TikTok has filed patents for “TikTok music”, suggesting that the video sharing platform has a music streaming app in the works.
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As uncovered by Insider [further reporting via The Verge], ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, filed a trademark application in May with the US Patent and Trademark Office. It follows a “TikTok Music” trademark that was filed in Australia last November.
According to the filing the service would let users purchase, play, share and download music. It would also allow users to create, share and recommend playlists, comment on music as well as livestream audio and video.
The purported plans for a music app follows ByteDance launching the music streaming app Resso in India, Brazil and Indonesia in 2020. Resso has some of the features described in the “TikTok Music” patent filings.
It’s unclear if ByteDance plans on developing a music streaming app based on the Resso framework or if it will produce an entirely new service.
The news comes as video sharing app competitor Snapchat announces a new monthly grant of up to $100,000 (£82,014) to help pay independent artists who are distributing music on its platform.
The ‘Sounds Creator Fund’ applies to unsigned acts who are using Distrokid on Snapchat. According to Variety, each song can get a monthly grant of up to $5,000 (£4,099) with a cap at 20 songs.
Snapchat will analyse the artist’s level of engagement on the platform as it scopes potential beneficiaries.
It released ‘Sounds On Snap’ in 2020, which allows users to add music to their videos much like a similar feature on TikTok.
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