Universal Music Group and TikTok Strike New Licensing Deal With Expanded AI Protections and Artist Tools

Universal Music Group and TikTok have struck a new multi-year licensing deal, renewing and expanding a relationship that has become one of the more closely watched arrangements in the music industry since the two companies publicly fell out in early 2024 before reaching a renegotiated agreement later that year.

“We’re proud of the pioneering work we’ve done with TikTok to create wide-ranging benefits for our artists and songwriters,” said Michael Nash, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer of Universal Music Group in a press release. “With this new agreement, we look forward to driving innovative new fan experiences, while further improving social media monetization, and protecting and amplifying human artistry.”

The new contract keeps TikTok’s global user base connected to UMG’s recorded music and publishing catalogs and layers in a broader set of commercial and promotional tools for artists and songwriters — expanded marketing and advertising campaigns, ecommerce access and other artist-facing features.

The deal also extends what both companies have described as a shared commitment to AI protections, including joint efforts to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform and improve attribution for human artists and songwriters.

The relationship between the two companies has carried outsized stakes for the wider industry. TikTok has established itself as a primary engine of music discovery, and UMG’s catalog — which spans Republic, Interscope, Def Jam, Capitol and a long list of other labels — represents a significant portion of the music that drives engagement on the platform.

When UMG pulled its catalog from TikTok in January 2024 over a licensing dispute, the standoff drew attention to unresolved questions about how streaming-era platform economics translate to short-form social video, and what protections artists are owed as AI-generated content proliferates.

The new agreement is intended to address those questions on an ongoing basis rather than settle them once. Both companies will continue working together on fan engagement, artist development and discovery initiatives, with a particular emphasis on emerging artists.

Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok, said in a press release: “We’re excited to take our partnership with UMG to the next level, and build on the strong foundation we’ve already created together for artists, songwriters and fans. TikTok is a unique platform where music discovery, culture and fandom intersect, and this agreement will help create even more opportunities for artists and songwriters to engage audiences, grow their communities and achieve career success on a global scale.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Information sourced from Universal Music Group.