Snapchat hopes to take TikTok’s place at the top of the social media charts with a new update that lets users add music to their posts. The feature, rolling out as a test in Australia and New Zealand, is expected to launch widely later this year, according to Bloomberg.
By inking deals with major record labels like Warner Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group, and Merlin Network, Snap Inc. ensures users access to songs without fear of violating copyrights or having their videos removed.
The pilot program lets you add songs before pressing record, or edit them into the video during post. And while Snapchat still has a way to go to catch up with TikTok’s core features—lip syncing, re-mixing—the social network is taking a competitive step forward. “We’re always looking for new ways to give Snapchatters creative tools to express themselves,” the company said in a statement, published by Bloomberg. “Music is a new dimension they can add to their Snaps that help capture feelings and moments they want to share with their real friends.”
This is more than just a way for users to “express themselves” through the art of sound, though; it also serves as a promotional channel for creators, whose song title will be featured directly on Snap. Viewers can simply tap a link to listen to the full tune via streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.
“Our goal is to enable cutting-edge social tools to bring our artists’ music to Snap’s highly engaged user base,” Oana Ruxandra, chief digital officer at Warner Music Group, told Bloomberg.
Snapchat’s update comes amidst a flurry of TikTok activity. On Friday, Donald Trump announced a nationwide ban on the popular video-sharing app, which, by Sunday, was in talks to be acquired from China’s ByteDance by Microsoft—with a possible cut taken by the US government.
