CD Baby is distributing music to TikTok.

We’re now helping independent musicians get their music on TikTok, the popular video platform.

Here’s how to get your music onto TikTok as a CD Baby client:

• For new releases: Opt in for music distribution to streaming platforms. 
• For older titles: If we’ve already distributed your music to streaming platforms, we will deliver that music to TikTok automatically.

@cdbabymusicCD BABY NOW DELIVERS MUSIC TO TIK TOK 🎊 #diymusician #cdbaby♬ The Wait (Sumner James Remix) – Siren and the Sea & Sumner James

What is TikTok?

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, TikTok is a place where your fans can create fun viral videos using your music.

Imagine a social video app that combines Snapchat, Instagram Stories, and the now-defunct Vine.

TikTok has about a billion users and it’s growing fast all over the world. 

Early in TikTok’s growth, almost half their users were ages 16-24, so TikTok became the go-to app for Gen Z; it’s a place where younger creators are breaking ground and shaping trends in music, comedy, and culture. But that trend is shifting as people of all ages discover the TikTok’s charms (and addictiveness). 

Videos that go viral on TikTok tend to emphasize:

• Community collaboration through #duets and other hashtag challenges
• Humor, pranks, or stunts
• Dancing
• An authentic (and sometimes awkward) vibe instead of something polished or perfect
• Imitating other popular videos, films, or TV shows
• Short how-to videos
• Travel, lifestyle, and pets
• Going behind-the-scenes with musicians, sports figures, and other celebrities
• More dancing
• A whole lot of lip-syncing

That last part is really important to TikTok culture, which makes sense since TikTok grew out of the lip-sync app Musical.ly. 

Three reasons you might love TikTok as a musician

Because TikTok videos are short, unpolished, and have the potential to inspire viral collaboration, it’s not about your SONG so much as a MOMENT in your song — a musical hook that suggests something visual. 

That’s exciting for a few reasons:

1.  You can produce content quicker (no need to create professional, long-form music videos).
2. The perfect moment for a TikTok video might be found in a song you released years ago (this happened recently with Lizzo), so you have another chance to put your back catalog to work.
3. There might be a number of ways to pair video concepts with your hook, so explore them all; in the age of short-form video, there’s no such thing as too much content.

It’s easy to get your music on TikTok

Today, you’re expected to create a steady flow of video content for your fans, but there’s no one right way to do it. Instagram Reels, Facebook, YouTube Shorts, Twitch: they each offer something different. You might find that one platform is better than another for reaching your audience and inspiring your creativity.

TikTok is a place where songs, videos, and personality collide in really strange and interesting ways. We’re excited to deliver your songs to TikTok so you can get in there, play around, and see if it’s a platform where your music (or at least your hooks) connect with people around the world.

Want to see a quick walkthrough of how to add one of your songs to a TikTok video?

Check out this short video:

How long will it take for your music to appear on TikTok?

Expect new music to be live on TikTok within a few days of delivery.

You can view the partner delivery section in your account to check what delivery status you have for TikTok. Also, know that TikTok reserves the right to curate the songs it makes available, so in some cases you might not see your whole catalog on the platform.

If you have specific questions about if or when your music will be delivered to TikTok, visit our Help Center. 

Want to know how to grow your audience on TikTok?

Check out our article “TikTok Promotion for Musicians.”

Distribute music to TikTok