TikTok's music platform is shutting down this November

ByteDance, the parent company of the popular social media app TikTok, is shutting down its music streaming platform, TikTok Music, on November 28, 2024 – marking a change in its music strategy.

It will now focus instead on the "Add to Music" feature, which allows users to save tracks directly to playlists on Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Spotify, showing its commitment to collaboration rather than direct competition.

TikTok Music, originally launched as Resso in 2020, aimed to capitalize on TikTok's popularity and influence on music discovery. However, despite expanding to several countries, including Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Mexico, the platform struggled to gain significant traction compared to its parent app.

TikTok now lets you find songs by singing or humming them

TikTok has released its own shazam like feature, following the release of YouTube Music sound search.

TechloyOyinebiladou Omemu

While the closure of TikTok Music may disappoint some users and industry observers, it is important to note that ByteDance remains a significant player in the music industry.

The company's SoundOn platform, which provides music distribution services, continues to support artists and songwriters. Moreover, TikTok itself remains a powerful force in music discovery and promotion, driving streams for countless artists.

TikTok users can listen to their favourite UMG artists — once again

For TikTok, the deal secures access to UMG’s massive music library, a major win for their platform.

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji