TikTok has added another layer to the commercialization of the music industry, and pop music’s creative potential is suffering because of it.
Pop music is, in essence, whatever music is currently popular; “pop” used to be rock and roll in the 50s, disco in the 70s, and hip hop and grunge in the early 2000s. Today, pop is commonly considered its own defined genre, one associated with simple verse-chorus-verse structures, catchy melodies, and upbeat chord progressions. Think, As It Was by Harry Styles, Driver’s License by Olivia Rodrigo, or Baby by Justin Bieber. Most people recognize these songs due to how repayable they are, which in part allows pop stars to be so successful. They are able to monetize from their songs being repeated on streaming services. This commercial aspect of pop music is nothing new; a large portion of the genre is designed to appeal to the masses and generate income. However, the rise of TikTok has further encouraged music artists to follow a formulaic approach to songwriting in order to maximize profit. As a result, pop music has become increasingly homogenous and less creative.
TikTok’s format, with reels under a minute, encourages musicians to simplify their songs down to a 15-second “hook,” prioritizing catchy earworms that often lack deeper meaning and creativity. This is apparent with songs like Benson Boone’s Moonbeam Ice Cream, Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso, or Dua Lipa’s Levitating. These songs can be summed up by the small portion that goes viral on TikTok, the entire three-to-four minutes of music distilled into a fraction of that. This means that artists only need to put effort and thought into the portion that would be looped, allowing them to disregard the rest of the song. This has increased the number of poorly constructed songs in our musical circulation.
In addition to the transient nature of reels, TikTok has also degraded artists’ distinctive lyricism because of its perpetration of trends. This is seen in Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, where fans were met with a shock of disappointment at its release. The album was expected to be a retrospective account of Swift’s experiences, with a vibrant sound and songs imbued with authenticity. However, instead the album came off as both shallow and inauthentic; Swifties critiqued that the lyrics strayed from the style of Swift’s previous albums, incorporating current slang and internet trends in a way that felt awkward and unappealing.
TikTok has encouraged artists to veer from authenticity or shy away from creativity and in some ways, this has become a necessity. TikTok is an incredible platform for artists to promote their music and expand their audiences; its algorithm is a powerful tool for songs to go viral and for artists to make money. However, often, the songs that go viral on TikTok are ones that can be condensed into a 15 second hook. This can pressure artists to decrease the complexity and creativity of their songs, or stray away from experimental techniques, in favor of producing music that is guaranteed to do well on TikTok’s platform.
