TikTok is currently looking to support smaller, unsigned musicians by helping them boost their presence through a new initiative they call ‘Sound On’. As witty as it sounds, the new push will enable any musician to upload and license their track on TikTok. Along with its partner music streaming platform Resso.
Turn Up The Music
As TikTok Explains:
“[SoundOn] allows artists to upload their music directly to TikTok and begin earning royalties when that music is used. SoundOn pays out 100% royalties to music creators in the first year and 90% after that, and provides a range of promotional tools and support.”
Such support tools include development notes, audience insight, and advice from a dedicated SoundOn artist team. TikTok’s song tab and promotional support will soon be available for creator marketing. To add, SoundOn artists will also be able to distribute their work to other music platforms, with TikTok explaining that “As a result, fans’ loyalty transcends TikTok and helps artists build audiences on other streaming services and DSPs.”
That’s a mighty strong lure, especially for those looking to make a name for themselves in the industry. With TikTok being known as a ‘sound-on’ environment, it now enjoys a key role in the music distribution process, connecting new tracks to a wider audience.
True enough, music has become such a critical element on TikTok, with 9 out of 10 users viewing sound as being ‘vital’ to the TikTok experience. Evidently, TikTok has also grown to be such an impact on the music industry that some publishers even change their artists’ tracks in line with how they’re being referred to on the platform. Producers now also factor in TikTok trends into their processes as they, too, seek to go viral on the app.
On that note, TikTok has since been working to give independent musicians more opportunities to promote their work, while simultaneously gaining TikTok traction. In 2020, TikTok signed a deal with UnitedMasters to help small-time musicians essentially ‘Jump-start’ their careers. SoundOn seems to be the next jump from that, facilitating more direct connection between artists and the platform.
The Wrap
With TikTok at the helm, it’ll be interesting to see how artists will respond to the SoundOn program. For those that do decide to jump on board, the impact that the program would have on their work and how that might influence future trends looks very appealing. At the very least, it does help smaller musicians build their presence, while also opening up more opportunities to collaborate with more established brands and artists.
SoundOn is now fully launched in the US, UK, Brazil and Indonesia – you can check out the SoundOn website here.
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