TikTok has announced a multi-year direct partnership with UnitedMasters, a prominent music distribution platform for independent artists, granting TikTok access to UnitedMasters' entire music catalog. This agreement aims to enhance commercial opportunities for UnitedMasters artists through TikTok's Commercial Music Library, fostering greater exposure and revenue potential. The deal comes after TikTok opted not to renew its licensing agreement with Merlin, citing issues related to quality control and fraudulent content delivery. UnitedMasters has previously propelled the careers of artists like FloyyMenor, whose track 'Gata Only' became TikTok’s #1 Song of the Summer. TikTok's initiative to negotiate directly with individual labels rather than collective groups has drawn mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a strategy to reduce licensing costs. UnitedMasters' CEO Steve Stoute emphasized the partnership's potential in helping independent artists reach a global audience through TikTok.