Taylor Swift’s fans can rejoice as her music has made a comeback on TikTok after a recent dispute led to her label pulling her songs from the platform.
This move comes just in time for the release of her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In January, Universal Music decided to remove songs from its artists, including Rihanna and Ariana Grande, due to a licensing disagreement with TikTok. Many artists have expressed concerns about receiving inadequate royalties from the popular app.
While Swift’s songs, such as You Belong With Me and Cruel Summer, are now available for TikTok users, music from other Universal artists remains unavailable. This is because Swift owns the copyright to her music, thanks to a 2018 deal with Universal. There are speculations that Swift may have reached a separate agreement with TikTok to have her music reinstated.
Swift’s fans, known as “Swifties,” have taken to the platform to express their excitement over her music’s return. Verified user Jessica Golich shared her joy, stating that having Swift’s music back has made her year complete. Another user, Divendra Rai, posted a video lip-syncing to Cruel Summer, welcoming Taylor back with open arms.
In response to the dispute, Universal published an open letter accusing TikTok of not paying fair value for music. The record label also raised concerns about fair compensation for artists, particularly regarding AI-generated songs that mimic real artists’ work.
Swift, who recently won her 13th Grammy award, announced the release of her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department, set to launch on 19 April. The BBC has reached out to Universal and TikTok for comments on the matter.
