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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Behind Kaytranada’s Unique Sound

February 18, 2023

Kaytranada (Louis Celestin) is a Haitian-Canadian record producer and DJ. He is a highly acclaimed electronic artist, having earned two Grammys and countless other awards for his work. Kaytranada has

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The Creative Act: Rick Rubin’s Knowledge Turned Into A Book

February 17, 2023

What happens when a famous music producer takes an interest in self-help books? The Creative Act is your answer. But who is Rick Rubin? Without a doubt, Rubin has an impressive track record in the

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Behind the Music: The Audio Engineer

February 14, 2023

The music industry is a place full of musicians, producers, and creators who have the magical ability to make those perfect sounds we hear everyday through our digital devices. We want to listen close

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Koji Kondo: Nintendo’s Melody Maestro

February 14, 2023

What do popular video games franchises Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, and Star Fox all have in common? They were all produced and published by Nintendo, and the iconic music themes that you hear in...

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Taylor Swift on Industry Sexism and Music Rights

February 8, 2023

Being a successful woman in the music industry is no easy feat. Not only do they deal with the typical trials and tribulations of being a musician, but there are also gender-specific challenges.

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What’s the Ideal Length for a Single— Are Songs Getting Shorter?

February 8, 2023

“Is it just me, or are songs getting shorter these days?” This is a question I have often pondered, especially in the last few years. It appears that in the era of social media, attention spans are

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SG Lewis: Who Is He - and What’s Next For This Rising Star?

February 6, 2023

SG Lewis (Samuel George Lewis) is a rising star in the dance/electronic music realm. He is a DJ/producer turned singer-songwriter, and is known for his disco-inspired, transcendent sound. He routinely

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Lessons to Learn From the Launch Of Sam Smith’s “Unholy”

February 4, 2023

Sam Smith just released their new album “Gloria” on the 27th of January. As described by Pitchfork, “Gloria flips between hyperpop, country, dancehall, disco, 2-step, and intimate, Kehlani-esque R&B”.

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Are Virtual Idols the Future of Music?

February 5, 2023

Virtual reality and the metaverse have become popular topics in the music industry where more and more technology and music have been combined, creating something that could revolutionize the entire

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Grammy Awards Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical: The Category Songwriters Deserve

February 5, 2023

The 65th annual GRAMMY Awards are here, and there's a long-awaited addition to the awards. This year marks the introduction of a new category: the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Award. For all

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How Zach Bryan’s Authenticity Makes His Music So Appealing, Even to Non-Country Fans

January 31, 2023

Zach Bryan released his first album in 2019, and in the short time since he has become one of the biggest names in country. His biggest album, “American Heartbreak”, broke single-day album streaming

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TikTok Plans to Introduce a New Music Streaming App

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Photo: Bloomberg

Over the past few years, TikTok’s popularity has significantly increased resulting in 1 billion global daily users by early 2022. The app has also become extremely influential in the current music industry. It is well known that songs trending on TikTok often end up ranking on the Billboard 100 or Spotify Viral 50. This prominent pattern of TikTok fame leading to industry success has allowed tracks like Old Town Road by Lil Nas X and Drivers License by Oliva Rodrigo to become viral sensations on TikTok before placing on the Billboard 100.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has recognized the app’s profound impact on music marketing, distribution, and consumption. Consequently, ByteDance has filed patents for “TikTok Music”, an interactive music streaming app that will allow users to purchase, play, share, and download music. Additionally, users can create and recommend playlists, comment on music, and even share lyrics.  

Photo: 9to5Mac

According to a study conducted by the music analytics company, MRC Data, 67% of TikTok users are more likely to seek out songs on music streaming services after hearing them on TikTok. Moreover, a UK-based investor reported that songs popular on TikTok drive additional views on YouTube and streaming platforms. Thus, TikTok Music has the potential to compete with music streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music.

As a result, TikTok has quickly become the go-to promotional tool for artists. Marketers often hire influencers to create posts or set up private listening parties with influencers to help popularize a song. Given the essential role of TikTok in a song’s success, it is possible that TikTok Music, with close ties to TikTok, could reshape the music streaming industry.

Music creators and producers will be able to leverage TikTok Music’s interactive functions to further promote their work. This will potentially allow smaller creators to better market their songs and compete with larger record labels. TikTok Music may prove to be a very useful music distribution platform for new-and-upcoming creators that are looking to build a fanbase with minimum marketing costs. Given TikTok’s ability to launch regular people into fame overnight, it is possible that TikTok Music may have similar effects on small creators, allowing them to obtain large followings in short periods of time.