TikTok's silent dance: Universal Music Group pulls the plug on tunes

TikTok’s silent dance: Universal Music Group pulls the plug on tunes،

Imagine watching a video of a group of people dancing without any music. This could be quite fun, right? Well, TikTok users might soon experience it as the songs are about to disappear from the platform.

According to Variety (via 9to5Mac), Universal Music Group, one of the biggest players in the music industry, said it was unable to reach new terms with TikTok. The disagreements mainly centered around how artists are paid and how TikTok uses AI. Universal Music accused TikTok of trying to push for a less favorable deal than before.

UMG mentioned that its existing agreement with TikTok will expire on January 31. He stated :

The companies have not agreed to the terms of a new agreement and, upon expiration of the current agreement, Universal Music Group, including Universal Music Publishing Group, will cease licensing content from the TikTok and TikTok Music services .

If the deal actually ends, UMG will remove its music from TikTok. That's a lot of the songs gone, and for TikTok, that could be a problem. The app feeds off these catchy beats for its viral videos. Without a library full of popular music, creating these viral clips could prove a little tricky. And UMG owns the stars when it comes to popular music. Think Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Sting, The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, Steve Lacy, Drake, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Coldplay, Pearl Jam and Bob Dylan. If they pull the plug, TikTok loses an all-star cast, making those lip syncs and dances a little less star-powered.

TikTok applauded UMG, saying:

It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has placed its own greed above the interests of its artists and songwriters.

Social media believes that UMG has chosen to move away from the powerful support of a platform with over a billion users that serves as a free vehicle for promoting and discovering their talents.

In a letter, the music company also referred to TikTok as “an increasingly influential platform with powerful technology and a massive global user base.” However, UMG highlighted three major concerns: fair compensation for its artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the negative impacts of AI, and ensuring the online safety of TikTok users.

Talking about online security, TikTok has been facing some issues lately. The state of Iowa filed a lawsuit against the company, saying the app is not suitable for users under 17. Additionally, TikTok removed a tool used by researchers to study hashtag trends after facing criticism. This has added to ongoing tension between social media platforms and researchers who study topics such as misinformation.