TIKTOK EXPANDS ARTIST TOOLBOX

TikTok has launched the Artist Account, a set of features and promotional tools developed to bolster engagement, discovery and the artist-fan relationship.

Now available to anyone who's released music, the Artist Account allows creators to prioritize their content for fans and highlight specific releases, among other functions.

"With the introduction of the Artist Account, we're proud to further empower artists by providing them with the tools they need to reach new heights on TikTok," said Global Head of Music Partnerships & Programming Paul Hourican. "Alongside new features like Add to Music App, we're seeing how we can deepen engagement while creating unique opportunities for fans to connect with their favorite artists in meaningful ways, driving music discovery on the platform."

Upon activation, the following resources are available in the Artist Account.

"Artist" Tag: It's the simplest way to identify yourself as an artist on TikTok. This tag, which will sit underneath your account name, will signify to the community and potential new fans that you're an artist. You'll need four songs uploaded to be eligible for the tag.

New Release: This tool ensures that new releases receive the attention they deserve. The feature allows artists to highlight a new track for up to 14 days prior to release and 30 days after. The tag also highlights a new release on discovery pages of catalog sounds. This feature was first used by BTS to promote their summer single, "Take Two."

Music Tab: The Music Tab will curate a catalog for fans to easily access and discover an artist's releases. This feature will also ensure new music is automatically added.

By Artist: The "By Artist" feature enhances visibility by allowing an artist to pin a preferred post to the top of the discovery page, driving awareness to your favorite TikTok video, whether it's hyping a new release or a trending clip.

Behind the Song: Behind the Song enables artists to share the stories and inspirations behind their songs. This feature has already proven hugely popular, with artists like Cat Burns, Fred again.. and RAYE jumping on board.

Users can activate their Artist Accounts here.