The Art Of Going Viral — Part 1 : The Formula of a Viral Song

The concept of a song going “viral” represents a transformative event, one that can catapult an artist from obscurity to global recognition seemingly overnight.

This phenomenon has reshaped not only how music is discovered and consumed but also how it’s valued and monetized. At the heart of this seismic shift is the intricate dance between technology, social media platforms, and the timeless allure of music that resonates with the masses.

For artists that I work with, the quest for Virality is played like a game of chess. By eliminating the capacity for any other outcome to occur, you can carefully plan the ingredients that will make a song reverberate and expand to incredible reach. Connection with the crowd and musical quality being the first, playing the landscape second, our artists develop this capacity over their time with our agency, and with our team of experts, orchestrate the whole thing.

The Power of Viral Songs

We live in a trend focused culture, which means that the grand majority of consumers, over 70% of the market, rely on trending assets for 90% of their cultural consumption. This means that a Viral song, meme, idea can connect to a global audience within a 72 hour time span and integrate into cultural homonyms within the first 2 weeks of its existence. Therein lies the question of quality, as the asset itself has to be flexible in its adaptation while profound in its commentary or illustration.

A viral song transcends traditional metrics of success such as sales and airplay, achieving a pervasive presence across the digital ecosystem. It infiltrates social media feeds, inspires countless user-generated content, and becomes a cultural touchstone within a remarkably short span of time. This ubiquity not only amplifies the song’s reach but also enhances its commercial and promotional value, creating a ripple effect that can significantly impact an artist’s career and the music industry at large.

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Defining “Viral” in the Context of Music

But what exactly does it mean for a song to go “viral”? In the context of music, virality is marked by rapid and widespread sharing across digital platforms, leading to exponential increases in streams, downloads, and overall engagement. It’s a phenomenon driven by the song’s ability to connect with listeners on a visceral level, often fueled by catchy melodies, relatable lyrics, or compelling rhythms that encourage repetition and sharing.

By examining recent examples across these genres, we can identify the metrics that signify a song’s transition into the viral domain, noting the engagement numbers and streaming figures that mark such success.

Recent Examples of Viral Songs

• Hip-Hop: “INDUSTRY BABY” by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow: This track exemplifies hip-hop’s viral potential, harnessing both controversy and catchy rhythms for explosive popularity. On TikTok, videos featuring the song accumulated over 2 million creations, with significant user engagement through likes and shares, propelling it to amass hundreds of millions of streams on Spotify.
• Latin Pop: “Telepatía” by Kali Uchis: This song surged in popularity on TikTok, becoming a staple for creators with over 1.5 million video creations. Its dreamy, laid-back vibe resonated globally, helping it to gather over 500 million streams on Spotify, showcasing the global reach of Latin Pop when leveraged through digital platforms.
• EDM: “STAY” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber: Marrying pop sensibilities with EDM production, “STAY” became a soundtrack for numerous TikTok videos, totaling over 3 million creations. The song’s upbeat tempo and catchy chorus helped it achieve over a billion streams on Spotify, highlighting EDM’s viral potential when combined with pop elements.

Metrics for Viral Visibility on TikTok

On TikTok, virality can be quantified through:

• Engagement Metrics: Viral songs often feature in videos that collectively gather millions of likes and shares. A range of 500,000 to over 3 million engagements per popular video can indicate a track’s viral nature.
• Video Creations: A song is considered viral on TikTok if it’s used in a wide range of user-generated content, typically ranging from 1 million to over 3 million unique video creations.
• Trend Participation: Being part of or initiating a TikTok trend can significantly boost a song’s visibility. Viral songs often serve as the basis for challenges or dances that engage millions of users.

Metrics for Viral Visibility on Spotify

Spotify’s viral visibility is assessed through:

• Streaming Figures: Viral tracks on Spotify can amass from hundreds of millions to over a billion streams, indicating widespread listener engagement.
• Playlist Inclusion: Viral songs often find their way into multiple high-profile Spotify playlists, both editorial and user-generated, spanning from “Global Top 50” to genre-specific lists like “Viva Latino” or “Mint”.
• Algorithmic Recommendations: A song that frequently appears in personalized playlists such as “Discover Weekly” or “Daily Mix” for a wide range of users can be considered to have achieved viral status, benefiting from Spotify’s algorithmic push based on listener preferences.

Platforms Critical to Achieving Virality: TikTok and Spotify

The role of platforms like TikTok and Spotify in this viral equation cannot be overstated. TikTok, with its algorithmically powered discovery feed and culture of creative expression, has become a launching pad for viral hits. Its short-form video format encourages innovative, user-generated interpretations of music, from lip-syncing to choreographed dances, propelling songs to viral status.

Simultaneously, Spotify leverages its expansive user base and curated playlists to amplify a song’s reach. Its algorithmic recommendations and social sharing features further facilitate the song’s journey towards virality, ensuring that once a track gains momentum on TikTok or other social platforms, it can quickly find its way onto the playlists and devices of millions of listeners worldwide.

In essence, the art of going viral in the music industry today involves a complex interplay of artistic appeal, technological facilitation, and cultural zeitgeist. As we delve deeper into the formula of a viral song, it becomes clear that while the pathways to virality may vary, the impact on artists, listeners, and the industry is profoundly transformative.

