TikTok Music is Shutting Down

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has announced that its music streaming service, TikTok Music, will be shutting down on November 28, 2024. The service was available in Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico.

TikTok Music's History

TikTok Music was rooted in a ByteDance product called Resso, which was first launched in India and Indonesia in 2019 and later expanded to Brazil.

• In 2023, ByteDance rebranded Resso to TikTok Music in Brazil and Indonesia.
• TikTok Music then expanded to Singapore, Australia, and Mexico.
• Resso was banned in India earlier this year.

TikTok's Focus on Music

TikTok has become a popular platform for music discovery. The company says it will continue partnering with other music streaming services, like Spotify and Apple Music, rather than competing with them.

• TikTok's "Add to Music" feature lets users add tracks directly to a playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Spotify.

TikTok's Relationship With the Music Industry

TikTok has had a complex relationship with the music industry. The platform has been criticized for its royalty payments to artists, and there have been disputes with major labels.

• In January 2024, Universal Music Group (UMG) pulled its music catalog from TikTok after disagreements over royalties.
• In May 2024, TikTok and UMG signed a new deal, restoring UMG's music to the platform.

TikTok's Future

TikTok is facing challenges in the U.S., where a bill could lead to a ban on the short video app. This may have influenced ByteDance's decision to shut down TikTok Music.

ByteDance's Strategy

ByteDance likely hoped to leverage TikTok's popularity to drive streams within its own music streaming ecosystem. However, TikTok Music didn't achieve widespread adoption and remained limited to a few markets.

TikTok's Role in Music Discovery

TikTok has a significant impact on music discovery. The platform has been credited with reviving the popularity of classic songs and boosting the careers of new artists.

• TikTok and entertainment data research firm Lumiate conducted a study that showed TikTok's impact on increasing value for artists via streaming and fueling music discovery.

Conclusion

The closure of TikTok Music marks a setback for ByteDance's ambitions in the music streaming market. The company is likely to focus on partnering with other music streaming services and leveraging TikTok's vast reach to promote music discovery.