Universal Music Group and TikTok have announced a new multi-year global licensing agreement, deepening a partnership that covers both recorded music and publishing for UMG’s vast roster of artists and songwriters.
Building on the multi-dimensional deal struck between the two companies in 2024, the new agreement extends TikTok’s access to UMG’s full recorded music and publishing catalogs, while layering in expanded commercial and creative benefits for artists and songwriters. These include access to enhanced marketing and advertising campaigns, as well as ecommerce tools designed to help artists monetise their presence on the platform.
One of the most significant elements of the new deal is a strengthened joint commitment to tackling AI-generated music. TikTok and UMG will work together to identify and remove unauthorised AI-generated content from the platform, while improving attribution systems so that artists and songwriters receive proper credit and appropriate financial returns. The agreement frames this as a defence of “human artistry” in an era of rapid AI proliferation.
The deal also sets out plans for deeper collaboration around fan engagement and artist development, with a specific focus on breaking emerging talent from across the globe. TikTok, which has established itself as one of the most powerful tools for music discovery, will expand its promotional capabilities for UMG-signed acts, helping artists build communities and grow audiences at scale.
Michael Nash, Executive Vice-President and Chief Digital Officer of Universal Music Group, said the company was proud of its “pioneering work” with TikTok and described the new deal as an opportunity to “drive innovative new fan experiences, while further improving social media monetization, and protecting and amplifying human artistry.”
Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok, echoed that sentiment, saying the partnership would “create even more opportunities for artists and songwriters to engage audiences, grow their communities and achieve career success on a global scale.” Gardner described TikTok as a “unique platform where music discovery, culture and fandom intersect.”
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the music industry’s relationship with social media platforms. For festival audiences in particular, TikTok continues to play an outsized role in shaping which artists break through to main stage bookings, with viral moments on the platform increasingly driving the kind of grassroots demand that leads to major festival slots.
Image credits:
In this article: Universal Music Group, TikTok, Michael Nash. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
Disclosures: TheFestivals is funded through advertising and sometimes earns a commission on purchases made through links on this website, including in this article: None
Add as a preferred source