Teens spend hours upon hours on the seemingly ever-growing social media platform TikTok, and the app is becoming a powerful force in the music industry. Influencers are not the only ones finding success on the app; music artists both big and small are using TikTok to their advantage.
Never in their wildest dreams did Taylor Swift fans think she would release a song just recently Sep. 17. Still, fans were blindsided when she released “Wildest Dreams(Taylors Version)” from her album 1989 re-record.
Swift left fans bewildered with the release, especially since she stated her next record release would be the re-record of her “Red” album in November. Fans were left scratching their heads after this change in schedule.
The reason for this schedule change was revealed on TikTok. Prior to the new release, “Wildest Dreams” was being used in a TikTok trend. The song being used in the trend was the version Swift did not own; Swift posted a TikTok with an audio clip of her version of “Wildest Dreams(Taylors Version)” encouraging fans to use that sound instead.
Senior Avery Behnke was anticipating a release from “Red(Taylors Version)”, not ¨1989(Taylors Version).” “It was sort of shocking that she just released a single off of 1989 in the middle of the day instead,” she explained.
Although at first shocked, Behnke soon realized why Swift chose to release her song. “Songs getting big on TikTok leads to other people searching for them on other platforms as well. Taylor Swift knew this and so she made a really smart decision to release her version of ‘Wildest Dreams’ so that Scooter Braun (Owner of Wildest Dreams) didn’t get all the revenue from the streams that wildest dreams would get as a result of TikTok,” she said.
Some view the app as nothing more than a place for young people to post comedic videos, but to a lucky few, it is their one way ticket to a career in the music industry.
Many creators choreograph short dances to catchy songs, hoping their videos will go viral and the dance will catch on. When these TikToks go viral, the choreographers are not the only ones who benefit. The songs used in these dances soon find their way onto the viral charts.
Artists with large fan bases have gained even more popularity through the use of their songs in TikToks. Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Savage” and Doja Cat’s song “Say So” took over everyones For You Page when they were used in dance trends. Not only did these songs captivate TikTok, they also took over the charts. Say So and Savage both peaked at number one on Billboard charts.
PV senior Mattie Moats recalls finding Stallion through TikTok trends. “I originally heard ‘Savage’ on my For You Page which led me to discover her entire discography and I really enjoyed it,” she said. Thanks to TikTok, Moats has been a fan ever since the “Savage” trend.
Not only have big artists like Swift and Stallion used the platform to their advantage, but smaller artists have also released original songs or covers that have gone viral. Which sends their new found TikTok audience to their various streaming platforms. These new originals make their way onto Spotify and Apple’s various playlists, highlighting new artists and bringing these musicians even more attention.
Artist Sydney Rose (@Sydneyfrommars on TikTok) was able to bring her covers and originals to streaming platforms after a few viral videos on TikTok. She now averages 667,813 monthly listeners on Spotify, with her cover of “Turning Page” reaching 17,292,351 streams. On TikTok, she posts even more covers and originals for her 189,700 followers.
Rose is not the only one who started on TikTok; Moats has noticed plenty of other rising musicians get noticed on the app. “It is an outlet for smaller artists to get their music out into the world. It is really cool to see deserving people get noticed and grow their career,” she explained.
Many artists have built a following crafting originals and belting covers on the app. There is no question that the platform is paving the way for many hoping to catch their big break.
Having social media platforms available at the tip of anyone’s fingers has benefitted the entertainment industry greatly. The exposure which these platforms provide is a phenomenal method of advertising that reaches a variety of audiences. A 15 second dancing video can lead to a life of fame and fortune.
For many artists, TikTok is free publicity with real impact. For rising artists, one of the best ways to get their names out is through TikTok. Artists big and small are reaping the benefits of teens and trends on the platform.
