Your FYP will be even quieter: Universal Music Group is pulling more songs from TikTok

Universal Music Group is back for more music.

The music company will remove additional songs from TikTok, as reported by TechCrunch. Recently, the agreement between UMG and TikTok ended, leading to failed negotiations over royalties. Consequently, UMG decided to eliminate all the music it owned or distributed on the platform.

Now, TikTok is required to delete all songs controlled by Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), including those written or co-written by artists signed under UMG.

In a bold move in January, UMG released an open letter highlighting the lack of adequate compensations for artists and songwriters, concerns about the impact of AI on artists, and the issue of online safety for TikTok users. In response, TikTok expressed disappointment stating, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.”

TikTok estimates that UMG and UMPG hold rights to 20 to 30 percent of the popular music on the platform. When a UMG-associated song is removed from TikTok, all videos featuring that song become silent, resulting in a significantly quieter TikTok experience.

From the start, TikTok has emerged as an influential player in the music industry. Due to its role in music discovery, the platform has become a crucial avenue for artists to showcase their music. With UMG songs no longer present on TikTok, artists lose out on this promotional tool, although UMG remains firm on its stance of advocating for better artist compensations.

Elena Cavender

Elena is a tech reporter and the resident Gen Z expert at Mashable. She covers TikTok and digital trends. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in American History. Email her at[email protected]or follow her@ecaviar_.