TikTok Music will shut down, TikTok focuses more

On September 24, TikTok announced that it will officially shut down its music streaming service, TikTok Music, on November 28, 2024. After this date, users will no longer be able to log in, subscribe, or use any features of TikTok Music. User account information and personal data will be automatically deleted after the service is closed.

TikTok stated that the company has decided not to directly compete in the music streaming market anymore but instead guide users to other platforms through the "Add to Music App" feature. Since its launch last year, this feature has allowed users to save their favorite songs on TikTok to playlists on partner platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

The shutdown of TikTok Music marks the failure of ByteDance's efforts to leverage TikTok's vast influence and its community of music enthusiasts to create an independent music streaming service. Although TikTok videos have played a crucial role in promoting popular songs and new artists, this has also led to disputes over copyright fees with record labels.

TikTok Music originally stemmed from ByteDance's Resso product launched in 2019. The service was first rolled out in India and Indonesia before expanding to Brazil. In 2023, ByteDance renamed Resso to TikTok Music in Brazil and Indonesia and further expanded into Singapore, Australia, and Mexico. However, due to regulatory reasons, Resso was banned from operating in India earlier this year.

ByteDance also operates a music distribution platform called SoundOn, and the company may hope to leverage TikTok's widespread popularity to drive music streaming services within its internal ecosystem. However, SoundOn's services have yet to undergo significant international expansion beyond a handful of markets.

It's worth noting that TikTok's relationship with the music industry has recently faced some challenges. Earlier this year, Universal Music Group temporarily removed its music catalog from TikTok due to disagreements over royalties. However, both parties eventually reached a settlement and signed a new agreement in March.