Photo Credit: TikTok
After a mixed legacy, TikTok’s Head of Music Business Development Ole Obermann is reportedly leaving for Apple Music. Obermann oversaw TikTok’s music strategy for six years during a period of intense growth for the platform.
Tracy Gardner is expected to step into Obermann’s place as ByteDance’s new Global Head of Music Business Development. Gardner has been with TikTok since November 2019 as Head of Label Licensing & Partnerships. She previously held the position of Senior Vice President of Global Business Development at Strategy at Warner Music Group.
While Obermann oversaw TikTok’s music strategy during a period of meteoric growth, there are mixed sentiments about his strategy in the industry. He is regarded as hard-negotiating against IP owners and generally being creator-unfriendly. The UMG licensing dispute last year was a result of low royalty payments from the platform. Obermann also oversaw TikTok’s strategy of divide and conquer among independent Merlin members by refusing to collectively bargain with the collective.
“There was obviously a value conversation,” Obermann said of the UMG licensing dispute. “What are the payments that are happening, and also how much marketing and promotion can we provide to help with the discovery of new music or new artists that are priorities for them? So that was one thing we were wrestling over, and we ultimately got there.”
One move which helped get the dispute resolved is Taylor Swift putting her music back on TikTok, reportedly without UMG execs knowledge. Swift wanted her music on the platform ahead of the release of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department. Swift is part of UMG’s roster, but she owns the rights to her recordings and songwriting rights—which are administered by UMG. The return of Swift’s music was a crack in the argument for UMG—resulting in their music re-appearing on the platform just weeks later.