Does TikTok drive viral music?
Latest reports highlight insights on TikTok’s influence on music success.
TikTok has become a dominant force in music discovery, often propelling songs and artists careers. However, two recent reports offer contradictory insights about TikTok’s real influence on the music industry.
Duetti’s ‘Music Economics Report’
The first report, published by music-fintech company Duetti, suggests that TikTok’s role in long-term music success is overstated. According to their findings, less than 1% of all songs on TikTok achieve viral status, with only 15% of these experiencing long-term streaming growth on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
In this instance, viral success is defined as a track’s TikTok video creations doubling within a month, with at least 250,000 total creations. Long-term streaming growth is considered an increase of over 30% in average Spotify streams four months after the viral moment.
Duetti’s data suggests that while TikTok can be a powerful promotional tool for many independent artists to reach new audiences, it does not guarantee longevity. Additionally, TikTok’s estimated payout per 1,000 video creations (made to one track) is lower than that of major streaming platforms, making it clear why UMG previously pushed back against licensing music to the platform.
It is crucial to remember that there are typically many variables at play when estimating payouts per stream (or per video creation in this instance), and so any estimate has to be taken with a pinch of salt.
TikTok and Luminate’s ‘Music Impact Report’
In contrast, TikTok’s study in partnership with Luminate paints a much more favourable picture for the platform. The ‘Music Impact Report’ considers the platform’s impact on the music industry across metrics such as music discovery, consumption, chart success, and contribution to industry revenues.
Key findings from the report include:
- 84% of songs that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 first gained traction on TikTok.
- US TikTok users are 74% more likely to discover and share new music than the average short-form video consumer.
- Over 1 billion tracks have been saved using TikTok’s ‘Add to Music App’ feature.
- 68% of US TikTok users are more likely to pay for a music streaming subscription compared to the general US population.
- TikTok-engaged artists experience higher streaming growth than those with less TikTok correlation.
Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music Business Development at TikTok
Overall, Luminate’s Music Impact Report concluded that “TikTok is a key driver of music discovery, monetization, and chart success”.
A closer look
While TikTok’s report highlights impressive stats, it’s important to consider the source. Since the report was commissioned by TikTok, it naturally focuses on data that reinforces the platform’s importance to the music industry.
Moreover, some of its findings can be explained in ways that don’t necessarily prove TikTok’s causation in long-term success. For example:
- The fact that TikTok users are more likely to be paying music subscribers make sense because music is integral to the platform’s culture.
- The claim that music superfans on TikTok spend more money on music is logical- TikTok already attracts engaged music lovers, so it’s no surprise they are willing to spend more.
That being said, these insights still suggest that TikTok offers valuable exposure for artists, particularly in terms of reaching new audiences, increasing short-term engagement, and providing merch revenue opportunities.
The takeaway
Both reports highlight that TikTok and music are deeply interlinked, but they also suggest that TikTok virality alone is not a sustainable career strategy. While TikTok can certainly provide some short-term viral momentum, long-term success requires a deeper approach.
Rather than relying on solely on TikTok, artists and labels should:
- Build a consistent presence across multiple platforms which can translate into loyal fans.
- Engage with fans beyond just short-form content, and foster deeper connections.
This is just the beginning of enhancing your social media presence, with a lot more contributing to long-term success as an artist. Ultimately, TikTok can be an effective launchpad, but real success comes from translating viral moments into lasting fan engagement that will follow you throughout your career.