YouTube Shorts adds music video remixing as UMG goes silent on TikTok

YouTube now lets creators add and remix music videos in their Shorts. In its post announcing the feature, YouTube points out that creators can use music videos from artists like Beyoncé and Maggie Rogers — even as TikTok fights with the record label representing them. The timing suggests it’s a direct response to TikTok’s current music licensing battle.

The new option is a win for YouTube, which currently gives users access to UMG’s libraries as TikTok battles with the label. TikTok currently doesn’t offer the ability to remix music videos either, which gives YouTube an edge over its biggest short-form video rival.

The new remixing option gives creators the ability to make a Short alongside the music video, add the music video as a background, as well as use its sound. Creators can also cut and incorporate clips from the music video in their Shorts.

To access the feature, users can tap the “remix” button directly on a music video and choose how they want to remix it.