YG Marley's track "Praise Jah in the Moonlight" featured in Leah Halton's viral TikTok video has amassed over 700 million views, yet TikTok's payment structure means the artist only receives royalties for the first view.

Music industry experts confirm TikTok's unique payout model pays artists based on the number of different videos using their track, not the number of views per video. This means a song used in a million videos with one view each generates more revenue than a single video with a million views.

The video posted on February 5th has achieved:

• 700+ million views
• 44.8 million likes
• 1.5 million comments
• 4 million saves

This development coincides with Universal Music Group's ongoing conflict with TikTok over royalty payments and copyright infringement. While YG Marley isn't signed to UMG, the label is actively fighting against unauthorized use of its catalog on the platform, including modified versions of songs.

UMG is reportedly:

• Issuing thousands of DMCA takedown notices
• Documenting TikTok's response to these notices
• Considering legal action regarding TikTok's handling of repeat infringers

The platform's approach to artist compensation remains controversial, despite TikTok's argument that exposure on their platform leads to increased streams on other services like Spotify and Apple Music, where artists receive more substantial royalties.

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