Page 34 - Poze Magazine Volume 81

POZE MAGAZINE

From TikTok to Billboard:

How Social Media is Creating

Music Stars

In a world where attention spans are shrinking and
content moves at lightning speed, social media—
especially short-form video platforms like TikTok,
Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts—has reshaped
how music is discovered, shared, and turned into
global hits. Gone are the days when radio airplay or
industry gatekeepers dictated an artist’s success.
Now, a catchy 15-second snippet and an engaging
dance challenge can launch an unknown musician into
superstardom overnight.
The Rise of the Viral Hit
TikTok has become the ultimate music
industry disruptor. The app’s algorithm
favors engagement over anything else,
meaning a song doesn’t need a label’s
backing or a famous artist’s name to
explode in popularity—it just needs to
resonate with users.
Take Lil Nas X, for example. In 2019, his song
Old Town Road started as a viral meme on
TikTok before becoming one of the longest-
running Billboard No. 1 hits in history. The
song’s blend of country and hip-hop,
combined with users creating their own
comedic and dance videos, turned it into a
phenomenon. The power of social media
catapulted Lil Nas X from an independent
Breaking Down the Formula for a TikTok Hit artist posting songs online to a Grammy-
winning superstar.
What makes a song go viral on TikTok? While there’s
no guaranteed formula, certain patterns have Similarly, artists like Doja Cat (Say So), Olivia
emerged: Rodrigo (drivers license), and Steve Lacy (Bad
A Catchy Hook short-form content thrives on instant Habit) have all benefited from TikTok’s ability to
engagement. Songs with infectious choruses, strong turn sound clips into trends. What’s fascinating
beats, or distinctive lyrics tend to catch on. A prime is that songs don’t even have to be new—old
example is Masked Wolf’s Astronaut in the Ocean, classics like Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams and Kate
which became an anthem for dramatic and comedic Bush’s Running Up That Hill have re-entered the
TikTok edits. Billboard charts thanks to viral trends decades
after their original release.

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