Universal Music Pulls 4 Million Songs From TikTok, Tells Artists: 'They Simply Do Not Value Your Music'

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has announced that as of March 1, its catalog of approximately four million songs is no longer actively licensed for use on TikTok.

This decision follows the expiration of UMPG's license for approximately three million recordings on TikTok on Feb. 1, which has not been renewed.

See Also: Universal Music Vs. TikTok: Harry Styles, Coldplay Pulled From Social Media Platform As Battle Over Music Rights Intensifies

In an email to its songwriters (via Music Business Worldwide), UMPG expressed disappointment over the situation, highlighting concerns about TikTok's use of AI-generated audio.

"In addition to fair compensation for your songs, the negotiations have also focused on two other critical and equally important issues: protecting you, human artists and songwriters, from the harmful effects of AI; and online safety for TikTok’s users, including your fans which include young children," the multinational music corporation wrote.

UMPG stated that TikTok has not provided any assurances that it won't use its AI models on the music company's songs, potentially impacting the market share and earnings potential of copyrighted music on the platform. The company raised concerns about TikTok's intentions to move beyond music and its potential reliance on AI-generated music.

"Every indication is that they simply do not value your music," UMPG wrote, aiming at the short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance.

"As always, UMPG will only support partners that value songwriters, artists and your songs. We have a long history of successfully fighting for our songwriters and will continue to do so. You should expect nothing less from us," the company added.

Meanwhile, TikTok reported that despite the removal of Universal Music Group's catalog, they haven't lost users, with millions still engaging with the platform daily.

However, UMG's EVP and Chief Digital Officer, Michael Nash, cited data suggesting a slight decline in user time spent on TikTok compared to the previous year.

"We remain committed to reaching an equitable agreement with Universal Music Group," TikTok said in a statement. Despite the situation, TikTok emphasized that users can still enjoy millions of tracks from various artists and labels on their platform.

Read Next: New York City Sues TikTok, Facebook, YouTube In Their Home Turf Los Angeles Over Alleged Harm To Kids' Mental Health

Image created using photos of JHVEPhoto and DANIEL CONSTANTE on Shutterstock.