How to Add Your Own Music to TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform that launched in China in 2016 under the name Douyin. It focuses on short-form content, letting users post videos with music, effects, and creative editing tools directly from their smartphones.

In 2018, its parent company ByteDance acquired Musical.ly, which had gained significant traction in the U.S. since its 2014 launch. The acquisition led to a major rebrand and the creation of a single global platform under the name TikTok. Today, TikTok is available in over 150 countries and supports dozens of languages. By 2022, it had surpassed 1 billion monthly active users and now counts over 1.5 billion worldwide, continuing to grow its reach.

Sound is at the core of TikTok’s identity, with many videos featuring audio, whether it’s a popular song, original sound, meme audio, or a snippet from a trending track. In fact, the platform was first known as a place for people to post videos of themselves dancing and taking part in trends, but it has evolved into a space where users can explore any type of content, with music remaining a central element.

The platform’s focus on virality and trends makes it a powerful tool for musicians seeking to be discovered. When artists add their music to TikTok through official distributors like iMusician, they make it available for millions of users to include in their videos. Thanks to its promotional and analytics suite TikTok for Artists, they can further increase their chances of reaching the right people while managing their presence on the platform.

TikTok for Artists is TikTok’s all-in-one promotional and analytics platform. You can use it to manage your presence on TikTok by adding your biography and images, and to market your music. For example, the Pre-Release campaign tool lets you promote upcoming albums before they drop, allowing fans to pre-save your music directly to Spotify or Apple Music so they can listen to it instantly upon release.

With daily-updated dashboards, you get detailed insights into how your music and posts perform, including views, engagement metrics, and comprehensive follower information. By claiming your TikTok for Artists profile, you can track which songs generate the most user-created content and see demographic breakdowns of your audience, including age, language, and location.

To get access to TikTok for Artists, you first need to convert your profile into an Artist Account (also called ‘Artist Certification’). On mobile, go to Creator Tools → Artist Certification → Apply Now, search for your artist name in TikTok’s music library, and submit information that proves you have the right to claim the profile.

TikTok will review your application and, if approved, convert your account. Then visit artists.tiktok.com and click on Get Started. Once you’ve signed in and linked your account (you may need to connect a Business account for analytics), you can start using the Artist dashboard. You can also invite your management or label to your “Artist Team” for shared access.

Keep in mind that you need to have a few songs already distributed to TikTok through a service like iMusician before you can apply for a TikTok for Artists profile.

TikTok has fundamentally changed how music is discovered, and artists know exactly how quickly a viral moment on the platform can transform the trajectory of their careers. In fact, many artists whose songs first went viral on TikTok have gone on to climb global charts, secure record deals, land sync placements, collaborate with major brands, and unlock many other career opportunities.

A viral moment, whether big or small, can dramatically boost streams, downloads, and follower numbers both on and beyond the app, even if you don’t have a large follower base yet. While success is never guaranteed, given the sheer volume of content uploaded daily, it’s still important to recognize TikTok’s potential to increase your chances of getting discovered and reaching larger audiences. Without leveraging the platform, you could miss unexpected opportunities. And with its countless niches, your music can find a place in videos across all kinds of interests, from comedy and gaming to cooking and fashion.

There are additional benefits to making your music available on TikTok beyond virality. Unlike traditional streaming services that focus solely on audio, TikTok turns songs into interactive content that users can create with, share, and spread across the internet. This approach allows you to promote your music organically and in creative ways, even without a major label budget. You can also join trends or start your own challenge featuring your song, encouraging others to participate and share your music.

On TikTok, all you need is the right song at the right moment, a solid idea, a bit of luck, and the motivation to promote your music in a fun and engaging way.