According to the latest research from data analysis company MusicWatch, the flow of music users in the United States is changing: Music users of almost all ages are flowing from TikTok to social media platforms owned by Meta and Google. The time users spend listening to music, once firmly occupied by TikTok, is being significantly squeezed by these American competitors.
Image caption: MusicWatch’s latest research shows that TikTok music users are moving to Meta and Google
The study examined how long U.S. music users use social media platforms. Data show that in the fourth quarter of 2024, TikTok's share of this category dropped from 34% to 29%; the combined share of Meta's Instagram and Facebook rose to 36%, even exceeding TikTok's previous market share, and Google's YouTube also grew to 26%.
This change is particularly evident among young people. TikTok’s market share plummeted from 51% to 42%. This means that although TikTok still occupies a certain market, the core users of the platform are being captured by Meta and Google.
Among users aged 45 and above, TikTok’s market share also dropped by 4 percentage points, while the shares of other social media platforms increased accordingly.
There are many factors leading to this situation. The US ban on TikTok is undoubtedly an important reason for some users to switch to other platforms. Out of concerns that the platform may be banned, users have chosen other alternatives, and related platforms under Meta have naturally become popular choices. As competition intensifies, TikTok's advantages are gradually being eroded, and its influence on the market structure is far less powerful than originally imagined.
The severe situation of TikTok's declining market share and the loss of young users also allows its competitors to see opportunities to seize the market.
Image caption: The Information Daily reported that Instagram may launch a standalone application for its short video feature Reels
According to the US media "The Information", Instagram head Adam Mosseri told employees this week that Instagram is considering launching a standalone application for its short video feature Reels. The app will imitate TikTok, and the media described it as Instagram’s most radical move to take advantage of TikTok’s uncertain situation in the United States.
In August 2020, when the U.S. government tried to ban TikTok for the first time, Instagram immediately launched the Reels short video function.
Instagram has been trying to attract more young users and creators. In January this year, when TikTok’s “sell or ban” law was about to take effect, Instagram took decisive action and began to provide tens of thousands of dollars to creators every month to encourage them to only publish content on Reels to grab high-quality content resources. At the same time, Instagram also announced the launch of a new video editing application Edits to compete with CapCut, a similar product owned by ByteDance.
Last month, Meta Chief Financial Officer Susan Lee highlighted the growth in the amount of time users around the world are watching videos on Instagram when speaking to analysts.