TikTok has launched a radio station, which plays viral hits from big artists, and honestly, many are rightfully excited. According to some media outlets, the station is meant to be like the infamous “For You” feed of the app, but in the form of a radio.

Why launch a radio station?

The parent company of Pandora, Sirius XM, decided to partner with TikTok in order to lure in a younger audience. They announced the TikTok music channel back in May, slowly teasing the launch with some curated playlists from influencers.

How will it work?

On the TikTokk app, several DJs will go live each week while “DJing” on the TikTok radio. The line-up includes DJs such as DJ Habibeats (@djhabibeats), DJ CONST (@erinconstantineofficial), and Billy (@8illy) among many others. There will be a feature titled “The TikTok Radio Trending Ten,” made up of a weekly countdown of songs trending on TikTok.

In order to promote the station in its first week, many artists appeared on air, such as Lil Nas X and Ed Sheeran. Music has such a strong presence in TikTok culture that it often influences Billboard charts – for example, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours,” which was published in 1978, was re-released in the top 10 Billboard albums in 2020 after being included in a viral TikTok video. Even a Fortnite-theme spoof of Estelle’s “American Boy,” which was first published to YouTube in 2018, had its hey day on TikTok.

TikTok’s statement

Ole Obermann, TikTok’s global head of music, revealed in a statement:

“We’re so excited to launch TikTok Radio on SiriusXM, which opens up artists and creators like this amazing group of hosts to new audiences. Now SiriusXM subscribers will have a new road to discover the latest trends in music and get a first listen to tomorrow’s musical superstars. The channel captures song-breaking music culture that creates so much joy and entertainment on TikTok through video in an all-audio format.”

Other streaming businesses have similarly expressed interest in the TikTok market of Gen Z users who want to hear full versions of the appealing tunes they hear in short videos. Both Apple Music and Spotify provide curated playlists of “viral hits.” A full-time satellite music channel, on the other hand, is carrying the trend even further.

While SiriusXM’s subscriber base is continually expanding, it does not even compare with other streaming giants such as Spotify and Apple Music. If you want to tune into TikTok’s radio station, head to siriusxm.com now.

If you’ve ever wondered how TikTok’s algorithm works, we break it down for you.

Photo via TikTok