TikTok inks multi-year licensing deal with Dutch society BUMA/STEMRA

 
By Emmanuel Legrand

Short-form mobile video app TikTok has signed a multi-year licensing deal with Dutch collecting society BUMA/STEMRA. This is the first of such deal with an important European rights society. Sources at TikTok said other similar deals as the one with BUMA/STEMRA are in the pipeline.

  According to the deal, songwriters, composers and publishers represented by BUMA/STEMRA will be able to receive a remuneration when their  repertoire is played on TikTok. Bernard Kobes, CEO of BUMA/STEMRA said the negotiations with TikTok were "intense but constructive."

Explore creativity

  The two parties said the agreement "builds on the previous relationship between both organisations." As part of the partnership deal, the team at TikTok "will work with BUMA/STEMRA’s members to deepen understanding of the platform and the opportunities it presents to those creating and also performing music."

  “This deal with BUMA/STEMRA secures royalty payments to the Dutch song-writing and publishing community and underlines TikTok's commitment to paying creators when their music is used," said Ole Obermann Global Head of Music at TikTok. "Through our platform, a global audience can appreciate and explore their own creativity, using the musical talent of renowned producers, DJs and songwriters from The Netherlands. I'm delighted we've built on our existing relationship and put this multi-year deal in place."

Good news for authors and publishers

  Kobes said the agreement was "good news for our authors and publishers, especially in these days where our members income has diminished in other markets. We look forward developing this partnership deal further with TikTok and our members."

  TikTok has agreement in place with the three majors record companies (Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group) as well as with independent labels' agency Merlin, but so far only few deals with rights societies have been announced.

  TikTok recently announced 100 million monthly active users in Europe in addition to a similar number in the United States. The app has been banned in India and is facing an executive order from President Trump to prevent the Bytedance-owned company to operate in the USA if it continues to stay under Chinese ownership.