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TikTok has become one of the most popular tools for artists and record labels to promote their work, and with the TikTok For Artists platform now launched in Nigeria, questions have been asked about how relevant the platform is to artists.
In recent times, music marketers have gone as far as paying influencers to promote a song, resulting in a flood of user-generated content from fans on TikTok.
‘TikTok for Artists’ is TikTok’s new all-in-one analytics and promotion dashboard specifically tailored for music creators. First launched in June 2025 in 26 countries, they finally launched in two Sub-Saharan African countries – Nigeria and Ghana.
However, this is a second attempt by TikTok to create an artist-centric platform. The first was ‘TikTok Music’, a platform intended to rival Spotify and Apple Music, which shut down eight months after its launch. This artist’s tools have expanded into a more comprehensive platform that integrates music insights directly into the app.
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According to Alex Akimov, CEO of Sound Me, the platform feels like a rebranding of features already available on streaming services like ‘Spotify for Artists’ or ‘Apple Music for Artists,’ rather than a groundbreaking innovation.
However, analysts acknowledge TikTok’s dominance as a music discovery platform, noting that over one billion users engage with music content daily.
TikTok relevance to artists
In the past five years, TikTok has played a pivotal role in the exportation of Nigerian music with content creators using dance challenges. Songs like Kizz Daniel’s Buga, ‘Normally’ by Young 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 global fame, making African history through these dance challenges in TikTok.
According to Akimov, in his YouTube post, the platform is relevant for emerging and independent artists who rely on social media influence, rather than traditional radio or labels. He also said that for regular hobbyists or non-professional creators, it might not be necessary. But for career-oriented musicians, it’s a ‘must-use’ for optimising marketing efforts in a post-2025 landscape where short-form video drives over 40 percent of music discoveries.
TikTok has given a new lease of life to songs done by veteran artists released decades ago. In 2024, the 40-year-old single ‘Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche’ by the late Mike Ejeagha enjoyed reviving commercial success, thanks to its popularity on TikTok, after Nigerian skitmaker Brain Jotter made it the soundtrack of a viral dance routine.
In 2025, with TikTok driving a significant portion of viral music hits through user-generated challenges, any tool that helps artists tap into this ecosystem is potentially game-changing.
Here are some of the ways ‘TikTok for Artists’ can be beneficial to Nigerian musicians
Song performance analytics
Artists can track how individual tracks are used in videos, including metrics like total plays, top regions, and trending sounds. This is crucial for understanding which songs resonate in user-generated content (UGC) such as dances or lip-syncs.
Post and content analytics
This gives insights into how an artist’s own TikTok posts perform, including views, engagement rates, and which content drives streams to external platforms like Spotify.
Follower demographics and insights
This tool provides data on audience age, location, and interests, helping artists tailor content. This is particularly useful for global reach, as TikTok’s user base skews young (Gen Z and millennials) and international.
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Pre-release campaign tools
A standout feature is the ability to run teaser campaigns for upcoming releases, including integrating Spotify countdown links directly into TikTok profiles or videos. This allows artists to build hype and drive pre-saves without leaving the app.
Other perks include pinning fan-created videos featuring the artist’s music, collaboration tools for duets/challenges, and integration with TikTok’s promotion ads for paid boosts.
Akimov stated that one of its disadvantages is that the platform is still in early stages, so data accuracy might vary for smaller artists with low engagement. He said it requires an ‘Artist Account’ verification, which can take time, and it’s music-centric, limiting broader creative applications.
However, Akimov recommended it for anyone releasing music in 2025, noting that ignoring TikTok’s tools could mean missing out on organic promotion in a saturated market. He estimated that it could boost engagement by 20 percent to 50 percent for active users based on early adopter feedback.
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