TikTok music is a threat

Submitted by ConfectionStill6109 t3_10moop1 in Music

You know those songs that are good for about 15 seconds and on trend but the rest of the song is just complete background music. Because they’re mainly being advertised on social media (mainly TikTok) artists get away with only putting effort into that tiny bit of the song that’s gonna go viral by being used in clips under a minute long. I’m terrified this will completely take over the music industry and there will be no one to create good authentic music left.

This first artist I had noticed doing this was Lizzo in “About Damn Time”. It’s obviously just my opinion so I could be the only person who feels this but that song sounds like it was made entirely for that bit “In a minute Imma need sentimental man or woman…” and that hurts me cause Lizzo is a talented song writer and performer who has made some brilliant music in the past.

I’m seeing this more and more as time goes on (ex. Måneskins new album) and it just makes me think that some day music will be made purely for the intention of going viral on TikTok for a week before being completely forgotten.

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HomerThompson15 t1_j645u2t wrote

“ some day music will be made purely for the intention of going viral on TikTok”

Some might, but not all

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AmphibianImmediate45 t1_j649pvj wrote

Exactly what I thought. Yes this is happening. It will continue to happen if it is making money. It doesn’t mean all artists will do it. Not an expert, but I am hopeful!

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PolarBath t1_j6490p3 wrote

There will always be talented artists making good music, even if major labels aren't propping them up. We live in an age where solid recording equipment can be had for minimal investment and digital music can be mass distributed. It might require a little searching on your end, but it will always be there.

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whatistheformat t1_j64g4d9 wrote

> there will be no one to create good authentic music left.

I'm constantly amazed by how many people post on Reddit with this myopic concept of pop music as the totality of ALL music. The kind of pop that clamors for the top of what zombies constitute "charts" nowadays, happy to sacrifice all style and substance for whatever the trends are, is a small bit of all of the music made by everyone. It's vain, shallow and disposable. Who cares what happens to it?

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amorningofsleep t1_j6469ak wrote

> I’m terrified this will completely take over the music industry

Minute long songs? You mean grindcore is going to take over the music industry now?! Count me the fuck in.

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Slight_Purpose_9092 t1_j655d3e wrote

People have been writing songs built around one short hook for decades (Sweet Caroline? Dancing Queen?)

Lizzo didn't record that song for Tik Tok. People put it in videos because that part of the song is catchy. It's a good song and a good album.

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ExternalPiglet1 t1_j646s8s wrote

Just wait till AI music is spit out at us daily. We'll get nothing but whim inspired mash-ups and elevator music.

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UnspecificGravity t1_j6498w3 wrote

Why would that music be able to successfully complete with real music, which doesn't appear to be under threat of being deleted? I mean, you already get showered with shit music in elevators and online and in the store, that hasn't replaced real music. Why would AI do that?

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ExternalPiglet1 t1_j64bcwd wrote

It's just easier to make it. No royalty or licensing to have contracts with either. Of course the average person will still find music they want, but the commercial side of music will be hit, not to mention the novelty of it all. Anyone with only an idea will be trying to get ears on their new tracks.

Ultimately, not much will change in terms of abundance of music and its enjoyment... yet I'm sure there will be effects that we only recognize afterwards.

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NKevros t1_j647lwe wrote

You're upset that there are songs with catchy hooks.

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ld20r t1_j64jq2f wrote

Nope that’s not the point at all if you read it.

There are tons of songs with catchy hooks over the years that people listened to.

The problem now is that you have a wealth of songs being bombarded on the likes of Tik Tok that the human ear and mind can’t possibly keep up with so they run the risk of getting lost or forgotten about in an onslaught of sounds and an assassination to the attention span.

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aoblock t1_j64r26m wrote

Do you just mean the amount of songs being posted ? Or just the length of the songs ? Like I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there are already thousands of artists and albums and songs lost in the “onslaught of sounds” over the last 100 years that had nothing to do with tiktok

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Flodo_McFloodiloo t1_j64wojd wrote

Let's at least allow that this sort of thing has been said about pretty near every new trend in music. And while many of those trends do produce cringe, they also produce backlash. If there's anything to what you say and there probably is, then someone who feels as you do is also probably making some music to counter those trends. But also, as obnoxiously loud as TikTok is it's probably also still niche. Most people probably don't buy songs because they heard little snippets of them on TikTok, they still buy them because they heard them on the radio, and though I can sort of hear what you're saying with "About Damn Time", why be worried that Lizzo is going to frame her whole career around TikTok when she also has mainstream popularity?

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abluebirdswings t1_j654kyr wrote

This a bit of an overreaction. As much as tiktok relies on soundbites it has also helped launch the careers of some pretty decent artists. Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Doja Cat etc. It has also brought attention to plenty of smaller indie artists. The music you are suggesting has always existed, and all though you may not like it it has a place and time. Not every piece of music has to be or should be songwriting master piece. An artists will put out a project they are comfortable with. How you recieve it is entirely subjective.

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mailboxfacehugs t1_j657kqi wrote

Well that’s just a crazy worry to have. No offense, sorry.

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DeflatedBallonMusic t1_j67djep wrote

I have noticed many new songs are shorter in general (around the 3 min or just under mark).

But on your point on Lizzo's about damn time, the song/second verse was definitely not written for TikTok. I will have to look but Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) gave an interview on that song that was very interesting. IIRC, About damn time was commercially a flop in its first few weeks and wasn't performing well, until someone made a tiktok dance for the second verse which went viral, in turn pushing the song. it was a really interesting video

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Not the full interview but its most of it:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vPo1qgsNvUI

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xole t1_j64nx3b wrote

"Rock music is worthless garbage" -- a bunch of old guys in the 1950s.

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Latyon t1_j6474da wrote

Good point.

Tiktok really is ruining everything.

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Laethettan t1_j647no7 wrote

There will be a reaction, I mean I refuse to use it, and dgaf about Songs that are 2 mins long.. such Songs always feel curiously incomplete or like an interlude..

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