Do Spotify and Apple Music need to concerned about this? It looks like TikTok is going to enter the dedicated music streaming landscape with its own streaming app. It’s already making waves on the music creation, distribution, and marketing end as reported previously in Ted Gioia’s article: Record Labels Dig Their Own Grave. And the Shovel is Called TikTok.
Starting With A Trademark
Following up on a trademark filing in Australia in November 2021 for the label “TikTok Music”, ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) has also filed the same trademark application for that label with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
According to information known so far, the TikTok Music service would include the ability to purchase, play, share, and download music, as well as recommend playlists, make comments, and create and livestream audio and video.
What TikTok Has Done So Far
In 2020, ByteDance launched a music streaming app called Resso in India, Brazil, and Indonesia which has over 40 million users as of November 2021. Resso allows users to create playlists, share songs on social media, and participate in community music discussions similar to what is being proposed for TikTok Music.
Information Still Forthcoming
It isn’t known if the TikTok Music app will look and navigate similar to Resso or if a new visual interface will be created. There is no information yet on the possible subscription or ad-supported tiers, or what device partners, in addition to web browsers may be in the mix. Also, will TikTok include Hi-Res Audio and/or Spatial Audio options?
The broader unknown factor is whether Apple, Spotify, or even Amazon will need to make changes to stay competitive once TikTok Music becomes widely available and starts attracting users. Of the three, Spotify is probably the most vulnerable, whereas Apple and Amazon have almost unlimited funds to pour into music streaming if they want to stave off competition. Of course, TikTok Music could also have implications for TIDAL and Qobuz.
No matter what ByteDance decides regarding the implementation of TikTok Music, the presence of such an app is expected to have a significant impact on the music streaming landscape.
As more details are revealed, this article will be updated, or a new article created accordingly.
Tip: Find out more about ByteDance, the owners of TikTok.
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