TikTok has become one of the most instrumental forces in the music industry, influencing everything from song popularity to new avenues for music creation. With its unique algorithm to deliver highly personalized content based on individual preferences, the platform has made music discovery easier than ever before, allowing both mainstream and emerging artists to promote their works and reach wide audiences.
“Due to TikTok’s algorithm, I discover new music almost every day,” junior Saara Venkatesh said. “It’s a platform where many people share their music tastes and favorite songs. This can help in significantly boosting an artist’s popularity.”
TikTok’s impact on users extends beyond just discovering music—it is shaping the way people interact with different genres, impacting their music taste over time.
“TikTok has definitely shaped my music preferences over the years,” Venkatesh said. “It exposes us to all different kinds of music, and sometimes we explore new genres without even realizing it. If I hear a song I like on TikTok, I find myself playing it on repeat and searching for similar tracks.”
While the platform has opened many doors for many artists, some albums seem to be designed purely for TikTok trends rather than artistic depth. The emphasis on short, catchy hooks that work well for 10-second clips has made it difficult for some albums to feel cohesive. Instead of focusing on storytelling or musical innovation, certain artists and labels appear to structure their work around what will gain traction online, oftentimes at the expense of quality.
“The NLE Choppa album wasn’t good at all, because it seemed like it was made simply to make edits and create viral TikTok sounds,” sophomore Akshay Chenna explained. “A similar thing happened with the recent Playboi Carti album as well.”
The pressure to create viral music has led some artists to prioritize catchy hooks over in-depth storytelling or well-structured albums. This shift has resulted in a modern music industry culture that rewards instant gratification, with songs blowing up quickly but fading equally as fast. With Tik Tok’s influence, it is evident that some artists are shifting toward music that prioritizes short-lived trends over long-term cultural impact.
“I think many artists, like their listeners, are discovering new genres to explore themselves,” Venkatesh said. “…That doesn’t necessarily mean that some artists are ‘clout-chasing’… It is simply done for a bigger artistic purpose.”
Some artists naturally evolve their style over time. For instance, Ariana Grande’s shift to a softer, R&B influenced style reflects more of a personal artistic choice rather than a calculated attempt at virality. However, the difference is evident when an artist prioritizes popularity over authenticity.
“Most of the time, a song’s longevity isn’t guaranteed because there’s no real connection to the song,” Chenna said. “It’s only tied to a single trend, so once that trend dies out, the song does too.”
TikTok has undeniably changed the way people listen to and engage with music. Whether it continues to elevate new artists or contribute to the rise of disposable songs remains an open question, but its impact on the industry is impossible to ignore.
