Universal Music Group has lambasted TikTok’s approach to AI as the feud between the two companies over song royalties escalates and popular music is expunged from the social media platform.
The result of the closely watched negotiations could have significant ripple effects across the industry, as two of the most powerful players in the music and tech industries jockey for leverage in a landscape rife with uncertainty over artificial intelligence.
In early February, music including by Taylor Swift, BTS, and Drake left TikTok after a breakdown in negotiations with Universal over renewing their licensing agreement, which expired Jan. 31.
Then this week TikTok began stripping music from all artists connected to Universal’s vast publishing catalog, per the multinational music company’s requirement, with all songs written by Universal Music Publishing Group’s songwriters subject to removal.
That affects any artist who may have a publishing deal with the label – examples include Harry Styles and SZA – even if they aren’t signed under the UMG recording umbrella.
“We are in the process of carrying out Universal Music Group’s requirement to remove all songs that have been written (or co-written) by a songwriter signed to Universal Music Publishing Group, based on information they have provided,” said TikTok in a statement, saying they “remain committed to reaching an equitable agreement” with the music giant.
Universal fired back late Thursday in an open statement to its songwriters, saying TikTok has “not agreed to recognize the fair value of your songs.”
Along with royalties, TikTok is “refusing to respond to our concerns about AI depriving songwriters of fair compensation, or provide assurances that they will not train their AI models on your songs,” Universal said. “Every indication is that they simply do not value your music.”
Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is one of the globe’s most popular social media platforms, with more than one billion users. It previously had accused Universal of putting “greed” above artists’ interests, while Universal has said TikTok is “trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music.”