TikTok inked a partnership with ticketing provider AXS to let users of the popular video app discover and buy tickets to live events.
The feature is going live initially in the U.S., U.K., Sweden and Australia, with additional markets to follow at an undetermined date. Now, any certified artist on TikTok can use the in-app ticketing feature to promote their AXS live dates, according to the company.
TikTok has let users in the U.S. purchase live event tickets via a partnership with Ticketmaster since 2022, and last December expanded the Ticketmaster pact to encompass more than 20 new markets, including Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Ireland and Australia.
Under the agreement with AXS, TikTok becomes an official discovery partner in the AXS Anywhere program, alongside the likes of Spotify and Bandsintown. AXS Anywhere lets venues, artists and other partners generate sales through targeted ticket offers and experiences. To use the AXS in-app ticketing feature on TikTok, eligible artists and partners can simply add their AXS event links to videos before publishing.
“TikTok’s partnership with AXS allows us to connect millions of users with legendary artists, venues and festivals, and allows artists to promote their live dates and reach their audience in a whole new way,” said Michael Kümmerle, global music partnership development lead at TikTok. “We are very excited to start this journey with AXS and look forward to supporting the further growth of ticketing on TikTok in the future.”
AXS chief strategy officer Marc Ruxin commented, “TikTok has become one of the most important global platforms for music content attracting an incredible community of artists and fans. By combining the reach and influence of TikTok artists with AXS’s global ticketing platform, the partnership will provide seamless ticket-buying access to some of the world’s most iconic venues, festivals and tours. This is the perfect example of discovery-driven content and commerce for music fans!”
TikTok’s pact with AXS comes amid uncertainty about the app’s future availability in the U.S. Last month, the House of Representatives passed legislation by a wide margin that would outlaw TikTok in the U.S. unless Chinese parent company ByteDance divests its ownership stake (a scenario experts say is not likely). To date, the Senate has not moved forward to introduce a related measure.
