The fate of TikTok, an enigma for the music industry

The Music Industry at Risk: Investments and Communities Threatened by the Future of TikTok in the U.S.

TikTok has established itself as the leading platform for music promotion worldwide. Artists and record labels rely on the application to advertise their music, increase their visibility and generate revenue through the creation of music content. In this context, the legal uncertainty about the permanence of TikTok in the U.S. represents a considerable challenge for the music industry, as a large part of young music fans and digital trendsetters are found on this platform.

The Fate of TikTok: An Enigma for the Music Industry

The future of TikTok remains uncertain due to the lack of a clear agreement between the U.S. government and the technology companies involved. Although the White House, under President Donald Trump's administration, issued an executive order suspending enforcement of the law that would force ByteDance, owner of TikTok, to sell its U.S. operations or face a definitive ban, Apple and Google still do not allow the app to be downloaded from their app stores on U.S. soil.

In addition, the position adopted by Trump does not ensure or give certainty that the company will continue to operate in the country. ByteDance is only given 75 days to resolve its legal situation before the U.S. government, or to sell 50% of its shares in the country or withdraw the app from the U.S. territory. However, this does not offer a clear picture for users regarding the company's permanence in that territory.

Record Companies and Artists Facing a Wall: The Future of their Investments in TikTok

The music industry, comprised of record labels and labels, is in a state of uncertainty about the fate of the investments of time, money and effort they have put into growing artist and brand communities on this platform. Millions are invested every year to increase visibility and recognition within this digital environment. Now, they are questioning whether those millions of followers, that work and that investment will have been lost, as the outlook becomes increasingly uncertain due to unclear communication from the U.S. government.

What's Clear: TikTok Out of Google and Apple: Only Available on Microsoft Store

What is clear so far is that TikTok can only be downloaded through the Microsoft Store, while it is still blocked in the official Google and Apple stores. This situation has generated confusion among users and has given rise to a viral practice: the resale of mobile devices with TikTok preinstalled, reaching prices of up to 4,970,400 dollars for an iPhone. If the app were to be restricted in the United States, music would experience a kind of "black Friday" due to the loss of one of its strategic muscles for the business. It is no secret that most songs go viral first on TikTok and then spread on other streaming platforms. Therefore, this app is key for the industry in terms of music dissemination and growth.