SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 15 — Artists, producers and streaming giants agree on one thing: TikTok is changing the music industry.

The social network has established itself as one of the most powerful influencers of musical trends. Its latest annual report, which looks back at the last 12 months in music, demonstrates how this impact is playing out. 

Nearly 430 songs have surpassed one billion views on the platform beloved by adolescents, a figure that is three times higher than last year. The most popular songs among this group are approaching or exceeding 20 billion views on the videos they are featured in.

And such online popularity often translates into commercial success on the charts. For example, more than 175 songs that trended on TikTok have appeared on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 chart in the past 12 months. 

One such example is Masked Wolf’s Astronaut In The Ocean. Originally released in 2019, this track was elevated to international hit status following its appearance in numerous videos featuring stunts and acrobatics.

The same goes for STAY by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber. The single spent seven non-consecutive weeks atop the US radio charts after being featured in a dance challenge on TikTok.

 

@thekiryalife

Микс моих мощнейших трюков🔥 Во сколько смотрите это видео?!⏰ #thekiryalife #респект

♬ Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf

 

From Boney M to Megan Thee Stallion

The Chinese app is also responsible for the comeback of several songs from decades past. Rasputin (7” Version) by Boney M, a leading figure in the movement, and The Hustle by Van McCoy have been given a new lease on life in recent months thanks to covers on TikTok.

The phenomenon is such that many Gen Z Americans don’t identify with the musical movements of their time and are convinced that they weren’t born in the right era when it comes to music! Some iconic songs from the 2000s are experiencing the same resurgence, according to TikTok’s latest annual report. Among them are Bills Bills Bills by Destiny’s Child, Classic by MKTO and Gimme More by Britney Spears.

Although it may seem that “old is the new cool” on TikTok, contemporary artists are also benefiting from the video platform’s growing influence in the music industry starting with Megan Thee Stallion. The Texas rapper is the musician whose songs have been used the most on TikTok in the last 12 months, ahead of Doja Cat and Popp Hunna. Her track Cognac Queen is in sixth place in the ranking of the most popular songs on the application. 

For Ole Obermann, global head of music at TikTok, all of these elements attest to how music is part of the ByteDance subsidiary’s DNA.

“TikTok opens the door to new artists, new sounds, underground and DIY scenes as well as the classic hits, connecting them with a global audience and passionate music community like never before. 2021 has been a huge year for music and for TikTok and we’ve been humbled how the industry and so many artists have partnered with us to make this magic happen across so many different countries,” he outlined in a press release.

“[T]he last 12 months have provided so many music moments, inspired our community of one billion and shown the world that music starts and lives on TikTok.” — ETX-Studio