Universal Music Group and TikTok have announced a new multi-year strategic licensing agreement, building on their 2024 partnership and expanding what both companies can offer artists, songwriters, creators, and fans. TikTok will continue carrying UMG’s full recorded music and publishing catalogs, while the new deal adds enhanced marketing and advertising campaigns, e-commerce tools, and deeper artist development initiatives designed to help emerging artists build global audiences.
The AI protections built into the previous deal get a significant extension here. Both companies commit to removing unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform and to improving artist and songwriter attribution, a direct reinforcement of human artistry at a moment when the industry is navigating that terrain carefully. “This new agreement will help create even more opportunities for artists and songwriters to engage audiences, grow their communities and achieve career success on a global scale,” says Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok.
UMG’s Michael Nash called the deal a step toward “innovative new fan experiences” while improving social media monetization. The practical result for artists is a platform that combines music discovery, cultural conversation, and commercial tools in one place, with more resources behind the relationship than before.