Universal Music returns to TikTok
After months of negotiations and a temporary suspension of cooperation, Universal Music and social media platform TikTok have reached an agreement. This agreement marks a significant turning point in the relationship between music companies and online platforms and has potentially far-reaching implications for the future of the music industry in the digital age.
Universal Music, the world's largest music company, announced last year that it would remove its songs from TikTok after licensing negotiations broke down. The main points of contention were remuneration for artists and rights holders as well as concerns about security and the protection of intellectual property on the platform.
In particular, Universal criticized TikTok's use of artificial intelligence to create music content and its inefficient process for removing problematic content. This decision had a significant impact on TikTok users, as many videos on the platform contained musical accompaniment by Universal artists.
The recent agreement between Universal Music and TikTok has been hailed as a milestone by both parties. The new deal promises not only the return of Universal artists' music to the platform, but also a "new era of strategic collaboration". The agreement includes a multi-dimensional license agreement that includes fair compensation for artists as well as enhanced protections for AI-generated music.
In an official statement, Universal Music CEO Sir Lucian Grainge emphasized the importance of the new chapter in the relationship with TikTok and the primacy of human art. Similarly, the head of TikTok emphasized the importance of music to the TikTok ecosystem and praised the agreement as a way forward.
The agreement between Universal Music and TikTok marks an important step towards a more balanced relationship between rights holders and online platforms. It highlights the importance of negotiating fair remuneration and protecting intellectual property in the digital age. However, questions remain about the security and privacy of platforms such as TikTok, while political debates about their future continue.
source: tagesschau.de, hiphop.de
