TikTok Music is really happening, and users in five countries can now check out the music service. TikTok’s Spotify rival has landed in Australia, Mexico, and Singapore after previously debuting in Brazil and Indonesia.
The Google Play listing for TikTok Music (seen above) depicts an app that blends audio content with social networking and TikTok integrations. Users can link their profiles to their TikTok accounts, discover new music, look up lyrics, and contribute in community spaces.
That combination of features could make TikTok Music a compelling alternative to listening leaders like Spotify. The ByteDance-owned audio platform doesn’t yet possess the same scale as Spotify and its ilk, but it has the potential to leverage TikTok’s undeniable influence on the music business.
As TikTok looks to enter the realm of audio streaming, it is taking a patient approach. TikTok Music is current version of Resso, a music app launched by ByteDance in 2019. By 2022, TikTok had obtained a patent for the “TikTok Music” name and had issued job postings for U.S.-based positions related to the service.
In a press release, TikTok described
its music app as “a new kind of music service that combines the power of music discovery on TikTok with a music streaming service offering millions of tracks from thousands of artists.”The music discovery element of TikTok Music will be powered by a number of in-house initiatives. A program called SoundOn is designed to help artists license and monetize their songs across TikTok and associated apps. And just this week, TikTok announced Elevate, a partnership with Warner Music Group that aims to support emerging acts.
All of these features will not come free. Three subscription plans are available for TikTok Music: Student, Individual, and Family. The first of those plans is cheapest but is only available to university students. In Australia, the Individual plan starts at $11.99 AUD ($8.18 USD), but the price is currently discounted by 25%.
TikTok said it would have “more news to share on the launch of TikTok Music in the coming months.” In the meantime, if you want to check out TikTok Music for yourself, venture over to the app’s official homepage.
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