What if you could instantly download and share TikTok’s viral songs? The platform is experimenting with that via TikTok Music, their new music streaming service. Its parent company, ByteDance, announced today (July 6) that they’re launching the new music streaming service in Brazil and Indonesia.
“We are pleased to introduce TikTok Music, a new kind of service that combines the power of music discovery on TikTok with a best-in-class streaming service,” the global head of music business development at the platform, Ole Obermann, said in a press statement. “TikTok Music will make it easy for people in Indonesia and Brazil to save, download, and share their favorite viral tracks from TikTok.”
He continued: “We are excited about the opportunities TikTok Music presents for both music fans and artists, and the great potential it has for driving significant value to the music industry.”
The new premium-service streaming service allows users to sync existing accounts and share and download songs they discover on TikTok. The press release also states that users will be able to create playlists with friends, import music libraries from outside playlists, and connect to “like-minded” music fans, among other activities. On Sep. 5, it will replace TikTok’s previous streaming service, Resso.
According to Billboard, the new app is described as a “social music streaming service.” It’s also worth noting that the app is backed by music catalogs from three major companies—Universal Music Group (Feid, Juanes), Warner Music Group (Omar Apollo, Jesse & Joy), and Sony Music (Becky G, Rauw Alejandro). However, as of right now, TikTok Music doesn’t have current plans to expand to other regions.
Still, it’s something worth keeping an eye on. Though it sounds like an app that was bound to happen—since TikTok is currently one of the most popular apps driving music discovery—Billboard notes that it could be a “potential game-changer” for the music industry, pointing out that the rights holders are pushing TikTok’s company for a subscription model rather than an ad-supported model.