TikTok reportedly limiting music on platform to test its "importance" to users

TikTok is testing how much users enjoy music on the platform by limiting the number of songs to be used for videos.

According to Bloomberg, the experiment is targeting users in Australia as content creators won’t be able to use certain songs.

“This will only affect certain music and is scheduled work while we analyze how sounds are accessed and added to videos, as well as looking to improve and enhance the wider Sounds Library,” TikTok told Bloomberg.

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With no genre or artists specified to be affected by this, the music industry are said to be “worrying” over this decision from TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd. as it could result in less revenue from the app.

It’s reported that music right holders are continuing to disagree with this experiment whilst TikTok see music as “one part of a broader entertainment experience.”

If the results of this test show that users do not show an interest in the music on the app, then TikTok may not pay music rights holders as much.

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TikTok has seen the rise of many musical artists such as PinkPantheress to Hudson Mohawke's 'Cbat' going viral over a decade after its release.

Last year the app even teased a new music streaming platform, TikTok Music, rumoured to be a subscription service set to rival giants Apple Music and Spotify.

[Via: Bloomberg]

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Video and Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter.