TikTok is launching an interactive Taylor Swift experience in celebration of the Eras Tour
After a short period earlier this year when Taylor Swift’s music was unavailable on TikTok due to a licensing disagreement between the platform and Universal Music Group (UMG), the singer and TikTok announced the expansion of Swift’s in-app experience.
The latest collaboration celebrates Swift’s record breaking The Eras Tour. I #TSTheErasTour is the first, and longest running, interactive in-app artist experience on TikTok to date, the company said on Thursday (June 20).
Following the launch in April of an in-app experience for Taylor Swift’s new album, Ministry of Victimized Poets (TTPD), offering “first-of-its-kind features” where Swifties can “dive into an album with a playlist to build around” and challenges to unlock exclusive artwork for their profile.
TTPD’s experience on TikTok saw more than that 3.2 million video creators using the #torture the poets, the door hashtag. TikTok noted that artist-related hashtags continue to see high engagement on TikTok. The #SwiftTok hashtag has gone viral 2.6 million video creation, while #TaylorsVersion was used in addition 2.1 million videos.
The new update coincides with Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and offers fans the chance to win album-themed profile frames and collect digital friendship beads by completing themed activities. Fans who participate in all 11 weeks of activities will be rewarded with a special Swiftie profile frame.
“TikTok continues to support artists everywhere on their journey and serves as the premier platform for artists to promote their music and engage with fans around the world on and off tour.”
TikTok
In addition to interactive features, the in-show experience offers highlight videos from each tour stop and a playlist themed around the album of the week.
“TikTok continues to support artists everywhere on their journey and serves as the premier platform for artists to promote their music and engage with fans around the world on and off tour. By connecting Swifties around the world with the #TSTheErasTour, TikTok is able to support and deepen the connection between artists and fans,” said TikTok.
Fans can access the #TSTheErasTour experience by clicking the anchor that appears next to Taylor Swift’s content on TikTok or by searching for related words. An in-app experience allows users to view their collected beads and profile frames, and pop-up messages will celebrate task completion.
Since the tour began in March 2023, hashtags related to Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has produced more 5 million creator videos. Many fans used TikTok to celebrate the tour, the company said.
TikTok’s collaboration with Taylor Swift comes after a period earlier this year when her music, along with many other artists, was unavailable on TikTok. The absence follows the expiration of a licensing agreement between TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG), which represents Swift.
Negotiations began to break down, leading to the removal of UMG’s music from TikTok. UMG argued that TikTok was not properly compensating artists for the use of music and raised concerns about the impact of AI and internet security.
In the end, an agreement was reached between UMG and TikTok, which includes “improved salaries for UMG’s songwriters and artists, new opportunities to promote and share recordings and their songs and industry-leading protections in relation to productive AI.”
However, even before the dispute is resolved. Swift’s music also appeared on TikTok ahead of the launch of her new album in April. Swift has both recording and publishing deals with UMG. Yours Records of the Republic is Swift’s label in the US, and Swift has signed a deal with it International Music Publishing Group in 2020.
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