Is a dedicated TikTok music app on the way?

TikTok is just as much about music as it is about vertically-aligned videos. A recent patent filing indicated the popular social media platform might soon have its own music app to compete against the likes of Apple Music and Spotify.

As spotted by Insider, TikTok company ByteDance filed a “TikTok Music” trademark application through the US Patent and Trademark Office. Submitted back in May, details accompanying the application include providing an app where people can “purchase, play, share, download music, songs, albums, lyrics.” The listing also covers the potential to livestream audio and video content. Alongside the US trademark application, Insider also reported that ByteDance filed a similar application in Australia last November.

Although there has not yet been official word from TikTok about a standalone audio app, ByteDance has already waded into the music market across several regions. Resso, an music streaming app from the same company, is live in Brazil, India, and Indonesia, where it has amassed over 40 million monthly users. In these regions, TikTok redirects users to Resso to listen to full songs featured in TikTok videos.

Podcasting is another area a potential TikTok Music app could shake up the streaming market. The Verge reporter Ariel Shapiro mentioned that a recent partnership with podcast company Acast resulted in podcasts appearing on Resso, which could carry over to TikTok’s music app.

If TikTok Music does indeed come to fruition, it may shake up the current music streaming dynamic. Recent research shows just how far ahead TikTok is ahead of YouTube among younger users, while Instagram continues chasing trends set by ByteDance’s popular app. A signature aspect of TikTok is the ability to use snippets of licensed music in videos, serving as a major form of discoverability. Alternatively, it also helps people rediscover classics like Dreams by Fleetwood Mac – all thanks to a man drinking cranberry juice from the bottle while skateboarding.

While TikTok continues to have serious question marks over data concerns, many of its users aren’t overly fazed. It’s this loyalty and the app’s continued popularity that will make a future TikTok Music app a major player in the streaming market.

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