TikTok music app to shut down as company shifts focus

TikTok, the social media app known for its viral dance trends and catchy tunes, has announced the unexpected closure of its dedicated music streaming service, TikTok Music. The service, which had only recently expanded to five countries — Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico — will be discontinued on November 28th.

The company’s official explanation is that it plans to redirect its resources towards its “Add to Music App” feature, which allows users to seamlessly export songs discovered on TikTok to their preferred music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

However, industry insiders believe there’s more to the story. According to Music Business Worldwide, sources within TikTok suggest that the company is strategically pivoting away from direct competition with established music streaming giants. By partnering with these platforms instead, TikTok aims to solidify its role as a powerful music discovery tool, driving traffic and engagement to its partners while avoiding a costly and potentially fruitless battle for market share.

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In a statement, Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music Business Development, TikTok, told MBW: “Our Add to Music App feature has already enabled hundreds of millions of track saves to playlists on partner music streaming services.

“We will be closing TikTok Music at the end of November in order to focus on our goal of furthering TikTok’s role in driving even greater music listening and value on music streaming services, for the benefit of artists, songwriters and the industry.”

TikTok Music’s short-lived journey began last summer with its launch in Indonesia and Brazil, backed by licenses from all three major music companies. In those markets, it replaced ByteDance’s Resso, a pre-existing music subscription service. However, its subsequent expansion to Australia, Singapore, and Mexico was marred by the absence of Universal Music’s catalog, hinting at potential licensing challenges.

Despite these hurdles, TikTok’s “Add to Music App” feature has flourished, partnering with Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon and reaching users in over 180 countries. The company is reportedly in talks with other streaming platforms to further expand this integration, suggesting a doubling down on its role as a music discovery powerhouse rather than a direct competitor.