Back at the end of 2020, ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) released a Music Streaming Platform called Resso. Its deeply social nature, similar to SoundCloud and its comment section. Now going a step further they have created SoundOn, a Music Distribution Platform. Described by TikTok as, “an all-in-one platform for music marketing and distribution,” it seems that SoundOn is attempting to become a valuable resource for up-and-coming artists trying to promote their music.
The Logistics
This attempt to encourage growth for new and undiscovered artists seems to be taking a huge leap from what TikTok has already previously developed. Their music streaming platform, Resso, has seen moderate success in the two years its been released. Now, SoundOn will allow artists to upload and license their music for use on TikTok and Resso. Artists begin to receive payouts as soon as their music is used.
Integrating the deal made with independent artist distribution platform UnitedMasters in 2020, the SoundOn platform has allowed artists to push their music beyond TikTok. This deal allows users to distribute their music directly to other streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram.
Through SoundOn we’re going to organise the ecosystem of unsigned artists in a way that doesn’t exist today and has never existed before
Ole Obermann, TikTok’s Global Head of Music
Features
In a colossal leap from other platforms, artists receive 100 % of royalties for their first year and 90% afterward. This is excluding ByteDance platforms which stay at 100%. These numbers seem almost unreal all things considered. Not only this but the resources beyond simple licensing are available for those signing up for SoundOn. Joining gives you access to things like audience insight and development, “expert” advice from the SoundOn Artist Team. Participating artists will also get access to TikTok’s song tab where music is linked on profile pages, and marketing support on the TikTok platform itself, through creator promotion.
SoundOn is live in the US, UK, Indonesia, and Brazil, allowing artists to upload their music to multiple streaming services immediately. TikTok is claiming that they are already seeing a turnaround for artists using this platform. Noting that artists on SoundOn have already gone on to sign record and publishing deals, and to work with co-writers and “established names.”
Too Good To Be True?
The frustrating treatment of artists in the modern music industry has found little relief in the past few years. So forgive our wariness over a deal that sounds just a little too good to be true. TikTok’s viral nature has the capability to get an artist’s music out to tons of new people quickly. But the marketing is so deeply unsustainable is begs the question if the notoriety is even worth much. The royalties alone make SoundOn stand out drastically compared to other platforms, piquing our interest greatly. As music lovers, we look forward to seeing the development with this platform. We can only pray that it really does help reorganize an industry in ways that we have never had but desperately need. Holding onto the hope that this is the first step into a music future where artists are compensated properly and supported thoroughly by the industry they built.
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