UMG wrote in the latest letter that TikTok has no meaningful solutions to safety concerns.
What about other labels?
All of the Big Three label groups have been negotiating with TikTok since 2022,Bloombergreported.
Good news for your Training Season TikTok plans.
But UMG isnt the only group with concerns.
When is this happening?
If you attempt to use a UMG artists song on TikTok, it says music is not available.
If youve been sitting on any SwiftTok ideas, looks like youll have to keep waiting.
This is a developing story.
