TikTok prepares a music streaming service to compete with Spotify and Apple Music

TikTok has shown that it’s not just the US that can create a social network that succeeds internationally, but ByteDance, the Chinese company behind it, doesn’t seem to be stopping there. Given that a big part of TikTok’s success is the ability to use popular music to accompany users’ videos, it’s not exactly surprising that TikTok is preparing to launch a music streaming service.

TikTok Music will also have more advanced social features than the competition

ByteDance has apparently already registered a trademark for a music app, suggestively called TikTok Music. The new streaming service has been registered in the US with the USPTO, the US Patent and Trademark Office, and will compete directly with services such as Apple Music, YouTube Music and Spotify.

According to the official description, TikTok Music will offer users the ability to buy, play, share, and download music as tracks or albums, will allow lyrics to be displayed, as well as the ability to create, recommend, and share playlists. More excitingly, however, users will be able to upload album art and comment on tracks or albums directly from the streaming app. Thus, TikTok Music attempts a more “social” approach to the listening experience than other alternatives.

Unlike Apple Music, however, TikTok Music will work in a similar way to YouTube Music or Spotify, offering a free subscription with ads. Of course, all of these plans could change down the road, especially when TikTok Music is not yet officially announced, only registered as a trademark in the US.

It remains to be seen, however, if TikTok users can be convinced to switch to the Chinese streaming app over the ones they’ve been using.