TikTok’s role in shaping music production and consumption
by Chiwetara ‘Tara’ Igwe
With the rapid use of social media today, a popular app known as TikTok has become the new go-to platform for any information ranging from news to entertainment. Formerly known as ‘musically,’ Tiktok began gaining popularity in 2019, averaging 1.1 billion users per day since then. The app operates on an algorithm dependent on a user’s preferences, and their interaction with trending content.
The multipurpose app has transformed the entertainment industry, revolutionizing the distribution and consumption of music and making it a tool for potential success. Nowadays, upcoming artists resort to TikTok to share snippets of their songs in hopes of achieving recognition and stardom. This was the case for British alt-pop singer PinkPantheress when a snippet of her debut single “Just for Me” gained traction on TikTok in August 2021, where users utilized the song in their videos. The song’s catchy beats drew people to her works, and the more engagement the song got, the more exposure she gained. This eventually contributed to her success in the music industry as she has won several awards including nominations for MTV Europe’s Best New Act and BET award’s Best Collaboration award for her song “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” featuring American rapper Ice Spice. PinkPantheress now averages 25 million listeners on the music platform Spotify.
Observing the success of similar figures like Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, and Jack Harlow, aspiring singers yearning for their big break have taken note of the favorable impact TikTok has had on these artists’ songs. Desiring recognition, these emerging singers resort to the app to share their music, in hopes of algorithmic support. However, their expectations do not always come to fruition.
From Passion to Popularity: The Clickbait Pandemic
When popularity becomes a prominent factor in the production of music, the validity of an artist’s motive for pursuing the craft is questioned. The quest for virality and fame has increasingly become the driving force of the creative process, which sometimes overshadows the traditional drive of making music purely out of passion or striving for artistic excellence. This is due to the way Tiktok is programmed, and its effect on users’ attention spans.
TikTok’s programming has instigated a pattern where viewers swiftly decide a video’s worth within mere seconds. The app’s bite-sized content format and absence of buffering between videos contribute to a shorter attention span among users. Consequently… if the first few seconds of a music promo fail to captivate them, it becomes harder for the users to stay engaged through the entire promotion. The average viewer continues to watch a video they find interesting after rolling for three seconds. This pattern is one that upcoming artists take advantage of: They strategically craft and post a catchy 15-second snippet in hopes of catching the eye of the algorithm and gaining recognition. More often than not, they succeed and embark on the journey of a music career. But the unlucky ones face criticism from the media after the song is streamed and it ends up not living up to the hype. Various users have started to pick up on this penchant for fame in the music industry since it affects the quality of produced and consumed music. A user named Ava Allan made a TikTok video with over 600k likes and 1000 comments, reflecting shared sentiments. One comment: “You can definitely tell when a song is built around a TikTok snippet” summarizes the observation that these snippets often precede the song itself– designed primarily to capture viewer attention.
But what do the successful videos have that the unsuccessful ones don’t? Jungle’s “Back on 74” became an instant TikTok hit with its infectious funky beat and accompanying disco-dance choreography, evoking a nostalgic summer vibe. The upbeat rhythm, catchy bassline, and a 58-second promotional video drew users in, while the engaging choreography made them stay. The song’s promotion struck a balance, inviting users to enjoy it without overwhelming them. Jungle’s success showcased that artists can market their music authentically while staying true to their artistic vision.
TikTok star Charli D’Amelio’s “If You Ask Me To” however, faced a lukewarm response from the TikTok community due to the lack of effort put into her promotional video. Critics noted Charli merely spinning in the video, drawing accusations of originality as it resembled pop singer Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License” visuals and overall vibe. Complaints also surfaced about Charli’s muffled vocals and the lack of depth and passion in the song’s lyrics, which are elements often sought by users for a more engaging musical experience.
The rapid growth of trends on the app separates genuine fans from those latching onto viral sensations. Alternative pop artist Steve Lacy expressed his frustration with this during his 2022 “Give You The World” concert, when fans could only sing the viral segment of one of his most popular songs, “Bad Habit.” The ‘TikTokification’ of his works had him visibly upset because although the surge in newer fans led to sold-out tickets, they did not hold the same energy as old fans. According to Lacy, it has made him hesitant to share or promote any of his upcoming songs on the app.
Influence on the Music Industry
The future of the music industry following the massive impact of TikTok has sparked concerns among artists including Halsey, Trevor Daniel, and Charlie XCX. Since record labels recognize the platform’s power in propelling songs to virality, they have adopted a purely profit-driven approach in guiding how artists promote their music. These labels often demand the artists to tease upcoming tracks on the app as a test to see which one gains more traction. The song’s release then becomes dependent on how the audience reacts to the 15-second snippet. However, if the song fails to obtain enough engagement during this ‘teasing stage,’ artists are instructed to persistently promote the single until it magically they were told to keep promoting the single until it magically takes off.
Trevor Daniel expressed his dismay for this in a 2022 Rolling Stone interview, stating “It’s just been pretty much impossible to put out music… It’s just really disheartening, to be honest with you.” He further elaborated on the situation, acknowledging that despite his label’s denial, there is a clear desire for his tracks to go viral before their official release. This places a significant amount of pressure on him, especially following his experience with the immense success of his 2018 single “Falling” after gaining traction on the app.
Music industries and record labels are often in a haste to secure deals with aspiring TikTok sensations, rapidly offering contracts to artists regardless of their experience or quality of music. Their desire to capitalize on the ‘TikTok wave’ “solidifies their treatment of musical works as a commodity, and music artists as money-making tools,” (uchscommander.com) which underscores a shift in the industry’s perception as they essentially exploit musical talents and view them as money-making machines. Moreover, artists may find themselves compelled to tailor their music according to the platform’s trend, ridding themselves of any creative liberty in favor of trends that yield virality. This trend highlights the connection between artistic expression and commercial success in the TikTok music scene, changing how people distinguish authenticity from imitation.