Over the past few years, the social media app TikTok has skyrocketed in popularity and has set the tone for the most recent trends, especially in the area of music. Some of today’s more popular songs have come straight from the app where they have been used in thousands, sometimes millions, of TikTok videos. TikTok has become a platform where smaller musicians and artists can get their names into the cultural consciousness and possibly have their song become the next big thing. 

Unlike any other social media app, TikTok has sprouted a name for itself because of the dance trends that it produces; oftentimes the songs used for these trends explode in traction and plays. Music is also a huge part of the general community and videos uploaded on the app, with the majority of them including a song in the background. 

Before TikTok, small artists looking for a way to break into the music industry had to promote themselves on other apps such as Twitter and Facebook, which didn’t always give the best results; whereas, TikTok has become a way for music to be shared and spread and has brought several now successful artists such as Tate McRae, Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzo, and Conan Gray  to the forefront.

Additionally, artists such as Em Beihold, Lyn Lapid, Lauren Spencer-Smith, and several others have been noticed for their emotional and meaningful lyrics which have gained popularity due to how relatable and thought provoking their songs are. One more recent example of this would be the artist Steve Lacy and his song “Bad Habit.” Olympic Heights Senior Max Eirich stated, “I discovered a lot of new artists on TikTok such as Steve Lacy, and I think it’s great how small artists are getting more attention.” 

Other musicians are gaining attention for their bold choices and general aesthetic. Dove Cameron, a singer and actress, has grown to become a very successful artist since her song “Boyfriend” trended on TikTok earlier this year, and she recently won her first MTV award for Best New Artist. OH Senior Heidi Russell said, “Dove has really stood out to me, it’s evident how much she has grown since Disney, and I love her new style.” 

With all of these different types of singers and styles of music becoming more popular on TikTok, it leads to some artists trying to create songs with the purpose of making their sound trendy and more likely to be used in TikTok videos. These songs are mostly in the pop genre and try to relate to scenarios that most users are likely to have had in their own lives.  

Some of these smaller artists have been called out for their cringy or generic sounding lyrics such as on one of Leah Kate’s new songs. “A top comment on the track is a request to unrelease it” claims Jacob Cohen of The Hustle Magazine.    

As TikTok continues to grow and shape the current trends of today’s new music will proceed to surface from users on the app. This has made the public much more aware of the possibilities out there when it comes to being introduced to new and lesser-known musicians, and some singers that get their start from the app may be one of the biggest artists in the future.