Is TikTok The New Billboard Top 100?
Social media has sparked a new phenomenon about how pieces of media become popular. The appeal is how they relay their information: short, specific, catchy, and entertaining clips.
Those snippets have become the determinant factor in what will be popular, why, and for how long. It has become instrumental in structuring today’s fashion, humor, and standards. Most notable, however, is how platforms have created this generation’s evolving soundtrack.
Artists, such as Chappell Roan, Noah Kahan, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyla, and Artemas, have reached fame through TikTok.
What do they have in common? They all released their most popular song around 2018 when TikTok started becoming popular.
Take Billie Eilish’s emotional ballads “Happier Than Ever” and “What Was I Made For” for example. Even though she had some popular songs, after the two went viral on TikTok, Eilish skyrocketed to new levels of fame, becoming a household name.
“What Was I Made For,” created by Eilish for the Barbie movie, honed in on the confusion many young girls face as they grow up, losing themselves in an attempt to fit into society’s fluid standards. The song captivated fans everywhere. Its success ensured everyone was well aware of her next project, “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” Almost immediately, three songs from the album were trending when released.
Chappell Roan faced similar success, skyrocketing after songs like “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck, Babe!” gained virality. The songs focused on upbeat tunes with hard-hitting lyrics about winning over your crush and the consequences of not being able to accept one’s sexuality. Both opened doors to the LGBTQ community and pop listeners.
However, just because an artist has made it on the platform does not guarantee success. The trend associated with their song is their key to success, such as NXCRE’s “Usurper,” currently being played in a satirical context.
In the same way that punk was known to attract rowdy crowds, NXCRE is expected to accompany memes due to the comedic nature of the TikTok trend sparked by the song. Therefore, it is less likely to be played in a serious or casual social setting.
Of course, some artists made music long before the rise of TikTok became popular. Older music has also been resurgent through unrelated trends. Tears for Fears, Bronski Beat, Alphaville, and the Eurythmics have relived their era of popularity through trends.
Tinashe is a prime example. Despite releasing her first album, Aquarius, in 2016, she only gained viral popularity earlier this year due to the release of “Nasty.”
Both songs, old and new alike, are having their time to shine on TikTok, and the common denominator to virality is a hook that sinks its claws into you and your TikTok feed.
