TikTok Broadcasts Shut Down of Separate TikTok Music App

In information that may impression… properly, only a few folks in all honesty, TikTok has introduced that it’s shutting down its separate “TikTok Music” streaming app, after numerous operational challenges and restricted consumer curiosity.

TikTok Music was initially launched in India in late 2019, underneath its unique identify “Resso”, which aligned with TikTok’s personal meteoric rise within the nation. And whereas TikTok was banned in India in 2020, in some way, Resso prevented the identical restriction.

But, even so, Indian customers didn’t present a number of curiosity in TikTok’s personal streaming supplier. And when the app was finally banned by Indian authorities earlier this yr, it was just about already on the outs as a viable different within the area.

TikTok renamed Resso to “TikTok Music” final yr (which can have led to its ban in India), and re-launched it in Brazil and Indonesia. It additionally expanded entry to chose customers in Australia, Mexico, and Singapore as a part of a closed beta check.

However music licensing disputes and failure to achieve traction in opposition to incumbents will now see TikTok re-align its strategy round its principal app as an alternative.

As per TikTok:

“We can be closing TikTok Music on the finish of November with the intention to concentrate on our objective of furthering TikTok’s function in driving even better music listening and worth on music streaming providers, for the advantage of artists, songwriters and the business.”  

The TikTok Music web site now has a message advising customers of its pending closure:

“We’re sorry to tell you that TikTok Music can be closing on November 28, 2024. After this date, entry to TikTok Music, together with login, subscriptions, and all different functionalities, will not be obtainable.”

Customers can switch their playlists from the app (up until October twenty eighth), whereas customers may request refunds from the service (up until November twenty eighth). TikTok will delete all consumer account data after that remaining date.

As famous, it’s not a giant shift within the broader social media or music panorama, as TikTok Music by no means actually gained traction in its place streaming supplier.

The thought was that TikTok would be capable to solidify its connection to the music business, by not solely performing as a key promotional platform for artists, but additionally a direct supplier of their work. TikTok’s father or mother firm ByteDance has tried the identical strategy in China, with one other separate streaming app, however Douyin, like TikTok, stays its principal focus, and principal driver of curiosity.

Actually, it was all the time a chance in taking over the established gamers within the house, and I doubt TikTok is overly shocked that it didn’t work. However it gave it a shot, and whereas it hasn’t enabled it to develop its empire, it’ll doubtless assist to enhance TikTok’s personal music strategy.