TikTok now has its own radio show
Mia Castagnone looks at the rise and rise again of TikTok
TikTok is now entering new territories by launching a pop-up music station on iHeartRadio. “TikTok Trending” will showcase the music and artists taking off on the platform, as well as the tracks that are being rediscovered by different generations or experiencing a revival due to viral trends.
The iHeartRadio show will feature creators as hosts, including musicians G Flip and Isaiah Firebrace, and TikTok stars like Aussie-born Tanner. There will also be a rotating lineup of guest hosts, including popular creators, local artists and international stars – the first major guest being, Rita Ora.
The musical push by TikTok is no real surprise considering the sheer amount of artists who have been making their break via the app. Songs like “Astronaut in the Ocean”, “Kiss me More” and “Ghost Town” first gained popularity on TikTok before appearing on music sharing platforms or being run on commercial radio. Several users are often left commenting ‘Where is this song on Spotify?’ as music tracks are fast appearing on TikTok before anywhere else.
In early 2020 TikTok surpassed a massive 2 billion downloads, which has largely been a result of extended self-isolation and home-based quarantine during COVID-19 that saw engagement among young people absolutely soar.
But if you’re wondering why TikTok has reached such popularity among audiences around the world, one answer is, unlike legacy social media (like Instagram or Facebook), TikTok privileges sound over images. The round rotating button on the bottom right hand side of every TikTok takes you to a catalogue that pins the original video that first debuted an audio clip. The option to ‘use this sound’, and a list of all the posts that have used the same clip, has been central to viral trends on TikTok, and is perhaps the most novel feature on the app.
Users are encouraged to not only absorb content but to produce their own. The music industry has seen the opportunity this presents for artists who want to either launch new music, stay relevant or provide more content to their fans by following trends on their own TikTok account. The driving template for content production on TikTok has made artists like Doja Cat, Masked Wolf and Chloe George become household names for their notorious tracks that have experienced viral circulation on the app.
As more artists take to TikTok to reach audiences, it’s interesting to see that traditional media platforms, like iHeartRadio, want in as well. The launch of the new radio programme is not just a way TikTok is staying relevant, but really is a reflection of how traditional media is trying to keep up with new age social media platforms.