Music distribution system launched by TikTok: During the first year, SoundOn artists will keep 100% of royalties, and TikTok will take 10%.
A platform called SoundOn, developed by TikTok is the company’s own way of distributing and marketing music. TikTok offers artists the opportunity to upload their music straight to the app, as well as other global platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora.
TikTok is reimbursing the first year’s transaction fees and providing free distribution. Starting in year two, there will be a 10% cut. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, runs platforms like Russo, which streams music, and CapCut, an editing app, for TikTok’s users. This ensures all royalties are retained by musicians indefinitely.
Participants gain access to TikTok verification, placement on the TikTok song tab, and exposure to major TikTok creators with this system, which offers promotional, audience-insight, and development tools. Those participating in SoundOn Plus are also eligible for A&R services. According to Ole Obermann, the company’s global head of music, “new artists and musicians are a vibrant part of TikTok.”
They will be able to take their first steps in their careers with the help of sound.” Adding that the new platform “will direct creators on their way to the big stage,” Obermann concluded. London has been in beta since fall 2021 and is now fully available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Indonesia. Artists such as Muni Long and pop-punk trio Games We Play are already aboard.
