In August 2018, TikTok merged with the video app Musical.ly, and it became a sensation. In its first few months, it became the No. 1 best-selling app on the Apple store, according to a 2018 Variety article.
In the years since the app first gained attention, it has become an outlet for its 1 billion active users a month. The app naturally became a way for rising artists to promote their music, and users use this music to create trends and videos.
One artist creating a name for herself is Chappell Roan, a rising pop singer. She released an album at the end of 2023 titled “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” Rolling Stone ranked the album No. 12 on the 100 Best Albums of 2023.
TikTok has helped Roan to grow an even greater fanbase, as her song “HOT TO GO!” is currently big on TikTok. Fans quickly learned the dance from Roan’s music video, and concertgoers are recreating the moves at Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour, where Roan is opening for Rodrigo. The trend has quickly turned into an internet sensation.
Another artist who gained fame from TikTok was Ice Spice. The artist was featured on PinkPantheress’s song, “Boys a Liar Pt. 2” and people quickly took to TikTok to repost videos using the song. Since then, Ice Spice has been featured on a track with Taylor Swift, “Karma (feat. Ice Spice),” and released her debut album “Like..?”
Some artists use their platforms to support their loved ones. TikToker and singer Cat Janice released the song “Dance You Outta My Head” in hopes of generating enough revenue to pass on to her 7-year-old son. The reason this was so urgent was because Janice unfortunately had terminal cancer.
Millions of people came together on the app to promote her song. The TikTok sound now has 3.1 million posts and the song reached No. 1 on the Apple Music charts. On Feb. 28, Janice passed away from her illness, but it is safe to say her memory lives on through her music and her family.
New artists are not the only ones gaining popularity on TikTok. Artists who have had songs out for years are also gaining some success off the app.
Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love” is trending on the app as people show off their vacation locations. Users start their videos at an airport or their house and jump over their phone, “transporting” them to their destination. This creates the illusion that they are teleporting to another location.
Billy Joel’s “Vienna” is also currently trending on TikTok. People will show off their outfits, often on the beach, and run away from the camera. This usually takes place right around sunset. Overall, it is a cute trend that exposes younger generations to older music. This is especially timely that his song is trending, as Joel just released a new song titled “Turn the Lights Back On.”
Movies also play a large role in what is trending on TikTok. In the last few months, a few movies have been released that have made older songs come back. Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” became trending again after the romantic comedy “Anyone But You” was last December.
Then, in the movie “Saltburn,” Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor” gained popularity again after the film’s closing scene featured Barry Keoghan dancing around the Saltburn mansion nude. Soon, it became a trend for people to dance throughout their houses to the track. Many even held “Saltburn” themed costume parties and donned glitter and fairy wings, reflecting the Midsummer Night’s Dream party in the movie.
However, these wholesome videos that help promote artists’ music may be put on hold due to the recent controversies between UMG and TikTok.
With the recent decision by Universal Music Group, it is hard to say if artists will continue to promote their songs on TikTok. UMG did not renew its contract with TikTok; its concerns are outlined in a letter on its website.
“In our contract renewal discussions, we have been pressing them on three critical issues,” said UMG in their statement. “Appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”
It will be interesting to see what happens between UMG and TikTok. Hopefully, they will come up with answers to this solution so artists can continue to use the TikTok platform as a creative outlet and a way to promote music.