Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and other Universal artists are returning to TikTok

TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) have signed an agreement that will allow Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd and other artists to return to the platform, the companies announced in press release. Universal pulled songs from its artist list in February, and with a few exceptions, their music hasn’t been there since. Both parties are now “working expeditiously” to bring content back to the platform, which is home to over a billion users.

A key part of the deal is protecting creators from generative AI. “TikTok and UMG will work together to ensure that AI developments throughout the music industry protect human artistry and the economy that flows to these artists and songwriters,” the companies wrote. “TikTok is also committed to working with UMG to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform, as well as tools to improve artist and songwriter attribution.”

Also part of the deal are “new monetization opportunities” from TikTok’s recent expansion into e-commerce. TikTok will also reportedly help artists by providing analytics tools, integrated ticketing, “Add to Music App” and more.

Universal made the drastic move to pull music earlier this year, forcing the platform to mute videos or replace songs with options from other labels. “While our negotiations continued, TikTok tried to force us to accept a deal worth less than the previous deal, well below fair market value and not reflective of their exponential growth,” UMG said at the time.

Last month, Taylor Swift’s songs returned to TikTok, presumably because she has full control over her own catalog and was able to strike a separate deal. Some songs from other UMG artists, including Ariana Grande, have also started appearing on the platform.

The controversy seems to be water under the bridge, but it’s the least of TikTok’s problems right now. The US Congress recently voted in favor of a bill that would ban TikTok in a year unless owner ByteDance sells the app.