TikTok was dealt another blow after the National Music Publishers Association sent a letter to its members informing them that the organization “does not anticipate” renewing its licensing agreement. Billboard reports.
That means a lot more music could disappear from TikTok after millions of songs were removed when Universal Music Group severed ties with the social media giant following a contentious contract dispute. The NMPA, the country's largest music publishing trade body, now plans to do the same.
“Recently, the press has highlighted concerns about TikTok's licensing practices, concerns that NMPA has heard directly from many of our members,” the letter reads. “At this time, we do not anticipate that there will be an option to renew or extend current NMPA licenses or enter into a new license with TikTok through the NMPA.”
Whether or not more independent publishers will join the UMG boycott remains to be seen, but the platform's latest musical death knell does not bode well. The NMPA license is set to expire on April 30, leaving many wondering what the future of TikTok will look like as the threat of more songs disappearing en masse looms.
Elsewhere in the NMPA letter, the organization said the responsibility for negotiating a new license now falls to publishers, who must interact directly with TikTok after the agreement expires on April 30. Before its imminent expiration, the association offered its members the option to negotiate TikTok licenses on their behalf.
The letter comes after scathing comments from NPMA CEO David Israelite, who said he believes TikTok's business model fails to fairly compensate musicians.
“It's exposing a huge bias that exists in the music industry, with licensees like TikTok and even with the press, in terms of not somehow thinking that songwriters' rights are equal to artists' rights,” he said. Israelite. musical ally this week. “That annoys me.”
“When it comes to TikTok, there is a general feeling that the amount of money paid for music in general is not enough,” he added. “Then it's a separate question how that money is divided between the composer's contribution and the artist's contribution.”
You can read the full letter from the NMPA below.
If you receive this member alert, you are currently participating in a license with TikTok through the NMPA 2022 Model License Voluntary Opt-In.
NMPA notifies all participants that these two-year licenses will expire on April 30, 2024.
Recently, the press has highlighted concerns around TikTok's licensing practices, concerns that NMPA has heard directly from many of our members.
At this time, we do not anticipate there will be an option to renew or extend current NMPA licenses or enter into a new license with TikTok through the NMPA.
NMPA members must make their own business decision on whether to engage directly with TikTok to negotiate a license beyond April 30, 2024.
It is important for all NMPA members to understand that without a current license, TikTok should not use your musical works on its platform.
Beginning May 1, 2024, any non-TikTok licensed member who would like to discuss compliance options can contact NMPA attorneys.
If circumstances change before the expiration of TikTok's current licenses, NMPA will immediately notify members.
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