Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, ended a boycott of TikTok

Earlier this month, Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record company, ended a boycott of TikTok that began earlier this year over claims that the Chinese-owned social media platform was not paying fair value for the use of its songs and concerns about the use of generative artificial intelligence. According to reports, Universal said the new licensing deal would lead to improved remuneration for its artists and songwriters and included fresh promotional and commercial agreements with protection in the area of AI.

Although other big record label owners were said to be watching the situation with interest, there is a view that Universal’s position — which meant its artists were unable to reach the vast audiences provided by TikTok, which has become a crucial tool for discovering music and promoting it — was undermined by the decisionby Taylor Swift to promote her latest album on the platform. Unlike many other artists, Swift owns the copyrights to her songs.