TikTok has announced that it will shut down its music streaming service, TikTok Music, globally on November 28. Currently available in only five countries Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico, the platform will cease operations in these regions.
The decision comes as TikTok aims to redirect its resources towards enhancing the “Add To Music App” feature. This functionality allows users to save music tracks they discover on TikTok directly to playlists on their favorite music streaming platforms.
Ole Obermann, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business Development, explained that the “Add to Music App” feature has facilitated hundreds of millions of track saves to partner platforms, emphasizing TikTok’s commitment to increasing music consumption and value for artists and the industry.
Launched last summer as a successor to ByteDance’s existing music platform, Resso, TikTok Music had secured licenses from all major record labels. Despite launching in additional countries last October, the app initially lacked Universal Music Group’s catalog due to licensing disputes, which TikTok has since resolved.
TikTok’s “Add To Music App” feature is already integrated with major streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon, and is available to users in over 180 countries. The company is reportedly in talks with other music subscription platforms to expand this feature further.
Recently, TikTok highlighted its influence on music trends, noting that over a quarter of the Top 100 singles in Germany last year gained popularity on the platform before charting.