Since the beginning of the digital age, artists and creators have the opportunity to freely share their work worldwide, giving them distinct advantages in promotion and discovery. But has this always been beneficial for them? Recently, many amazing and talented artists have made headlines and found success in the industry, with social media often playing a major role in their rise to popularity. In this post, I intend to discuss social media’s impact on the music industry, particularly its influence on emerging artists and their audiences. I’ll examine how and why TikTok specifically affects artists, musicians, and other content creators.
TIKTOK’s doubled-edged sword
As we all know, social media plays a significant role in modern life. While platforms like TikTok have transformed people’s lives for the better, how quickly can this success turn sour for artists in the industry?
Going viral on TikTok as an artist can open up countless opportunities, potentially leading to discovery and even being signed by a label. However, we’ve seen many instances where artists go viral and sell out shows, only to be let down by their fan engagement. Unfortunately, short-form content limits how audiences explore an artist’s full discography or even listen to complete songs. While this doesn’t apply to all fans, there are numerous cases where people only know the 15-second clip that went viral on TikTok.
Oftentimes, this also means that people don’t know the artist and are more fixated on a small part of their song rather than seeking out more. Why is this concerning, and how does it affect the artist? When an artist invests hours in producing, writing, and promoting a song, having fans familiar with only a fraction of it can damage both their brand and their relationship with their label.
This is damaging to the industry as a whole as people will eventually make music for the ‘algorithm’ and the love and care that we can hear and feel in most classic songs with slowing fade. I definitely think that as fans and TikTok users, we are given too much of a choice when it comes to the music that we consume.
The Industry’s Rising Stars
Like most social media platforms, TikTok isn’t always entirely positive. Unfortunately, many creators have suffered from extremely negative comments and have, of course, been affected by the harsh standards of a TikTok comment section. A phrase I often hear in creative spaces is ‘TikTok music’. While music on TikTok can mean great things for the success of the artist or musician, this phrase is often used negatively to describe music that is repetitive or catchy.
As someone who is trying to get into the music industry and has spoken to other musicians like me, there is definitely a certain level of pressure to not create music that is “TikTok music,” but rather music that you hear on TikTok. What’s the difference? If a song goes viral on TikTok, it does not last; it’s repetitive enough to remain an earworm for a few weeks or even months, but generally does not last. Upcoming artists are likely to aspire to make music that will last and won’t just be ‘on trend.’ Generally, society’s high standards when it comes to what’s popular also impact the level of creativity that goes into the music that we hear. Many people have gotten used to the same kinds of music going viral with certain characteristics, but when real music is made from a creative standpoint, people are quick to judge and be dismissive.
If this continues, I firmly believe that the music industry won’t continue to develop like it has over time.
The bright-side of tiktok for the music
I can’t make a blog post about TikTok’s impact on the music industry without shining a light on all of the positive things it has done for the community as a whole. TikTok has been an essential part of the success of so many amazing artists and musicians. Social media has always been a leading promotional tool in modern-day marketing. If we take a look at British artist Raye, she heavily advertised her song ‘Escapism’ via TikTok, with the song constantly recurring on our FYP. TikTok’s potential to quickly make things viral and expose users to all kinds of different styles and genres is exactly what makes it an incredibly powerful marketing tool for all content creators.
Artists can also use TikTok as a way to directly interact with their fans and people who might be interested in their music. The algorithm’s ability to quickly spread music and allow it to rapidly gain popularity has been extremely beneficial for musicians and artists, helping them reach wider audiences across the world.
In summary, I believe TikTok and social media as a whole have the potential to do amazing things for artists, creators, and users alike. We can’t ignore the incredible impact TikTok has had on the music industry over time. However, the real concern is whether these positive effects will be long-lasting or if TikTok is ultimately shaping the industry for better or worse.
What do you think ?!