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☆ Taylor Swift’s Music Returns to TikTok Ahead of New Album
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest music company, went to war with TikTok earlier this year over licensing terms, songs by hundreds of its artists were removed from the platform, and have remained absent. But on Thursday, music by one very special Universal artist returned: Taylor Swift. It was not immediately clear how Swift’s songs made it back to TikTok while Universal’s ban remains in place. When the company announced its plans to remove music earlier this year, it said its licensing contract with TikTok expired Jan. 31. By the early hours of Feb. 1, Universal’s music began to disappear from TikTok, and millions of videos that used the label’s music went silent.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Swift —, ”, Swift Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal, Poets Department, Machine, TikTok Locations: “ Cardigan, ”, TikTok

☆ Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok ahead of her latest album’s release
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok following an ongoing dispute with her music distributor Universal Music Group over royalties. The return of her songs on the popular social platform comes as she is set to release her latest and much-anticipated album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” next week. As a result, Universal artists’ music was removed from any TikTok videos with a notice that stated it had been removed due to copyright violation. Universal Music Group, TikTok and Taylor Swift’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Music from other Universal artists’ is still not listed on the platform.

Persons: CNN — Taylor, ”, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Rihanna, “, TikTok, Universal, Swift’s, Taylor Swift’s, ’, Swift, she’s Organizations: CNN, Universal Music Group, Poets Department, Universal Music, Universal

☆ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs lawsuits: A closer look at the sexual misconduct lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Eric Levenson | Nicki Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Even before law enforcement raided his homes, the rapper, producer and businessman Sean “Diddy” Combs faced a host of legal issues. The investigation stems from many of the same sexual assault allegations put forth in the civil lawsuits, according to a second law enforcement source familiar with Monday’s searches. Ventura v. CombsCassie Ventura has accused Diddy, her former boyfriend, of rape and abuse. Gardner v. CombsSean "Diddy" Combs has been accused of misconduct in multiple lawsuits filed since November. O’Marcaigh v. Christian and Sean CombsChristian Combs is accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed April 4 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Aaron Dyer, –, Mr, Combs, ”, Diddy, Ventura, Combs Cassie Ventura, Ethan Miller, Cassie, Ben Brafman, “ Mr, “, ” Brafman, Dickerson, Neal, Joi Dickerson, drugging, Gardner, Combs Sean, Shareif Ziyadat, Liza Gardner, Aaron Hall, Jane, Guy, Hall, Jane Doe, Harve Pierre, Daddy’s, Doe, Pierre, ” Pierre, Rod, Rodney Jones, videographer, Lil Rod, Jones, ” Jones, Cuba Gooding, Shawn Holley, Gooding, Sean Combs, Gareth Cattermole, Grace O’Marcaigh, Christian Combs, O’Marcaigh, Dyer Organizations: CNN, New York, Authorities, Department of Homeland Security, of, Diddy, Bad Boy Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises, Epic Records, Doe Corps, New York Supreme, Syracuse University, MCA Inc, MCA Music Entertainment Group, Geffen Records, Universal Music Group, ABC Corps, ” CNN, Inc, Bad Boy Entertainment Holdings, Plaintiff, Bad Boy Entertainment Holdings Inc, Los Angeles Superior Court Locations: Southern, of New York, New York, Los Angeles

☆ TikTokers are enthusiastically joining the app's call to wage war on Congress over a potential ban
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The proposed bill would force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban. AdvertisementTikTokers have enthusiastically answered the app's call to bombard members of Congress with calls and messages in an effort to prevent the platform from being banned in the US. AdvertisementA TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider the legislation has a "predetermined outcome," which is a total ban of TikTok in the US. The state of Montana, for instance, banned TikTok entirely in 2023. An increasing number of states have also made the decision to ban TikTok on government-issued devices.

