TikTok has had a significant impact on the music industry in a very short amount of time. Musicians and record labels are starting to take notice of the app and its potential to reach new audiences. While there are some concerns about how the platform could be used to exploit artists, most people agree that it provides opportunities for musicians to reach more fans. This blog post will take a closer look at how TikTok has shaped the music industry and what that means for brands and marketers.

What does TikTok have to do with the music industry?

In case you’ve been on a veeeery long break from the Internet, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps in the world. According to Apptopia, TikTok was the most downloaded social media app in the first half of 2022 (through June 30th), with 37 million downloads. 

The app is predicted to reach a whopping 1.8 billion daily active users by the end of 2022. Since the app gained popularity by starting viral dance trends, musicians and record labels are increasingly using TikTok to reach new audiences. It has become a significant source of revenue for the music industry.

How Has TikTok Changed the Music Industry?

TikTok has completely changed the way that music is discovered and promoted. In the past, if an artist wanted to get their music out there, they would have to rely on radio play or hope that someone would stumble upon their SoundCloud page. Thanks to TikTok’s incredibly sticky nature, people often now refer to songs they hear on the radio as “that TikTok song.” thanks to all kinds of crazy challenges and dance trends. Let’s take a closer look at a recent example with Lil Nas X!

It’s not just about getting your song on TikTok; it’s about creating a viral TikTok challenge that gets people talking. That’s how Lil Nas X took his song “Old Town Road” from complete obscurity to the top of the charts. First, he started sharing his music along with memes; then, he created a TikTok challenge that caught on like wildfire (#yeehawchallenge). As the icing on the cake, he teamed up with TikTok influencers to further promote the song. As a result, “Old Town Road” became one of the biggest hits of 2019 and got picked up by Billy Ray Cyrus for a feature.

The hidden side of TikTok copyrights

It’s no doubt that TikTok can contribute to success, but there is also a growing concern that TikTok could be used to exploit new artists. Musicians and record labels may be keen to use TikTok to promote their music, but they must be aware of the risks involved. On TikTok, once an audio clip is shared from a user account, it’s free to use for all creators, and artists do not get compensated even if their song is featured in the most popular videos. 

Although TikTok has partnerships with major record labels that pay royalties to the authors of the songs, most trending sounds that get reshared are not checked for copyrights because of the sheer volume of videos on the platform.

How does all of this affect brands and marketers?

Now that we’ve established how big of a deal TikTok is, it’s crucial to understand how businesses can benefit from the trending challenges and sounds on the platform. According to TikTok, a survey done by Hello Alice reported that 67% of Small and medium-sized businesses surveyed indicated that they are most optimistic about their growth potential on TikTok.

The key to success on TikTok is creating original and relatable content. It would contribute to your success if you made sure that your videos were short and to the point; after all, people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. Undoubtedly, the cornerstone of an excellent TikTok strategy is the use of relevant trends and sounds – just ensure you’re using them ethically. If you can crack the code on TikTok, you’ll be well on promoting your business like a pro.

You can’t escape TikTok

There’s no doubt about it: TikTok is here to stay. The app has completely changed the music industry and offers businesses a unique opportunity to promote their brand. If you’re not already on Tik Tok, now is the time to join the thousands of other businesses reaping the benefits of its viral nature.

This post was written for the Mediamodifier blog. They have a lot of valuable tips and the best mockup tool, so make sure to check it out.
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