The "TikTokification" of the music industry

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The “TikTokification” of the music industry

First shared by @itsmi.kee on #general

This week, we discussed a troubling TikTok, posted by Grammy award-winning pop star Halsey. In the TikTok video, Halsey (who uses she/they pronouns) alleges that their record label has demanded that they fake a viral TikTok trend before allowing them to release any new music.

The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the (some would argue undue) influence TikTok holds over the music industry and the pressure this can place on artists. TikTok has seen stratospheric growth in recent years (especially during the pandemic). Many music industry execs now see it as an essential promotional tool for artists and an “early-stage A&R cheat code” for identifying new music talent.

However, TikTok is also a uniquely demanding medium. It takes a lot more creative energy and effort to create a short video than to post a static photo on Instagram or Twitter. As this thread from @seaninsound explains, musicians are often reluctant to partner with professional content creators who could help smooth out the process or aren’t offered the resource by their labels, who may not be taking the demanding nature of TikTok seriously.

In #general, we discussed the difficulties of treading the fine line between wanting to use TikTok (and other social media platforms) as an effective promotional tool and wanting to protect the energy and integrity of artists. Many of us noticed that authenticity — while a vague, and difficult-to-optimize-for concept — is the key to great social content:

“Focus in the platform that you enjoy creating content for. Tiktok is great at pushing your content out to a wide audience that has never come across you before but a) there is a definite way to create content to attract attention b) as an artist dont get trapped into thinking you need to do it because everyone seems to be doing it. Go with what you find enjoyable” – @Charlotte – @csquared

“Echoing what others have said. Build on platforms that you feel come most naturally to you, and be authentic on whichever platforms you do utilise. If you decide to use TikTok, then do it in your own voice and style. Jumping on trends hoping for a viral moment is exhausting and unsustainable when it comes to content creation. Do your own thing, but do it consistently, and you will find the audience you’re after.” – @joshdalton

It’s perhaps worth noting that artists who do particularly well on TikTok tend to have the kind of larger-than-life personalities, well-suited to being all-around entertainers rather than ‘just’ musicians. A prime example of this is Doja Cat, who recently spoke about her ambition to become a stand-up comedian.

@JNC offered us a label perspective:

“Working on the label side I am often conflicted about asking artists to create content as it can be perfunctory and often puts more pressure on them. On the other hand it is a necessary promo tool in the attention economy. I’m hopeful that artist centric models facilitated by Web3 offer artists an alternative to the feeling of being on the content hamster wheel and an opportunity to slow down”. – @JNC

While an additional revenue stream from Web3 can offer artists respite from battling TikTok’s algorithm, Web3 promotional and communication channels still rely heavily on Web2 infrastructure. While companies like gm.xyz have attempted to establish Web-3 native social media platforms, they’ve yet to be widely adopted. Additionally, the promotional activities associated with Web3 music communities (Twitter Spaces, one-on-one onboarding calls, wallet set-up, and educational outreach) tend to be pretty high-touch — arguably even more intensive than filming a TikTok.

Furthermore, Web3-related social media backlash is still a genuine problem for artists (as we’ve covered in our report on Web3 onboarding strategies). Web3 isn’t an end-all haven for artists attempting to escape social media’s grind. Necessarily, technological and strategic advancements will have to arise before artists uncover a strategy for growth that presents a viable alternative to the attention economy standard.

Further reading: How the labels behind Mitski and Mac DeMarco navigate TikTok

Will Abba’s Voyage move the needle for VR music experiences?

First shared by @yung spielburg in #metaverse

This week, Abba Voyage premiered in London. Billed as a groundbreaking moment for VR performances, the show features the iconic band as avatars (or “Abbatars”), “reunited” for the first time in 14 years, in a stadium in East London that was custom-built for the performance.

Previous VR or hologram live shows have proven controversial, you might recall the Tupac hologram that was widely critiqued after its premiere at SXSW almost ten years ago. Maybe against the odds or a sign of a shift in sentiment, Voyage has been receiving rave reviews. As @Mr Trick and @ChrissyG noted, audience buy-in may have hinged on the fact that Voyage features living artists, who were around to play an essential role in the conception and execution of the show. This factor ensures that the production avoids the kind of discomfort and ethical difficulties associated with touring avatars of deceased stars.

Surprisingly to some, Abba has created the most critically acclaimed music VR experience in recent memory. Rather than a younger, more technologically savvy musical act, Voyage’s success makes sense for several reasons. Foremost, Abba has already established an extensive media franchise built around their music, most of which doesn’t feature any of the band members. Secondly, Abba is as close to universally loved as a band can get — although this doesn’t always translate into a free pass to experiment, as evidenced by the fan response to Dolly Parton’s recent NFT launch.

As @Mr Trick suggests, success stories like Voyage will likely set the tone for VR music experiences we have access to in the future. Reviews of Voyage have emphasized how the performance masquerades as “real life,” even going as far as to simulate crowd banter and costume changes, suggesting that popstars aiming to emulate Voyage’s success may opt for hyper-realism rather than abstract experimentation. Or, ultimately, we may find that Voyage is impossible to repeat — the production was so expensive that Abba would need to make £140M to recoup production costs.

Further reading: Virtual reality and immersive concerts: An introductory primer