Universal Music Group has terminated its music licensing agreement with TikTok, restricting access to tracks from artists like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles on the platform.

UMG criticizes TikTok for underpaying artists compared to other social media services and for allowing an influx of AI-generated music on its platform.

UMG alleges TikTok has not effectively addressed the issue of problematic content and deepfakes, and claims TikTok attempted to coerce them into a less favorable deal.

TikTok refutes UMG's allegations, highlighting its 'artist-first agreements' with other labels and publishers.

The absence of UMG's music on TikTok could have immediate effects on the artists under UMG's umbrella.

The dispute underscores broader industry challenges around artist compensation and the influence of technology on music distribution, and may leave TikTok users without popular songs if no new agreement is reached.