TikTok’s Takeover: The Sound of Social
Trending audio is the bread and butter of TikTok. From the app’s inception, the marriage between music and visual content has defined every video published. The popularity of the app has gone on to launch careers, fundamentally changing the way consumers find new music and how artists and record labels approach launch strategies.
Market research has shown that 75% of TikTok users discover new artists on the app, with 63% using the app to find new songs that they wouldn’t typically hear on their usual listening platforms. Much like Shakira’s hips, these numbers don’t lie. TikTok is wielding an incredible amount of power for younger demographics, quickly becoming a major authority in the music industry despite not positioning itself as a music app.
A prime example of the “viral to verified” pipeline is Lil Nas X, who went on to become a global sensation after his song “Old Town Road” blew up on the app. And this isn’t even the only country-esque song to have gone from TikTok to top track. Country artist George Birge created a satirical song on the app that later went on to become a minor hit, inspired by viral trends making fun of country music tropes.
While each song’s success may appear spontaneous, TikTok maintains incredible control over viral content stemming from TikTok’s merger with Musical.ly in 2017. Musical.ly founder Alex Zhu created the app with the intention of working with music labels, going so far as to track user behavior on the Musical.ly app and create personal relationships with rising stars. That interest in rising talent continued as Musical.ly merged with TikTok, as evident by Megan Thee Stallion’s highly curated rise to fame, which included an influencer campaign that made her song “Savage” a cultural movement for TikTok users.
In addition to advancing the careers of breakout stars, TikTok has changed the way established artists interact with their fans. For example, Justin Bieber partnered with the platform for a full-length livestreamed Valentine’s Day concert that drew in over 4 million unique viewers. It was the most-viewed livestream in TikTok history at the time. The superstar has also been able to share behind-the-scenes moments with fans on the app, as well as engaging with popular trends on the app that undoubtedly made him seem more relatable (and increasing future record sales). By giving fans a seemingly direct line to their favorite celebrities, TikTok has taken influencer culture to the next level, creating unprecedented access to creators and artists worldwide.
The platform has also successfully connected creators as collaborators, if unknowingly. Who can forget the iconic, unauthorized Ratatouille musical based on the hit Disney film? A handful of clever creators simply wrote songs based on the film, and the viral fan-made musical went on to debut as an actual performance to benefit The Actors Fund at the peak of COVID-19.
TikTok’s audio prowess has not gone unnoticed by major audio players. Just a few months ago, SiriusXM teamed up with TikTok to launch TikTok Radio, where listeners can continue to discover new music that has been popularized on the app. The partnership also included a series of Pandora Playlists curated by creators, again acknowledging the power of influencers on the app.
However, these influencers may soon lose out to the much more easily controllable AI influencers that have popped up on the app. AI rapper FN Meka has released a few songs on TikTok to his nine million followers, in addition to selling NFTs — pointing toward a consolidated future of computer-generated personalities.
TikTok has already changed music for good — from recording, to performing, to fan interactions, the platform has undeniably become a force that must be mastered by all those attempting to break in (or stay in) the industry.
Next, we’ll analyze how TikTok has impacted the larger entertainment industry, bringing the big screen down to the size of an iPhone. But while it’s top of mind, don’t forget to follow Kindred Media on TikTok.
