UMG’s TikTok standoff is affecting even non-UMG artists

The impact ripples far wider from UMG artists.

Imagine a music company taking its songs and music videos off a popular app like TikTok because they couldn't agree on a deal. As Billboard reports, this is what recently happened between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok.

This might seem like it only affects the musicians signed to UMG, like Taylor Swift or Doja Cat, but the impact ripples far wider.

This isn't the first time a music company has pulled content from a platform due to licensing disagreements. In 2008, Warner Music Group did the same with YouTube. This time, UMG began removing its recordings from TikTok in February after failing to reach a new deal.

This is a bigger deal than one might initially realize. UMG also owns publishing rights (ownership of the song composition) for many songs, including some by artists signed to other record labels. This means even songs not directly associated with UMG are affected. Take, for instance, SZA's "Snooze" released by Sony and Jack Harlow's "Lovin on Me" released by Warner Music Group - both feature UMG publishing rights and are impacted by the dispute.

The complexity doesn't stop there. Songs often have multiple co-writers, each potentially signed to different publishers. If even one co-writer is affiliated with UMG, the entire song may be inaccessible on TikTok. This highlights the intricate web of ownership behind music and how disputes can have far-reaching consequences.

Think of songs like houses. They can have multiple owners. One type of owner is the person who recorded the song, like the singer in a band. Another type of owner is the person who wrote the song, like the songwriter. For example, songs can have many co-writers, and if even one of them is signed to UMG, the song can't be used on TikTok. For example, the song "What It Is (Block Boy)" by Doechii features Kodak Black and samples music from TLC and Lil Scrappy, so it can't be used on TikTok even though it was released by a record label not owned by UMG.

Even though UMG only has a 39.4% share of the recorded music market, their decision has clearly impacted many songs because they also own the publishing rights (the rights to the composition) for many songs, including some by artists signed to other record labels.

UMG is trying to get a better deal for both the singers and songwriters they work with. They want TikTok to pay more for the music and to make sure the music is used safely and fairly.

This situation is kind of like a big game of tug-of-war, and in the middle of the rope is all the music that can't be used on TikTok right now. This affects both the big music companies and the smaller ones, and it also affects the songwriters and singers who create the music we love.