Have you ever stopped to think about how the way we consume music has changed in recent times?! Not only has consumption changed, but also the marketing strategies, which have taken a new direction never imagined in the past. And that's without even mentioning the ways we measure a song's success and what makes it a hit on the charts.
Old days vs. Present day
Those who are a bit older – like me – may remember the awards given to gold, platinum, and diamond records to artists who broke CD sales records. But, since the arrival of music streaming, the way artists are counted and rewarded has shifted to being based on the number of times their music has been listened to on those apps.
Streaming services have greatly simplified the lives of music consumers. Whereas before it was necessary to reserve shelf space for a CD player and numerous CDs, now it's possible to gather multiple discographies in the app's memory with just one click. For artists, this change has brought a need for complete integration into the digital world; simply having a profile on the main streaming services is no longer the only goal. In an increasingly competitive market, each artist needs to make the algorithm work in their favor so that their music reaches more and more people.
That's where TikTok comes in.
The app that took the world by storm with its short videos, challenges, and dance routines has become a favorite among artists and marketing professionals in the music industry. Even in its early days, it was clear how powerful it would become in disseminating music. After all, who hasn't heard "the TikTok song" on the radio or in a playlist, and whose dance routine automatically pops into their head?
Today, it's even clearer how powerful the app is in making a song a hit. A good example is the #WAPChallenge, which went viral on social media and caused singer Cardi B to exponentially increase her number of followers on Spotify. It has become increasingly common to see comments like "who discovered this song through TikTok?" and even established bands don't want to be left out of this trend.
Radiohead, a band formed in the 1980s, made its debut on the app with a video simulating an old broadcast that began with the question "What do you want me to say?". Today, almost a month after the first production, the British band has seven more videos that have fans eagerly awaiting new music.
Another band that has already understood the power of viral social media is the British band Coldplay. Led by Chris Martin, they already have several videos on their profile. The first post was in November 2019, so they could even claim they arrived on the platform when it was still in its infancy. Jokes aside, the point here is: the band has already seen the potential in the neighboring app and this month began promoting their new era exclusively on TikTok.
A video posted on May 2nd, 2021, already has over one million views. In practice, this means a huge number of people are already highly engaged with the single's release. High Power.
And since we're big lovers and enthusiasts of music, creativity, and the arts, we've put together a playlist packed with songs that have been playing a lot lately! Tell us which of these hits has been a favorite in your favorites lately.