Persons: ByteDance, —, TikTokers, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Trump, TikTok, Jamaal Bowman, Ben Stanley, Mary Miller, Shira, Meta Organizations: Service, Republican Rep, Democratic Rep, Energy, Commerce, New, YouTube, Centre for Digital Citizens, Northumbria University, Facebook, Universal Music Group Locations: Wisconsin, Illinois, Montana, Austin, China, Cambridge, Brexit

☆ Music marketers say artists need to make TikToks now more than ever, as influencer campaigns lose luster
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Advertisement"I always remember early label conversations when we'd run TikTok campaigns," Ramzi Najdawi, cofounder at the music-marketing firm ATG, told BI. In 2024, most artists now need to get directly involved in creating social content in some form, said 10 music marketers who spoke to BI about their strategies. AdvertisementTo make influencer campaigns work better, music marketers ask artists to post original content first, creating organic interest in a song that creators can then push forward with additional videos. "Influencer campaigns don't really work in the way that people think they do," Prophet Media's founder Steph Rinzler told BI. Many marketers are now seeking out an artist's fans, rather than random influencers, to make videos for song campaigns.

Persons: —, TikTok, Taylor Upsahl, wasn't, influencers, we'd, Ramzi Najdawi, doesn't, it's, Ed Winters Ronaldson, Najdawi, scrappy, Cynthia Parkhurst, Jonas, Parkhurst, Matine Kazemi, Lawrence, Prophet Media's, Steph Rinzler, Omid Noori, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Simon Friend, Sean Kane, Kane Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Universal Music, Creative, YouTube, Prophet Media

☆ Google is starting to feel like any other business, and staging a comeback won't be easy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today's big story, we're looking at how Google has gone from the tech industry's vanguard of cool to just another boring company . AdvertisementGoogle has long stayed atop Silicon Valley's volatile popularity contest — but the best place to work in tech is starting to feel like any other business , Business Insider's Hugh Langley and Lara O'Reilly write. Bureaucracy, an aversion to risk, and deference to Wall Street over employees — things Google long eschewed — have become the norm. The latest example is the debacle surrounding Gemini — its flashy new AI model that faced backlash for being too "woke."

Persons: —, Rebecca Zisser, Hugh Langley, Lara O'Reilly, Alistair Barr, Sundar Pichai, Hugh, Lara, Mateusz Wlodarczyk, BI's Peter Kafka, it's, David Rosenberg, Gary Shilling, Snowflake's Frank Slootman, Ozgur Hakan Aslan Toyota, Boxabl, Elon Musk, Tesla, Hewlett Packard, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Gemini, Meta, Big Tech, OpenAI, Corporations, Nvidia, SEC, Universal Music Group, Universal, BI Locations: —, New York, London

☆ Music on TikTok is disappearing amid battle with Universal Music Group. Can it make photos work?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

TikTok is losing access to Universal Music Group's songs, including from artists like Taylor Swift. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTikTok, the platform best known as "the app where people dance around to music," is losing a lot of music and is going to lose more. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: TikTok, Taylor Swift, —, Drake, Bunny Organizations: Universal Music, Service, Street, Universal Music Group, Universal, Business Locations: UMG

☆ Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sued by male producer who alleges sexual assault
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Khorram allegedly ordered prostitutes and illicit drugs for Combs and his guests and according to the lawsuit, Jones believed Khorram “aided and abetted” Combs’ sexual assault. “Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. “This was done to ease Mr. Jones’ anxiety concerning homosexuality,” the suit alleges. In a statement to CNN, he called Jones’ allegations “false.”“My lawyer will be handling this going forward,” Stevie J added. Combs was present while Mr. Jones was being assaulted by Cuba Gooding Jr.,” the suit alleges.

