Social media platforms have changed the way artists are discovered. Artists like Bella Poarch and Ashnikko have blown up overnight, spreading their songs across TikTok like wildfires. The fame doesn’t last, though, at least not in the way these artists would hope.
Many people hail TikTok for giving artists an easy outlet to spread their music. However, more often than not, blowing up on TikTok sticks artists to the bottom of the music industry with only the label of a “TikTok Artist.” Once given this label, it is increasingly difficult to shake it off. It’s not an impossible task; artists such as PinkPantheress and Lil Nas X were able to elevate their careers and break out of the TikTok artist mold, but many artists could not.
Once an artist’s music takes off on TikTok via a viral trend or dance, they can be forever defined by that viral moment. This is where the problem starts. An artist’s success on TikTok can be solely based on the platform’s algorithms and trends and not on the artist’s talents. Why is this an issue? In order to be seen as a serious artist, you don’t want to be defined by a 15-second snippet of your most viral song, hindering the rise of any other songs you release.
As TikTok trends fade, the artist often struggles to maintain relevance in the music industry.
Let’s look at Ashnikko, for example. During the pandemic, Ashnikko’s songs ‘STUPID’ and ‘Daisy’ gained massive popularity on TikTok. “STUPID” amassed 254 million streams on Spotify, and “Daisy” a whopping 536 million. Looking at her recent releases, the songs from her “WEEDKILLER” album have less than 50 million streams each. Songs from her latest EP, ‘Halloweenie I-VI,’ failed to enter her top 10 most-streamed tracks.
The phenomenon of a TikTok artist is limiting artists to one or two viral songs. TikTok artists often face skepticism about their legitimacy, with critics saying they don’t possess the depth or creativity of artists who built their careers through the traditional process of working with record labels, producers, and agencies rather than posting a video on TikTok from the comfort of their home.
Despite the apparent challenges of blowing up on TikTok, some artists can make it out. As mentioned before, PinkPantheress is one of the artists who were able to shake off the TikTok artist label. PinkPantheress began her career by sharing a snippet of ‘Just a Waste’ on TikTok in December 2020. Since then, she has collaborated with notable artists like KAYTRANADA, Baby Keem, and Troye Sivan. She successfully kept her relevance in the music industry with her unique music style and was signed to Warner Music Group.
Similarly to PinkPantheress, Lil Nas X started his career on TikTok after his song “Old Town Road” prompted a dance trend. Lil Nas X now has millions of streams on numerous songs beyond his viral hits.
While the label “TikTok artist” implies that success is based on trends and viral moments rather than sustained talent and creativity, artists can still break the mold and emerge as successful, multifaceted artists. As TikTok continues to evolve, hopefully, the stigma around starting music careers on the app diminishes.
