Tik Tok & The Instant High of Success

Tik Tok was a wave we didn't see coming, and it's impact on the music industry cannot be ignored. With an algorithm that no one quite understands and the talent of creatives, dancers, and fashion icons, Tik Tok has given rise to a plethora of songs and artists who didn't see their time in the spotlight coming. This is (kind of) a problem. While I love Tik Tok as much as the next person, I recognize how much it has impacted music from what's popular to the way a song sounds, and this change is dangerous for artists who want to last in the industry.

When Tik Tok finds a song it likes, it becomes hard to escape. For example, "The Box" by Roddy Ricch and "Say So" by Doja Cat were nearly inescapable from January to April to a point where I can't really listen to the songs anymore. With new dances to accompany the songs and creative memes putting a spin on the songs, I'm sure Doja Cat and Roddy Ricch didn't see people latching onto the songs in the way that the world did. However, they used this success not to force out more Tik Tok successes, but to promote their music beyond the viral sensations. The artists never changed their sound or brand. They just continued to make good music. Whatever caught on for Tik Tok, great; whatever didn't quite catch on, that's okay too.

There is not problem with social media helping a song gain more traction. There is nothing wrong with dancing to a song. There is nothing wrong with an overnight transformation. The issue becomes when an artist seeks out the same momentum from Tik Tok after the first success. It's an addiction. You long for that same success, so you create the same formula over and over until you can reach that same peak, never quite getting there again. I hate to do this, but I have to use the Houston Hottie as an example...

Megan Thee Stallion was already on her way to success with hits like "Sex Talk," "Big Ole Freak," "Cash Sh*t." However, her song "Savage" found its way on Tik Tok and blew up like something I've never seen before in my short 22 years of life. "Savage" was EVERYWHERE. It's a genuinely good song with catchy and braggadocious lyrics, but also a cute Tik Tok dance to go along with. Megan noticed the craze around her song and amplified the hysteria by sharing others performing the Tik Tok dance including herself and creating a remix with fellow Houston Queen Beyoncé. Of course, the remix led to a remix of the original dance, and "Savage" continued to stay at the front of everyone's mind, and at the top of the "for you" page.

Unfortunately, Tik Tok didn't exactly continue to have the same positive impact for Thee Stallion. Releasing singles like 'Girls In The Hood" and "Don't Stop," it was clear that Megan was looking for the next viral hit. She found it in "Don't Stop," but it never quite reached the same momentum as "Savage." As Meg promoted her debut album, fans sat in high anticipation waiting to hear the hard lyrics, beats by Lil Ju, and hot girl summer anthems. When Good News finally released, "underwhelmed" was the word of the day. It became very obvious to me and everyone else that with songs like "Cry Baby," "Do It On The Tip," and "Body," Megan was seeking that same viral success as "Savage." A big mistake on her and her label's part. "Body" and "Cry Baby" caught on for a short moment, but once again, nothing really hit the same peak as "Savage," kind of making this change in sound a pointless venture.

My one wish for artists today is to keep their heads out of the clouds when it comes to Tik Tok. If used the right way, Tik Tok can definitely be a great tool for artists. However, when an artist overindulges in the platform, the rise and especially the fall can be brutal.