Look Beyond the Same Old Song and Dance on TikTok

TikTok is making headlines, again. This time a exciting announcement to launch it’s new global music discovery hub: #NewMusic. According to the ByteDance-owned app, this hashtag-turned-new in-app search and discovery experience is “a dedicated space for artists around the world to showcase their new songs and for fans to discover their next favorite track.” Users can access the hub by searching #NewMusic within the app which will trigger a unique search results page with three key categories: featured, trending, and discovery. Within the results users will find major artists like The Jonas Brothers and Kesha alongside emerging, independent artists and creators.?

It’s no surprise the company is centering music in its product updates given the influence over the music industry in the US it has amassed over the last few years. Statista reports that 54% of TikTok users heard a new song on social media and sought it out on music streaming services (compared to 25% of non-TikTok users) and 42% of TikTok users discovered an artist on social media that is now their favorite (compared to 20% of non-TikTok users). Prior to the hub’s launch, the namesake hashtag already had over 18 billion views on TikTok. Since the launch of the new search hub, there have been more than one billion new views bringing the total to over 19 billion.?

With that much visibility and traction, brands and marketers (us included) have already started to ask questions: What, if any, are the planned advertising opportunities within the hub? What are the things that impact where music ends up in the search? Will users be able to purchase tracks or albums in-app like they can buy tickets for live events? While these question remain unanswered, for now, developing a #NewMusic plan as part of our organic content strategy is a great way for Broadway shows to expand the reach of their incredible music to new audiences.?

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