As a social media platform, TikTok has taken the world by storm since its launch in 2016. With its short-form video format, the app has become a breeding ground for viral content and trends, ultimately leading to a profound impact on various aspects of our lives. One area where TikTok has had a significant influence is the music industry. In this article, we will delve into how TikTok has changed the music industry landscape, looking at its role in music discovery, promotion, and consumption.
3. Music Discovery and Chart Dominance
TikTok’s algorithms, which are designed to serve users with content that aligns with their interests, have made it easier for people to find music that they enjoy. This has led to an increase in the number of people who are exposed to a wider range of music genres and artists as, it turns out, we all like different stuff as we’re all different personalities.
As a result, songs that become popular on TikTok often experience a boost in streaming numbers and chart positions, as users flock to streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music to listen to the full tracks. The Billboard Hot 100 chart, which ranks songs based on sales, radio airplay, and streaming data, has seen numerous songs climb the ranks due to their popularity on TikTok. These days, record labels are breaking their back to ‘plant’ a song within the app’s algorithm.
The rise of TikTok has also facilitated the birth of new music genres and subcultures. For example, “hyperpop” – a genre characterized by its experimental, futuristic, and often abrasive sound – has gained significant traction on the platform. Artists like 100 gecs, Charli XCX, and Sophie have found a receptive audience on TikTok, helping to propel the genre into the mainstream.
2. Viral Challenges, Dance Trends, and Relatable Moments
One of the key ways that TikTok has influenced the music industry is through the creation of viral challenges and dance trends. These trends often involve users creating their own dances or performing specific actions to a particular song, and they can spread rapidly across the platform, accumulating millions of views and engagements. Lately, however, specific relatable moments from songs are the hot thing that propels records into mainstream attention. Like the video below showing a supposed mom in the ’90s vibing to Celine Dion’s It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.
When a song becomes the soundtrack to a viral challenge, a dance trend, or a relatable life-moment that anyone under the sun can share, its popularity on TikTok translates into significant success in the wider music industry. For example, the Renegade dance challenge, which was set to the song Lottery by K CAMP, helped propel the track onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 29. Similarly, the Savage dance challenge, created by TikTok user Keara Wilson, led to the song by Megan Thee Stallion reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The influence of TikTok in this regard has even prompted some artists to create music with the platform in mind, hoping that their songs will become the basis for a viral trend. This has led to the emergence of “TikTok songs” – tracks that are specifically designed to be catchy, upbeat, and easily adaptable for dance challenges and other trends. These songs often feature memorable hooks and lyrics that lend themselves well to the short, 15-60 second video format of TikTok.
1. Music Promotion And Artist Discovery
TikTok has also become an essential marketing tool for both established and emerging artists. As a platform with over one billion monthly active users, it offers a vast, highly engaged audience that kickstarts songs to success. Many artists now incorporate TikTok campaigns into their promotional strategies, aiming to create viral moments that will boost a song’s performance on streaming platforms and charts.
For emerging artists, TikTok has proven to be a powerful platform for gaining exposure and kickstarting their careers. Several musicians have experienced a meteoric rise to fame after their music gained traction on the app, with some even securing record deals as a result. Examples include Arizona Zervas, whose song Roxanne went viral on TikTok and eventually reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Claire Rosinkranz, who gained widespread attention for her song Backyard Boy on the platform.
Finally, TikTok has had a notable impact on how people consume music. The short, easily digestible nature of the platform’s content has led to a shift in listening habits, with some users preferring to consume music in bite-sized snippets rather than full-length tracks. This has prompted some artists and labels to adapt their music to cater to these preferences, with tracks always becoming shorter and featuring catchy hooks and memorable moments that can be easily clipped for use in TikTok videos.
Moreover, the platform’s influence on music consumption extends beyond its own user base. As songs gain popularity on TikTok, they often experience a ripple effect, with their success on the platform leading to increased exposure and engagement on other streaming services, social media platforms, and even traditional media outlets. This has led to a shift in the way that the music industry measures success, with TikTok’s impact on a song’s performance becoming a key metric to consider alongside traditional indicators like album sales and radio airplay.
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