A year ago, you wrote a song that didn’t get much traction. You continued working on other music. But recently, that year-old song blew up. You’re seeing it everywhere, especially on TikTok, where it is popular as background music for people’s videos. Your track is trending, and you’re excited to see your music finally getting the exposure that you want.
But the vast majority of the accounts that use the song don’t mention you at all, nor are they connected to you. Some of these Reels may get tens of thousands or even millions of views, all thanks to the music that you made. Why are other people allowed to use your music this way?
Licensing agreements
This can be complicated because copyrighted music can only be used with permission from the artist. Permission may also need to be granted by the label. But someone who is simply making a TikTok video on their phone hasn’t contacted either one.
The difference is that TikTok as a company already has licensing agreements in place with record labels and artists. If you signed such an agreement, or if your label did, then people are allowed to use your song without directly contacting you every time.
It is worth noting that this usually only means they can use a snippet of the song, such as the 30 seconds that go on the video. If someone uses your entire song without your permission, that could still be a copyright violation. Every contract is different, so it’s very important to understand the unique details of the contract that you signed – and the legal options you have if you believe your rights have been violated.