TikTok Engages In A Global Deal With Distrokid To Allow Indie Artist To Upload Music To TikTok Music And Capcut

TikTok and DistroKid have announced a new global partnership that would provide “new revenue opportunities for independent artists.”

Music distributed by DistroKid will be available on TikTok Music, CapCut, and TikTok’s Commercial Music Library as part of the agreement.

DistroKid and TikTok claim in a press release that the arrangement “will unlock new opportunities for independent artists to promote their music, build an audience, and make their music accessible to the platform’s millions of video creators and music listeners.”

DistroKid claims to be the world’s largest independent music distributor. According to the business, it distributes “30-40% of all the world’s music.”

DistroKid and TikTok have been collaborating since 2019, when DistroKid signed on as a distributor for independent musicians to upload their music on TikTok.

Music by DistroKid artists has also been made accessible in TikTok’s Commercial Music Library (CML), which provides a catalog of artist-driven music for businesses to utilize in TikTok advertising.

TikTok signed global distribution agreements with Believe, DistroKid, Vydia, and others in May to “fuel the pipeline of talent and artist-driven music” on its Commercial Music Library.

Now, thanks to a new agreement between TikTok and DistroKid, music from DistroKid-distributed artists will be available for the first time on TikTok Music, the platform’s new premium-only music streaming service, which is available in five countries (Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia).

TikTok and DistroKid also state that as part of their continuous collaboration, they intend to search for “new opportunities to maximize the platform for indie creators.”

DistroKid’s TikTok partnership follows the announcement in July of Warner Music Group’s own multi-product license agreement with TikTok.

WMG’s multi-year agreement leased Warner Recorded Music and Warner Chappell Music repertoire to TikTok, TikTok Music, CapCut, and TikTok’s Commercial Music Library.

“INDEPENDENT MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD FUELS CREATIVITY ON TIKTOK IN SUCH A POWERFUL WAY.” -TIKTOK’s TRACY GARDNER

Tracy Gardner, TikTok’s Global Head of Label Licensing & Partnerships, said on the news: “Independent music from around the world fuels creativity on TikTok in such a powerful way.”

“Having DistroKid’s vast catalog of music available on TikTok Music, CapCut and in the Commercial Music Library is a great opportunity for our community, a huge asset to brands, and is an unparalleled means of music discovery for these indie artists around the world.”

“TIKTOK IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MUSIC DISCOVERY PLATFORMS IN THE WORLD.” DISTROKID -PHILIP KAPLAN

“TikTok is one of the most powerful music discovery platforms in the world,” said Philip Kaplan, Founder and CEO of DistroKid.

“The expansion of this partnership to include CapCut and the Commercial Music Library makes it super easy for millions of musicians to make their music available in even more places, while TikTok’s new music streaming service provides further reach as it becomes available in more countries.”

The TikTok Music streaming service became public earlier this month in Australia, Singapore, and Mexico, following an initial beta roll-out in those three territories in July. That same month, TikTok officially debuted the service in Brazil and Indonesia.

MBW said that TikTok Music’s public launch in its most recent three markets (Australia, Singapore, and Mexico) occurred without the use of Universal Music Group’s recorded music collection. (UMG’s recorded music repertoire is available on TikTok Music in Brazil and Indonesia).

We remarked at the time that many in the music industry would be wondering why TikTok Music didn’t wait until it had all three major labels on board before expanding the new service out of beta in Australia, Singapore, and Mexico.

And may UMG’s decision to withdraw from the service in these three markets be related to current global negotiations to license UMG’s catalog to multiple TikTok products in the future?

TikTok and DistroKid also highlight two case studies of new artists’ success using TikTok’s Commercial Music Library. INJI is one such artist who, last year, via DistroKid, added her viral hit Gaslight to TikTok’s CML and experienced “an immediate jump in usage when several brands included her song in their campaigns.”

The track has over 14 billion views and over 3 million videos generated before the end of last year. According to TikTok and DistroKid, TikTok activity fueled more than 1.3 million monthly Spotify listeners for INJI, “demonstrating the strong connection between music discovery on TikTok and audience building on other platforms.”

“HAVING THE ABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE MY MUSIC TO TIKTOK MUSIC WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR ME AS I CONTINUE TO BUILD MY FAN BASE AROUND THE WORLD.” -INJI

Meanwhile, Houston-based R&B artist Jaylon Ashaum’s single good with me was used by businesses such as The Ryder Cup, Jack In The Box, Cosmo, Lane Bryant, NFL On CBS, Major League Baseball, and others via TikTok’s commercial music collection.

“TikTok is where the magic happens,” Jaylon Ashaum explained.

@slimtripper
DistroKid always has the best features #musicmarketing #independentartist #musicians #distrokid
♬ original sound – Trip Carter

“TikTok has been huge in helping me build a solid fanbase that follows me everywhere from Instagram to Spotify,” Ashaum remarked.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand how great music and great content combine to create a domino effect that keeps audiences engaged and in sync with my tunes across the board.” With my songs now available on TikTok Music, things can only get better.”

“TikTok has been such an incredible platform for my music, and I know that firsthand from my experience with the Commercial Music Library,” said DistroKid artist INJI.

“Having the ability to distribute my music to TikTok Music will be a game changer for me as I continue to build my fan base around the world.”