Social media is often viewed as a new innovation that helps musical recording artists connect with fans, build tighter communities, sell more music, and widen their overall reach. After all, early social media platforms such as MySpace and Tumblr helped to launch new musical acts and completely reinvent how music is distributed.
But many music industry insiders are now acknowledging that social media platforms such as TikTok are creating an entirely new style of music that is bland and lacking any true originality. At the same time, it is becoming harder and harder for musicians without an extensive social media presence to stand out from the crowd and really break through.
The social media algorithm
The problem, quite frankly, is the social media algorithm. Just as the algorithm determines what content appears in your news feed, it also determines what songs to recommend to you. And, by and large, anything that is too experimental is rejected by the algorithm. Lyrics must be simple and easy to understand. Song intros must be short and to the point. Catchy hooks and simple loops are the way to attract new listeners.
As a result, musicians are forced to change the way they make music. Instead of trying to be music revolutionaries, they need to fit in with whatever is trending on TikTok or Instagram. And that might be a good reason why much of the music being produced today all sounds the same. It’s not the fault of the musicians – it’s the fault of the algorithm.
And there’s another important way that social media is changing the world of music forever. And that is how musicians interact with their fan bases. It’s now expected that musicians will devote considerable resources to posting content on social media platforms such as TikTok, in order to keep their fans involved. And not only that. They must be focused on creating “viral content” – and the more, the better. This helps to feed the algorithm, ensuring that their music is constantly getting new streams.
The role of gatekeepers
Of course, the argument could be made that “gatekeepers” have always determined what types of music gets made, and which musical acts become famous. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s, for example, it was radio that helped to define music. In the 1980’s, it was MTV. When the internet first launched, it was music bloggers who determined what became popular.
There have always been music labels, promoters, managers, music critics, and the media. And each has played a role in determining which songs become popular. But social media seems to be speeding up the process, to the point where it seems like a losing battle for many musicians. It’s hard enough to produce one viral hit. But to keep the momentum going, hit after hit, seems almost impossible.
Moreover, with all music sounding the same these days, there’s arguably no reason for fans to favor one musician over another. And that’s really a shame, because we may no longer have musical icons with long careers that span decades. Musicians may no longer become larger-than-life personalities with the power to shape cultural trends. If the algorithm is shaping them, then the real star is the algorithm.
That’s not to say that some music will not eventually break through and stand out from all the rest. Olivia Rodrigo, for example, is someone who has capitalized on early TikTok success to achieve fame. Surely there will be others. But one has to acknowledge that the era of edgy, unconventional music is coming to an end. With the rise of AI, there might soon be a day when #1 hits are created by bots, and not by humans.
