How Does TikTok Use Music Legally?

Hey there! TikTok is still going strong as one of the top music apps out there. It’s super popular among teens, and people just can’t seem to get enough of the short music lip-syncing craze. But have you ever wondered how TikTok manages to avoid copyright issues? How do they use music legally?

Legal Music on TikTok

Good news for all you TikTok users: all the music available on the platform is completely legal to use in your own videos. That’s right, if you use the music library provided by TikTok, you don’t have to worry about any DMCA requests or legal troubles. The music is licensed and royalties are paid, so you’re in the clear.

The battle between rights holders and apps like TikTok is always making headlines. Studios and publishers are fighting to protect their money-making songs, and new companies are popping up to deal with digital rights. So how does TikTok, a music-centered app, manage to stay legal while using copyrighted music?

TikTok has definitely faced some controversy with its practices, but it seems to be working for them. With hundreds of millions of users around the world, people don’t seem to mind as long as they can keep creating and sharing their 15-second videos.

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Now let’s get back to the legality of the TikTok platform.

TikTok and Copyright

When it comes to their business practices, TikTok doesn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops, but it’s pretty well-known that they’ve made deals with rights holders and pay royalties to use their music. It’s like what other apps, websites, YouTube, streamers, podcasts, radio stations, and broadcasters do – they pay for the music they use.

These deals usually involve a set fee or percentage in exchange for permission to use an artist’s music on their platform. While the specific amounts aren’t publicly disclosed, I’m sure it’s a fair amount of money. These negotiations are done on a per-platform basis, so there’s no standard rate or anything like that. I’m sure there’s some complex math and legal jargon involved, but I haven’t seen it.

Most of the music you hear on TikTok and other online platforms is licensed in this way. That’s why TikTok hasn’t been bombarded with lawsuits from rights holders claiming misuse of their music. If you use licensed music, the rights holders get a share. If you sell licensed music, they get a percentage of the profits.

TikTok and New Artists

TikTok also gives exposure to new and emerging artists. In exchange for some publicity on this massive network, TikTok gets to use their tracks for free or for a small fee. For up-and-coming or unsigned artists, the opportunity to potentially reach nearly a billion people is incredibly enticing. Sure, they may not get paid upfront, but the exposure could lead to a record deal and real financial success.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any data on how many tracks on TikTok are from new or unsigned artists, but I imagine it’s a small percentage compared to established artists. After all, it doesn’t make sense to create a lip sync video if nobody knows the song. However, this aspect of TikTok can be a catalyst for amazing opportunities on the platform.

TikTok: The Buzzworthy Platform

Let’s talk about TikTok and the commotion it stirs up!

As social media sites grow older, they often find themselves entangled in sticky situations when it comes to music copyrights. Just like YouTube and Facebook faced their fair share of controversies, TikTok, being a newer platform, is still figuring out its path in the world of music. What the future holds for this buzzing platform, only time will tell!

Right now, though, you have some cool options on TikTok. You can jam out to the in-app music library, or bring your own tunes to the party by uploading your own music. It’s your call!

‘TikTok (and its previous version, Musical.ly) has taken a licensing approach that’s similar to what YouTube is often accused of. It’s like this: you can either sign a contract and get paid, or not sign and your music will still be here, but you won’t get any money. You’ll have to deal with DMCA takedowns. Goodbye.’

What to Expect – The Future of TikTok Music

With a new CEO and political storms brewing, TikTok is gearing up for some battles. Right now, TikTok only allows users to add music that is legal in their region. But will there come a day when TikTok asks you to remove content because of copyright laws, just like YouTube and Facebook? It could happen. If artists’ rights aren’t properly obtained, this young social media site might end up in the same legal gray areas as its predecessors.

As the app gets more popular, the ethical and legal issues surrounding TikTok’s music library will become more prominent. Since the company only lets users post short 15-second clips, it’s not as costly to have rights to the music compared to the full-length songs.

More recently, this social media giant has started taking down content that violates copyright laws. Unfortunately, not only the company, but also the creators, will face legal complications. In the past six months alone, the company removed around 1300 videos due to copyright issues—still not as bad as the 49 million videos taken down for breaking community standards.