By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

GadgetBond

  • Latest
  • How-to
  • Tech
    • AI
    • Amazon
    • Apple
    • CES
    • Computing
    • Creators
    • Google
    • Meta
    • Microsoft
    • Mobile
    • Samsung
    • Security
    • Xbox
  • Transportation
    • Audi
    • BMW
    • Cadillac
    • E-Bike
    • Ferrari
    • Ford
    • Honda Prelude
    • Lamborghini
    • McLaren W1
    • Mercedes
    • Porsche
    • Rivian
    • Tesla
  • Culture
    • Apple TV
    • Disney
    • Gaming
    • Hulu
    • Marvel
    • HBO Max
    • Netflix
    • Paramount
    • SHOWTIME
    • Star Wars
    • Streaming
Add GadgetBond as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.
Font ResizerAa
GadgetBondGadgetBond
  • Latest
  • Tech
  • AI
  • Deals
  • How-to
  • Apps
  • Mobile
  • Gaming
  • Streaming
  • Transportation
Search
  • Latest
  • Deals
  • How-to
  • Tech
    • Amazon
    • Apple
    • CES
    • Computing
    • Creators
    • Google
    • Meta
    • Microsoft
    • Mobile
    • Samsung
    • Security
    • Xbox
  • AI
    • Anthropic
    • ChatGPT
    • ChatGPT Atlas
    • Gemini AI (formerly Bard)
    • Google DeepMind
    • Grok AI
    • Meta AI
    • Microsoft Copilot
    • OpenAI
    • Perplexity
    • xAI
  • Transportation
    • Audi
    • BMW
    • Cadillac
    • E-Bike
    • Ferrari
    • Ford
    • Honda Prelude
    • Lamborghini
    • McLaren W1
    • Mercedes
    • Porsche
    • Rivian
    • Tesla
  • Culture
    • Apple TV
    • Disney
    • Gaming
    • Hulu
    • Marvel
    • HBO Max
    • Netflix
    • Paramount
    • SHOWTIME
    • Star Wars
    • Streaming
Follow US
BusinessTech

Universal Music pulls catalog from TikTok, citing failed licensing talks

Viral video creators on TikTok face crisis as Universal Music Group exits the platform over failed licensing negotiations with the short-form video app.

By
Shubham Sawarkar
Shubham Sawarkar's avatar
ByShubham Sawarkar
Editor-in-Chief
I’m a tech enthusiast who loves exploring gadgets, trends, and innovations. With certifications in CISCO Routing & Switching and Windows Server Administration, I bring a sharp...
Follow:
- Editor-in-Chief
Jan 26, 2024, 11:00 PM EST
Share
We may get a commission from retail offers. Learn more
Universal Music pulls catalog from TikTok, citing failed licensing talks
Image: Getty Images
SHARE

Universal Music Group (UMG) has removed its extensive music catalog from the popular short-form video app TikTok after the two sides failed to reach a licensing agreement, UMG announced today.

The announcement ends months of negotiations and escalating tensions between the world’s largest record label and one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. UMG, which represents artists including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd, accused TikTok of “bullying” tactics and attempting to secure licensing rights “worth less than the previous deal.”

In an open letter, UMG said TikTok had refused to properly value the music that was helping fuel its rapid expansion.

TikTok hit back in a blog post, arguing that it provided “powerful support” for artists through promotion and that UMG had made unreasonable demands during negotiations. The company said it was disappointed that UMG had mischaracterized the talks.

The removal of UMG’s catalog deals a significant blow to TikTok and its community of viral video creators. No longer having access to chart-topping songs could hamper efforts to produce engaging short videos. For UMG and its musical artists, however, TikTok had accounted for only a small fraction of total revenues.

Still, the high-profile dispute underscores the growing power and influence of social media platforms over the music industry. As TikTok’s user base balloons, music has become central to its identity and success. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become too big for record labels to ignore when negotiating licensing deals worth billions of dollars.

It remains unclear whether the two technology and entertainment giants will return to the negotiating table or if the music of Swift, Eilish and others will remain indefinitely absent from TikTok. For now, TikTok creators will have to make do without hits from music’s biggest label.


