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Earlier this month, the music industry underwent a major transformation when Universal Music Group declared that they would remove their entire catalog, including popular K-pop band BTS, singer Taylor Swift, and iconic group ABBA, from TikTok.
In light of concerns over TikTok’s inadequate payment rates, lack of safeguards against AI-altered content, and insufficient measures to protect users, Universal Music Group (UMG) stated in a public letter that they have decided to withdraw their music from the platform as a form of protest. UMG also accused TikTok of attempting to intimidate them by removing the music of their up-and-coming artists while still featuring their more popular global stars. In response, TikTok denied UMG’s allegations and dismissed them as untrue.
Shortly after the announcement, Universal artists’ music began to disappear from the platform, confirming that the move was not a bluff. Additionally, songs written by Universal’s publishing artists have also started disappearing this week. As a result, any music that includes samples or was co-written by a Universal publishing artist, regardless of their share in the songwriting, can no longer be used on TikTok. This includes popular songs like Harry Styles’s “As It Was” and SZA’s “Kill Bill,” as well as upcoming releases that are currently being promoted. Some analysts believe that this publishing takedown could lead to the removal of 80% of music on TikTok, but the platform disputes this and suggests that only 20-30% of music will be affected.
UMG’s recent takedown may seem extreme, but it was bound to happen with TikTok. As the app grew in popularity in 2018, many in the industry saw it as a lucrative opportunity, excited by the fact that artists who were unsigned and relatively unknown, like Lil Nas X and Jawsh 685, were suddenly topping the Billboard charts without much traditional promotion. When Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams went viral on the app in 2020, it became evident that TikTok was reshaping music consumption by giving older songs a chance to shine again with the right exposure.
Music that became popular on TikTok has brought in hundreds of millions, and even billions, of streams within a year, resulting in significant earnings for musicians and record labels. This trend has also positively impacted live music events, with a notable example being indie-rock musician Mitski who played to a crowd of 2,000 in London in 2018, but is now expected to perform for over 20,000 fans after a few of her songs went viral on TikTok.
However, TikTok quickly began to feel like a burden for musicians. Many popular acts, like Halsey and Florence Welch, have voiced their frustration with record label pressure to utilize the platform for promoting new music. Some artists have even accused labels of withholding songs unless there is enough TikTok hype, while others, like Noah Kahan, who has experienced success on TikTok in the past year, are keenly aware of their perceived dependence on it. Kahan even joked about being labeled a “TikTok artist” in a humorous video following UMG’s cull.
Some people argue that TikTok promotes the production of a specific type of music geared towards gaining viral attention. This approach often proves successful, with a multitude of popular songs incorporating memorable samples from the 90s and 2000s.
The potential for TikTok popularity to result in long-term achievements is highly disputed. In 2022, American musician Steve Lacy gained attention after expressing frustration that concert attendees were only interested in recording a brief clip of his viral hit, “Bad Habit.” Similarly, New Zealand artist Benee’s pandemic-viral track, “Supalonely,” reached success on US charts in 2020 but she has been unable to achieve the same level of success since then.
During the past year, a new issue has arisen: there are a significant number of songs that become popular on TikTok daily, but a decreasing number of these viral songs are able to gain recognition outside of the app. In the previous year, the majority of songs that became viral on the platform and achieved success in the real world were created by established artists like Doja Cat and Central Cee, who originally gained fame through the platform. Only a small handful of songs, such as Tyla’s “Water” and Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid,” were able to truly break through.
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In other words, TikTok’s connection with the music business was never viable. As numerous online outlets discovered in the mid-2010s, when they shifted to video to appease Facebook’s algorithm, only to see that platform’s success decline, it’s not advisable to rely on a private company with mysterious intentions and methods to dictate the fate of an entire industry. While established celebrities with established fans and successful marketing tactics may not be greatly impacted by their music being removed from TikTok, emerging stars will be.
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TikTok is fully aware of the negative impact that Universal’s removals will have on its users’ experience. In a recent trial in Australia and New Zealand, popular songs were taken down for certain users, resulting in a significant decline in engagement time. This confirms that users enjoy listening to popular songs and joining in on the trends associated with them.
Most likely, Universal’s choice will cause a self-defeating cycle: even if songs from smaller artists, Sony, and Warner take the place of top artists like Drake and Taylor Swift, it’s likely that user activity will have already decreased, leaving non-Universal artists to compete for minimal attention.
The likelihood of Universal changing their decision is low unless TikTok agrees to pay higher rates to artists, but even that is uncertain. This move may have negative effects on emerging artists in the short-term, but it serves as a reminder that the industry has become too reliant on one platform for quick success, neglecting other important aspects. This could be a chance for individuals to shift their focus towards innovative ideas, something that has been neglected in the pursuit of viral content.
Source: theguardian.com
