The Day Music Died
How will TikTok grapple with the loss of UMG’s music catalog?
By Ruby Voge
In just a few short years, TikTok has transformed the music industry. Since the app rose to the top, coinciding with the peak of the pandemic, new and old artists alike have had to adapt to TikTok’s algorithm and short-form format.
The “TikTokification” of music has changed not only the way we consume music, but also how music sounds. With only a few seconds to grab the attention of the average user, pop songs have become simpler and homogenous, emphasizing catchy choruses above all else.
“TikTokification” has also led to the unexpected resurgence of older songs. Recently, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2002 hit single “Murder on the Dancefloor” made its comeback to the charts after going viral on TikTok for its prominent role in the film Saltburn.
However, the tide may be turning in the music industry with a recent decision by Universal Music Group (UMG).
On January 30, the day UMG’s contract with TikTok was set to expire, Universal announced that it would be pulling its entire catalog from the app. In an open letter, the corporation called out TikTok for failing to provide appropriate compensation, protect artists from AI, and ensure safety for users.
UMG—the largest record company in the country—owns the catalogs for dozens of the world’s most popular musicians, including superstars like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, and SZA.
As a result, millions of videos have now been muted since the accompanying songs were removed from TikTok on February 1.
According to Billboard, TikTok now has a 30-day grace period to remove all music that the Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) owns the rights to, which would add up to over half of the music used on the app.
In a perfect world, the loss of UMG’s catalog on TikTok would provide an opportunity for smaller, independent artists to gain more traction and popularity in the monopolized market since the biggest stars are no longer the sole soundtrack of “For You” pages around the world. However, the landscape remains dire for those who lack the necessary skills or financial resources to promote their music via 15-second videos.
However, even with the removal of UMG’s catalog, many songs that belong to the label remain on TikTok via pirated formats.
The consequences of this decision could be monumental.
Will TikTok try to renegotiate a new deal with UMG? Will it crack down on pirating through more moderation? Or will it simply rely on the music provided by other corporations, like Warner Music Group?
Only time will tell.