TikTok to Shut Down TikTok Music, Shifts Focus to “Add to Music App” Feature
Company redirects efforts towards streamlining music discovery and consumption across major platforms
TikTok has announced the impending shutdown of its subscription streaming service, TikTok Music, which will cease operations on November 28, 2024.
The service, currently available in Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico, was initially launched as a way to combine the viral music discovery power of TikTok with a traditional streaming service. However, the company has now decided to refocus its energy on a different initiative: the “Add to Music App” feature.
The “Add to Music App,” launched in November 2023, allows users to save tracks they discover on TikTok directly to their preferred streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
This shift comes as TikTok aims to enhance its role in the music industry by driving users from its platform to major music streaming services, where music rights holders and artists are typically compensated at higher rates.
Ole Obermann, TikTok’s global head of music business development, highlighted the success of the “Add to Music App,” which has facilitated millions of track saves.
“We will be closing TikTok Music at the end of November in order to focus on our goal of furthering TikTok’s role in driving even greater music listening and value on music streaming services, for the benefit of artists, songwriters, and the industry,” Obermann said in a statement.
This strategic pivot aligns TikTok more closely with traditional streaming services rather than competing against them. The music industry, which has long been critical of TikTok’s payment rates for music consumed on its platform, sees this development as a positive step.
By directing more traffic to Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, TikTok strengthens its partnerships with these platforms and offers a more seamless experience for users transitioning from music discovery to full-length song consumption.
TikTok Music initially launched in Indonesia and Brazil in July 2023, expanding to Australia, Singapore, and Mexico a few months later.
Despite its ambitious rollout, the service will now take a backseat to the “Add to Music App,” which has already proven to be an effective tool for connecting TikTok’s viral music moments with established streaming platforms.
The app is now available in 163 countries and continues to bridge the gap between short-form video content and long-form music enjoyment.
As TikTok shifts its strategy, it underscores the platform’s influence in the music industry while reinforcing its role as a discovery tool that supports, rather than competes with, streaming services.
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