Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, was created and launched in August 2014. It was the brainchild of Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang, who wanted to create a platform that allowed users to express their creativity through short videos set to music. The app quickly gained popularity, especially among teenagers and young adults, and became a global sensation.
Originally, when creating an account on Musical.ly, users were not required to provide their birth year or confirm their age. This lack of age verification led to concerns about the app’s suitability for younger users. In fact, it was discovered that even children as young as first-graders were using the app. This raised questions about child safety and privacy, prompting the need for stricter age restrictions.
In 2017, ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, launched their own short video app called TikTok. Seeing the potential of Musical.ly, ByteDance acquired the app and merged it with their existing TikTok platform. The merger was completed on August 2, 2018, and the Musical.ly app was officially rebranded as TikTok.
The decision to merge the two apps was driven by the desire to consolidate their user base and leverage the popularity of both platforms. TikTok, with its global reach and massive user base, quickly became one of the most popular social media apps in the world.
However, the journey of Musical.ly came to an end in mid-2018. The app was shut down after being sold to ByteDance, and all existing Musical.ly accounts were migrated to TikTok. The reasons behind the closure of Musical.ly are not explicitly stated, but it can be assumed that it was a strategic move to focus solely on the TikTok brand.
Musical.ly was created in August 2014 and gained immense popularity as a platform for creating and sharing short videos set to music. It was later acquired by ByteDance and merged with their existing TikTok app. The rebranded TikTok app replaced Musical.ly in August 2018. The closure of Musical.ly marked the end of an era, but TikTok continues to thrive as one of the leading social media platforms in the world.
When Was Musical.ly First Created?
Musical.ly, the popular social media platform for creating and sharing short music videos, was first launched in August 2014.
Was Musical.ly Changed To TikTok?
Musical.ly was indeed changed to TikTok. This transformation took place under the ownership of ByteDance, a Chinese technology company. Prior to the change, TikTok was a separate app launched by ByteDance in 2017. However, in a move to consolidate their platforms and expand their user base, ByteDance decided to merge the original TikTok with the popular Musical.ly app.
The transition from Musical.ly to TikTok occurred on August 2, 2018. Users of the Musical.ly app would have noticed that the app’s name and branding were altered to reflect the change to TikTok. This rebranding involved replacing the Musical.ly name and logo with the TikTok name and logo.
By merging Musical.ly with TikTok, ByteDance aimed to combine the features and functionalities of both apps, offering users a more comprehensive and engaging experience. This integration allowed users to create and share short videos, lip-sync to music, and discover a wide range of content. The merger also enabled ByteDance to leverage the existing user base of Musical.ly and expand TikTok’s global reach.
The change from Musical.ly to TikTok occurred as part of ByteDance’s strategy to merge the two platforms and create a unified app. This transition took place on August 2, 2018, with the rebranding of the Musical.ly app to TikTok.
What Age Was Musical.ly For?
Musical.ly, now known as TikTok, did not have a specific age restriction when it was first created. The platform allowed users to create accounts by providing an email address, phone number, or connecting with their Facebook account. This lack of age verification made it possible for pre-teens and even first-graders to become users of the app. The absence of a birth year question or an age confirmation box meant that there was no explicit requirement for users to be 13 years or older, as is commonly seen in other social media platforms. Consequently, individuals of various age groups, including young children, were able to join Musical.ly and participate as “Musers.”
When Did Musical.ly End?
Musical.ly officially came to an end in mid-2018. The exact date of its closure was not specifically mentioned, but it was around that time. The popular lip-syncing app was acquired by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, and subsequently merged with TikTok to form one unified platform. As a result, Musical.ly ceased to exist as a separate entity and its users were transitioned to TikTok.
The decision to shut down Musical.ly and integrate it into TikTok was driven by the desire to consolidate and streamline the user base, content, and features of both apps. By merging the two platforms, ByteDance aimed to provide a more cohesive and seamless experience for users, as well as leverage the combined strengths of Musical.ly and TikTok.
The closure of Musical.ly and its integration into TikTok marked a significant turning point for the short-form video industry. TikTok gained immense popularity and became a global phenomenon, while Musical.ly’s brand and user base were effectively absorbed into the new platform.
Conclusion
Musical.ly was officially launched in August 2014. It initially started as a separate app but later merged with ByteDance’s TikTok in 2017. On August 2, 2018, the app was rebranded to TikTok. Unlike many other social media platforms, Musical.ly did not require users to disclose their birth year or confirm their age, making it accessible to users of all ages, including pre-teens and even first-graders. However, this lack of age verification raised concerns regarding child safety and privacy. As a result, Musical.ly was eventually shut down in mid-2018 after being acquired by ByteDance. The specifics of how Musical.ly came to be, the individuals behind its creation, and the reasons for its closure are covered in more detail in the subsequent chapters.
