In January, Universal Music Group pulled its entire catalog of artists from TikTok — including Taylor Swift — following a licensing dispute between the two companies. Now Swift’s music has made an unexpected return to the app ahead of the “Eras Tour” star’s upcoming album.
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Taylor Swift Music Back On TikTok Despite No Apparent Resolution
As of Thursday (April 11,) much of Swift’s catalog — including “You Belong With Me” and “Cruel Summer — were available on the TikTok app for users to include in their videos.
The surprise move comes a week before the “Bad Blood” singer is set to drop her next album. The Tortured Poets Department hits the airwaves April 19.
Variety speculated that Swift was partnering with TikTok to promote the record, as she did with 2022’s Midnights. The article also posits that the social media platform has reached a separate arrangement with Swift. The “Shake It Off” singer’s music is distributed by UMG. However, she owns her masters, which could give her more flexibility in negotiating a deal.
UMG’s catalog also includes Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles. As of Thursday, Swift was the only UMG artist to reappear on TikTok.
Universal Music blamed the fallout on TikTok. The corporation argued the platform refused to compensate UMG appropriately and was “sponsoring artist replacement” by allowing AI-generated content on the app. Meanwhile, TikTok accused UMG of putting “their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.”
What to Expect From ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
We are just over a week away from The Tortured Poets Department. Swifties have been in a frenzy since the “Karma” singer casually announced the album Feb. 4 while accepting her 13th GRAMMY. (Here’s a crash course in what the number “13” means in the Swift fandom.)
Swift has called the album a “lifeline” during a difficult personal time. That remark invited further speculation that she would finally address her breakup with British actor Joe Alwyn. The pair confirmed their split in April 2023 after six and a half years of dating. Swift is now in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
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