TikTok Takes Down Taylor Swift and BTS Music

Songs by popular artists such as BTS and Taylor Swift have disappeared from the video-sharing platform TikTok. This move comes as licensing negotiations between UMG (the world’s largest music content company) and TikTok fall apart.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 1st (local time), from that day onwards, TikTok started the process of removing music under the copyright of Universal Music Group.

In addition to the removal of music, videos containing music licensed by Universal have been muted. TikTok has inserted a phrase in the videos stating, ‘Sound removed due to copyright issues.’

TikTok did not disclose the exact number of videos that have been silenced. However, artists impacted by the decision include those signed to major UMG record labels like BTS, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Blackpink, Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, and Drake.

Previously, Universal Music had stated that if the license contract extension negotiations do not conclude, they would prohibit the use of their artists’ works on TikTok.

The expiration of licensing between UMG and TikTok arrived after the two companies were unable to reach a new agreement — in particular, appropriate compensation for the artists.

Universal Music released a statement publicly criticizing TikTok on the 31st of last month, just a day before the license contract expired. Universal Music claimed, “UMG said that TikTok proposed paying its artists and songwriters at a rate that’s a fraction of the rate that other major social platforms pay.

TikTok pushed back against claims by UMG, saying that it has reached “artist-first” agreements with every other label and publisher. “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters. They have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent,” TikTok added.

Neither Universal Music nor TikTok have made any further statements on the possibility of renegotiation.