Persons: CNN —, Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, ” Rodney “, Rod ” Jones, videographer, Combs, Jones, Combs ’, Kristina Khorram, Sir Lucian Grainge, Justin, Justin Combs, Khorram, Khorram “, abetted ” Combs, “, DeLeon Tequila, Grainge, Habtemarian “, ” Jones, Shawn Holley, Sean Combs, ”, ” Holley, Tyrone Blackburn, Blackburn, “ Justin Combs, Sean, Diddy, Chris Pizzello, Steven ‘ Stevie J ’ Jordan, Stevie J, ’, Oscar, Cuba Gooding, Jr, Mr, “ Mr, ” Gooding, Casandra Ventura, ” Ben Brafman, Ventura, ” Weeks, ” Combs, Rodney Jones, Lucian Grainge, Grainge “ Organizations: CNN, Universal Music Group, Motown, Ethiopia, Khorram, Billboard, Islands, Motown Records, Cuba Locations: New York, Los Angeles

☆ Taylor Swift's 'poor quality' merch and shipping delays has some fans calling for a boycott
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewTaylor Swift fans are a dedicated group, but complaints about the pop star's merch have some calling for a boycott in recent months. However, some fans on social media are calling out what they described as the poor quality of her merch and delayed shipping times. Instead of blaming Swift for the merch, many fans are looking at her record label Universal Music Group for the delays and poor quality. Another Redditor posted expectation vs. reality photos of a $40 "1989" tote bag ordered online. Others online called out the "poor quality" of the tote bag and said that it's nothing new for Swift's merch site.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Swifties, Pollstar, Swift, Redditor, subreddit, hadn't, Swift's, I'm, taylors, TeJDBDyfBj — Riley 🤍🖤 Organizations: Service, Business, Universal Music Group, tote

☆ A top TikTok music exec who helped turn the app into a force in the industry is leaving the company
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewPaul Hourican, TikTok's global head of music partnerships and programming, is leaving the company, the executive confirmed to Business Insider. Hourican joined TikTok around four-and-half years ago in London as an executive heading up the company's UK music operations. From there, he jumped into a role overseeing its European music operations before expanding into a global leadership position on the music team. AdvertisementTikTok launched a massive push into the music business during Hourican's tenure at the company, rolling out a creator-hosted radio station on SiriusXM , a music-streaming app in five countries, and an artist-services arm called SoundOn. Recently, the company has been flexing its influence in music as it battles with Universal Music Group over song licensing.

Persons: —, Paul Hourican, Hourican, TikTok Organizations: Service, Business, Universal Music Group, LinkedIn Locations: London, SiriusXM, TikTok

☆ BuzzFeed sells Complex Networks for less than half of what it paid and slashes 16% of staff
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“This is also an opportunity to unlock greater value for the Complex brand by combining it with NTWRK’s expansive, commerce-driven business.”The uniting of NTWRK and Complex is, indeed, something of a natural marriage. NTWRK serves as a marketplace for many of the items that Complex covers, such as sneakers. BuzzFeed has been something of an avatar for such struggles among digital publishers. In April, BuzzFeed shut down BuzzFeed News, its award-winning news division that once boasted hundreds of employees and bureaus around the world. Reuters reported last week that The Independent is in talks to take control of the company’s UK operations.

Persons: BuzzFeed, Jonah Peretti, ”, Peretti, NTWRK, ” Peretti, Jimmy Iovine, Goldman Sachs, TikTok Organizations: New, New York CNN, Networks, Digital, New York Times, CNN, Reuters, ”, Universal Music Group, Main Street Advisors, Universal Locations: New York

☆ The music labels are still suing the internet companies. That's a warning for the AI industry.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe AI boom has been accompanied by AI lawsuits filed by content owners like The New York Times against big AI companies like Open AI. That was when we had lawsuits like Metallica vs Napster , or MGM vs Grokster , or Arista vs. Lime Group . And when Congress proposed laws like PIPA and SOPA , and when music labels and Hollywood studios were trying to get broadband companies to help them stop illegal downloads . Turns out, things are not so settled, and the music labels are still arguing — successfully, apparently, — that broadband companies can be held liable for bad behavior enabled by their broadband.

