TikTok, the social media giant known for creating and discovering viral content, and Universal Music Group (UMG), one of the world’s largest music companies, have signed a new multi-year licensing agreement. The deal gives TikTok users access to UMG’s extensive music catalog, including hits from artists like Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber. Users can feature these songs in their videos, while UMG earns royalties whenever its music is used.
The agreement marks a major step forward in a relationship that hit a rough patch in 2024. Earlier that year, UMG temporarily removed its music from TikTok after the two companies clashed over several issues, including artist and songwriter compensation, platform safety, and protections against unauthorized AI-generated music.
This latest deal directly addresses the AI issue. TikTok and UMG have committed to working together to identify and remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform. In a joint statement, the companies announced that they will collaborate to eliminate unauthorized AI-created tracks while improving credit and attribution for artists and songwriters.
The word unauthorized is especially important here. UMG is not opposing all AI-generated music. In fact, the company recently partnered with Spotify to allow Spotify Premium users to create AI-generated covers and remixes using songs from UMG artists. Because UMG has approved those uses, they count as authorized AI-generated content. As a result, TikTok and UMG will not target AI-generated songs that were created under Spotify’s authorized framework.
The growing popularity of AI-generated music has become one of the music industry’s biggest challenges. AI tools can imitate an artist’s voice, style, and sound with remarkable accuracy. While this technology opens the door to new creative possibilities, it also raises concerns about compensation and ownership. Listeners may choose AI-created songs that mimic a favorite artist instead of listening to the artist’s actual work, potentially reducing revenue for musicians.
A high-profile example emerged in 2023 with Heart on My Sleeve, an AI-generated song that recreated the voices of Drake and The Weeknd without their permission. The track attracted hundreds of thousands of streams despite having no involvement from either artist, sparking widespread debate across the music industry.
Beyond lost revenue, AI-generated music can create serious intellectual property concerns. Developers may train AI models on copyrighted songs or artist vocals without permission, and the resulting music may incorporate protected elements of existing works. As AI technology continues to evolve, companies like TikTok, UMG, and Spotify are racing to balance innovation with the need to protect artists’ rights and creative ownership.
