TikTok's latest feature will help songwriters show off their work

TikTok has introduced two new features to help songwriters benefit from the platform's reach: a Songwriter label and a Songwriter Music Tab. The label allows users to identify themselves as songwriters, while the tab lets them showcase tracks they've written or co-written. Initially, only a limited number of publishers and established songwriters, such as Lauren Christy, Toby Gad, and Justin Tranter, have access to these features. Others can join a waitlist to apply. TikTok developed these features after surveying 871 songwriters and conducting 18 in-depth interviews. The aim is to improve discovery and monetization opportunities for songwriters on the platform, as 53% of full-time songwriters who post content on social media do so on TikTok. TikTok's approach to royalties and copyright is similar to other social media platforms, with music available for use in videos and the platform having licensing deals in place with distributors and labels. Artists receive royalties whenever their music is used on TikTok. This move by TikTok follows a similar feature introduced by Spotify in 2020, and ByteDance's recent launch of the TikTok for Artists platform to provide musicians with data and insights about their content and followers.