Over the past few years, the music industry has been significantly affected by TikTok, an infamous and overwhelming presence in the social media world. Many artists who have had their work heard across the platform have gained stardom on and off the app. TikTok’s unsurprising influence over music trends may be argued by some to be damaging, yet this argument is largely overshadowed by the situation’s positive effects.

   TikTok helps songs gain popularity and makes people more likely to increasingly listen to tracks. According to Business Insider, songs that have gained a large audience on TikTok often end up on the Billboard Top 100. A 2021 study from music analytics company MRC Data found that 67 percent of the platform’s users are more likely to seek out songs on music streaming services after hearing them on TikTok (newsroom.tiktok.com). This has become a great way to market music because of TikTok’s large, targeted audience, with trends being made and posts created. Montford Agency Founder Jesse Callahan told Business Insider, “‘Music marketing on TikTok is huge… It’s a big way that labels have brought artists into the spotlight the last couple of years. It’s also a big way that creators have made a lot of money’” (businessinsider.com). The app continues to be a major influence on song popularity and favorable recognition.

  “In the past, I’ve liked songs that got really popular from TikTok, and it annoyed me when they started being overplayed,” said Junior Edgar Zagal. As tedious as it may be to hear music become worn out and overplayed, it’s a small price to pay, as artists finally get the recognition they have been striving for. Even after the surge in acclaim has fizzled out, lower-scale listenability remains. According to Business Insider, “Songs can rise up organically on the app even if they’ve been outside the mainstream for decades. Marketers can also hire influencers to help a song take off, sparking a wave of user-generated posts from their fans” (businessinsider.com). According to Clash Music, one of the most recently trending songs is “September” by Sparky Deathcap. The decade-old song gained traction for its guitar opening (clashmusic.com). Many would find it a shock and maybe disappointment that indie music could become so elevated overnight, but truly, it’s a great scenario for creators.

   Music distribution among TikTok communities allows for creative participation, with endless covers and alternate versions of songs maintaining relevance. According to Business Insider, Music Partnerships Director Jacquelyn Schwartz, at the marketing agency Creed Media, said, “A song can have an entirely different sentiment, application, audience, everything when it is remixed, which really just provides it an entirely new life” (businessinsider.com). Sparky Deathcap said, “It’s awe-inspiring, really, to think you’ve set off this creative chain reaction. This is why you do it, though – to be part of a wider conversation” (businessinsider.com). Community participation enhances music’s creativity.

   Tiktok has no grip on the music industry. Tiktok is just a big platform for artists to post and share their music. According to Business Insider, Tiktok can’t become a monopoly on music because artists make their revenue with merchandise, touring, royalties, licensing, and more (businessinsider.com). According to a website about music, Tiktok’s platform only can bring press to artists with the artist’s permission so they are not detrimental to their careers (cloudcovermusic.com).

   The means of how people hear and share music are changing, the migration from radio to TikTok being a major evolution. Regardless of its flaws, TikTok provides a much needed platform for artist exposure.