SiriusXM launches ‘TikTok Radio,’ a music channel featuring viral hits hosted by TikTok stars – TechCrunch

If TikTok songs such as Dr. Dogs Whered all the Time Go? and Bo Burnhams Bezos were not already stuck in your head, they might be. SiriusXM has launched a TikTok Radio channel that features TikTok creators hosting the channel. Sirius XM stated that the station will sound similar to the radio versions of the For You feeds.
SiriusXM, the parent company of Pandora, announced the launch in May. They teased the launch by sharing Pandora playlists curated by influencers such as Bella Poarch. Bella Poarch's lipsync video featuring Millie Bs Soph Aspin Sen [M to the A] is the most popular TikTok video.

With its TikTok partnership, SiriusXM is looking to capture a younger audience on the TikTok app itself, DJ Habibeats (@djhabibeats) and DJ CONST (@erinconstantineofficial) will each go live on TikTok each week while DJing on TikTok Radio. TikTok Radio's other creator hosts include Cat Haley (@itscathaley), HINDZ(@hindzsight), Lamar Dawson, Taylor Cassidy and Taylor Cassidy. This weekly countdown will show you the top TikTok Radio songs. Artists like Normani, Lil Nas X, and Ed Sheeran will be on the air to promote the station's first week.

Music is so strong in TikTok culture, Fleetwood Macs Rumours regularly appears on the Billboard charts. It was originally released in 1978 and re-released in 2020. A Fortnite parody of Estelles American Boy, originally uploaded to YouTube in 2018, had a stunning moment on TikTok.

TikTok Radio will be available on SiriusXM. This opens up creators and artists like these amazing hosts to new audiences," Ole Obermann (TikToks global head for Music), said in a statement. SiriusXM subscribers now have access to the latest music trends and a chance to hear from tomorrow's musical stars. This channel captures the song-breaking music culture that makes TikTok so enjoyable through all-audio video.

Although SiriusXM's subscriber base is growing, it experienced a 34% increase in year-over year growth. However, it still pales in comparison with streaming giants Spotify which boasts 165 million paying users. SiriusXM had 34.5 million subscribers in Q2 of this year. This is the highest number it has ever seen, while Apple Music and Amazon Music reported almost twice the number of subscribers. Pandora currently has 6.5 million subscribers. To be more competitive in music and podcast streaming, SiriusXM has partnered with Simplecast, SoundCloud, and Stitcher over the past few years.

Other streaming companies are also interested in Gen Z-ers who use TikTok to listen to the full version of catchy songs in short videos. Both Apple Music and Spotify host playlists of viral hits. A satellite music channel that is full-time operates in the same space is taking this trend one step further.