Persons: —, Cox Organizations: Service, New York Times, Napster, Reuters, Business, Cox Communications, U.S, Circuit, Cox Enterprises, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Metallica, MGM, Arista, Lime, Hollywood Locations: Richmond , Virginia, Virginia

☆ TikTok is pissing everyone off right now. Here's how its brute-force tactics could pay off — or backfire.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Dan Whateley | Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The move was an about-face for the president, whose administration had spent years calling it a national security risk. AdvertisementIt’s been deep in a public spat over music licensing with one of its most important partners, Universal Music Group. Some users have said it’s ruining the app by promoting shopping over the funny skits and dancing videos that first made TikTok popular. For leaders at ByteDance, who often have the final say over product decisions at TikTok, copying ideas from Douyin to TikTok is part of their playbook.

Persons: —, TikTok, Joe Biden, Biden, Brandon, TikTok isn’t, it's, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, UMG, ” TikTok, it’s, TikTok's, ByteDance, It’s, Meghana, Pissing, ” Michael Huppe, Katie Notopoulos, ” Dhar Organizations: Service, White, Business, Universal Music Group, Music, Black, Facebook, Google, Big Tech, ”, YouTube, Shopping Network Locations: TikTok, Washington, Meghana Dhar, China, ByteDance

☆ TikTok's feud with Universal has music marketers shifting campaigns to Instagram reels while some see an opportunity to plug other artists
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Dan Whateley | Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But for music marketers tasked with helping artists and new releases go viral on social media, the show must go on. Others are encouraging creators and performers to use unofficial, user-uploaded versions of UMG artists' songs in TikTok videos. Other marketers have similarly shifted promotional efforts from TikTok to reels for UMG songs. Still, even without UMG artists' songs, TikTok remains a critical part of the song-marketing playbook, music marketers told BI. Some marketers are asking creators to swap in these unofficial tracks into muted videos to promote the UMG artists, several of the music marketers said.

Persons: TikTok, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, they've, Simon Friend, Timothy Collins, Benjamin Ingrosso's, Benjamin, Collins, Friend Organizations: Universal Music, Business, Round, BI, Creed Media, Universal Music Group, TikTok

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — “Beer For My Horses” singer-songwriter Toby Keith has died. “The money to be made was unbelievable,” Keith told The Associated Press in 1996. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” his breakout hit, was played 3 million times on radio stations, making it the most played country song of the 1990s. “They were trying to get me to compromise, and I was living a miserable existence,” Keith told the AP. “I always felt like that the songwriting was the most important part of this whole industry,” Keith told the crowd of fellow singers and writers.

Persons: NORMAN, Okla, Toby Keith, Keith, “, ”, Beer, Willie Nelson, ” Keith, I’ve, I’m, ” ‘, Harold Shedd, Shedd, “ Should’ve, Shania Twain, That’s, “ I’ve, Bobby Braddock, “ They’re, He’s, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, We’ll, Singer, Steve Earle, Natalie Maines, Maines, Saddam Hussein, FUTK, Ethan Hawke, Kris Kristofferson, Hawke, Vince Gill, Scott Borchetta, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Josh Thompson, Clay Walker, Phil Vassar Organizations: Associated Press, Oklahoma City Drillers, United States Football League, Mercury Records, Alabama, AP, DreamWorks Records, Academy of Country, “ Billboard, Arts, “, Universal Music Group, DreamWorks, Universal, Songwriters Hall of Fame, BMI Locations: Oklahoma, Texas, Nashville, Mercury, Oklahoma City

☆ Indie musicians are celebrating UMG's decision to pull its music off TikTok: 'It's our time to shine baby'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In the days since Universal Music Group pulled its music off TikTok, countless videos on the platform have suddenly been muted. And many independent artists are realizing this might be their moment to shine. AdvertisementNow, many indie music artists are jumping on the opportunity to maximize their exposure. As Emily Zeck, an indie country musician with 2.5 million TikTok followers, wrote on a recent video caption, "It's our time to shine baby." The song has over 20 million streams on Spotify and has been reused in 1.1 million TikTok videos.

