Taylor Swift, Drake and Olivia Rodrigo’s songs are set to return to TikTok after the video-sharing platform reached a new agreement with Universal Music Group (EURONEXT:UMG).
Songs by the music company’s 1,000-plus artists had begun disappearing from TikTok in early February, as the duo’s existing licensing deal expired.
A new agreement will tackle concerns over artificial intelligence and offer further opportunities for monetisation, a statement on Thursday read.
“This new chapter in our relationship with TikTok focuses on the value of music, the primacy of human artistry and the welfare of the creative community,” Universal boss Lucian Grainge said.
TikTok and Universal had been locked in a months-long standoff over the new deal, with the latter arguing TikTok paid far less than rivals.
TikTok accounted for 1%, or around US$110 million (£87.9 million), of Universal’s revenue last year.
YouTube had paid the industry US$1.8 billion for user-generated content over the year to June by contrast, according to Midia.
“TikTok has become one of the most important marketing channels for musicians given the widespread popularity of the platform,” AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould commented.
“Millions of people are discovering songs from clips used on social media posts and this is introducing new and old artists to the next generation.”
Taylor Swift had allowed some songs to return to TikTok as she unveiled her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department”, prompting speculation the move reduced Universal’s bargaining power.
The deal also comes as TikTok faces a potential ban in the US, with the government having given the site until next year to secure new owners or be ousted.