Songs by well-known performers including Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake, and BTS were taken down from TikTok on Wednesday night as a result of licensing music for the app.
All videos featuring music by the label’s artists are now muted and display a notice stating that copyright limitations prevented the sound from being included. 
The record label stated that fresh conditions have not yet been agreed upon, and that the music license arrangement between UMG and TikTok expires on Wednesday, in an open letter published on its website.
The label cited a number of obstacles to a license deal, such as payment to artists and songwriters, safeguarding artists from the consequences of AI, and user safety o TikTok, reflecting the concerns raised by the Hollywood strike last summer.
The accused label 
According to the record company, TikTok promised to pay its musicians and composers “at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay.” The label represents Swift, Drake, and other well-known musicians.
In a reply to USartical , TikTok addressed the open letter and described UMG’s assertions as a “false narrative” fueled by “greed.”
“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” stated the statement. “Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is 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 has been able to reach ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher,” the site went on. It is obvious that songwriters, artists, and fans are not best served by Universal’s self-serving behavior.”
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FAQ
- Why were songs by well-known performers taken down from TikTok?
- The songs were removed due to a licensing dispute between Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok.
- What happened to the videos featuring music by UMG artists on TikTok?
- All videos featuring UMG artists’ music are now muted and display a notice stating that copyright limitations prevented the sound from being included.
- What did the open letter from UMG mention about the licensing arrangement with TikTok?
- UMG mentioned that fresh conditions have not yet been agreed upon, and the current music license arrangement between UMG and TikTok expires soon.
- What were some of the obstacles cited by the label in reaching a license deal with TikTok?
- UMG cited obstacles such as payment to artists and songwriters, safeguarding artists from the consequences of AI, and user safety on TikTok, reflecting concerns raised by the Hollywood strike last summer.
- How did TikTok respond to UMG’s open letter?
- TikTok described UMG’s assertions as a “false narrative” fueled by “greed” and stated that UMG has chosen to walk away from a platform that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.