Yes, I was one of those people who refused to download TikTok when it was first released. But like millions of other people stuck at home, I downloaded the app in the summer of 2020. I quickly understood why it was popular. The layout was different but not completely unheard of. At first, it reminded me of the early days of Snapchat because of the vertical videos. But TikTok has morphed into something of its own. After being such a focus point in media these past few years, the app has reached the beginning of the end for the app.
What is TikTok?
For those who aren’t into social media or have stuck to the classics like Facebook and Tumblr, TikTok is a social media platform that centers around short videos, unlike other social media apps where pictures and text are most important.
And instead of an explore page, like Instagram, there is a for you page. The short-form videos and the possibility that anyone could go viral simply by showing their face were attractive to users and creators. It was so popular that competitors like Instagram released “reels” in August 2020, and YouTube followed with “shorts” in March 2021.
TikTok and its Relationship to Music
What truly made the app different was its focus on music. Because of the found feature, songs were reaching millions of people a day. Artists uploaded their official sound, and creators used 15-second snippets of songs in their content. It wasn’t sponsored either. It all happened organically, which was something people were missing. The most popular and early instance of this was “Lottery (Renegade).” The song became a massive hit in 2019 and 2020 because of a TikTok dance challenge. People wanted to join in on the fun or make fun of the people dancing; either way, the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Another example that comes to mind is the song, “Mr Loverman,” Ricky Montgomery originally released the song in 2016. Mr Loverman wouldn’t reach massive success until the song hit the app in the form of an edit for an anime four years after its release.
There are countless other examples of this phenomenon. It felt like every week a new Doja Cat song went viral in the summer of 2020. And we are all aware of Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Diver’s License,” which filled our FYP in January of 2021.
Eventually, the term “TikTok song” was coined to refer to a song that was released just to go viral with the help of TikTok. Most recently Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” and “Northen Attitude,” have been playing nonstop on everyone’s FYP.
It’s not just artists who relied on the TikTok sound feature. There are easily thousands of accounts that have built their TikTok platform from lipsyncing songs in front of their camera or people who vlog their day and add songs to the videos.
As of February 1st, UMG (Universal Music Group) is the largest music group that has pulled the music of their represented artists. This includes Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, BTS, Ariana Grande, Conan Gray, and many more.
Without music how much longer can the app last?
TikTok Shop and Midroll Ads
As much as I’ve been trying to ignore it the past few months TikTok Shop just doesn’t seem to go away. It truly cheapens the app; if you scroll for more than ten seconds, it’s clear to see that these products are not well made. Some of them are not what’s been described.
Adding a shop tab is just not the way to go; for example, Instagram added one back in 2020 and as of now it is gone. It was one hundred percent the correct choice.
Ads are something that can make or break an app. In the past month or so midroll ads have been appearing on people’s FYP on top of the ad you get at when you first enter the app. It’s like a jump scare, to see yet another person selling you something. The reality is, that people shouldn’t be consuming ads every waking hour of their lives.
The Congress Issue
On top of the legal issues involving music on the App, TikTok owners have been battling back and forth with the United States Congress to keep the app running in the states. On March 2023, Shou Chew, the CEO testified in front of Congress. Let’s just say it was hard to watch.
The representatives accused TikTok of stealing information and selling it to the Chinese government. And kept insisting that TikTok was dangerous for children; failing to realize it is the parent’s responsibility to monitor what their child is watching on the internet.
Yet again the CEO was in front of Congress, but this time alongside other social media CEOs. It does not seem likely that the US government will be letting go of their grudge against TikTok anytime soon.
Will TikTok be able survive? Is TikTok losing popularity? Or will it sink into obscurity with the other apps that have come before it? Let us know what you think!
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