2 minute read
TIKTOK
from TAG 2021
by Jason Hollis
IS IT RUINING SONGS AND ARTISTS' NAMES?
Over the past year, TikTok has become a huge part of our lives. Many young individuals aged 14–19 were left unoccupied and lonely at home due to lockdown. With little to nothing to do countless of us turned to TikTok and it became extremely popular worldwide. It’s the most downloaded app this year with the age range between 13 and 25. From dances to POVs, we have been expressing our feelings to millions of viewers on TikTok. The Guardian released an article for those who may be unaware of the app to help those gain an understanding of it.
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“At its core, TikTok is a video-sharing app. Users film themselves in 15-second clips, typically set to music, and upload them to be viewed by followers and strangers alike.”
However, a great number of us believe that TikTok is one of the main reasons why songs die so quickly. When a song gets popular on the worldwide app it usually means that it is going to top the charts alongside it’s growing notability on TikTok. This then amounts to the top of the charts being filled with songs that people have popularised on TikTok. Therefore, the original and meaningful songs are being knocked down on the charts list. When a TikTok song tops the charts it means that radio stations are going to air the song due to its popularity. This means that the song is going to be greatly overplayed due to all platforms (such as TikTok) taking advantage of the song for its replayability. Having said that, before TikTok, songs were only ever overplayed on the radio so they didn’t get tedious as quickly.
Based on research sources here are the top 10 songs ‘ruined’ by TikTok (in no particular order): • Orange Soda – Baby Keem • Good Morning Tokyo! –
Tokyo’s Revenge • Blueberry Faygo – Lil Mosey • Sugar – Brockhampton • Roxanne – Arizona Zervas • Outwest – Jackboys & Travis
Scott • Walk – Comethazine • Say So – Doja Cat • YU Gotta B Like That –
Audrey MiKa • Relationship – Young Thug
DO YOU AGREE?
In contrast, we may argue that TikTok does not ruin songs, it increases their recognition. Songs do not need to be unique and remarkable to make it on TikTok and resulting in reaching the charts, as long as the song is catchy it’s guaranteed to get attention on the app.
Tag 21’ conducted an interview to see if any other users of the app felt the same way. We interviewed Curtis, aged 17 from Eastbourne and asked whether he agreed or disagreed.
“I can see how it may ruin some songs for certain people but personally I enjoy Tiktok and I believe it creates excitement for the songs. Many people tend to like gatekeeping underground artists and I know that numerous have grown their fame on Tiktok sounds. I would be ecstatic if any underground artist that I happened to support went mainstream .”
We at Tag think that TikTok allows songs to get popular but it also causes the songs own demise. This is because the song gets admiration on TikTok fairly easily and gets overplayed, then it tops the charts and makes its way over to radio where it gets excessively overplayed and eventually dies quicker than if it got big without TikTok!