Persons: Taylor Swift, UMG, Emily Zeck, TikTok, Shane Niemi, Niemi, Ktlyn, Rebecca Rea, Rea, Lilith Max, Houston who's, ", Max Organizations: Universal Music Group, TikTok, Spotify, UMG Locations: San Diego, Dallas Fort Worth, TikTok

It's Taylor Swift's world, and she just allows us to live in it. “Midnights” earned Swift her fourth career Grammy for album of the year on Sunday, an achievement no one can match. It breaks a tie with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder, who each won the honor three times. Swift was the last example of an action-packed show where women earned the biggest honors and had the majority of the most memorable performances. There was a brief pause before SZA accepted an award for best R&B song, since she was changing backstage.

Persons: It's Taylor, Midnights ”, Swift, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, ”, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish's, “ Barbie, Finneas O'Connell, Singer, Victoria Monét, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, didn't, —, Tracy Chapman, Luke Combs, Combs, She's, MILEY, Cyrus, “, ” JAY, Jay, ” Jay, Beyoncé, ” JONI'S, Joni Mitchell's, Brandi Carlile, Mitchell, Chapman, Tony Bennett, Bennett, Bennett's, ” Annie Lennox, Sinead O'Connor, Prince's accompanists, Barrino, Mary ”, Tina Turner, Billy Joel's, capper, SZA, ” Monét, Lizzo, She, I'm, TREVOR, Trevor Noah, Noah, That's, Lionel Richie, Lionel Wealthy, Jo Koy Organizations: CBS, Dre, “, Las Vegas, Universal, Golden Globes

☆ Forget Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny — TikTokers are now dancing to royalty-free music
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

If you open TikTok today, you might well be greeted with creators dancing to royalty-free music instead of your favorite tunes from artists like Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny. The move has resulted in a whole archive of "muted" TikTok videos, and even the UMG artists themselves aren't safe. Some TikTok creators are already responding to UMG's move by filming themselves dancing to songs in the public domain. I'm glad they are far in the past because I look awkward mouthing and dancing to no music," Romano said. "I would say 75% of my videos would contain UMG music," Romano said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, That's, Justin Bieber, Bieber, Kevin MacLeod, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sophia Romano, Romano, UMG, Brian Gabriel, Gabriel, Nikalas Anderson, Anderson, Für Elise, Wendy Ly, Swift's Organizations: Universal Music Group, UMG, Globes, BI Locations: NYC, Los Angeles, Japan

☆ Vocal TikTok Users Navigate a Quieter App
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Christopher Kuo | More About Christopher Kuo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When TikTok users open the app these days, they encounter a platform stripped of music by many of their favorite artists. Dancers bob and sway without a beat drop. Music from artists affiliated with Sony and Warner remains available on TikTok. But that did not stop some users from declaring they were departing to a rival platform, Instagram Reels, while others have made fun of Universal’s absence by dancing to songs in the public domain. The dominant feeling is frustration: What was the point of TikTok without one’s favorite melodies?

Persons: Playboi Carti, Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, TikTok, ”, Myah Elliott, “ It’s Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal, Sony, Warner

☆ The Day the Music Died (on TikTok)
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Madison Malone Kircher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Things were going well for Cody Fry, a singer-songwriter and producer known for his lush pop songs. And on Monday his management team called him with exciting news: One of his songs, “Things You Said,” a romantic duet with Abby Cates, was gaining TikTok traction in China. More than 750,000 videos were created with that song in a single day, Mr. Fry said in a TikTok video. The sudden TikTok silence came about after Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, pulled its catalog from TikTok after its contract with the platform expired. In addition to Mr. Fry, who is signed to Decca Records, one of the company’s many labels, Universal artists whose videos went silent include SZA, Taylor Swift and Ice Spice.

