Taylor Swift has officially partnered with TikTok to get her music back on the app without the help of her record label.
The Grammy-winner has returned the platform, while her record label, Universal Music Group, is in the middle of a dispute with the app. The records that Swift owns - which include her "Taylor's Version" re-records and recent albums - are available to make videos with, while several of her label-mates are still locked out of the app.
To celebrate the release of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, Swift cut a special deal with TikTok for exclusive in-app features, Variety reports. Since she is largely known for having significant control over her musical releases, the "Fortnight" singer seems to have worked on the deal independently from her record label.
After Universal Music Group's contract with TikTok ended on Jan. 31, Swift's complete catalog was pulled from the app. However, her music mysteriously reappeared on April 11, just a week before the new LP.
The deal also seems to be a win for Swift as she had control of what songs returned to the platform. Therefore, only the masters that are owned by her are available on the app, which includes "Taylor's Version" of Fearless, Speak Now, Red, and 1989, plus later LPs Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, and the newly-released The Tortured Poets Department.
2017's Reputation and her self-titled debut album are the only works not available for use on the album, since she has yet to release the re-recorded versions of the albums.
Under her new deal with the short-video platform, Swifties can utilize playlists to create their own videos, as well as engage in challenges that will unlock never-before-seen artwork for their profiles. A Taylor Swift Fan Spotlight carousel will also launch, allowing users to be featured when they use the hashtag #THETORTUREDPOETSDEPARTMENT in their content.
The app will also offer the Taylor Swift In-App Experience, which will include "special entry points," like a TTPD icon that will appear across their For You Page, or when they search Taylor Swift on TikTok, where they will be treated to a special animation display that is inspired by the album.
A custom Taylor Swift share image is also now available, which gives fans the opportunity to share their favorite content surrounding the "Cruel Summer" singer and her new music with their friends.
Swift currently boasts a whopping 25.6 million followers on TikTok. While it is still 100 million less than her Instagram following, she has garnered over 226 million likes across the 68 videos she has posted on the app.
Her success continues as the hashtag #TaylorsVersion has been used in over two million videos, with #SwiftTok surpassing that with 2.4 million.
TikTok is currently facing a potential ban in the United States as the Senate is nearing a vote on a legislative bill that would prohibit the app in the country if its Chinese-based owners do not sell it to an American company. The bill against TikTok passed in a 352-65 vote in the house last month. President Joe Biden has stated that he would sign the bill if it were to be passed in the Senate. As of now, its future seems unclear.
Music from artists like SZA, Billie Eilish, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, and BTS are still unavailable on the platform.
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