Universal Music Group has pulled its music from Triller, a short-form video platform similar to TikTok.
A UMG spokesperson tells MusicRow: “We will not work with platforms that do not value artists. Triller has shamefully withheld payments owed to our artists and refuses to negotiate a license going forward. We have no alternative except to remove our music from Triller, effective immediately.”
A spokesperson from Triller issued the following statement to MusicRow:
“We can confirm our deal with UMG expired approximately one week ago. We have been negotiating since then in an attempt to renew. The renewal however was just a formality and a courtesy to UMG, as a shareholder of Triller. Triller does not need a deal with UMG to continue operating as it has been since the relevant artists are already shareholders or partners on Triller, and thus can authorize their usage directly. Triller has no use for a licensing deal with UMG.
We categorically deny we have withheld any artist payments (our deal has only been one week expired) and if anything, it is UMG using their artist names as a front to extract ridiculous and non-sustainable payments for themselves and not their artists. They did this exact same thing to TikTok For two years and virtually every other social network.
It is unfortunate UMG decided to use the press as it’s “negotiating leverage” when they realized we aren’t going to be held hostage. UMG is well aware any agreement was just out of respect and courtesy, not necessity. We have been operating without it and there has been no change in our business.”
In late 2020, Wixen Music Publishing filed a $50 million suit against Triller.
According numerous reports, UMG and many other major media companies have stakes in Triller, which is said to be planning an IPO with a valuation of more than $1 billion.
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