BMG has renewed its direct music publishing agreement with TikTok.
According to the press release issued on Wednesday (December 17), the global deal adds provisions aimed at improving how songwriters are credited on the video-sharing platform.
The expanded deal includes enhanced reporting and attribution standards for digital platforms.
The agreement also provides BMG with additional data access to track how its catalog is used across TikTok’s platform.
“The new agreement strengthens BMG’s leadership in modernizing publishing deals by raising reporting and attribution standards across digital platforms and introducing meaningful improvements to how publishing rights are managed and promoted,” the companies said on Wednesday.
“Through expanded platform-level capabilities, BMG will gain deeper visibility into music usage, and more advanced digital rights management tools, all supporting its commitment to scalable, forward-thinking infrastructure for songwriters and rights holders.”
The statement added: “This next phase of the partnership advances how publishing rights are recognized across the ecosystem and valued in today’s dynamic, social-first environments.”
Tracy Gardner, Global Head of Music Business Development, TikTok, said: “BMG truly understands the power of TikTok and the opportunity it creates for songwriters today.”
Added Gardner: “They understand the platform, they embrace innovation, and they work with us hand-in-hand to strengthen rights management and unlock meaningful value.
“This expanded partnership reflects the trust and momentum we’ve built together — and we’re excited to continue driving growth for the songwriters at the heart of music discovery on TikTok.”
“This expanded partnership reflects the trust and momentum we’ve built together — and we’re excited to continue driving growth for the songwriters at the heart of music discovery on TikTok.”
Tracy Gardner, TikTok
BMG says the next phase of its partnership with the ByteDance-owned platform will look into how publishing rights are recognized across the TikTok ecosystem.
We continue to invest in systems and structures that protect rights, ensure attribution, and add value for creators across the digital landscape.”
Celine joshua, BMG
Celine Joshua, EVP, Global Marketing and Streaming, BMG, said: “This agreement underscores our focus on building scalable, forward-looking partnerships that elevate the role of songwriting in today’s music economy.
“We continue to invest in systems and structures that protect rights, ensure attribution, and add value for creators across the digital landscape.”
TikTok also has licensing deals in place with the major music companies, including Universal Music Group, which was announced in May 2024.
Warner Music Group and TikTok, meanwhile, signed a multi-year licensing deal in July 2023, while TikTok and Sony Music Entertainment last announced a licensing deal in November 2020.
In the US, the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA)‘s licensing deal with TikTok, representing the music publishing rights of multiple indie music publishers, expired at the end of April 2024.
The US trade body told its members in March last year that it wasn’t planning to extend the deal and that if they wanted to continue to license their music to TikTok beyond the April 30 deadline, they would need to “engage directly” with the platform.
BMG says that it represents more than 3 million songs and recordings, including catalogs from The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, George Harrison, Blondie and more.
The company continues to expand its roster through multi-million-dollar deals. In September, it acquired country music superstar Jason Aldean’s recorded catalog plus a tranche of other rights in a deal worth around USD $250 million.
Last week, BMG acquired the recordings catalog of 90s German rock band Liquido for an undisclosed amount.
The renewed partnership comes as user-generated content on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, continue to drive music consumption and discovery. Last week, TikTok reported that its Add to Music App tool has now been used to save over 3 billion tracks to music streaming services.
Music Business Worldwide
