If you've been creating on TikTok for a while, you'll know that the music in your videos has never been entirely guaranteed. Major labels and platforms have been locked in an on-and-off battle over licensing for years, and creators have been caught in the middle – sometimes waking up to find their videos muted or tracks pulled with no warning.
The latest chapter is a good one. Universal Music Group, whose roster covers some of the most recognisable and widely-used tracks on TikTok, has just signed a new multi-year deal with the platform. The practical upside for you is that the tracks you use in your content are far less likely to disappear overnight. But the deal also comes with new rules around AI-generated music and how artist likenesses can be used and those rules are worth understanding before they start affecting what you can do.
Commercial music on TikTok is in a more stable place than it has been in years, but this is also a good moment to make sure you're not over-relying on it.
What's changed?
UMG's music was pulled from TikTok entirely in early 2024 after the two companies failed to agree on a new licensing deal. For creators, that meant videos muted without warning, trends that suddenly lost their soundtrack, and brand campaigns built around specific tracks left scrambling. The new multi-year deal puts that behind us (for now) and restores UMG's full catalog, covering artists, songwriters, and rights holders across the roster.
The part that will shape things going forward is how the deal handles AI. TikTok and UMG have committed to removing unauthorised AI-generated music from the platform and improving how artists and songwriters get credited. Michael Nash, UMG's Chief Digital Officer, described the goal as "protecting and amplifying human artistry" – in plain terms, that means real limits on AI tools that replicate or imitate real artists' sounds and voices, not just a statement of intent.
For most creators, the day-to-day impact of the AI terms is straightforward. If you use TikTok's built-in music or remix features in a normal way, nothing changes. What the new rules target is AI-generated content that copies or mimics a real artist's sound, so steer clear of that and you're on safe ground.
What's less certain is how enforcement of AI will evolve. Platforms will be under more pressure to act on these terms over time. As TikTok’s policies catch up with the agreements with UMG, the way you can use remix tools, duets, and AI audio features could change. If you use any of those tools regularly, it's worth checking what's currently permitted before the rules tighten further.
The bigger takeaway is that if your content depends on music you don't control the rights to, you’re always going to be exposed when agreements like this shift. Using royalty-free music from a library like Uppbeat as your go-to – with commercial tracks as an occasional choice rather than a dependency – means whatever happens next between TikTok and the major labels, your videos and your revenue stay protected.
Why this matters for creators
This deal brings stability to your TikTok feed. UMG's catalog covers a huge share of the music that drives trends on TikTok, and the renewed deal makes it far less likely that a track you've built content around disappears mid-series or mid-campaign without warning. That peace of mind matters if you use commercial music regularly or tie a running format to a specific sound.
The bigger shift is what these deals signal about where things are heading. As platforms build more AI tools – voice cloning, auto-generated soundtracks, remix features – the rules around what you can do with major-label music are going to get more specific over time, not less. AI-generated tracks or vocals that copy a real artist's sound are the clearest thing to steer clear of, especially anything from UMG's roster.
That matters even more if you do sponsored or brand work. Rights issues tend to be more exposed in that context, and this deal is a good reminder that licensing terms can change. UMG's music was pulled from TikTok entirely for several months in 2024 after the two companies fell out and creators who had built content or campaigns around those tracks had no say in it. A new deal is in place now, but the same situation could play out again with UMG or any other major label.
It's worth thinking carefully about the music you use and where it comes from. As Madame Myriad put it in a recent Uppbeat interview: "The soundtrack is always the thing that makes the results. I can edit together sequences as much as I like, but if it doesn't have a good soundtrack, it's never as good." Getting your music right matters and so does making sure the tracks you rely on are always going to be there when you need them.
The smartest move is to use royalty-free music from platforms like Uppbeat as your go-to, with commercial tracks as an occasional choice rather than something you depend on. That way, whatever happens with licensing terms, your content and your revenue stay protected.
Uppbeat's take: Stability now, but build a rights-safe audio habit for the long term
This is broadly good news for creators who use commercial music on TikTok. UMG staying on the platform is far better than the alternative, and the AI provisions are aimed at protecting artists rather than penalizing everyday video creators.
That said, these deals are a reminder that your access to major-label music depends entirely on agreements you have no control over. The terms can change, the platforms can shift, and a track that is available today may not be available when you need it most. The practical answer is not to abandon commercial music, but to build an audio workflow where you are not solely reliant on it. Here is the checklist we would follow:
- Avoid AI-generated tracks or vocals that imitate real artists. This is the area most directly targeted by the new deals. Even if a tool technically allows it, content that mimics a known artist's voice or sound is the most likely to attract claims or removal as platform enforcement catches up with the new terms.
- Use royalty-free music as your default for monetized and branded content. For videos where ad revenue or a brand relationship is involved, copyright-free music from a library like Uppbeat gives you persistent, predictable rights that do not depend on platform licensing agreements holding steady. That stability is worth more than it might seem when a campaign spans several months.
- Read the in-app guidance before using TikTok's AI music features. Checking what is permitted under the new agreements takes 30 seconds and can save a headache later. Do this before you use anything on TikTok involving remixing, voice effects, or AI generation.
- Have a backup audio plan for trend-based content. If you build a series or running format around a specific commercial track, keep a rights-cleared version ready. Uppbeat's music is cleared for use across TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts, so the same pre-cleared audio can travel with your content across platforms without any licensing gaps.
- For long-term projects, favour music sources with persistent rights. Client work, long-running series, and content you plan to repurpose over time need audio you can rely on. Major-label tracks are fine for reactive, short-shelf-life content, but for anything you want to keep live and monetized for months or years, a royalty-free music library gives you far more certainty.
The bottom line on music rights for creators
Access to major-label music on TikTok is more secure today than it was a year ago, and that is genuinely good for creators who build content around popular sounds. But the longer lesson from these deals is that the rules around music licensing are getting more detailed, not simpler, particularly anywhere AI is involved.
The most practical thing you can do right now is check your royalty-free music catalog and make sure you have solid audio options ready for the content you are making this month. If you use commercial music regularly, it is also worth a quick review of any AI-powered audio tools you use to make sure they sit within what the current platform terms allow.
For a deeper look at how music licensing works and what your rights actually are when you use music in your videos, our guide to music copyright covers the essentials in plain language.
