TikTok has signed a multi-year deal with music licensing technology company Chordal to integrate its InstantClear technology into the platform’s Commercial Music Library.
The partnership is expected to expand access to pre-cleared music for brand advertising, Chordal said on Wednesday (July 7).
Through the alliance, rightsholders will be able to use Chordal’s InstantClear technology (launched in March) to opt into TikTok’s Commercial Music Library, pre-clear their fractional shares, and automate payments.
Chordal says the integration aims to make it “easier than ever for rights holders of commercial music to monetize their music within TikTok’s brand-friendly music catalog.”
TikTok launched its Commercial Music Library in May 2023 as part of its Artist Impact Program, providing brands with a pre-cleared global music library for use in their content on TikTok.
“With this partnership, we’re helping to simplify the way brands implement music into their ad content… On top of that, it will allow more artists to monetize their songs, and TikTok to scale its offerings even further.”
Grayson Sanders, Chordal
The Chordal integration will enable more music to be added to the Commercial Music Library, potentially opening up new revenue streams for artists, labels and publishers, according to Chordal.
Grayson Sanders, CEO of Chordal, said: “The ability to easily include fractionally owned songs in TikTok’s Commercial Music Library is a game changer for the industry and all players involved.”
“With this partnership, we’re helping to simplify the way brands implement music into their ad content and expand the variety of music they have access to. On top of that, it will allow more artists to monetize their songs, and TikTok to scale its offerings even further.”
Chris Marion, Manager, Commercial Music at TikTok, added: “We are looking to help evolve the micro-licensing industry to take advantage of the speed and scale of digital advertising and short-form video.”
“Our goal is to provide brands with a safe, expansive library of music to use in their content, while opening up new revenue streams for the artists that power it. Our ambition is to make TikTok a place where everyone can find growth and opportunity – a goal we share with Chordal.”
“Our goal is to provide brands with a safe, expansive library of music to use in their content, while opening up new revenue streams for the artists that power it.”
Chris Marion, TikTok
The partnership follows Chordal’s recent collaboration with music publisher Kobalt. Chordal also has partnerships in place with other labels and publishing companies including [PIAS], Reservoir Media, Primary Wave, Believe, and more.
Chordal’s team includes experience from Google, Utopia Music, and Tesla, with investments in proprietary IP, including new AI. The company says it has spent six years developing its platform and two years working with clients, with $4.5 million in capital invested. Chordal exited private beta in mid-2023.
For TikTok, the integration follows its deal with Adobe in June last year, bringing TikTok’s Commercial Music Library to Adobe Express via the Symphony Assistant add-on.
Earlier this year, MBW discovered that TikTok parent ByteDance (valued at around $300 billion as of November 2024) quietly launched a service called EasyOde, described as a “one-stop rights-cleared music platform.”
According to US Copyright Office filings unearthed by MBW, ByteDance, via its mysterious Cayman Islands-based affiliate Lemon Inc., has filed for two EasyOde-related trademarks, for the word mark and logo.
According to the EasyOde website, the service, “provided by Bytedance Pte. Ltd. and its affiliates,” provides “high-quality tracks and sound effects for use in new and traditional media projects, as well as other music-related services.”
Music Business Worldwide
