A TikTok video featuring YG Marley's 'Praise Jah in the Moonlight' by Australian model Leah Halton has garnered over 700 million views, yet due to TikTok's payment structure, Marley only receives royalties for the first view.

Industry experts Alexander Baynum and Ryan Born confirmed that TikTok's payout model compensates artists based on the number of different videos using their track, not the number of views per video. This means one video with a million views generates less revenue than a million videos with one view each.

The 12-second clip, posted on February 5th, has accumulated:

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

This development coincides with Universal Music Group's intensifying conflict with TikTok over unauthorized use of its catalog. While YG Marley isn't signed to UMG, the label is actively issuing DMCA takedown notices and documenting TikTok's responses to potential copyright violations.

Despite TikTok's argument that viral videos increase artist exposure and generate streaming revenue on other platforms, major labels remain unsatisfied with the platform's payment model and copyright enforcement policies.

The video is set to become the most-liked TikTok content ever, surpassing Bella Poarch's "M to the B" lip-sync video from 2020. However, this massive success highlights the disconnect between viral popularity and artist compensation on the platform.

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