Discover more from GadgetBond

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Most Popular

Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS is Google’s new powerhouse text-to-speech model

Google app for desktop rolls out globally on Windows

Google debuts Gemini app for Mac with instant shortcut access

Google Chrome’s new Skills feature makes AI workflows one tap away

Anthropic’s revamped Claude Code desktop app is all about parallel coding workflows

Also Read
Split promotional banner showing a man’s face beside a dark hand silhouette for Apple TV “Your Friends & Neighbors,” and a woman in pink pajamas with a close-up of a man for Peacock’s “The Miniature Wife,” separated by a plus sign indicating bundled streaming content.

New Prime Video bundle pairs Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99

Claude design system interface showing an interactive 3D globe visualization with customizable settings. The left side displays a dark-themed globe with North America in focus, overlaid with cyan-colored connecting arcs between major North American cities including Reykjavik, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, New York, Nashville, Atlanta, Austin, New Orleans, and Miami. The top of the interface includes navigation tabs for 'Stories' and 'Explore', along with 'Tweaks' toggle (enabled), and action buttons for 'Comment' and 'Edit'. On the right side is a dark control panel with three sections: Theme (Dark mode selected, with Light option available), Breakpoint (Desktop selected, with Tablet and Mobile options), and Network settings including adjustable sliders for Arc color (bright cyan), Arc width (0.6), Arc glow (13), Arc density (100%), City size (1.0), and Pulse speed (3.4s), plus checkboxes for 'Show arcs', 'Show cities', and 'City labels'.

Anthropic Labs unveils Claude Design

OpenAI Codex app logo featuring a stylized terminal symbol inside a cloud icon on a blue and purple gradient background, with the word “Codex” displayed below.

Codex desktop app now handles nearly your whole stack

A graphic design featuring the text “GPT Rosalind” in bold black letters on a light green background. Behind the text are overlapping translucent green rectangles. In the bottom left corner, part of a chemical structure diagram is visible with labels such as “CH₃,” “CH₂,” “H,” “N,” and the Roman numeral “II.” The right side of the background shows a blurred turquoise and green abstract pattern, evoking a scientific or natural theme.

OpenAI launches GPT-Rosalind to accelerate biopharma research

Perplexity interface showing a model selection menu with options for advanced AI models. The default choice, “Claude Opus 4.7 Thinking,” is highlighted as a powerful model for complex tasks. Other options include “GPT-5.4 New” for complex tasks and “Claude Sonnet 4.6” for everyday tasks using fewer credits. A toggle for “Thinking” is switched on, and a tooltip on the right reads “Computer powered by Claude 4.7 Opus.”

Perplexity Max users now get Claude Opus 4.7 in Computer by default

Anthropic brand illustration divided into two halves: On the left, an orange-coral background displays a stylized network or molecule diagram with white circular nodes connected by white lines, enclosed within a black wavy border outline representing a head or mind. On the right, a light teal background features an abstract line drawing of a figure or person with curved black lines and black dots, sketched over a white grid on transparent checkered background, suggesting data points and analytical thinking. The composition symbolizes the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition.

Claude Opus 4.7 is Anthropic’s new powerhouse for serious software work

Illustration of Claude Code routines concept: An orange-coral background with a stylized design featuring two black curly braces (code brackets) flanking a white speech bubble containing a handwritten lowercase 'u' symbol. The image represents code execution and automated routines within Claude Code.

Anthropic gives Claude Code cloud routines that work while you sleep

Gemini interface showing a NEET Mock Exam Practice Session. On the left side, a chat message from the user says 'I want to take a NEET mock exam.' Below it is Gemini's response explaining a complete NEET mock exam designed to test concepts in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, with a 'Show thinking' option expanded. The response includes an embedded card for 'NEET UG Practice Test' dated Apr 11, 7:10 PM, with options to 'Try again without interactive quiz' and encouragement message. On the right side is a panel titled 'NEET UG Practice Test' displaying three subject sections: Physics (45 Questions with a yellow icon and blue Start button), Chemistry (45 Questions with a purple icon and blue Start button), and Biology (90 Questions with a green icon). Each section includes a brief description of question topics covered.

Google Gemini now lets you take full NEET mock exams for free

Company Info
  • Homepage
  • Support my work
  • Latest stories
  • Company updates
  • GDB Recommends
  • Daily newsletters
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Write for us
  • Editorial guidelines
Legal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Security Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
Socials
Follow US

Disclosure: We love the products we feature and hope you’ll love them too. If you purchase through a link on our site, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. Read our ethics statement. Please note that pricing and availability are subject to change.

Copyright © 2026 GadgetBond. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information.