It’s unclear what kind of deal Swift struck with TikTok to allow her to return to the platform, but we know one thing. The deal did not include provisions for fellow UMG artists, so Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and Drake, among others, are still missing from TikTok. Taylor Swift, being the most popular musician on the planet, likely worked some magic here.
She’s not alone in her return to TikTok. Some songs by other UMG artists have begun appearing on the platform, ready for use in short-form videos. These artists include Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello.suggests that their music was put up either by fans or representatives from the artists. We don’t know if they struck their own deals like Swift may have.comes out on April 19 and will likely have plenty of tracks that will be perfect for TikTok singalongs.
TikTok went full “fake news” in response, writing that “despite Universal's false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent.” It’s worth noting thatdid not mention artist payments, but did say that it has been able to reach agreements with other musicians and publishers.
Whatever the reason for Swift’s return, the nation’s teens are no doubt rejoicing at once again being able to lip sync to "Cruel Summer" and "You Belong With Me." UMG and TikTok, however, are still battling it out, so this is likely not the last we’ll hear about all of this.