Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-01-31 08:53:37
Universal Music Group has issued a warning that it will remove its songs from TikTok, including those by Taylor Swift and The Weeknd, due to a breakdown in negotiations over artist compensation and other issues. The existing contract between the two parties is set to expire, and despite discussions to renew the agreement, no deal has been reached.
In an open letter, Universal accused TikTok of attempting to build a music-based business without fairly compensating artists, leading to a dispute over appropriate payments. The issues discussed in the talks included compensation for artists and songwriters, user safety, protection from the harms of artificial intelligence, and the terms of the agreement. TikTok proposed a lower rate of payment compared to other social media platforms, leading to disagreements over fair market value.
TikTok responded by stating that it was disappointed in Universal Music Group’s decision, accusing the label of prioritizing greed over the interests of their artists. Despite TikTok’s large user base, Universal reported that the platform accounted for only a small percentage of their total revenue.
A person familiar with the matter confirmed that all music licensed by Universal would be removed from TikTok in the coming days, with agreements in place with all other major and independent labels. TikTok defended its position by stating that it is not a music streaming platform and should not be licensed as such, highlighting its limitations on the playing of full songs and the use of short clips.
The dispute between Universal Music Group and TikTok raises concerns over the fair compensation of artists in the digital age, and it has the potential to impact the availability of music on popular social media platforms.
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