The clash between Universal Music Group and TikTok
Universal Music Group has withdrawn its music from TikTok, impacting songs also associated with any songwriter from Universal Music Publishing Group. This marks a significant clash between the music industry giant and one of the leading platforms for music promotion. UMG states the removal aims to boost artists' creative and commercial success. However, this action seems to restrict artists' exposure on TikTok, leading to unintended negative consequences.
How artists react to the change
Notable artists and songwriters, such as Conan Gray and Bonnie McKee, have voiced their concerns about losing TikTok as a crucial promotional channel, highlighting the paradox in labels' strategies regarding platform usage. The decision has particularly affected artists, who have shared their frustrations and financial strains due to the sudden removal of their content from TikTok, often for reasons beyond their control. The situation has left many artists feeling marginalized and powerless, revealing the industry dynamics that often overlook the very creators it depends on.
TikTok's role in music promotion
Despite UMG's actions, TikTok remains an essential tool for music discovery, guiding listeners to streaming services that financially benefit artists and the broader music industry. In our latest blog post, we also clarify how huge the impact of TikTok is on new tracks and music. "TikTok's influence on the music industry is enormous. More than 170 tracks featured on TikTok have made it into the Billboard Hot 100 and into Spotify's playlists of the world's most played tracks. In a study conducted for TikTok, 67% of TikTok users said they have streamed a track they first heard on TikTok on other platforms."
The issue between UMG and TikTok highlights the need for the music industry to adapt and work together with digital platforms. We should aim for solutions that help artists succeed and embrace new ways of sharing music. It's important for everyone in music to support each other, ensuring artists can share their work widely and fans can enjoy new music easily.
Despite the ongoing disputes in the music industry, it’s worth mentioning that the dig dis! catalog continues to be available on TikTok. This ensures that our artists and labels still have the opportunity to reach audiences worldwide through one of the most popular social media platforms. We remain committed to providing our music for fans to discover and engage with on TikTok, supporting both our artists’ growth and listeners’ access to new tunes. So rest assured, the dig dis! catalog can still be found and enjoyed on TikTok, keeping the music flowing and the creativity going.
