TikTok has been one of the biggest tools used in 2020 to create viral content, especially when it comes to music. Despite being under scrutiny over the years -- from artist payouts to Trump's recent call to ban the platform -- TikTok has announced a new partnership deal with Steve Stoute's UnitedMasters to allow artists and creators to distribute their music to YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. through TikTok.
The new deal, according to Reuters and New York Times, will allow artists upload music onto the app then distribute it onto streaming services. As UnitedMasters has often promoted itself to work for the benefit of the artist, the company will allow artists to hold the rights to their music while taking 10% of the revenue earned from music distribution. Another option allows artists to pay $5 a month for a subscription and gain 100% rights to their work.
"If you are a musical artist, TikTok is the best place for your music to go viral and UnitedMasters is the best place to sustain it while retaining full ownership of your work,” Steve Stoute said about the deal. “By combining the two, we create the platform for tomorrow’s stars who will be famous, fiercely independent and wealthy.”
The deal comes shortly after Donald Trump threatened to sign an executive order banning TikTok from the United States over security concerns. It's being reported that Microsoft is in talks to sell the North American, Australian, and New Zealand arms of the company to Microsoft.
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