Universal Music Group (UMG), one of the 'Big Three' record labels, has removed its catalog from TikTok after failing to reach a licensing agreement, affecting artists with smaller followings the most. High-profile UMG artists like Taylor Swift, Drake, and Bad Bunny have had their music pulled from the platform, which has led to a significant impact on content creators and the music industry. The move has sparked a variety of reactions, including from artist Conan Gray who quipped, “My career is over, for sure. I’m never gonna have a hit song again at this rate,” highlighting the importance of the platform for music promotion. The song 'Mary on a Cross' by Ghost, which went viral and platinum on TikTok, exemplifies the app's role in music discovery. The licensing feud has prompted industry reactions and has become a major talking point ahead of the Grammys, with some content creators now considering alternatives like Instagram and YouTube.
Here's why songs by Taylor Swift, Drake and more are starting to disappear from TikTok https://t.co/vdmmPOWJQw
TikTok has taken the appeal of personality over policy to another level https://t.co/onHcVNGVlq
.@MattBelloni is joined by Rolling Stone’s @MillmanEthan to discuss the ongoing battle between Universal Music Group and TikTok. Listen: https://t.co/RhWXoegNu8
TikTok users are encountering a platform stripped of music by many of their favorite artists. The dominant feeling is frustration: What was the point of TikTok without one’s favorite melodies? https://t.co/Dle6yu68qN
In the contract dispute between UMG and TikTok, it’s lesser-known artists who will suffer the most, argues @jewelwickershow https://t.co/OxgvlHfaBC
TikTok is a key battleground in Indonesia’s upcoming election. The platform says is working with the country’s oversight agency to stop fake news and hoaxes. Yet it has a bad record in this regard https://t.co/PvyIzcvbIb 👇
TikTok is a key battleground in Indonesia’s election https://t.co/byg7l7Udd3
What Removing Taylor Swift, Drake And More Means For TikTok—And Users https://t.co/SPime8gTNK
Vocal #TikTok users navigate a quieter app Because of a licensing rift, TikTok has deleted music by @UMG artists including @taylorswift13, Drake and others, from its library and muted previously published videos with those songs. https://t.co/rr2DgAuT5U
TikTok in Shambles Now That Videos Can’t Use Popular Music https://t.co/OvLFnvNVj1
Conan Gray joked that his 'career is over' due to Universal Music Group's recent decision to pull its artists' music from TikTok READ MORE ➡️ https://t.co/EQLE5Fh2TQ https://t.co/KJ7tH7TNjP
Lil Nas X on UMG pulling its artists’ music catalog from TikTok: “me being happy us underground artists finally have a chance on tiktok now that all those big name artists are gone” https://t.co/qHcQHuYMfg
"It’s definitely made my account take a massive hit." Content creators say they are considering the merits of Instagram and YouTube after a licensing battle led TikTok to pull songs by artists with Universal Music Group. https://t.co/XcAxTo0XQ6
Here's why songs by Taylor Swift, Drake and more are starting to disappear from TikTok https://t.co/WKJFP7VcL6 https://t.co/A3zYNfaYLK
Earlier this week, Universal Music Group - which represents big-name artists like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Drake - said that it would no longer allow its music on TikTok following the Wednesday expiration of a licensing deal between the two companies. https://t.co/k5jLxVS1Vz
Taylor Swift fans have found a unique solution after the singer's music was pulled from TikTok https://t.co/PfJWW7o1oP
“The bummer is that it feels like UMG and TikTok are both going to be fine. Meanwhile, the actual artists on the ground are the ones that are going to take the hits for this.” Cody Fry talks to Rolling Stone about the way between UMG and TikTok: https://t.co/A2yvh9jPFA https://t.co/S3LsFdKAVu
A vast roster of popular songs is starting to disappear from TikTok's library. https://t.co/JRIUDuqjAX
CeeLo Green wants to see TikTok and Universal Music Group work things out after a nasty split earlier this week. See more 👇 https://t.co/F6fw9rJnQS
How much should TikTok fear a resurgent Donald Trump? https://t.co/FoV5YRpAa8
TikTok Artist Mareux Says UMG Pulling Music From App Hurts Label's Small Artists | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/A26dqUKbTL
Social media star, Rickey Thompson, shares his thoughts on the #UMG and #TikTok dispute -- saying the decision could be detrimental to the app! 😱 Learn more HERE: https://t.co/rs0amFllpQ https://t.co/AJsqmDl6aX
Taylor Swift’s music has been swiftly pulled off of TikTok, leaving Swifties with no choice but to record their own versions of the artist’s songs. https://t.co/CQ0U58EiTl
TikTok once offered seemingly endless chances to be charmed by music, dances, personalities and products. But in only a few short years, its promise of kismet is evaporating, our pop music critic Jon Caramanica writes. https://t.co/mP4NJhPofS
Conan Gray jokingly reacts to his music being removed from TikTok after UMG cut ties with the platform: “My career is over, for sure. I’m never gonna have a hit song again at this rate.” https://t.co/9bWxalgskB
UMG’s TikTok Licensing Feud: Music Industry Reactions (Updating) https://t.co/48iiAgZdgY
The silencing of Universal Music Group’s artists on TikTok has become the talk of the music industry ahead of the #Grammys. “My career is over, for sure. I’m never gonna have a hit song again at this rate,” Conan Gray quipped. More: https://t.co/o0Ng46DWtO https://t.co/Nj6lpJzvUq
Harry Styles, Bad Bunny and SZA Don’t Record for Universal Music — But Their Songs Will Get Pulled From TikTok, Too https://t.co/XRJOtXjzyh
TikTok users will no longer be able to create videos with songs from Taylor Swift, Jon Batiste, boygenius and other Universal Music Group artists as the soundtrack, as contract negotiations between the 2 companies have collapsed. https://t.co/PRltZqOIHT
TikTok without all that music is... weird https://t.co/01OG5WPmXe https://t.co/3m6cwJTabb
Prabowo Subianto used to crack heads. Now he busts moves. Despite standing accused of many past abuses, the favourite to win Indonesia’s upcoming presidential election has gained popularity on TikTok https://t.co/db9fcKlfno 👇
Music #nfts could fix this 👇👇 Universal Music Group removed all of its songs from TikTok They are a multinational music corporation and the biggest music company in the world. Their Wikipedia says it is one of the "Big Three" record labels, next to Sony Music and Warner Music… https://t.co/R790ONxjBd
Tik Tok just got instantly removed for “nudity and body exposure” This app is HORRRRRRENDOUS man. https://t.co/Jrz47KlJAG
"Look around everybody on mute." 🤐 If you haven't noticed it already, many TikTok videos have lost their sound. That's because Universal Music Group has removed its catalog from the video-sharing app after failng to reach a licensing agreement with TikTok. 📷: Getty https://t.co/T5mKLKKu00
feel like this single image sums up the TikTok vs UMG fight “Mary on a Cross” a fine song that came out in 2019 by glam metal group Ghost (think KISS for goths) to little fanfare on Loma Vista, owned by UMG randomly goes viral on TikTok in 2022, and goes platinum a year later https://t.co/HzHgNKR26d
"This is most painfully going to affect artists with smaller followings". Broadcaster and content creator @sophiasgaler explains why Universal Music is removing its artists' music from TikTok and what this means for content creators. https://t.co/XnHafbwVsF 📺Sky 501 https://t.co/H6CmSsPE4Q