Taylor Swift Returns to TikTok Amid Licence Dispute
Taylor Swift's songs have suddenly returned to TikTok ahead of the release of her next studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, due out on 19 April, and after a 10-week hiatus amid a licensing dispute between the social network and Universal Music Group.
Several of Swift's songs, including "You Belong With Me," "Lover," "Cardigan," "Mirrorball," "Fearless (Taylor's version)," "Cruel Summer," "Cardigan," "Style (Taylor's version) Version)," "Is It Over? (Taylor's version)," "Man" and "Me!" were available on the TikTok app as of Thursday morning and users could add them to their videos.
In February, Taylor Swift's entire music catalogue was among the tracks removed from TikTok. This happened after the app company and UMG failed to extend the licence agreement, which expired on 31 January. Universal Music accused TikTok of trying to "intimidate" the music company and force it into a deal worth less than their previous agreement. At the same time, TikTok allegedly did not want to solve the problems of artificial intelligence and piracy.
In turn, TikTok denied that Universal was using a "false narrative and rhetoric".
Although TikTok is responsible for muffling UMG's music on the platform, songs by artists signed or distributed by UMG continued to appear on the platform last month. They were posted by fans or some of the artists' representatives.
According to the publication in Variety, Taylor Swift may continue to work with TikTok to promote her latest album "The Tortured Poets Department", which will be released next Friday with brand new material "Midnights". For this album, the singer has provided an exclusive video for each track on the platform. This could potentially mean that an exception was made for Taylor Swift with the tacit consent of UMG.
As previously reported by The Gaze, Taylor Swift has become the first artist to become a billionaire solely through her music, Forbes magazine writes. The popular 34-year-old American singer is currently worth $1.1 billion (approximately €875 million) thanks to the proceeds from her The Eras Tour and the value of her music catalogue.