TikTok, Syco, UMG, Republic Records, and Samsung have teamed up on a groundbreaking new music format called StemDrop.
The new launch is described as a “new evolution of musical collaboration, curation, and artist discovery” and will allow music fans around the world to produce their own versions of songs written by world-renowned hitmakers.
StemDrop will act as an incubator for new talent, artistry, and creativity, giving all artists and music creators the opportunity to collaborate with some of the very best and most iconic songwriting talents of all time. The first song on StemDrop is “Red Lights,” written by Savan Kotecha (Ariana Grande, The Weeknd), Ali Payami (Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato), and songwriting and producing icon Max Martin (Britney Spears, Katy Perry).
The first release, “Red Light,” is out today, written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, and Ali Payami and available exclusively for the TikTok community, who will be able to use the stems as a starting point to create their own unique tracks and kickstart their careers.
Users on the app can access the stems – the individual components that make up a song, from drum parts to vocals – through the StemDrop H5 page. Once they’ve downloaded them, they’ll be able to use the elements to create, record, and share their own unique versions of the track.
There is also the first-of-its-kind “StemDrop Mixer” introduced to TikTok, where creators of all levels will be able to experiment with individual effects, harmonies, and melodies to create and upload their own spin on “Red Lights” and future releases.
Each week, the StemDrop profile on the app will curate new versions produced by StemDrop users. TikTok music curator Ari Elkins, singer-songwriter Astrid S, and Your Boy Moyo will also act as global ambassadors for the new format and host daily content on the @StemDrop channel on TikTok.
“Hit songs are like diamonds, and they can change an artist’s career overnight,” Syco’s Simon Cowell said in a press release. “With tens of thousands of songs uploaded every day, this idea will give aspiring artists the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most successful songwriters in the world. The premise was always very straightforward… ‘What would happen if the best songwriters in the world wrote a song for the world…….?’ We have no idea what’s going to happen.
“I do know there are so many incredibly talented people who are trying to stand out, and I hope and believe this could make a big difference to their careers. It says everything about Max Martin, Savan, and Ali that they have decided to give this song to the TikTok community to record and collaborate with them. And I want to thank them so much for believing in this idea. In addition, I want to thank TikTok, Samsung, and Universal for their support and enthusiasm. Again, their passionate support of talented people is amazing.”
StemDrop co-creator Tim Van Rongen added: “I’m thrilled to be part of the next step in talent discovery. I feel it’s the exact right moment to launch a music project where the creative process is fully in the hands of the creators on TikTok. I can’t wait to see what everyone will come up with and think that the world will be surprised by the enormous creative variety that StemDrop and the TikTok community will deliver.”