I think it’s clear to say everyone and their dog knows about TikTok, and most likely has an account. Whether you’re a content creator or you just like scrolling, it’s a very easily accessible as well as addictive platform. Not only has it impacted our ability to watch longer videos, it’s also had a massive impact on the music industry and how new hits are made.
Throwing it back to 10 years ago, pop stars would be doing the usual radio and TV interview rounds, in hopes of securing a number one. CDs were all the rage and in order to listen to it on a device, you’d have to burn the cd and learn to import. These days, if you’re lucky enough to have a video go viral and your sound becomes heavily used, you’re already halfway there to having a hit on your hands. TikTok has given so many artists a platform and the opportunity to become mainstream pop stars – such as Lauren Spencer Smith, Tate McRae, Doja Cat & Olivia Rodrigo.
Even though the platform was created in 2016, it didn’t become as well used until March 2020, due to Covid-19. People used it to create dance trends, show their favorite makeup looks or to post cute dog videos. However, the trajectory of the app really started to change the more time we all spent in our homes.
TikTok’s main consumers are between the ages of 16-24, the age bracket known to stream music the most. Seeing as back in 2020/21 we were all stuck indoors, these rising artists became a lot more real and relatable, posting singing videos in their PJs or just sitting in their car. After seeing how increasingly popular these subtle promo videos became, mainstream pop stars and their labels started taking advantage, even creating dance trends in order for more people to use their song and for them to reach a wider audience.
To begin with, it was authentic and clear to see these videos were posted with no intentions, however as more people began to become “overnight sensations” it was obvious singers felt the pressure to obtain their social media presence on the app thus the spam posting and ads began. TikTok then went from being a fun app for these popstars, to a chore. You could slowly see the amount of videos posted decreasing and only becoming promo, instead of fun videos. And it went from being a hobby to a part of their job.
All in all, TikTok has helped so many people reach their dreams and be seen by millions of people. We have seen some of the biggest names currently in the music scene, gain their fame from the app, and have given us some amazing music. But you also see many people gain followers very fast, even though the views don’t add up. Which makes you think, does TikTok favor particular artists? Do labels have anything to do with it? TikTok continues to grow in popularity, pushing new releases as well as causing old songs to gain traction and streams again. Not everyone might love the direction it is going in or the algorithm in particular, but it clearly doesn’t seem to be slowing in popularity any time soon.
ROARA Magazine 