UnitedMasters, a music distribution platform for independent artists, has entered into a multi-year partnership with TikTok. 

The partnership will give the social media platform direct access to UnitedMasters’ music catalog while expanding commercial opportunities for artists through TikTok’s Commercial Music Library.

The agreement connects UnitedMasters artists with TikTok’s global audience of over one billion users. It provides access to 70+ million brands on the platform, creating new revenue and promotional channels for independent musicians.

“TikTok recognizes the power of music and creativity,” said UnitedMasters founder and CEO Steve Stoute in a news release. “Our partnership provides UnitedMasters artists unparalleled access to a vast global audience.”

The partnership has already demonstrated success through artists like FloyyMenor, whose song ‘Gata Only’ has generated over a billion streams. The track was named TikTok’s #1 Song of the Summer globally and won the Billboard Global 200 Latin Song Music Award, with millions of users creating TikTok videos featuring the song.

“We want to make the world’s best music available to our global community of over a billion music fans,” stated Ole Obermann, Head of Music Business Development at TikTok. “That’s why we are entering into a direct deal with a prominent independent label like UnitedMasters.”

Beyond TikTok, UnitedMasters facilitates sync opportunities for artists through partnerships with major brands, including Diageo, Bose, Walmart, ESPN, Coca-Cola, IKEA, and Dove. The company helps brands maintain cultural relevance while ensuring legal compliance in music usage.

The partnership builds on UnitedMasters’ track record of launching emerging artists, including BigXThaPlug, Anycia, and Tobe Nwigwe.

A recent MIDiA research shows that new music creators are shifting from traditional streaming platforms to social media sites for music distribution and fan engagement. 

A quarter of music creators upload directly to user-generated content platforms like TikTok without using a distributor or label. This trend is particularly prominent among creators with less than five years of experience, representing nearly half of all music creators in 2023.

TikTok announced in September that it would discontinue its music-streaming application, TikTok Music, on November 28.