TikTok Expands Support for Songwriters With New Beta Features
TikTok has become a major force in music discovery, helping songs go viral and reach massive audiences. Now, the platform is introducing new tools to help songwriters gain recognition for their work. The company has launched two beta features: a Songwriter label that identifies users as songwriters on their profiles and a Songwriter Music Tab that allows them to showcase tracks they’ve written or co-written.
Currently, access is limited to a select group of publishers and songwriters. Early adopters include well-known names like Lauren Christy, who has written hits for Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears, Toby Gad (Fergie, John Legend), and Justin Tranter (Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande). Other songwriters can join a waitlist for future access.
The features were developed after TikTok and parent company ByteDance conducted research, surveying 871 songwriters and conducting in-depth interviews with 18 of them. The goal is to improve visibility and monetization opportunities for songwriters on the platform. According to TikTok, 53 percent of full-time songwriters who post on social media use TikTok as their primary platform.
When it comes to royalties, TikTok follows a model similar to YouTube and other platforms. All music on TikTok can be used in videos, with licensing agreements in place between the platform and music distributors or labels. Artists receive royalties based on how often their music is used, though payout amounts vary depending on individual distributor terms.
This move comes after Spotify introduced a songwriter-focused feature in 2020. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has also been expanding its music-related tools, recently launching TikTok for Artists, a platform that provides musicians with data and insights about their audience and content performance.
With these new features, TikTok aims to strengthen its position as a key platform for music creators, offering songwriters more ways to connect with fans and benefit from their work’s success.
