Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Music In Africa
Published on 2024-02-02 07:17:10
Universal Music Group (UMG) is the largest music rightsholder in the world and represents some of Africa’s most prominent musical talents, including Stonebwoy from Ghana, Youssou N’Dour from Senegal, Mr Eazi and Yemi Alade from Nigeria, and Sauti Sol from Kenya, among others. The global licensing deal that began in 2021 has come to an end, impacting about 3 million recorded music tracks and roughly 4 million songs for which UMG holds the publishing rights.
UMG has accused TikTok, owned by ByteDance and with over 1 billion monthly active users, of not providing fair compensation for artists and expressed concerns about the impact of AI-generated recordings on the royalty pool. This has resulted in a breakdown of negotiations between the two parties, with UMG claiming that TikTok proposed to pay artists and songwriters at a fraction of the rate that other major social platforms pay. This is presumably in reference to the $0.03 that artists reportedly receive for each new TikTok video using a song.
In response, TikTok has accused UMG of greed and highlighted that they have reached ‘artist-first’ agreements with every other label and publisher. TikTok’s impact on the music industry is evident, as its users have shown a strong propensity for discovering and sharing new music content, surpassing the engagement levels of the average user on similar platforms.
TikTok’s influence in the music space is particularly notable in Africa, where the platform has become a primary marketing tool, driving the global popularity of genres like Afrobeats and amapiano. Artists such as Black Sherif from Ghana, CKay and Rema from Nigeria, and Tyla from South Africa have all experienced international success due to their music going viral on TikTok, thanks to the platform’s algorithm-driven exposure mechanism.
For example, CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’ and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ found widespread success, largely credited to TikTok’s influence. Tyla’s ‘Water’, which went viral on TikTok and ignited a global dance craze, has even earned her a nomination at the upcoming Grammy Awards. The platform’s unique ecosystem has the potential to turn obscure tracks into global sensations overnight, providing crucial exposure and opportunities for artists.
However, the UMG boycott of TikTok could pose a threat to the growth and exposure of African artists, potentially limiting their revenue streams and disrupting a vital channel for music promotion. This could also have significant implications for the digital music royalty system, which generally only functions effectively in the digital space.
In conclusion, the clash between UMG and TikTok has raised concerns about the impact on African artists and the future of music promotion and exposure. The platform’s influence on the global music industry and its unique ability to propel artists to international success cannot be understated. As the negotiations continue, it remains to be seen how the outcome will impact the music industry, particularly in Africa.
Gabriel Myers Hansen, West Africa Editor at Music In Africa, contributed to this content.
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