TikTok has entered a multi-year partnership with music licensing tech company Chordal to integrate its InstantClear technology into the platform’s Commercial Music Library. Announced on July 7, the deal is designed to expand access to pre-cleared music for brand advertising and streamline the licensing process for rights holders.
With the integration of InstantClear—launched by Chordal in March—music rights holders can opt into TikTok’s library, pre-clear their fractional shares, and automate payments. Chordal says this move will make it easier for artists and publishers to monetize their work on the platform’s brand-focused music catalog.
TikTok’s Commercial Music Library was introduced in May 2023 through its Artist Impact Program to give brands a safe, pre-cleared global music library for use in their content. Chris Marion, Manager of Commercial Music at TikTok, stated that the aim 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.”
Chordal CEO Grayson Sanders described the partnership as a shift in the licensing landscape, calling it a “game changer for the industry.” He added that the collaboration simplifies the way brands use music in advertising while helping TikTok broaden its music offerings.
Chordal, which exited private beta in 2023, has built a platform with $4.5 million in capital and maintains partnerships with companies like Kobalt, Reservoir Media, Believe, [PIAS], and Primary Wave. Its team includes former employees from Google, Tesla, and Utopia Music.
This agreement follows TikTok’s June 2024 partnership with Adobe to bring its Commercial Music Library to Adobe Express, as well as ByteDance’s launch of EasyOde, a separate rights-cleared music platform for creative media projects. ByteDance has filed for trademarks under its Cayman Islands-based affiliate Lemon Inc. to support the new service.
