TikTok USA, circa 2025 (Photo: TCY)
Months after ‘the ban,’ there’s no telling what happens to TikTok in the US.
After inching oh-so-close to a deal to secure TikTok in the US, China apparently pressed hard pause on the arrangement following Trump’s tariff slap. So what does that mean for the music industry?
If you love uncertainty, this one’s for you. Trump is now extending the ban by another 75 days, though a hard clock is now ticking on a deal that was apparently 99% done. Congressional pushback on the extension is already happening on the ‘phase 2 extension,’ and Apple is seeking White House assurance that the app can remain on its App Store.
Which means this slow-motion cookie crumble could go in any direction. Among the possibilities within the next 30 days: TikTok shutting down for good or continuing business-as-usual — or, more likely, some insane variation in the middle.
Last we checked, TikTok is available on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, though this is a volatile situation. And certainly not a recipe for crafting stellar, long-term artist marketing campaigns — or advertising campaigns, for that matter.
Most music folks are smartly spreading their marketing efforts across the gamut of social media giants, with IG Reels and Shorts getting a nice stability bump. That said, as long as TikTok is ticking, it has the power to blow stuff up — including entire artist careers and dusty catalog tracks.
For those betting against TikTok surviving in the US, some executive jump-shipping is worth noting — particularly TikTok Music ex-honcho Ole Olbermann, who recently packed his bags for Apple Music. And he’s not the only one potentially pondering the writing on the wall.
Meanwhile, other platforms continue to seize the moment. On that note: what major social media platform just inked a broad-reaching deal with major US-based music publishers? (Hint: the first letter isn’t ‘X’…)
On a broader note, few in the music business seem to be rooting for TikTok’s survival.
It’s not that TikTok isn’t make some effort to play nice with the music business. Just last week, for example, TikTok was among the supporting sponsors at the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) golf classic in Los Angeles, for example. But for the most part, the vibe within the music industry isn’t warmly supportive, to say the least.
TikTok famously refusing to compensate rights owners until absolutely forced, with the aforementioned Obermann battling it out with Universal Music Group for weeks before a deal was hammered out. Indies are also understandably cool on this low-paying platform, though TikTok’s marketing muscle is certainly potent — especially if the viral fairy-gods tap your shoulder.
Then again, that’s increasingly the case with rivals like Reels and Shorts, among others. And we get the sense that witnessing a heavy door slamming on TikTok’s derriere would be oh-so-satisfying for many industry folks.
Guess everyone’s replaceable — and let’s face it, life will go on in the music industry, with or without TikTok USA playing a role in it.
More as this develops.
Got a juicy tip? Hit me up at [email protected] or Signal (@digitalmusicnews.07).
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This post was originally authored and published by Paul Resnikoff Digital Music News via RSS Feed. Join today to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.