Persons: Cody Fry, Ben Rector, ”, Abby Cates, Fry, Said ”, Taylor Swift Organizations: Colorado Symphony, Universal Music Group, Decca Records, Universal Locations: Denver, China

☆ Universal Music Group Pulls Songs From TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Videos on TikTok began to go silent early Thursday, after combative licensing negotiations broke down this week between the popular social media platform and Universal Music Group, the giant company that releases music by Taylor Swift, Drake, U2, Ariana Grande and many other stars whose songs have been key to TikTok’s rapid growth around the world. On Tuesday, a day before its licensing contract with TikTok was set to expire, Universal published a fiery open letter accusing TikTok of offering unsatisfactory payment for music, and of allowing its platform to be “flooded with A.I.-generated recordings” that diluted the royalty pool for real, human musicians. TikTok confirmed early Thursday that it had removed music from Universal, and videos on the app began to show the effects of the broken partnership. Recordings by Universal artists were deleted from TikTok’s library, and existing videos that had used music from Universal’s artists had their audio muted entirely. Universal songs were also unavailable for users to add to new videos.

Persons: TikTok, Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner, Lana Del Rey, — Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal Locations: A.I

☆ Taylor Swift songs removed from TikTok after her label UMG's spat with the app
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Taylor Swift performs onstage at Lumen Field in Seattle on July 22, 2023. Music by artists including Taylor Swift and Drake was no longer available on TikTok when CNBC checked on Thursday morning. A licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, expired on Wednesday. UMG alleged TikTok proposed paying its artists and songwriters "at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay." The music label also alleged TikTok is allowing its platform to be "flooded with AI-generated recordings."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lumen, Drake, UMG, TikTok Organizations: Universal Music Group, CNBC Locations: Seattle, UMG

As of early Thursday, a vast roster of popular songs were disappearing from the social media platform's library. The complete removal of UMG-licensed music will likely take a few days — but chances are, avid TikTokers are already seeing the effects. Artists will also not be able to post the audio of their UMG-licensed songs on TikTok. “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” TikTok said. Mall stressed the overall consequences of pulling music from social media platforms like TikTok — particularly for younger developing artists.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Bunny, Drake —, TikTok, UMG, ”, Andrew Mall, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, ” UMG, ” TikTok, we're, “, UMG's Virgin EMI Records Ted Cockle, Cockle, Alexandra J, Roberts, SZA, Drake, Billie Eilish —, Jessica Henig, it's, Henig, Michelle Chapman Organizations: Universal, Group, Associated Press, “ Universal, Northeastern University, UMG, Universal Music, UMG's Virgin EMI Records, Music Management, ”, Associated, Virgin EMI, AP Locations: UMG, New York

☆ TikTok Just Lost a Huge Catalog of Music. What Happened?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

TikTok users woke up Thursday and discovered that many videos using songs by stars like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Drake and Ariana Grande had gone silent, after a public brawl between TikTok and Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company. Here is a look at what happened and why, and some thoughts about what may come next. On Tuesday, Universal Music, the global giant that releases music by hundreds of major artists, published a forceful open letter to TikTok as the end of its contract with the social media platform neared. Universal said that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, had not adequately addressed Universal’s concerns over A.I.-generated music on the platform, and that it would not agree to what Universal considered a satisfactory royalty rate. “Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business,” the label said, “without paying fair value for the music.”

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Drake, Ariana Grande, TikTok, ” Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal Music, Universal Locations: A.I

☆ Taylor Swift songs pulled from TikTok in payment dispute
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Universal Music Group has pulled its music off TikTok in a dispute over royalties, a move that prevents more than 1 billion users of the platform from streaming a vast catalog of songs by Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and other artists. Many TikTok videos featuring Universal artists’ music went silent Thursday, with notices saying the sound had been removed because of copyright violation. For people making new videos, Universal music was unavailable in TikTok’s catalog. Like other music companies, Netherlands-based Universal charges royalty fees when its songs are played on social media platforms. Universal also said it had been pressing TikTok to better protect musicians from “the harmful effects” of artificial intelligence and to ensure online safety for TikTok’s users.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, J Balvin, Amy Winehouse, TikTok, Universal, ”, ” TikTok, ” Elizabeth Wagmeister Organizations: London CNN — Universal, ’, Universal, CNN Locations: Netherlands

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