TikTok has turn into some of the well-liked instruments for artists and file labels to advertise their work, and with the TikTok For Artists platform now launched in Nigeria, questions have been requested about how related the platform is to artists.
In current occasions, music entrepreneurs have gone so far as paying influencers to advertise a music, leading to a flood of user-generated content material from followers on TikTok.
‘TikTok for Artists’ is TikTok’s new all-in-one analytics and promotion dashboard particularly tailor-made for music creators. First launched in June 2025 in 26 international locations, they lastly launched in two Sub-Saharan African international locations – Nigeria and Ghana.
Nonetheless, this can be a second try by TikTok to create an artist-centric platform. The primary was ‘TikTok Music’, a platform meant to rival Spotify and Apple Music, which shut down eight months after its launch. This artist’s instruments have expanded right into a extra complete platform that integrates music insights immediately into the app.
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In accordance with Alex Akimov, CEO of Sound Me, the platform appears like a rebranding of options already accessible on streaming providers like ‘Spotify for Artists’ or ‘Apple Music for Artists,’ moderately than a groundbreaking innovation.
Nonetheless, analysts acknowledge TikTok’s dominance as a music discovery platform, noting that over one billion customers interact with music content material day by day.
TikTok relevance to artists
Up to now 5 years, TikTok has performed a pivotal function within the exportation of Nigerian music with content material creators utilizing dance challenges. Songs like Kizz Daniel’s Buga, ‘Usually’ by Younger Jonn, ‘PBUY’ by Asake, Crayon’s ‘Ijo Laba Laba’, Goya Menor’s ‘Ameno Amapiano’, CKay’s ‘Love Nwantiti’ and Rema’s ‘Calm Down’ have achieved world fame, making African historical past by these dance challenges in TikTok.
In accordance with Akimov, in his YouTube publish, the platform is related for rising and unbiased artists who depend on social media affect, moderately than conventional radio or labels. He additionally mentioned that for normal hobbyists or non-professional creators, it may not be crucial. However for career-oriented musicians, it’s a ‘must-use’ for optimising advertising and marketing efforts in a post-2025 panorama the place short-form video drives over 40 p.c of music discoveries.
TikTok has given a brand new lease of life to songs accomplished by veteran artists launched many years in the past. In 2024, the 40-year-old single ‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’ by the late Mike Ejeagha loved reviving business success, due to its recognition on TikTok, after Nigerian skitmaker Mind Jotter made it the soundtrack of a viral dance routine.
In 2025, with TikTok driving a good portion of viral music hits by user-generated challenges, any software that helps artists faucet into this ecosystem is doubtlessly game-changing.
Listed below are a number of the methods ‘TikTok for Artists’ will be useful to Nigerian musicians
Tune efficiency analytics
Artists can observe how particular person tracks are utilized in movies, together with metrics like complete performs, high areas, and trending sounds. That is essential for understanding which songs resonate in user-generated content material (UGC) comparable to dances or lip-syncs.
Submit and content material analytics
This provides insights into how an artist’s personal TikTok posts carry out, together with views, engagement charges, and which content material drives streams to exterior platforms like Spotify.
Follower demographics and insights
This software supplies knowledge on viewers age, location, and pursuits, serving to artists tailor content material. That is notably helpful for world attain, as TikTok’s consumer base skews younger (Gen Z and millennials) and worldwide.
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Pre-release marketing campaign instruments
A standout characteristic is the power to run teaser campaigns for upcoming releases, together with integrating Spotify countdown hyperlinks immediately into TikTok profiles or movies. This permits artists to construct hype and drive pre-saves with out leaving the app.
Different perks embrace pinning fan-created movies that includes the artist’s music, collaboration instruments for duets/challenges, and integration with TikTok’s promotion advertisements for paid boosts.
Akimov acknowledged that one among its disadvantages is that the platform continues to be in early levels, so knowledge accuracy would possibly range for smaller artists with low engagement. He mentioned it requires an ‘Artist Account’ verification, which might take time, and it’s music-centric, limiting broader inventive functions.
Nonetheless, Akimov really helpful it for anybody releasing music in 2025, noting that ignoring TikTok’s instruments might imply lacking out on natural promotion in a saturated market. He estimated that it might increase engagement by 20 p.c to 50 p.c for lively customers based mostly on early adopter suggestions.