Understanding Virality in Music

As we peel back the layers of what makes a song go viral, it becomes apparent that this phenomenon is not merely a stroke of luck but often the result of a confluence of factors that resonate deeply with both individual listeners and the collective zeitgeist.

The Essence of Virality

At the core of virality in music is the song’s intrinsic ability to tap into the emotions, experiences, and desires of its audience. Whether through a catchy hook, relatable lyrics, or a beat that demands movement, a viral song often embodies a universal quality that transcends language, culture, and personal taste. This universal appeal is critical, enabling a song to become a shared experience across diverse listener groups.

Listener Psychology and Emotional Connection

Understanding listener psychology is paramount in the equation of virality. Music, by its very nature, is an emotional art form. Songs that go viral typically evoke strong emotional reactions, be it joy, nostalgia, sadness, or empowerment. These reactions foster a deep emotional connection, compelling listeners to share the song with their social circles. The act of sharing is not just about spreading the music; it’s about sharing the emotional experience the song evokes.

The Amplifying Power of Social Media Platforms

In the digital age, social media platforms play a pivotal role in a song’s journey to virality. TikTok, with its vast, engaged user base and culture of creativity, has emerged as a fertile ground for viral music. The platform’s unique features, such as easy video creation, remixing, and challenges, encourage users to interact with music in highly visible, shareable ways. These interactions can catapult a song to global recognition overnight, as seen with numerous tracks that first gained traction on TikTok before dominating global charts.

Spotify, on the other hand, acts as a powerful amplifier of virality. Its algorithmic playlists and personalized recommendations serve to introduce viral hits to a broader audience, while its integration with other social media platforms ensures that songs can easily be shared beyond Spotify’s ecosystem. The synergy between Spotify and social media platforms like TikTok creates a virtuous cycle, where songs gain popularity on one platform and are then further elevated by the other, reaching a critical mass of listeners that solidifies their viral status.

Key Components of a Viral Song

In the quest to decode the anatomy of a viral song, certain elements stand out as critical to its success. These components not only ensure a song’s widespread appeal but also its longevity in the ever-changing music landscape.

1. Catchiness and Relatability

At the forefront of a viral song’s attributes are its catchiness and relatability. A memorable melody that listeners can’t help but hum along to, combined with lyrics that strike a chord with their personal experiences or aspirations, form the bedrock of virality.

2. Optimized for Platforms

In the digital era, a song’s structure and composition are increasingly being optimized for platforms like TikTok. Unlike traditional hits, songs that achieve virality on TikTok often feature short, compelling clips perfect for looping, encouraging users to create their content around the music. This optimization for digital platforms facilitates user interaction, as seen with Doja Cat’s “Say So,” where a 15-second clip became the backbone of numerous TikTok dances, propelling the song to global fame.

3. Emotional or Cultural Resonance

Viral songs frequently resonate with listeners by tapping into current cultural moments or widespread emotions. This connection is often amplified by the use of challenges and memes on platforms like TikTok, where users engage with the music by creating content that reflects their interpretation of these cultural or emotional cues. The “Blinding Lights” challenge, set to The Weeknd’s hit song, is a prime example of how a track can gain viral momentum by becoming the soundtrack to a global, collective experience, reinforcing its emotional or cultural resonance.

4. Quality and Production

The juxtaposition of high production value and authenticity plays a crucial role in a song’s potential to go viral. While professional-quality production can enhance a song’s appeal, maintaining a sense of authenticity ensures that the music remains relatable and genuine. Technological advancements and the availability of affordable music production software have democratized music creation, enabling artists from various backgrounds to produce songs that have the potential to go viral. Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” serves as a testament to this, where bedroom production met global acclaim, proving that high-quality music can now be created outside traditional studio settings.

Wrap Up

The formula for achieving virality encompasses crafting catchy and relatable content that resonates on an emotional or cultural level, optimizing for key platforms like TikTok and Spotify, and employing strategic promotion to amplify reach. Each element of this formula plays a critical role in catapulting a song from obscurity to global acclaim, illustrating the multifaceted approach needed for viral success.

As we wrap up this exploration into the mechanics of viral music, it’s important to remember that virality is not the end goal but rather a milestone in the broader journey of an artist’s career. In Part 2, we will delve into how artists can sustain momentum after a viral hit and leverage this visibility for long-term success. The upcoming discussion will focus on strategies for nurturing a dedicated fanbase, diversifying content, and ensuring that the spotlight translates into a sustainable and flourishing music career.

For emerging artists and industry enthusiasts looking to navigate the complexities of viral success, applying the strategies outlined in this analysis can provide a solid foundation for capturing the digital zeitgeist. We encourage you to not only experiment with these approaches but also to stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore how to sustain momentum and leverage virality for enduring impact.

Subscribe to our blog and newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on the invaluable insights in Part 2. Furthermore, we invite you to share your experiences with viral songs — whether you’re an artist who has navigated this journey or a listener who has been captivated by a viral hit. Your stories enrich the conversation and offer unique perspectives on the power of music in the digital age.

Together, let’s continue to explore and shape the future of music, embracing the opportunities and challenges of virality in our quest for artistic innovation and connection.