TikTok, UMG dispute mutes Taylor Swift songs, among others

TikTok mutes Taylor Swift songs after UMG’s feud with the app | Photo by cottonbro studio/Pexels, @taylorswift/Instagram

Are we never ever getting back together?

If you’re a TikTok user who loves using Taylor Swift songs as background music, you might want to check whether the sound has been removed or not.

Because as of Feb. 1, TikTok has pulled the plug on iconic tunes, including those of Taylor Swift and other chart-toppers, following a failed licensing deal with Universal Music Group (UMG).

All videos featuring UMG-licensed music are and will be muted. The clash erupted over issues of fair pay, AI concerns, and online safety.

On Jan. 30, UMG sounded the alarm about their expiring TikTok deal in an open letter titled “Why We Must Call Time Out on TikTok.”

In the letter, UMG accused the short-form video platform of pressuring them into a deal that shortchanged artists and sidestepped AI and piracy concerns. Meanwhile, TikTok fired back, calling UMG’s claims a “false narrative” and accusing them of prioritizing greed over artists’ interests.

@dailymail Taylor Swift’s music on TikTok is now GONE – Universal Music Group (UMG) has begun to PULL songs from their artists on TikTok after failing to renew a contract with the platform #fyp #tiktok #umg #universalmusicgroup #taylorswift #songs ♬ sonido original – ✮

“We recognize the challenges that TikTok’s actions will cause and do not underestimate what this will mean to our artists and their fans who, unfortunately, will be among those subjected to the near-term consequences of TikTok’s unwillingness to strike anything close to a market-rate deal and meaningfully address its obligations as a social platform,” the letter further reads.

UMG continues to “fight for a new agreement under which they are appropriately compensated for their work.”

In its response, as reported by Variety, TikTok stated that it has secured agreements prioritizing artists “with every other label and publisher.”

The absence of UMG’s music on TikTok has left users humming, “Are we out of the woods?” but the resolution remains elusive. If a deal isn’t struck soon, TikTok might have to yank more tunes from the Universal Music Publishing Group catalog.

Universal Music Group artists include Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Sting, The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, SZA, Steve Lacy, Drake, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, J Balvin, Brandi Carlile, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Bob Dylan, and Post Malone.